Turn Flab into Fab

Summer bodies are built during winter, so follow our advice and get those sculpted, rock-star arms in no time…

With the arrival of Spring we turn to our favorite strappy tops and bathing suits, but with flab on board, the experience might be less than blossoming. Arms are seen as the ultimate barometer of just how fit you actually are, and can easily expose whether you lift weights, or if you haven’t lifted much more than a tub of ice-cream in months!

The tricky thing about arms is that of you don’t work those muscles the right way; they can be a bit hard to tame. We’ve got some great moves and tips that will have you ready to roll up your sleeves and show off a little skin, just in time for the warmer weather.

For the Chicken Wing

Women have a fat-pocket trifecta (yes THREE problem areas), and mainly store fat around their hips, thighs and upper arms. Add undertraining of the upper arms and you have a serious trouble spot. Luckily though, the areas that store fat the easiest are also the easiest to work on! It’s CRUCIAL to remember that when you’re trying to tone ANY part of your body, you have to take what you put in very seriously. This means watching what you eat. Get rid of excessive sugar and refined carbs, those buggers are only curbing your body’s ability to burn fat!

To tone the flab on the inside of the upper arms and the back of your upper arms, there are three exercises that work best:

• Triangle Push-Up
• Kick Back
• Bench Dip

Got Flab?

The easiest way to tell if you need to hit some more reps (or cardio for that matter) is by going into a full push-up position. Now reach over with your left hand and grasp your right upper arm. If you can actually grab more than an inch of flesh, you’ve got some work to do.

Will it cost me HOURS in the gym?

No! And that’s the best part! All you need is a set of dumbbells (3kg should be fine depending on your fitness level) and some willpower. Try and go as heavy on the weights as you can because training with heavy resistance causes a reduction in fat and increases lean muscle tissue, giving you smaller, more toned and defined arms.

If you really want to target a muscle to tone and firm it though, you have to work it frequently and consistently. One day a week won't get you the results you’re after, try opting for at least 3 days a week of arms training.

Time to Learn the Moves:

You’ll need:

2.5kg and 4.5kg dumbbells and a mat or carpet space

How to:

Do this 3 times a week, on non-consecutive day

Begin with at least a 5 minute cardio warmup

Do each exercise twice (so 2 sets of each) and aim for 10 to 15 reps on each side, resting 30 seconds in-between set

Single Arm Lateral Raise

Place a light dumbbell in your left hand and then get into the push-up position. Raise your left arm out to the side, parallel to the floor, hold for one second and then bring it back in again. Repeat the reps and then do the moves with the right arm.

Hammer Bicep Curl

Place a heavy dumbbell in each hand. Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, bend your left arm in 90 degrees. Hold the left hand position and then bend your right arm and curl the dumbbell up to your shoulder, holding your elbow to your side. Complete all the reps and then repeat with the left arm.

No matter what your age, shapely, sculpted arms are within your reach. All it takes is 10 minutes, 3 times a week to tighten up the droopiness and get sculpted for spring!