How to make your arms stronger and increase strength for a beginner

A toned figure for a woman is not only a thin waist, an elastic butt, slender legs, but also graceful contours of the shoulders and arms.

However, representatives of the fairer sex often avoid any exercises on the upper limbs, for fear of pumping up powerful biceps and getting a masculine appearance.

Let us immediately note that such fears are absolutely groundless. Professional instructors unanimously declare that it is very difficult for girls to “pump up” their arms due to their inherent physiological characteristics.

What a girl needs to remember when training her arm strength

Ladies who want to strengthen the muscles in their arms can safely go to a sports club, where a fitness consultant will create a suitable training program.

A less expensive option is to take a couple of consultations with a trainer, choose a suitable set of exercises and train yourself at home.

It is possible to give a beautiful relief and make the lines of the arms clearer, perhaps thanks to a well-thought-out training program and compliance with all the necessary conditions.

5 main rules for making your arms stronger:

1. Determine the total volume of adipose tissue in the body. If there is an excess amount of fat, it is necessary to reduce the daily calorie intake by eliminating unhealthy and too fatty foods from the menu.
2. If you are underweight, you need to add more protein foods and vegetables to your diet. You can calculate your weight norm using special calculators available on the Internet.
3. Develop a clear action plan. The concept should be comprehensive and take into account the following points: daily routine, class schedule, nutrition plan.
4. Follow the technique. Improperly performing the elements will not allow you to make progress, and what’s worse, can lead to sprains or injuries.
5. Adhere to the principles of regularity and gradualism. You need to pump your arms at least 2-3 times a week. At first, the main emphasis should be on the problem area. Start deadlifting with a light weight. Having strengthened your muscles and mastered your technique, you can increase the load and move on to intense split training.
6. Use different types of loads. It is advisable to complement strength training with cardio and aerobic movements: running, jumping rope, dynamic steps simulating movements like in boxing, etc.

Who and why strives for a strong blow

Well, with athletes everything is clear. If a swimmer strives to swim quickly, then a contact swimmer works on the speed and force of the blow. Everything is logical here. However, many are interested in how to develop punching power, despite the fact that many have never played contact sports. Even if they say that they did.

This certainly made someone smile, but it should be said that such aspirations for strength and physical capabilities seem to be due to primitive instincts. Since ancient times, a man has been a hunter, a breadwinner, he must be strong and be able to protect. And, of course, his enemies should be afraid of him. That is, it is quite normal when a modern man strives to be strong.

But the sad thing is that the concept of the norm has shifted somewhat recently. I would not like to go into details in this article; this topic is more complex than it might seem at first glance. But the priorities of young people have significantly transformed, and this has not happened in favor of sports. Unhealthy greed and drugs are the scourge of modern society, and perhaps the future. In light of this, it is encouraging to see at least some desire to develop, including sports, so it is gratifying even when an ordinary boy is interested in how to strengthen his punch, even without boxing. Unless, of course, he has malicious intent.

But I got carried away by the lyrics. Let's get to the point.

How and how much girls need to train to achieve results

To properly develop the work area, it is enough to perform 3-4 exercises. Each movement should be repeated at least two approaches 10-12 times. Gradually, the load should be increased.

The total time for one preparation, including warm-up and stretching, is 35-40 minutes. As a warm-up, you can perform rotational movements with the shoulder area, elbow joints, wrists, do 5-10 squats, and jump rope. The optimal rest between exercises is 60-180 seconds.

You can see noticeable changes in one and a half to two months.

French press

Focuses on the triceps and isolates them.

Execution: Lie on a bench press with a barbell in your hands (an ez bar works best). Straighten your arms at chest level. Begin to lower the barbell by bending the elbow joint, while keeping your arms in their original position. Bend your elbows to about a 90-degree angle, then lift the barbell up.

Recommendations: When bending, place the barbell behind your head, so most of the load will fall on the long head of the triceps, which lags behind in many athletes. When extending, move your elbows slightly back towards your head. This will prevent your triceps from relaxing. In order for the triceps to work when doing the press, your elbows should be kept parallel. You can perform the exercise standing, sitting and lying down. Inhale when bending, exhale when extending. Don't make any sudden pushes.

What muscles can be pumped up if you do all the exercises correctly?

The muscles of the upper extremities are divided into two groups:

1. Shoulder area;
2. Forearm and hand.

The muscles of the shoulder girdle that many athletes work include the deltoid, triceps or “triceps” and biceps (“biceps”). Their main functions are flexion and extension.

High-quality development of the delta gives more rounded outlines to the shoulders and influences the formation of correct posture. Pumped up biceps indicate good athletic shape.

To create beautiful shapes, you need to pay attention not only to the upper part of the arms, but also not to forget to work on the muscles of the forearm. The quickest way to give your body more contoured shape is through strength training.

With expander

The most common projectile for brushes is an expander, which is a rubber ring. Squeezing and unclenching a wrist expander, which is divided into two types, will help to work out the extensor muscles:

• standard squeezing and unclenching, but in the compressed position, you need to hold it for about a minute;
• the same squeezing and unclenching, but they need to be performed with only two or three fingers.

This is a fairly simple, but at the same time effective method of working the extensor muscles. It is especially suitable for those who have not exercised for a long time and have not paid attention to their hands for too long. will help increase grip and recovery, as well as improve hand health.

Shoulder exercises, which ones are best?

Rotational movements and elements with arms moving to the sides allow you to work out the shoulder area. Systematic sports training helps strengthen the upper body, develop endurance and strength.

Standing Dumbbell Press

How to perform:

• stand up straight, put your feet next to each other, take a weight;
• bend your elbows, turn your palms towards your chest;
• lift the dumbbells up, simultaneously turning the grip outward;
• return the cargo to the starting point;
• squeeze the dumbbells 18-20 times.

Dumbbell lateral raises

Execution:

• IP - standing, feet shoulder-width apart;
• take two weights, stretch your arms along your body;
• spread the dumbbells to the sides, keep tension in the muscles;
• lower down;
• do 12-15 times.

Bent over arms raise

Method:

• stand up, spread your legs comfortably, take dumbbells;
• tilt your body forward slightly, bend your knees slightly;
• bring the loads together in front of you, spread them to the sides;
• perform 14-16 swings of the upper limbs without changing the position of the core.

An example of an effective training program for arms and shoulders

Sample training plan

If you have sufficient strength, the complex of three elements can be repeated several times. After class, be sure to do some cardio and stretch.

Isometric exercises

If you're wondering how to gain arm strength, look no further than isometric exercises. They were developed by Alexander Zass, who believed that physical strength depends on tendons. The peculiarity of the system is that there is a combination of maximum tension and a short time of performing the exercise:

• Stand in the doorway, rest your forearms on the doorframes. Try to straighten and spread your arms.
• Sit on a chair, put your hands behind its back. Lean forward, resisting with your arms. Hold this position for 6 seconds, then take a minute break.

Tips: How a girl can quickly pump up beautiful arms at home

You don't have to visit expensive fitness clubs to get beautiful athletic hands. Most of the exercises are quite accessible for home workouts.

In order to work productively on a problem area at home, you may need the following equipment:

• dense small mat;
• stable support: block, bench, chair;
• horizontal bar/crossbar;
• a set of weights of different weights;
• expander;
• fitball

In the first couples, you can do without any equipment at all, or use a minimal set: a mat, a pair of dumbbells (you can take 1-1.5 liter water bottles) and any suitable support.

Seven steps to increase strength

Let's look at the method of 7 simple steps, armed with which a novice athlete will quickly figure out how to strengthen his arms at home. All steps are intuitive and at the end of the method, options for training programs are offered.

Step 1 - Mandatory Warm-up

Start your workout with suitable warm-up exercises. Coordinating muscle and heart functions will help produce more muscle contractions. To stretch your muscles, perform swinging movements with your arms, imitate blows, and be sure to pay attention to your joints. Low-tension exercises will help warm up and stretch the arm muscles and increase blood flow to the working muscle groups.

Step 2 - Bodyweight Exercises

Perform exercises with your own body weight: push-ups, pull-ups, chair push-ups (similar to dips). Perform each set to failure; the workout should include 3-4 sets of one exercise. Use different hand positions throughout the movements to work different muscles. This is the only way to achieve greater arm strength.

Arm training should include not only training the biceps, but also the triceps. Increase your training load gradually.

Step 3 - Resistance Band Workouts

As you increase your body weight and arm strength, incorporate resistance band exercises into your workout. Use enough resistance so that you are using maximum effort to complete the movement. With an expander, you can perform biceps curls, triceps extensions, back extensions, flyes, raises, and chest presses.

Step 4 - Isometric Exercises

Use all types of muscle contractions. When you tense your muscles, such as during curls, push-ups, or chairs, you can use concentric contractions. When you lengthen a muscle, such as when you lower your arm during a biceps curl or lift your arm during a push-up, you are using eccentric muscle contraction. Maintaining tension without lengthening or shortening the muscles is called isometric contraction. Explore suitable training options using isometric exercises to complement your strength program.

Step 5 - Slow Execution Speed

Perform exercises using contraction of working muscles, and not inertia or body weight. For example, after you lift the weight during a biceps curl, don't just let it drop— lower it slowly with your arm muscles to take advantage of the eccentric contraction. When working on the horizontal bar, when your chin reaches the bar during pull-ups, do not let your body simply fall; the strength of your arms should also help you return to the starting position with a delay.

We offer a complex for split training of strong arms in the gym. At the beginning of the week, focus on the biceps, and at the end of the week, focus on the triceps.

Common mistakes and recommendations

Novice athletes, enthusiastically participating in a sports marathon, often make the same common mistakes:

1. Neglecting warm-up. Starting immediately to perform intense exercise without preparing and warming up your joints and muscles is the most unforgivable mistake and the biggest risk. Before each lesson, you must do light exercises and 5-7 minutes of cardio.
2. Incorrectly selected weights. You should not immediately take on heavy weights. The load should be increased gradually. To begin with, a load with a mass of 0.5 kg is enough. Having worked out the technique well, you can lift dumbbells 1-2.5 kg.
3. Constant use of monotonous movements. The training program must be modified periodically. To the basic elements, you need to add 2-3 new exercises every 2 weeks.
4. Lack of system. Classes from time to time will not bring the desired results. To achieve your goal, you need a clear plan and willpower.

For those who strive to achieve a slim and toned figure, professional fitness instructors offer a number of universal tips:

• Eat right. The menu should be balanced and contain healthy, wholesome foods.
• Get enough sleep. Lack of sleep affects the body's performance and slows down metabolic processes.
• Drink enough fluids. It is best to quench your thirst with plain clean water, cool green tea with mint or chamomile.
• Having set a goal - to steadily follow the plan for a month. Then the actions will become a habit and it will be easier to achieve results.
• Be patient.