What are the best Arrm workouts for women?

[Emmybear]

It seems I am never able to get definition in my arms. My leg muscles grow very quickly but my arms seem to stay the same. What are some good moves/ reps/ sets to build arms. I can use either freeweights machines or boodyweight excercises.

[hilary wright]

I would recommend free weights for the most balanced developement . . .

bicep 21s super-setted with triceps pushdowns and DB kickbacks (lighter weights - higher reps) Really work to get a nice burn. Also add a couple of supersets of DB concentration curls and skull crushers or bench dips.

This is not necessarily the best arm workout, but higher reps and going for a burn will get some nice definition.

Edited May 24, 2008 by hilary wright

[xjohanx]

i don't think girls workouts should be different than mens so i'll post the workout i used to do for my arms which worked great:

(i always warmed up with some light weights)

Triceps

4 sets of narrow dumbbell bench press

4 sets of EZ skull crushers

4 sets of cable pushdowns

 

Biceps

3 sets of reverse grip lat pull downs

5 sets of barbell or dubbell curls

3 sets of some disco curling thingy like cable curls, one arm cable curls, concentration curls.

[Emmybear]

i don't think girls workouts should be different than mens so i'll post the workout i used to do for my arms which worked great:

(i always warmed up with some light weights)

Triceps

4 sets of narrow dumbbell bench press

4 sets of EZ skull crushers

4 sets of cable pushdowns

 

Biceps

3 sets of reverse grip lat pull downs

5 sets of barbell or dubbell curls

3 sets of some disco curling thingy like cable curls, one arm cable curls, concentration curls.

 

 

what is a skull crusher?

[xjohanx]

http://exrx.net/AnimatedEx/Triceps/BBLyingTricepsExtensionSC8.gif

acctually these days i don't really do skull crushers because i go beyone my head with the barbell

i do what exrx calls triceps extension

http://exrx.net/AnimatedEx/Triceps/BBLyingTricepsExt.gif

you can do it standing up or sitting down too. pick your favourite

[hilary wright]

skull crushers

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Triceps/BBLyingTriExtSC.html

[Katabatic]

but higher reps and going for a burn will get some nice definition.

I don't think this is correct.

[DV]

I agree with Katabatic.

 

I hit my arms with heavy weights in the 6-12 rep range (mostly 8-10). I used to have no definition in my arms and they are coming in nicely now.

 

I think it's very important to work your shoulders as well because they add a lot to the shape of your arms, especially when viewed from the front.

 

I found that it took some time for my forearms to catch up with my biceps in strength, so it may be slow going at first and you may have sore wrists/forearms. This will pass so don't let it discourage you.

 

Good luck with your arms!

[hilary wright]

Yes, that is absolutely correct . . . lower reps, higher weights = more bulk . . . higher reps, lighter weights = definition . . . tried and true, time tested

[DV]

I get what you're saying, but I think she may need some bulk before she gets any definition. She's young and a woman - we don't tend to have much muscle development as compared to young men at that age unless we've been working out, involved in sports or grew up on a farm!

[xjohanx]

variation is the key. different types of muscle fibers respond to different types of training. pretty simple.

[BethL]

It seems I am never able to get definition in my arms. My leg muscles grow very quickly but my arms seem to stay the same. What are some good moves/ reps/ sets to build arms. I can use either freeweights machines or boodyweight excercises.

 

I agree with everyone else. Lift Heavy and Hard. Try to lift 80% of your max strength. Forget low weight and lots of reps. The rule I follow for myself is. If I can get through 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps with ease, I need to increase my weight by 5 pounds.

 

I am like you I don't want any more leg muscles. Have patience and remember we are not all created equal. I am not one of the lucky women who developes muscles easy. I have been lifting for over 14 years now and I still don't have huge muscles. I get stronger with hard work but not bigger.

 

I remember last year pressing 500 pound reps on the linear leg press (LifeFitness machine) The tissue around my knees were not taking that well, but did my legs get bigger, Nope I just got a whole lot stronger. same with my arms. I do have definition but I am now back up to using 25 pound dumbbells I am not getting any bigger. My point is keep we are all different and some of us just get small well defined muscles, which is fine with me

 

I recommend free weights if you use good form, if you are still a little new to that, get with someone that can help you.

[Katabatic]

lighter weights = definition . . . tried and true, time tested

 

Not according to this http://www.exrx.net/WeightTraining/Myths.html

High Repetitions Burn More Fat Myth

 

Performing lighter weight with more repetitions (15-20 reps, 20-30 reps, or 20-50 reps) does not burn more fat or tone (simultaneous decrease of fat and increase muscle) better than a heaver weight with moderate repetitions (8-12 reps).

[hilary wright]

I get what you're saying, but I think she may need some bulk before she gets any definition. She's young and a woman - we don't tend to have much muscle development as compared to young men at that age unless we've been working out, involved in sports or grew up on a farm!

 

You are 100% correct. Plus, I should not have put the word absolute, as there are no absolutes in training . . . everyone responds differently. I also think that you have a much better insight regarding training a woman's body than I do!

[Emmybear]

I usually do circuit training and sets in a row so the heaviest I lift is 10lbs-15lbs. I tried a 20lb bar the other day and dropped out halfway and began using my two eights. I have muscles but you can't really see them. My arms just look skinny. I think I am going to have to venture out of the group exercise classes on to the weight floor of the gym to see major definition in my upper body. My upper body has always been the hardest to tone. After a few weeks of kick boxing I get calves like a runner..I guess it is just genetics. My younger brother and my dad both wrestled and they get cut sooo easy... they don't even have to lift. But me and my older brother( not older than me) are hard gainers up top I never get defined I just get skinny when I work out alot. You can always see my ribs and hipbones no matter what I weigh either on the heavy or light. I am going to try heavier weights less reps and try to Max out my arm muscles a few times per week. See if that makes a difference in definition. I am not worried about bulking up..there is just no way that will ever happen.

[hilary wright]

lighter weights = definition . . . tried and true, time tested

 

Not according to this http://www.exrx.net/WeightTraining/Myths.html

High Repetitions Burn More Fat Myth

 

Performing lighter weight with more repetitions (15-20 reps, 20-30 reps, or 20-50 reps) does not burn more fat or tone (simultaneous decrease of fat and increase muscle) better than a heaver weight with moderate repetitions (8-12 reps).

 

That's the beauty of a forum . . . you can choose anyone's opinion that works for you. For me, high reps mean 12-20 reps . . . I also stand by my words from experience and years of observation . . . is this right for everyone? no. Has it worked for me and people I have trained and worked with? yes. Again, in this instance, there is no right or wrong, just what works for each individual. This is the similar the all of the debates surrounding HIT vrs volume, interval sprints vrs steady cardio. I, personally, don't agree with the article at all . . . but that's simply because I have experiences contrary to those in the article. I am sure others have experienced differently. Again, everyone responds differently to exercise plans. My wife does very high rep work with Pilates and Gyrotonic systems, and has definition to die for.

This is her:

http://i25.tinypic.com/29nj9xl.jpg

Edited May 24, 2008 by hilary wright

[Zack]

Definition is nothing more than low bodyfat.

[hilary wright]

yep, and for me, (note I said for me), I burn more fat and get more striation, toning/definition with higher reps. The way you work out also can determine the type of muscle that you build. My experience has been that lighter weights and higher reps (12-20, failure at 20) produces a longer, less bulky muscle. I used this type of training when I worked as a dancer for 18 yrs.

[DV]

Part of it is also genetics. Some of us have more slow twitch fibers (natural born cyclists, runners) and some of us have more fast twitch fibers (natural born bulkers, power lifters). A person born with more slow twitch fibers will have a difficult time building mass or getting definition (ie, having enough mass and little fat in order to see the muscles) with higher reps because that person is not stimulating the fast twitch muscle fibers he/she has - I'm one of those people. Therefore, I gain little to nothing by doing higher reps. My sweet spot is in the 6-12 rep range to exhaustion every set.

 

Of course, if you are not eating properly then it doesn't matter how you lift.

[adamx]

Yes, that is absolutely correct . . . lower reps, higher weights = more bulk . . . higher reps, lighter weights = definition . . . tried and true, time tested

 

Low reps, high weights = strength, more then bulk. Most BB's I know do lifting in the 8-12 rep range.. Once you start getting into low reps, your talking strength, not (as much) bulk or definition.

 

"Trained Olympic lifters, for example, were shown over a two-year period to have significant strength increases with barely noticeable increases in muscle mass (Hakkinen et al, 1988). I had a similar experience when I used AST's Max-OT principals. My strength went up like crazy, but I gained very little size.

 

Obviously, traditional strength training with low volume and low sets (1-6 reps, 3 or less sets) is not the best approach. Strength training does cause hypertrophy (Hakkinen et al, 1985), but it won't cause maximum hypertrophy.

 

High volume, multiple set programs (6-12 reps, 3 to 6 sets) have been shown to create greater hypertrophy for two important reasons:

 

1. The higher workload is more effective at creating microtrauma because of the extra time under tension and extra number of fibres recruited (Shinohara et al, 1998; Smith & Rutherford, 1995; Moss et al, 1997)

 

2. High volume, multiple set programs are more effective at increasing the body's production of testosterone and growth hormone (Kraemer et al, 1991; Kraemer et al 1990) "

 

I say if you want to be tone, do sets of 10-14 reps.

[BethL]

I usually do circuit training and sets in a row so the heaviest I lift is 10lbs-15lbs. I tried a 20lb bar the other day and dropped out halfway and began using my two eights. I have muscles but you can't really see them. My arms just look skinny. I think I am going to have to venture out of the group exercise classes on to the weight floor of the gym to see major definition in my upper body. My upper body has always been the hardest to tone. After a few weeks of kick boxing I get calves like a runner..I guess it is just genetics. My younger brother and my dad both wrestled and they get cut sooo easy... they don't even have to lift. But me and my older brother( not older than me) are hard gainers up top I never get defined I just get skinny when I work out alot. You can always see my ribs and hipbones no matter what I weigh either on the heavy or light. I am going to try heavier weights less reps and try to Max out my arm muscles a few times per week. See if that makes a difference in definition. I am not worried about bulking up..there is just no way that will ever happen.

 

Hi again, I just read your post here and if you don't gain weight very easy then you need to focus on getting in more muscle buidling foods too, without the proper nutrition you are not going to have the success you want. You have to feed those new muscles.

[hsorlando]

Emmybear, I don't know if they offer it at your gym but Body Pump is a great class to take. Last year I hit a plateau and then my gym started to offer Body Pump by Les Mills.I couldn't believe the dfifference in just a few classes. It's also more endurance so you don't need to worry about bulking up with muscle. There have been some guys that workout with heavy weights and they found the class difficult. Anyway you can read my blog to learn more about Body Pump, I've posted quite a bit about it. They also have a website. When I first began the class I was doing squats at about 20 pounds, and today I just did 45 pounds.

[sophierhymes]

i don't think girls workouts should be different than mens so i'll post the workout i used to do for my arms which worked great:

 

Amen!! When I first started weight lifting, I was working with a trainer who put through basically the same workouts he put his male clients through. It was the best thing that ever happened to me. I have definition in my arms for the first time in my life and I learned what it meant to really push myself in my routines. It also gave me confidence in the weight room.

 

I also suggest going heavy enough to where 10-12 reps is almost failure. Many women believe that light weights and high reps are the way to go, but I definitely don't agree.