A Total-Body Workout In 5 Easy Steps

Part 2: The Arms

By Chelsea Cooper

Chelsea Cooper at Club No Mercy in Huntington Beach, California. - Copyright – Stock Photo / Register Mark All photographs taken at Club No Mercy Intensity Performance Training Studio (www.clubnomercy.com) in Huntington Beach, California. Last month, certified personal trainer and fitness expert Chelsea Cooper guided you through a series of chest exercises. In this second installment of a five-part exercise series covering each of the major muscle zones, learn the best exercises to strengthen and tone your arms.

Biceps and triceps are probably among the most overlooked muscles when it comes to working out. Many people, especially women, want firm and toned arms, but they tend to skip the biceps and triceps, either because they don't know what to do, or they don't think it will help them achieve their goals. But if you think about it, your biceps and triceps muscles make up half of your arm, front and back; so if the goal is sleeker, stronger, sexier-looking arms, these arm exercises are a must:

Chelsea Cooper demonstrates a proper dumbbell curl. - Copyright – Stock Photo / Register Mark Keep hips level. BICEPS DUMBBELL CURL

Getting Started

1 Stand with your feet pointed straight ahead and your knees slightly flexed over your second and third toes.

2 Allow your arms to extend and hang to the sides of your body, with a dumbbell in each hand.

3 Keep your hips level.

Chelsea Cooper demonstrates a proper dumbbell curl. - Copyright – Stock Photo / Register Mark Keep abs and glutes drawn in. Movement

4 Draw in your abs and squeeze your glutes.

5 Begin by flexing your elbows.

6 Curl the dumbbells to chest level.

7 Slowly return the dumbbells to their original position by extending at the elbows.

 WORKOUT BASICS

Repetitions And Sets: Same for both men and women; varies depending on individual goals (toning muscle vs. building muscle vs. building strength).

Intensity: This is the percentage of your one-rep maximum (the maximum amount of weight you can lift at one time). For example, if your goal is to build muscle, you would perform repetitions using 70 percent to 75 percent of your one-rep maximum (see below). That means that if you can bench press 100 pounds one time, you would perform each repetition using a maximum of 75 pounds of weight.

Toning Muscle (Strength/Endurance)

Sets: 2-3 /// Reps: 15-25 /// Intensity: 50% - 70%

Building Muscle (Hypertrophy)

Sets: 3 /// Reps: 9-12 /// Intensity: 70% - 75%

Strength Adaptation

Sets: 3-4 /// Reps: 6-8 /// Intensity: 75% - 85%

Chelsea Cooper demonstrates a proper standing barbell curl. - Copyright – Stock Photo / Register Mark Keep shoulders from rising up. STANDING BARBELL CURL

Getting Started

1 Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and pointed straight ahead, with your knees slightly bent over your second and third toes.

2 Hold a barbell in both hands (palms facing up) with your arms extended in front of your body.

3 Keep your hips level.

Movement

Chelsea Cooper demonstrates a proper standing barbell curl. - Copyright – Stock Photo / Register Mark Keep abs drawn in and glutes tight.

 4 Draw in your abs and squeeze your glutes.

5 Perform a barbell curl by flexing both elbows while keeping your chest up and shoulders back.

6 Curl the barbell up to chest level.

7 Slowly lower the bar back to its original position by extending your elbows.

Chelsea Cooper demonstrates a proper cable curl. - Copyright – Stock Photo / Register Mark Keep knees slightly flexed. CABLE CURL

Getting Started

1 Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and pointed straight ahead, knees slightly flexed.

2 Grasp the cable with your palms facing up and elbows extended.

Chelsea Cooper demonstrates a proper cable curl. - Copyright – Stock Photo / Register Mark Keep head from leaning forward. 3 Keep your shoulder blades back and your chest up.

Movement

4 Draw in your abs and squeeze your glutes.

5 Perform a curl by flexing your elbows while keeping your shoulder blades back. Do not allow your head to jut forward.

6 Curl until you reach end-range.

Chelsea Cooper demonstrates a proper rubber-band curl. - Copyright – Stock Photo / Register Mark Keep palms facing up. 7 Slowly return the weights to their original position by extending your elbows.

RUBBER-BAND CURL

Getting Started

1 Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and pointed straight ahead, knees slightly flexed.

2 Grasp each end of the rubber band by the handles, with your palms facing up and your elbows extended.

3 Keep your shoulder blades back and your chest up.

Chelsea Cooper demonstrates a proper cable curl. - Copyright – Stock Photo / Register Mark Keep elbows tight to your sides. Movement

4 Draw in your abs and squeeze your glutes.

5 Perform a curl by flexing your elbows while keeping your shoulder blades back. Do not allow your head to jut forward.

6 Curl up to chest range, keeping your elbows tight to your sides.

7 Slowly return the weights to their original position by extending your elbows.

TRICEPS STABILITY BALL EXTENSION

Chelsea Cooper demonstrates a tricep exercise using a stability ball. - Copyright – Stock Photo / Register Mark Place shoulders and head on ball. Getting Started

1 Lie on a stability ball with your shoulders and head comfortably resting on the ball.

2 While on the ball, maintain a bridge position by contracting your glutes and keeping your shoulders, hips and knees level.

3 Your feet should be shoulder-width apart with toes pointing straight ahead.

Chelsea Cooper demonstrates a tricep exercise using a stability ball. - Copyright – Stock Photo / Register Mark Extend elbows so arms are straight. 4 Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your elbows pointing toward the sky.

Movement

5 Draw in your abs and activate your glutes.

6 Extend your elbows until your arms are straight up in the air.

7 Return the dumbbells slowly toward your chest by flexing your elbows.

CABLE PULLDOWN

Chelsea Cooper demonstrates a tricep cable pulldown. - Copyright – Stock Photo / Register Mark Elbows should be flexed at 90 degree angle. Getting Started

1 Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and pointed straight ahead, and your knees slightly flexed over your second and third toes.

2 Grasp the cable with your palms facing the ground and your elbows flexed at a 90 degree angle.

3 Keep your shoulder blades back and your chest up.

Movement

Chelsea Cooper demonstrates a tricep cable pulldown. - Copyright – Stock Photo / Register Mark Hold for two seconds. 4 Draw in your abs and squeeze your glutes.

5 Extend your elbows by pushing your hands toward the ground until your arms are fully extended.

6 Hold for two seconds.

7 Slowly lower the cable back to 90 degrees and repeat.

Chelsea Cooper demonstrates a tricep bench dip. - Copyright – Stock Photo / Register Mark Place legs at 90 degree angle, feet straight. BENCH DIP

Getting Started

1 Sit on a bench with your hands right next to your hips.

2 Bring your hips in front of the bench.

3 Make sure your legs are at a 90 degree angle, with feet pointed straight, and that your shoulder blades are back.

Chelsea Cooper demonstrates a tricep bench dip. - Copyright – Stock Photo / Register Mark Push up without locking elbows. Movement

4 Begin by bending your elbows to no lower than 90 degrees.

5 Push back up without locking your elbows.

6 Repeat.

Good luck, and enjoy your workout! Next month, we'll focus on strengthening the legs.

Chelsea Cooper, MPA, CPT, is certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine as a personal trainer, performance enhancement specialist, and rehab and exercise specialist. To learn more, visit www.trainwithchelsea.com.


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