If you read the first part of the Sleeveless in 7 review of arm exercises for women, you know that neglecting your biceps is a big no no. If you want sexy arms quickly, you have to exercise both your triceps and biceps.
So this review is going to include exercises for both sets of muscles. And remember that the purpose of this review is to give you an objective view on the effectiveness (and safety) of different upper arm exercises.
Here’s today’s selection of exercises:
Concentration Curls
Gym rats around the world love doing this exercise. Even the one and only Arnold Schwarzenegger can be seen doing concentration curls in his classic documentary “Pumping Iron.” But for women that want toned arms ASAP, this probably isn’t the best choice.
Technique
- Sit while holding a dumbbell with your palm facing forward and your elbow against your inner thigh or knee.
- Maintain the natural arch in your back by keeping your chest up and stomach tight.
- Exhale, bend your elbow and lift the dumbbell up.
- Inhale, and slowly return the dumbbell to its original position.
Most Common Mistakes
- Excessively pushing the inner thigh or knee against the elbow to help lift the dumbbell.
- Jerking the weight up which activates the back muscles instead of the biceps.
- Letting the arm fully extend at the bottom which takes all the stress of the biceps.
Sleeveless in 7 rating: 5/10
There are three major problems with this exercise. First, it’s virtually impossible to use a lot of weight because of the position your body is in. Second, there are too many “weak points” where your form can go wrong. Third, it doesn’t really target a lot of muscles in your arm. In other words, it doesn’t give you a big bang for your buck. Your time is better served doing other, more effective exercises.
Hammer Curls
Perhaps one of the most overlooked arm exercises by gym rats around the world. It’s a great twist on the classic dumbbell curl. It does a great job at working the outer part of your biceps and does a phenomenal job at working your upper forearm.
Technique
- Stand while grabbing a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing each other.
- Try to pull your belly button towards your spine to stabilize your back.
- Exhale, and raise both dumbbells. Keep your palms facing each other the whole time.
- Inhale, slightly loosen your abs and slowly return both dumbbells to the starting position.
Most Common Mistakes
- Letting the chest cave in and the shoulders round forward which is horrible for your posture.
- Raising the dumbbell to high which forces your elbow to rise. This takes the load off of your biceps and forearms and places it on your front shoulder.
- Rocking back and forth to get the weight up. This places stress on your lower back and over time can cause injury.
- Letting the palms slightly supinate (supination = facing upwards).
Sleeveless in 7 rating: 6/10
The main issue with this exercise is that it places too much load on your forearms. If you want toned forearms this is probably one of the best, if not best, exercise out there. But if you want toned upper arms, you are better served doing other exercises.
Well, that’s it for today’s review of arm exercises. Look out for the next one!
CLICK HERE to discover the best upper arm toning exercises!
Similar Posts:
- The Ultimate Review of Arm Exercises for Women, Part 1
- The Ultimate Review of Arm Exercises for Women, Part 11
- The Ultimate Review of Arm Exercises for Women, Part 5
- The Ultimate Review of Arm Exercises for Women, Part 6
- The Ultimate Review of Arm Exercises for Women, Part 4
