Help! How to Slim Arms
Hi,
I currently have a work-out plan of aerobics 3X a week, run 2X a week and badminton game 1X a week. Now, I noticed that my tummy, hips and thighs are getting smaller BUT my ARMS does not seem to budge. It still measures the same every week im getting my stats. Should I start WEIGHT training? Or do you have tips on how to make my arms slimmer?
INcident relating to this: I went to a boutique to pick a dress for a wedding. I found this sweet, sexy mini-dress. It fits perfectly on my tummy, chest and hips but when it comes to my arms.. urrggggghh i guess you know what happened.. it wont fit.. PLS HELP!!
Pilates.
Original Post by trikki:
Pilates.
Quit scarin' me like that, I thought for a moment you were serious in that answer!
Exchange the aerobics 3xwekly for strength training using free weights 3xweekly. For fat loss, strength training is fundamental, and you program all your other exercise around it. With running and badminton in the mix you don't need to add anything else for endurance training, and your results from aerobics will always be insignificant compared to the results from spending the same time on doing proper strength training.
If you've still got time left over in your week after taking care of the fundamentals (programming in the strength training) you can add in whatever else you want to (aerobics classes in your case), but you can't skip on the fundamentals in favor of the ancillary exercises and expect results.
Original Post by amethystgirl:
Original Post by trikki:
Pilates.
Not funny. Now I must hurt you.
Lol it was too perfect not to recycle.
can someone enlighten me as to what is wrong with pilates?
kcroyo, you defintely should weight train. I weight train 3-4 times/wk and I love it and it will make you slim down. You should just be aware though, you may just have bigger arms, and they won't become rail thin as a result of weight training. But they will become strong and sexy! I train and I love my arms, but they aren't small, not huge either, and Im cool with that.
but again, what's wrong with pilates? :)
It's people's "magic bullet" answer to any body flaw, and is over-hyped.
Despite what they say, it won't make your legs look like a ballet dancers, it will not make your muscles "longer," and it is not a replacement for weight training.
ah, see i just thought people found it too difficult.
Original Post by breedom:
ah, see i just thought people found it too difficult.
Ah, no, that's exactly 180 - the problem with Pilates is that it isn't difficult enough, in the right way. To have a training effect for a beginner you can get away with a Minimum Essential Strain(MES) of 60% of current max capacity, but for someone who's been training for longer than 6-12 weeks you need to cross the 80% MES threshold to have a useful training effect.
You can apply this principle across different training parameters, depending on what specific training effect you're going for. Dieters need to train along strength training parameters to preserve existing muscle mass while in a calorie deficit, so you need to look at exercises where you cross the MES threshold along strength parameters.
80% translates to only being able to complete less than 12 reps of any one exercise. Which is very hard to do with bodyweight exercises; and Pilates moves generally start in the 50-60 reps per exercise range. Which is utterly useless for what a dieter needs to do; it's potentially crossing the MES threshold for endurance training and strength endurance which is useful for a dancer who needs to hold a ballet pose or repeat the same dance moves a lot.
But it's seriously pointless for a dieter. Since it doesn't even begin to approach the 30-40% MES threshold for having detectable activities along a training parameter useful for someone in a calorie deficit.
'course as long as you've got your strenght training in, any other exercise can be a useful adjunct - Pilates has applications along flexibility/mobility and endurance parameters and can complement any routine in a good way, but unlike what the people with Pilates DVDs to sell claim it's not a good place to start for a dieter.
Original Post by melkor:80% translates to only being able to complete less than 12 reps of any one exercise. Which is very hard to do with bodyweight exercises;
Though it can be done. I'm currently working on those push-ups with the claps in the middle and I have yet to do more than 2 in a row successfully. Not that that's Pilates, of course, but if you look for hard enough bodyweight exercises, you can still make progress. (I'm mostly posting this for those who want to try strength training but, for whatever reason, can't get access to free weights. I am a big fan of freeweights, but bodyweight exercises definitely have their place.)
Actually, truth be told...the real way to slim arms is below. Ellen's even a big supporter and her arms are so......slim! check it out. Seriously.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kmrFBnrkqg&am p;feature=related
;)
Original Post by fitnessgirll:
Actually, truth be told...the real way to slim arms is below. Ellen's even a big supporter and her arms are so......slim! check it out. Seriously.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kmrFBnrkqg&am p;feature=related
;)
Huh, I didn't think Ellen swung that way.
You mean...'shake' that way, dontcha? haha ;)
u need resistance/weight training all over I would say but def. ur arms. I've been doing p90x and have had great results and my arms have always been a problem. and the main difference between p90x and what I was doing b4 is more weights or bands work and a lot of different exercises so I hit every part of each muscles. Good luck
Original Post by fitnessgirll:
Actually, truth be told...the real way to slim arms is below. Ellen's even a big supporter and her arms are so......slim! check it out. Seriously.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kmrFBnrkqg&am p;feature=related
;)
^ Hilarious!
I'm crying from laughing so hard in my office right now.
Thanks for that!
hahah, the shake weight.
that's hilarious.
they're coming out with a LONGER and BIGGER one for men, lol.
Original Post by susiecue:
Original Post by melkor:80% translates to only being able to complete less than 12 reps of any one exercise. Which is very hard to do with bodyweight exercises;
Though it can be done. I'm currently working on those push-ups with the claps in the middle and I have yet to do more than 2 in a row successfully. Not that that's Pilates, of course, but if you look for hard enough bodyweight exercises, you can still make progress. (I'm mostly posting this for those who want to try strength training but, for whatever reason, can't get access to free weights. I am a big fan of freeweights, but bodyweight exercises definitely have their place.)
I see this kind of old, but I just wanted to suggest something to Susiecue. You are much better off just getting 'airborne' with those push-ups, instead of trying to clap. Especially if you can only do two. Clapping just makes that exercise dangerous. I'd recommend simply push hard enough to get your arms off the ground, but keep them under you and slighty bent to absorb the landing.
Just a thought. Keep up the good work either way!
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