How to work out my arms.

[Jada59]

I am no newbie to weights but I seem to have trouble with my shoulder muscles in that I am building them up too much in proportion to my other muscles. I'm going old school. Started with a book by Joyce Vedral for women. She advises 3 pound weights. I wound up going heavier and heavier until I reached 10 pounds and a shoulder injury.

I gave that kind of workout a rest for some years then bought a set of dumbells with removable discs for a maximum weight of 18 pounds. I was using the 18 pounds for bicep curls. But having a small child around made it hard. She wanted her own weights. She would workout along with me, but she also had a propensity for throwing the weights. So...

Fast forward. Kid is grown and gone. Gardener has my 18 pound weights. I started over again with 2 pound weights as I no longer have the 3 pound. Those were too light so upped it to the 5 pound. Those have gotten too light. I ordered some 6 pound because I think it would be better to increase the weight more slowly. I do have 7 and 10 pound in addition.

I use the weights pretty much every other day. Am tempted to do every day so when I get that craving, I do a few sets with the 2 pound ones.

The exercises I am doing are: Curls, hammer curls, tricep overhead extensions, kickbacks, overhead press, side bends, lateral raises and back flys. I might be forgetting some as I don't know the actual names of the exercises.

I work out for about an hour at a time. I go through all of the exercises, varying the order in which I do them, but I do a few minutes of belly dancing in between exercises. I then take a brief rest, drink some water and repeat. I end by doing supersets of all the exercises. As in an entire run through with no rest in between.

Yeah, I know I'm probably doing too much. I tend to do that. The problem is that my danged shoulders are bulking up to the point where I look like I have puffy sleeves. What am I doing wrong? Thanks!

 

[klippert]

I am no newbie to weights but I seem to have trouble with my shoulder muscles in that I am building them up too much in proportion to my other muscles. I'm going old school. Started with a book by Joyce Vedral for women. She advises 3 pound weights. I wound up going heavier and heavier until I reached 10 pounds and a shoulder injury.

I gave that kind of workout a rest for some years then bought a set of dumbells with removable discs for a maximum weight of 18 pounds. I was using the 18 pounds for bicep curls. But having a small child around made it hard. She wanted her own weights. She would workout along with me, but she also had a propensity for throwing the weights. So...

Fast forward. Kid is grown and gone. Gardener has my 18 pound weights. I started over again with 2 pound weights as I no longer have the 3 pound. Those were too light so upped it to the 5 pound. Those have gotten too light. I ordered some 6 pound because I think it would be better to increase the weight more slowly. I do have 7 and 10 pound in addition.

I use the weights pretty much every other day. Am tempted to do every day so when I get that craving, I do a few sets with the 2 pound ones.

The exercises I am doing are: Curls, hammer curls, tricep overhead extensions, kickbacks, overhead press, side bends, lateral raises and back flys. I might be forgetting some as I don't know the actual names of the exercises.

I work out for about an hour at a time. I go through all of the exercises, varying the order in which I do them, but I do a few minutes of belly dancing in between exercises. I then take a brief rest, drink some water and repeat. I end by doing super-sets of all the exercises. As in an entire run through with no rest in between.

Yeah, I know I'm probably doing too much. I tend to do that. The problem is that my danged shoulders are bulking up to the point where I look like I have puffy sleeves. What am I doing wrong? Thanks!

you're not doing Triceps and Biceps in the same day are you... ?? what is/ are
your goals.. ??
pm me if you wish

 

[Zeb_Carter]

It's not the weight which you use, it the repetition of what you do.

During my rehab, I was on the treadmill tying to go faster and faster. The nurse told me to slow it down and just do the same thing every day. After a month, she let me raise the incline two percent. I now have my enormous thighs back and my calves no longer cramp up.

Repetition. Slow and easy gets you where you would like to be said the tortoise to the hare.

 

[LWulf]

Have to go with Zeb Carter. Reps, and forget going with bigger and bigger (weights).

The trouble with doing any weightlifting is that after a short time (a month or so), your body will get used to the schedule resulting in the exercise not doing anything. What you have to do then is to adjust your schedule. If you normally start with exercise A, try starting with exercise B. You don't have to necessarily go with adding weights (or in Zeb Carter's example; changing the incline).

Don't swing a weight, then you're using it's own momentum to do the exercise. Go slow and enjoy the burn.

You also want to pay attention to breathing. The problem is I forget which way it's supposed to go. Either inhale on power stroke, and exhale on release stroke, or vice-versa. One way, you'll energize your blood/muscles. The other way you'll pass out.

Working out slow, gives you long muscles, which reinforces the tendons and ligaments better. Doing fast rebs might give taller muscles, but taller doesn't mean anything. If anything, faster reps mean you have shorter muscles, which have a greater tendency to tear tendons. And you never want to have a separated tendon. You think childbirth pain is bad? They give you morphine to help manage pain for separated tendons.

And don't forget to stretch.

 

[Jada59]

you're not doing Triceps and Biceps in the same day are you... ?? what is/ are
your goals.. ??
pm me if you wish

Yes I a, is that wrong? I mainly want to firm up the triceps.

 

[Jada59]

It's not the weight which you use, it the repetition of what you do.

During my rehab, I was on the treadmill tying to go faster and faster. The nurse told me to slow it down and just do the same thing every day. After a month, she let me raise the incline two percent. I now have my enormous thighs back and my calves no longer cramp up.

Repetition. Slow and easy gets you where you would like to be said the tortoise to the hare.

That's what somebody else told me. I'm just impatient.

 

[Jada59]

Have to go with Zeb Carter. Reps, and forget going with bigger and bigger (weights).

The trouble with doing any weightlifting is that after a short time (a month or so), your body will get used to the schedule resulting in the exercise not doing anything. What you have to do then is to adjust your schedule. If you normally start with exercise A, try starting with exercise B. You don't have to necessarily go with adding weights (or in Zeb Carter's example; changing the incline).

Don't swing a weight, then you're using it's own momentum to do the exercise. Go slow and enjoy the burn.

You also want to pay attention to breathing. The problem is I forget which way it's supposed to go. Either inhale on power stroke, and exhale on release stroke, or vice-versa. One way, you'll energize your blood/muscles. The other way you'll pass out.

Working out slow, gives you long muscles, which reinforces the tendons and ligaments better. Doing fast rebs might give taller muscles, but taller doesn't mean anything. If anything, faster reps mean you have shorter muscles, which have a greater tendency to tear tendons. And you never want to have a separated tendon. You think childbirth pain is bad? They give you morphine to help manage pain for separated tendons.

And don't forget to stretch.

I do go slow and isolate the muscles I'm working and I do vary what I am doing. Thanks!

 

[exgovie]

That's what somebody else told me. I'm just impatient.

Don't get impatient or you can do damage. I was at a gym soon after laparoscopic hernia. I increased weight rather than reps. I redid the hernia.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Also, weight lifting is tearing down the muscle groups, afterwards the resting is when the muscles repair themselves. Be sure to eat a lot of protein after exercising. Muscle need the protein to repair the damage done by the lifting of the weights. That's why you always work different muscle groups on different days. Good luck and don't hurt yourself.

 

[Jada59]

Don't get impatient or you can do damage. I was at a gym soon after laparoscopic hernia. I increased weight rather than reps. I redid the hernia.

I have a propensity to increase both the weights and the reps. As such I got a shoulder injury but that was years ago. I have since learned to use lighter weights for strictly shoulder exercises but I am still somehow building up the shoulder muscles too much.

 

[Jada59]

Also, weight lifting is tearing down the muscle groups, afterwards the resting is when the muscles repair themselves. Be sure to eat a lot of protein after exercising. Muscle need the protein to repair the damage done by the lifting of the weights. That's why you always work different muscle groups on different days. Good luck and don't hurt yourself.

Thanks! I am taking amino acids for more protein,

 

[RedSilk69]

You can work out different parts of the arms just with the curl (although don't make these your only exercises! there are plenty of other muscles):

Position one: holding the weights with the palms facing each other
Position two: holding the weights with the palms facing the ceiling
Position three: holding the weights with the palms facing the floor

Do five reps of each, in each of the three positions.
1 - Lift from arms straight down to parallel to floor, at elbow level
2 - Lift from arms parallel to floor all the way up
3 - Lift from arms straight down to all the way up

Rest 30 seconds to a minute, and repeat twice. 5 reps x 3 positions x 3 steps x 3 sets = a hell of a workout

 

[MidKnight1378]

Rowing...

I use a rowing machine 5 days a week, it’s great to build forearm, wrist, elbow and bicep strength. It will broaden your shoulders and build up your lat’s too.

 

[Jada59]

You can work out different parts of the arms just with the curl (although don't make these your only exercises! there are plenty of other muscles):

Position one: holding the weights with the palms facing each other
Position two: holding the weights with the palms facing the ceiling
Position three: holding the weights with the palms facing the floor

Do five reps of each, in each of the three positions.
1 - Lift from arms straight down to parallel to floor, at elbow level
2 - Lift from arms parallel to floor all the way up
3 - Lift from arms straight down to all the way up

Rest 30 seconds to a minute, and repeat twice. 5 reps x 3 positions x 3 steps x 3 sets = a hell of a workout

I do these plus more!

 

[Jada59]

I use a rowing machine 5 days a week, it’s great to build forearm, wrist, elbow and bicep strength. It will broaden your shoulders and build up your lat’s too.

Hmmm... Years ago, my parents had a rowing machine. My friend and I tried it a few times. Hurt our backs and legs. Didn't seem to do much for our arms. They didn't keep it for long.

 

[Dreamliner]

Hi Jada

as mentioned, you need to do triceps to balance your arms and the reps you have been doing. Also, your lats, these are really, really important and they are more powerful than isolated shoulders. Building in lat work may help. Also, drop the weight down and go more for tone, rather than build muscle may help.

Finally, skipping, have you skipped in years gone by? hands down one of the best exercises you can do and often overlooked. Build up slowly from say 5 minutes, through to 20-25. Then swap out the starter rope to a lightly weighted rope and start over again, not only does this build anaerobic fitness, but works all your shoulder, arms and lat muscles, without building muscle mass, but does provide all over muscle tone. Total workout without isolating a single muscle group.

Others have mentioned, take your time, build slowly and work for consistency, rather than load up weights. It is a marathon, not a sprint.

 

[SimonDoom]

I would also recommend doing exercises that work out groups of muscles rather than muscles in isolation. Pushups are a great exercise because they work out the triceps and the pectoral muscles. A good complement to pushups are pullups, which work out the upper back and biceps. If you find it difficult to do one or both of these exercises, there are ways of modifying them to make them easier to do. If you've gotten to the point that free weight exercises seem too easy with the amounts of weight that you use, then pushups and pullups are great exercises to turn to.

 

[Jada59]

I would also recommend doing exercises that work out groups of muscles rather than muscles in isolation. Pushups are a great exercise because they work out the triceps and the pectoral muscles. A good complement to pushups are pullups, which work out the upper back and biceps. If you find it difficult to do one or both of these exercises, there are ways of modifying them to make them easier to do. If you've gotten to the point that free weight exercises seem too easy with the amounts of weight that you use, then pushups and pullups are great exercises to turn to.

Thanks. No equipment for pullups. Can try to do pushups though, Thanks!

 

[Jada59]

Update!

I just got my 6 pound weights. Yay! But...

I noticed after taking my shower earlier that my skin is getting loose all over! The batwing on the left has lessened but now I have one on the right. My forearm skin is loose. Thigh skin is a little loose and my belly skin is really loose!

I have been using a skin firming lotion. Maybe it was mis-labed?

I have been trying to use my weights for at least an hour every other day. Was using 5 pound weights and sometimes 2 pound weights when the 5's seemed too much. Such as for flys. I think that's the name. Start with the dumbbells down in front then bring them up and out in front, at an angle outwards. I believe this kis how I got that shoulder injury prior.

I sometimes do other exercises such as dancing, particularly belly dancing, isometrics and calisthenics along with the weights and I do all of those things on the alternate days. If I do use weights on the alternate days, I try do very few reps and usually just the two pound weights.

I am seeing and feeling good muscle development, but is happening to my skin?

^Drinks more water*

Could that be it? I need more water? This loose skin seemed to happen overnight!

 

[Rob99999]

A big part of triceps is worked along side your chest if you got the equipment to bench press? If not just find something to lie on and use your dumbbells and press ups. Work from your knees to start if you need too until you can get to good form. To put extra stress in the tri in a press up pull your hands under your chest about 6 inches apart and arm tucked in to the sides of your body.

 

[Jada59]

A big part of triceps is worked along side your chest if you got the equipment to bench press? If not just find something to lie on and use your dumbbells and press ups. Work from your knees to start if you need too until you can get to good form. To put extra stress in the tri in a press up pull your hands under your chest about 6 inches apart and arm tucked in to the sides of your body.

No bench. Can use the floor though. Thanks!

 

[Rob99999]

Have you room for a bar and rack as I’ve always been told squats, dead’s bench and shoulder press are the basis of any good routine?

 

[Jada59]

Have you room for a bar and rack as I’ve always been told squats, dead’s bench and shoulder press are the basis of any good routine?

Not really and no money to get anything like that. I can't do squats. I'm disabled. And I don't think I could do a shoulder press. Have to be careful.

 

[RobDownSouth]

I just got my 6 pound weights. Yay! But...

I noticed after taking my shower earlier that my skin is getting loose all over! The batwing on the left has lessened but now I have one on the right. My forearm skin is loose. Thigh skin is a little loose and my belly skin is really loose!

I have been using a skin firming lotion. Maybe it was mis-labed?

I have been trying to use my weights for at least an hour every other day. Was using 5 pound weights and sometimes 2 pound weights when the 5's seemed too much. Such as for flys. I think that's the name. Start with the dumbbells down in front then bring them up and out in front, at an angle outwards. I believe this kis how I got that shoulder injury prior.

I sometimes do other exercises such as dancing, particularly belly dancing, isometrics and calisthenics along with the weights and I do all of those things on the alternate days. If I do use weights on the alternate days, I try do very few reps and usually just the two pound weights.

I am seeing and feeling good muscle development, but is happening to my skin?

^Drinks more water*

Could that be it? I need more water? This loose skin seemed to happen overnight!

Jada, I know exactly what is going on but you're not going to like my answer. Assuming you are 50-ish or older and/or post-menopausal, you're basically fucked.

You've exercised and dieted perfectly. The white surface fat on your arms and belly have shrunk to next to nothing. Your muscles are lean, they won't get "bigger" without testosterone, so you're good there.

The problem is that your skin has lost all its elasticity. Your skin, particularly on your arms, has been stretched for so far for so long , theres' no fat to hold it up anymore, so you have "batwings".

You can try various firmers and tighteners but they won't work. How do I know? I tried them when I lost a shit-ton of weight. My waist looked like a deflated inner tube.

Google "brachioplasty". It's plastic surgery specifically designed to remove the excess batwing skin and make your arms look all tight again.

I had an abdominoplasty in 2015 to remove seven pounds of excess skin. One of the best decisions I ever made.

 

[Jada59]

Jada, I know exactly what is going on but you're not going to like my answer. Assuming you are 50-ish or older and/or post-menopausal, you're basically fucked.

You've exercised and dieted perfectly. The white surface fat on your arms and belly have shrunk to next to nothing. Your muscles are lean, they won't get "bigger" without testosterone, so you're good there.

The problem is that your skin has lost all its elasticity. Your skin, particularly on your arms, has been stretched for so far for so long , theres' no fat to hold it up anymore, so you have "batwings".

You can try various firmers and tighteners but they won't work. How do I know? I tried them when I lost a shit-ton of weight. My waist looked like a deflated inner tube.

Google "brachioplasty". It's plastic surgery specifically designed to remove the excess batwing skin and make your arms look all tight again.

I had an abdominoplasty in 2015 to remove seven pounds of excess skin. One of the best decisions I ever made.

I'm 60, but... I'm gonna prove you wrong! I *am* bulking up! I bought a copy of the same book that I used back in the 80's. Joyce Vedral's 12 Minute Total Body Workout. It's for females and tells you to use 3 pound weights. I am careful to stick to those weights for the back and shoulder exercises at least for now because I don't want to strain those areas. I am currently using 6 pound weights for triceps and biceps. I do intend to go up to my old 10 pound weights but not right away.

Ordered some lighter ankle weights as I only have 10 pound. The book has you do leg exercises with a weight between your ankles but I'm far too klutzy for that.

Do I have batwings? Maybe not as bad as I thought. When I look at pics of other women, even younger ones who have built muscles, that's how my arms look, save for the shoulders. The woman in the pic on this website has arms like me.

https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/health-fitness/exercise/how-to-tone-the-backs-of-your-arms

Perhaps what I mistook for batwings are just normal flesh.

And in talking to a Lit. guy yesterday, I realized something about my shoulders. For whatever reason, I am just always going to have proportionally larger shoulder muscles.

I was looking at a pic of me at age 8. I had just gone en pointe (ballet) and was terribly underweight but had puffed out shoulders. I remember my mom taking me to the Dr. to find out what was wrong with me. The Dr. said nothing was wrong. Those were just my muscles! So that must just be how I am built.

The things I am using for firming, do seem to be working. That's a combination of an oil and a cream from Palmer's cocoa butter. I use a rubber tipped massager to massage the oil in. I use one or the other, twice a day.

My stomach flesh is screwed though. Had a baby at age 39. My boobs went immediately to a 44 F bra but my belly didn't pop until about two weeks before I had her. So mostly I just looked kind of big busted and overweight throughout the pregnancy. My legs swelled a lot too but no loose skin there. Go figure. The cream and oil are firming my bust as well.