Arm toning question
How long before you saw results working with light weights? How do you tone your arms? Right now I am doing three sets of 30 with three diff. arm exercises. curls, over my head lifts, and behind my head forward lifts if that makes any sense. I am using 2lb weights to start and will build over time to maybe 5lbs.
So I hate to be a party pooper here - but 2lb weights (while a good start) aren't going to build muscle (aka tone) on your arms.
To build new muscle you need to lift something that after 12-15 reps your arms are wiped out and can't lift any more. I can't tell you exactly how much to lift - we all have different limits but you should be heading towards 10-15lbs (I'm assuming here you're a woman due to your pink avatar).
Now that being said - 2lbs is a good start. You technically can build muscle with more reps but again your arms need to be totally pooped out for muscle building. Also, I'm not a certified trainer, this is the advice I've been given from multiple sources.
Couple of other things to note (please forgive if you already know this - don't mean to be condescending but these are common errors)
1. As a woman you will not bulk up - we just don't have the hormones to make it happen
2. Your arms (or whatever) may "look" bigger when you work them out but it's the fat over the muscle that you need to remove (cardio is your friend)
3. The scale may show weight increase when you do hard core lifting work - it's jus****er retention. Don't worry. It will go away.
4. You can't spot reduce - sorry!
It's great that you're adding weight training to your program. I urge you to continue and work out all areas of your body.
To build new muscle you need to lift something that after 12-15 reps your arms are wiped out and can't lift any more. I can't tell you exactly how much to lift - we all have different limits but you should be heading towards 10-15lbs (I'm assuming here you're a woman due to your pink avatar).
Now that being said - 2lbs is a good start. You technically can build muscle with more reps but again your arms need to be totally pooped out for muscle building. Also, I'm not a certified trainer, this is the advice I've been given from multiple sources.
Couple of other things to note (please forgive if you already know this - don't mean to be condescending but these are common errors)
1. As a woman you will not bulk up - we just don't have the hormones to make it happen
2. Your arms (or whatever) may "look" bigger when you work them out but it's the fat over the muscle that you need to remove (cardio is your friend)
3. The scale may show weight increase when you do hard core lifting work - it's jus****er retention. Don't worry. It will go away.
4. You can't spot reduce - sorry!
It's great that you're adding weight training to your program. I urge you to continue and work out all areas of your body.
Here are a couple simple rules regarding free weights:
If you can lift it more than 16 reps its too light.
If you can't lift it 7 its too heavy.
Try to work in between those parameters.
I usually use 8-10 lbs weights for triceps, 15 lb for curls and shoulder presses and can barely make it to 10 reps with that heavy of weights. I lighten up for the second set.
Hope this helps.
ps...at 15months out, my arms look pretty good!!
If you can lift it more than 16 reps its too light.
If you can't lift it 7 its too heavy.
Try to work in between those parameters.
I usually use 8-10 lbs weights for triceps, 15 lb for curls and shoulder presses and can barely make it to 10 reps with that heavy of weights. I lighten up for the second set.
Hope this helps.
ps...at 15months out, my arms look pretty good!!
HW 254 SW 247 CW 162 GW 145
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