The Problem:
“How can I get rid of that arm jiggle?” This
question was asked to me today by a woman I was coaching at the gym, and it is
not the first time I’m hearing it. The back of the arm, or the triceps, are a
huge concern for women along with muffin top, cellulite, and thigh gaps.
Unfortunately, many of us still have the wrong idea in mind when it comes to a
solution…I know because I used to be one of these ladies! Everybody wants "toned" arms, they think that doing hundreds of reps with 1 pound dumbbells and hours
wasted on cardio machines is going to do the trick, but it just isn’t so.
The Solution:
The solution to this problem of
so-called arm jiggle is quite simple actually. In order to get rid of it, you
must put on muscle! It sounds scary, but in fact this “tone” that we all long for is lean muscle. You are not
going to look bulky or manly from strength training – doing exercises that
build muscle in your arms will give you sleek “toned” arms that you’ve always
desired. From personal experience, I can tell you that lifting weights along
with a proper diet is only going to improve your physique, making you appear
tighter and leaner, not big and bulky. I am a powerlifter, and my physique has
only improved since I began lifting heavy.
How to make it happen:
There are many different exercises
that you can use to build muscle on your arms, particularly in the triceps
area. One in particular that powerlifters use on a regular basis is especially
effective is called the “board press” or “shoulder saver press”. This exercise
is used to improve the lock out or the end portion of the bench press, but it
has other benefits that can be used by the general population. The board press
is an exercise that works primarily your triceps muscles, which again is that
problem area that many of us ladies have.
In order to
perform this exercise, you will first need to learn to bench correctly.
Contrary to popular belief, the bench press is a full body exercise, engaging
many muscles including your abs and legs which is an added benefit for us
ladies looking to tighten up. Since this is not a how-to bench press post,
check out this article by John Gaglione on how to set up for bench press and
perform the movement properly, minimizing injuries and using your muscles to their
maximum potential.
Once you learn how to properly set
up for and perform the bench press, you can perform the board press. When
performing board presses, the movement is exactly the same, but you will either
have a shoulder saver pad on the bar, or someone holding a 2 or 3-board on your
chest. You will lower the bar until you hit the board, and explode up as you
would while performing the regular bench press.
Gaglione Strength athlete Savannah performing the board press with a shoulder saver pad.
Strength training has so many benefits for women, making daily
activities easier, empowering us and improving how we look and feel about
ourselves. If you implement this exercise into your strength training
routine once a week, you can say goodbye to that arm jiggle and hello to “toned”
(it’s really muscle!) arms.