Try These 3-Min Exercises For The Perfect Sculpted Arms
Shoulder, chest, glutes… and you can’t forget those biceps. When embarking on our fitness journey, there’s no greater flex than toned, sculpted arms that would have Michelle Obama checking for your routine.
It’s safe to say that no workout is complete without hitting your upper body and giving your triceps and biceps a thorough burn. There’s a wide variety of moves to pick from that will deliver the gains you’re putting in the work to achieve. And while it’s often overlooked by thoughts of getting too “bulky,” the right upper-body workouts can shape your overall physique in a way that gives “bawdy” from every angle.
In other words: don’t sleep on arm day.
In fact, this is your sign to have more fun with your upper body days by incorporating new workouts into your routine that can make you feel stronger and build muscle over time. Who says arm day has to only consist of push-ups and bicep curls? Go ahead and mix things up. We’ve put together the best arm-sculpting workouts that you can add to your routine at every stage of your journey.
Commit to 10-12 reps each for 3-4 rounds, and not only will your upper body thank you, but you'll be amazed at the results.
DUMBELL BENT-OVER ROW
@_liciaaaa8 Stop what your doing! Did you workout today? #glorilla #tomorrowcardi #fyp #blackgirlsworkout #nike #workoutmotivation #bodypositivity #fitnessfreak #locsoftiktok #tanset #condos #nbapreseason #blackfitnesswomen #munch #cardi
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding dumbbells in each hand, palms facing your body.
- Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and parallel to the ground.
- Engage your back muscles and pull the dumbbells up towards your torso, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Lower the dumbbells back down in a controlled manner, fully extending your arms. This completes one rep.
CACTUS ARMS
@inflowwithalli PAUSE! 3 min arms. #pilatesarms
- Start by standing with your arms extended out to the sides, bending your elbows at a 90-degree angle with palms facing outward.
- From this position, slowly exhale and lower your elbows towards your chest, keeping your shoulders relaxed.
- Inhale as you bring your elbows back up to the starting position, and repeat.
BARBELL BICEP CURL
@moiya.angelle Muscles really are fun ! All I want to do is strong girl stuff 😆😆 #muscles #musclemommy #girlmuscle #fitgirksoftiktok #fitgirltok #fitnessfreak #biceps #bicepscurls #barbellcurl #gymtok #stronggirl #fitgoals #blackgirlmagic #blackgirltiktok
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell with an underhand grip, palms facing up.
- Keeping your upper arms stationary, curl the barbell upward towards your shoulders by flexing your elbows.
- Gradually lower the barbell back to the starting position while maintaining control.
SKULL CRUSHER
@temilfitness Since i staryed taking teaining upperbody serious, i haven’t stopped flexing #weightloss #weightlosscheck #beforeandafter #upperbodyworkout #fitness #blackfitnesswomen #fyp
- Lie on a bench with a barbell or dumbbells held directly above your chest.
- With a slight bend in your elbows, lower the weight towards your forehead by flexing your elbows.
- Extend your arms back up to the starting position, fully engaging your triceps.
TRICEPS KICKBACK
@rhandeezlifts #tricepkickbacks #christianfitness #musclemommy #womenwholift #gymtips #fyp #foryou
- Stand with one foot in front of the other, holding a dumbbell in each hand with your palm facing your body.
- Bend your upper body forward at the waist, keeping your back straight and extending your arm fully behind you, straightening your elbow while keeping it close to your body.
- Slowly bring the dumbbell back to the starting position, and repeat.
RENEGADE ROW
@getfitwithqueen The exercise of the day is Renegade Rows! Activate your core and back muscles with this full body exercise! #fitnessfriday #exerciseoftheday #fitnesstips #fitnessroutine #womeninsports #femalecoach #getfitwithme #abchallange #blackownedbusiness
- Start in a high plank position with your hands gripping dumbbells and arms fully extended.
- Pull one dumbbell towards your chest while keeping your core engaged and hips stable.
- Lower the dumbbell back down and repeat the pull with the other arm. Alternate sides for each repetition.
OVERHEAD TRICEPS EXTENSION
@dahotellabi How do you start your arm day? Let’s target the Triceps at @planetfitness 💪 #triceps #upperbodyworkouts #blackgirltiktok #fitgorl #kyfitgorl #contentcreator #fitnessset #armday #armstrength
- Start by holding a dumbbell with both hands positioned in the back of your head.
- Raise the dumbbell above your head, and extend your arms fully.
- Keeping your upper arms close to your head, slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head by bending your elbows.
- Return to the starting position by extending your arms back up overhead. Repeat for desired repetitions.
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Feature image by Vladimir Vladmirov /Getty Images
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Aley Arion is a writer and digital storyteller from the South, currently living in sunny Los Angeles. Her site, yagirlaley.com, serves as a digital diary to document personal essays, cultural commentary, and her insights into the Black Millennial experience. Follow her at @yagirlaley on all platforms!
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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You've Never Seen Luke James In A Role Quite Like This
Over the years, we've watched Luke James play countless characters we'd deem sex symbols, movie stars, and even his complicated character in Lena Waithe's The Chi. For the first time in his career, the New Orleans-born actor has taken on a role where his signature good looks take a backseat as he transforms into Edmund in Them: The Scare—a mentally deranged character in the second installment of the horror anthology series that you won't be able to take your eyes off.
Trust us, Edmund will literally make you do a double take.
xoNecole sat down with Luke James to talk about his latest series and all the complexity surrounding it—from the challenges taking on this out-of-the-box role to the show's depiction of the perplexing history of the relationship between Black Americans and police. When describing the opportunity to bring Edmund's character to life, Luke was overjoyed to show the audience yet another level of his masterful acting talents.
"It was like bathing in the sun," he said. "I was like, thank you! Another opportunity for me to be great—for me to expand my territory. I'm just elated to be a part of it and to see myself in a different light, something I didn't think I could do." He continued, "There are parts of you that says, 'Go for it because this is what you do.' But then also that's why it's a challenge because you're like, 'um, I don't know if I'm as free as I need to be to be able to do this.' Little Marvin just created such a safe space for me to be able to do this, and I'm grateful for everything I've been able to do to lead to this."
Courtesy
Them: The Scare, like the first season, shines a light on the plight of Black Americans in the United States. This time, the story is taking place in the 1990s, at the height of the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles. While the series presents many underlying themes, one that stands out is Black people and the complicated relationship with the police. "For the audience, I think it sets the tone for the era that we're in and the amount of chaos that's in the air in Los Angeles and around the country from this heinous incident. And I say it just sets the tone of the anxiety and anxiousness that everybody is feeling in their own households."
James has been a longtime advocate against police brutality himself. He has even featured Elijah McClain, the 23-year-old Colorado man who died after being forcibly detained by officers, as his Instagram avatar for the past five years. So, as you can imagine, this script was close to his heart. "Elijah was a soft-loving oddball. Different than anyone but loving and a musical genius. He was just open and wanted to be loved and seen."
Getty Images
Luke continued, "His life was taken from him. I resonate with his spirit and his words...through all the struggle and the pain he still found it in him to say, 'I love you and I forgive you.' And that's who we are as people—to our own detriment sometimes. He's someone I don't want people to forget. I have yet to remove his face from my world because I have yet to let go of his voice, let go of that being [because] there's so many people we have lost in our history that so often get forgotten."
He concluded, "I think that's the importance of such artwork that moves us to think and talk about it. Yes, it's entertaining. We get to come together and be spooked together. But then we come together and we think, 'Damn, Edmund needed someone to talk to. Edmund needed help... a lot [of] things could have been different. Edmund could have been saved.'
Check out the full interview below.
Luke James Talks Ditching Sex Symbol Status For "Them: The Scare", Elijah McClain, & Morewww.youtube.com
Featured image by Getty Images