Tone up your arms for summer

For most women, arm fat is one of the toughest things when it comes to getting your body in shape. Not anymore! Say goodbye to “batwings” and tone your arms for summer now.

You can exercise and diet like crazy, but it just doesn't seem to have any effect on arm fat. Sound familiar? Well help is at hand. Follow these easy steps and work your way to getting toned arms for summer.

Get some cardiovascular exercise

Body fat usually burns away evenly from all over your body, so cardiovascular exercise will help you to reduce the fat in your arms. Aim for 30 minutes of cardio about five times a week. It doesn't have to be done all at once. A 15-minute jog or taking the stairs instead of the lift all counts as cardio.

Say yes to strength training

While you don't want to focus solely on one area, you can still work on improving your muscle tone and strength. Strength training has been proven to increase metabolism, which in turn will speed up fat loss.

Dumbbells: the secret to toned arms

To do the exercises below which help firm up your arms you'll need a pair of dumbbells. Two 2-kg weights should be fine for most women to handle. Remember to stretch and warm your muscles before you begin exercising to prevent injury.

Top three exercises to tone your arms

* Backward lifts

Stretch your arms out behind you, holding one dumbbell in each hand. Your hands should be positioned just a little behind your upper thighs. Now slowly lift as high as possible without it becoming uncomfortable - remember to keep your arms straight. Lower and repeat 10-12 times.

* Side lifts

Holding one dumbbell in each hand, let your arms hang naturally by your side, with your hands touching your outer thighs. Lift your arms straight out until you reach shoulder height. Lower and repeat 10-12 times.

* Overhead lifts

A very effective way to target batwings, the stubborn flab on the underside of your arms, is with overhead lifts. Put your arms up and bend your elbows so that your hands are behind your head. Lift your dumbbells by extending your arms straight up. This is a more advanced lift, so just do as many as you can comfortably.

Try these exercises at least twice a week and tone up your arms in time for summer!

Author : Serisha Singh

BIO : Johannesburg Editor Serisha Singh is loving fun and fab big city life! A fashionista at heart, she brings you the lowdown on what’s taking the fashion world by storm and practical advice on how to make trends work for you. A go-getter with extreme energy levels and a positive attitude, she's intrigued by everything from gender empowerment to legal developments and health and beauty. A fan of old school glamour and classy elegance, she’s a strong believer of the power of accessories: shoes, bags, earrings, rings – they can take your outfit from drab to fab! Follow @Serisha_S on Twitter or drop her a mail at serisha@all4women.co.za.