3 of the Biggest Time Wasting Exercises Keeping You From Getting Toned Arms

Why isn’t doing a ton of bicep curls and shoulders raises giving you the arm definition that you want? That’s the question that I am going to answer for you in this article.  But, before we talk about why, let’s start with the exercises that are wasting your time.

Bicep Curls

Lateral Raises

Triceps Kickback

So now you are thinking…

Why are these exercises in virtually every arm workout I see in the magazines if they are a waste of my time?

What to Do Instead…

You can used these exercises to help you get toned arms.  Just not in the way that you normally use them. That’s where things get a little tricky. Getting “muscle tone”- or the appearance of muscles working when they are at rest- is a result of optimizing your body fat and increasing the density of your muscles. So, that plan has to include compound movements to trigger the hormonal responses necessary for harder muscles and metabolically challenging exercise to help boost metabolism and burn fat.

Unfortunately, the way you are adding these exercises into your day isn’t really helping achieve either of those requirements. These exercises aren’t taxing enough to set the hormonal wheels in motion that encourage muscle growth and muscle density.  They aren’t metabolically demanding enough to help reduce bodyfat.  They can be part of the equation. But, without an overall plan, they keep you curling, raising, and kicking back with nothing to show for it.

Here’s what you can do to save time and increase your results. Include larger upper body movements like push-ups, shoulder presses, and pull ups that target the same muscles but place a greater demand on your body overall.  Then, when you include the other exercises, combine them with demanding lower body exercises for a super efficient workout move more likely to deliver your desired results.

Combining these moves with exercises like squats, lunges, and step ups increases the demand on your cardiovascular system and involves larger muscles to encourage the hormonal environment that encourages muscle growth. In short you will get in better overall shape and get the toned arms that you want. You will change these exercises from time wasters to arm makers.

Want  my Time Wasters to Arm Makers video to see how to combine these exercise for more effectiveness? Join my list today and get immediate access to that video.

Now that you know why some of your favorite arm exercises are actually wasting your time, tell me which ones you plan to combine with a lower body move in your next workout?  Know of any other time wasters you want to share?  Chime in in the comments below.

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