How To Tone Upper Body

When preparing for swim suit weather, it helps to know how to tone upper body muscles. There are multiple exercises that can help you achieve a lean, muscular appearance. Follow these steps when learning how to tone upper body muscles.

To tone upper body muscles, you will need:

• Two, three or five pound weights
• An exercise mat

1. To tone your upper body, first pick up the weights. Chose weights based on your fitness level. When first learning how to tone upper body muscles, beginners should use a lower weight dumbbell and move up based on muscle fatigue. If you find that two pounds is not providing enough resistance, ramp up your weight.
2. Standing with your feet planted squarely, raise your arms up with your palms facing outward and elbows at a 90 degree angle. There should be a straight line from one elbow to the next, passing across the shoulders.
3. Slowly exhaling, ease your arms up overhead and fully extend your elbows. Inhale as your bring your arms back to the starting position. Repeat for a set of eight.
4. Beginning from the same starting position, bring your arms together while slowly exhaling. Your palms should be touching.
5. Inhale as your return your arms back to the starting position. Repeat for a set of eight.
6. Using your mat, do eight pushups with bent knees. When learning how to tone upper body muscles, pushups are the most commonly used exercise. Be sure to keep your back straight and knees bent to a 45 degree angle. Hands should be placed directly under your shoulders on the mat. Always exhale as your push your body up and inhale as you ease it back down.

Resources:

Center for Young Women's Health, Children's Hospital Boston