They are the part of the body that personifies strength and power: your arms.
But for many, achieving snatched, toned biceps to rival celebrities feels like an impossible challenge.
You spend months after month lifting heavy dumbells, only to find that your biceps are no more defined.
Now, personal trainers have revealed the three types of exercises that you need to tone your upper body – one of which, they say, too few people know about.
It means you don’t have to lift weights every day to get sculpted arms.
Pushes, pulls, and isometric exercises ahve been shown to increase upper body strength and lead to toned arms
According to Keri Harvey, a personal trainer and performance specialist at Form Fitness in Brooklyn, New York, a comprehensive upper body exercise routine involves: pushes, pulls, and isometric exercises.
Push and pull movements are well-known as arm-toning – push-ups and bicep curls are two examples.
Others push exercises include tricep extensions, and pulls are deadlifts and chin-ups.
But Harvey highlighted another group of movements that are just as crucial -isometric exercises.
She told Women’s Health that these are meant to tighten or contract certain muscle groups.
Exercise buff Isaac Fisher shared a video of himself on TikTok performing several isometric moves, including push-up holds and pull-up holds
They’re usually done by holding a static position, which means the affected muscles don’t noticeably change length and the joints don’t move.
Unlike many upper-body exercises that involves weights and machie, these can be done with little to no equipment.
They have also been shown to improve core strength and balance.
One common isometric example is a Superman hold, which starts by lying on your stomach.
From there, extend your arms and legs so your body forms into one long line.
Squeezing your abs and glutes, lift all form limbs a few inches off the ground.
You can also extend your arms behind you to work your back muscles.
Additionally, raising your shoulders up and tightening your core muscles can work both the arms and core.
On TikTok, fitness experts share examples of isometric exercises in clips that, collectively, have racked up more than 14 million views.
A user named Isaac Fisher, for example, shared a clip of himself performing several isometric moves, including push-up holds and pull-up holds.
Once you get used to the movement, try holding a dumbbell or making other adjustments to make it more challenging.
Ms Harvey said that all three of these exercise types can lead to toned arms, and checking off all of these boxes is simple.
This is because they can be incorporated into a circuit workout, which involves cycling through various exercises that target different areas of the body.
‘I’m a big fan of circuits because they enable you to keep moving through the workout at a reasonable pace,’ she said.
‘You can group three of your exercises together into a circuit. Once you’ve gone through the first set of all three, you rest and then restart.’
‘Just remember to take your time in the movements and really pay attention to connect with the muscles being used.’
