April 06, 2004
The right to bare arms

WENDY: Here's a new question: It's almost tank-top season, gals, and that means -- EMERGENCY HELP NEEDED FOR OUR ARMS! Anybody got a good exercise to firm up -- or bulk up -- your shoulders or arms?

The one I like the best is a triceps exercise where you position two benches near each other, then hang between them (facing the ceiling) and dip your body below them. Ouch. But great for triceps.

JENICE: I love that one, Wendy. You can do that one off of any stationary object that's the right height like, maybe, a heavy coffee table. You put your hands palm down on the table and lower yourself almost to the floor and bring yourself back up again, making sure to keep your body close to the table.

YVONNE W: Push-ups are a great way to tone your arms, shoulders and chest. You can modify push-ups to accommodate your fitness level.

LAURIE: Oh, those arms. Last year or so, I suddenly noticed how when I stick my arm out straight, the underneath part starts to, well, zig-zag a little bit. Ack! I'm not sure that can be stopped entirely, because I have muscles in my arms. Gravity wins again. Or does somebody know a killer tricep firmer?

One great exercise I have done for physical therapy that seems to work the shoulders, arms and that "problem area" in the back along the bra line: Sit on a slanted bench and lean against it, face down (your chin should be more or less level with the top of the bench). Prop your feet against the bench legs or floor to hold yourself still. With light weights and working both arms together, move arms in a swimming motion forward 10-15 times, then backwards the same amount. It is HARD!