Power2theCore: Arms 101 (....focus!)

Arms--sometimes tough to hide and the area which seems to be most troublesome for women (at least I think so since I'm always asked on how to tone them!). When I am instructing a class I always remind them "focus your mind on the muscle we are working"--especially when it's arms (the other is abs). I believe focusing allows you to really concentrate on using that specific muscle vs compensating and using other areas. Think about it: once you are really working the arms and their muscles they start getting fatigued. Unfortunately we often then begin compensating our form and mistakenly start pulling on other muscles/areas such as the neck, shoulder & back resulting in less work for that specific arm area that we are really trying to tone! So FOCUSING on the specific muscle is key!

Confused where to focus on the muscle you're working? Then the following information should help. Refer to the number below that coordinates to the following description:

(Image source: Fitness Magazine, Sept 2012)

1) Biceps
"Bi" meaning 2--referring to the 2 sections, or brachii, of the muscle (a 2-headed muscle).
It lies on the upper arm between the shoulder and the elbow.
It lies just beneath the brachioradialis and the brachialis & only makes up 1/3 of the upper arm's size. The muscle fibers here are long and run along the length of the upper arm. This structure improves the muscle's ability to contract or shorten (getting that more rounded appearance as you tone/work it).

2) Triceps
"Tri" meaning 3--referring to 3 sections (a 3-headed arm muscle). It is the muscle responsible for extension of the elbow joint (picture when you straighten your arm).
It is located in the back of the arm muscle & makes up for the other 2/3 of the upper arm (again, bicep is the 1/3). I find it is the area most woman are concerned with.

3) Shoulder
This teardrop shaped muscle is made up of the anterior (front), posterior (back) and medial (side) deltoids. It must be mobile enough for the wide range actions of the arms and hands, but also stable enough to allow for actions such as lifting, pushing and pulling.

4) Rotator Cuff
It's made up of 4 muscles (the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis --aka S.I.T.S....they surround the shoulder joint). These individual muscles combine at the shoulder to form a thick "cuff" over this joint. The rotator cuff has the important job of stabilizing the shoulder as well as elevating and rotating the arm.

So the next time you're working your arms, try to keep your "minds eye" on the key areas shown and discussed above. It's your time, your workout--really make it count!

*PS: I found this cartoon very cute & wanted to share: