How to Get Lean and Toned Arms
A Barry's Bootcamp Instructor Says This Is the Secret to Achieving Lean, Toned Arms
Some of us may not like how quickly we build muscle from an arm workout, myself included. Although there's not much we can do about our genetic makeup (besides, strong is sexy!), there are ways to balance out our fitness routine to better create a long and lean look. In search of advice, I reached out to my favourite Barry's Bootcamp instructor in San Francisco, Katie Wang, who dropped some knowledge on how to achieve those toned and lean arms while working with what you've got.
"I recommend switching up your workout throughout your week so that you're toning your arms in more ways than just biceps curls," she told POPSUGAR. Katie suggested changing things up by adding traditional or Lagree Pilates into your workouts to start seeing "definition in no time." In terms of activities or classes, swimming, rock climbing, and martial arts/boxing classes are also great supplements that work your entire body — not just your arms.
Katie continued to discuss why women shouldn't be afraid to add heavy weights for the sake of aesthetics, since heavier weights don't necessarily equal bigger muscle mass. And if that is your main concern, try adding some variety to your routine by opting for low weights and high reps. Weightlifting is a fantastic way to challenge and strengthen your body and burn fat — not to mention it's totally badass. According to Katie, your body composition is determined by multiple factors beyond the number of weights, including nutrition and hormones. But with genetics at the top of the list, there's not a whole lot you can do to prevent your body's natural reaction to exercise.
"I think it's always important when trying to achieve a fitness goal to realign with a feeling rather than simply an aesthetic," Katie said. "Sometimes we measure our success by only numbers and looks and oftentimes it leaves you with nothing but an expectation hangover if you aren't hitting an exact number you had in mind. I always recommend working out for the feeling rather than a number on the scale; you'll find the achievement all the more rewarding not only physically, but also emotionally."
