Small deviations in technique can really add up when doing exercises for your arms. Over the long run, said deviations can really put a dent in your progress and potentially cause serious injury.
Now I strongly feel that the majority of women wishing to get toned arms aren’t even aware of these deviations. There is a lot going on when performing an arm workout, so perfecting technique probably isn’t a top priority.
Having said that, I definitely do NOT recommend going overboard here. Do your best to use proper form but don’t become paralyzed by over analysis.
Thus, here are 4 mistakes to avoid when doing arm exercises for women:
1. Using momentum to bring the weight up. You may not even be aware that you’re doing this. Why? Because you probably look at yourself from the front when exercising. Yet the only way to really see if your using momentum is to look at yourself from the side. So whenever you do a curl, double check the side mirrors?
2. Letting the shoulders come up. Most common with press downs for the triceps, although some women also do this when performing curls. What’s the big deal? When you elevate the shoulders, you work your trapezius (neck) muscles, not your arm muscles. And do you really want a big neck?
3. Not keeping the elbows locked in place. Letting the elbows shift around is the evil of all evils. The only thing that should be moving when you do your arm exercises is your forearms. Allowing the elbows too shift around is the quickest way to retard your arm toning results.
4. Not placing weight on the heels. You should use the heels of your feet for support. This will keep you much more stable and will allow you to lift much more weight. You’re more likely to keep lower back injuries at bay by using this technique.
Avoiding the above errors when doing arm exercises will make you better off than most women. Don’t worry about having perfect technique, this will make your arm workouts a nightmare. Instead, do your best to avoid the major errors and keep the flow going.
Katherine Crawford MS, a Harvard exercise physiologist and former arm fat sufferer, is an expert on exercise for women. Learn how to get toned arms right now by visiting her blog on arm exercise.
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