Arm Exercises: Form and Safety

• Don’t use momentum: It’s especially tempting—and easy—to use momentum to lift more weight when exercising your arms. To work your arms as effectively as possible, though, you must keep your movements slow and controlled.
• Don’t sway backward: Avoid leaning back in order to lift up more weight. Leaning backward puts a strain on your back and does not work your arms. Instead, focus on keeping your torso in precisely the same position throughout the exercise.
• Don’t move your elbows: Moving your elbows to help yourself lift weight is a natural inclination, but doing so reduces the effectiveness of arm exercises. Don’t let your elbows extend out toward the sides or move forward or backward. Focus on keeping elbows close to your body and immobile throughout the exercise.
• Don’t hold your breath: Exhale when lifting a weight; inhale while releasing it.

Stretching Your Arms

Biceps Stretch

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Stretch your arms out at a 90° angle to your torso so your body forms a “T” shape.
3. Gently press your arms backward, turning your thumbs toward the floor until your palms face behind you.
4. Hold the pose for a few moments.

Triceps Stretch

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Bend your right elbow and bring your arm up, placing your right hand behind your neck.
3. With your left hand, grasp your right elbow from the top and pull down gently.
4. Hold the pose for a few moments, feeling the stretch in your right tricep.
5. Switch sides and repeat.

Wrists and Forearms Stretch

1. Stretch both arms in front of you.
2. Turn your right palm so it faces the ceiling.
3. With your left hand, grasp the fingers of your right hand and pull them gently toward your body.
4. Hold the pose for a few moments.
5. Switch sides and repeat the stretch.