The #1 Mistake Women Make When Trying to Achieve Toned, Lean Arms, According to a Personal Trainer

Woman reaching for weight at the gym

Whether you want Linda Hamilton's Sarah Connor arms from Terminator 2: Judgment Day, to feel more confident in tank tops and strapless dresses or just to get rid of your dreaded "bingo wing" (we feel you!), getting toned, lean arms is a goal tons of women have when working out. 

But while you may be working really hard to get leaner limbs, but could also be sabotaging your own progress. Who wants that? If you're looking to get toned and leaner arms, here's what to keep in mind.

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The Biggest Mistake Women Make When Trying to Tone Their Arms

Something a lot of us mistakenly do when trying to get toned, lean arms is focusing too much on individual muscles and neglecting others.

"The biggest mistake I see women making when it comes to toned, sculpted arms, is attempting to 'spot train' one area, versus training their entire body," Amy Schemper, BowFlex fitness advisor and certified personal trainer tells Parade. "When it comes to building muscle and changing our body composition, we have to work the entire body for strength and cardio and be mindful of our nutrition. Training only one area of the body and expecting to see fat loss and muscle definition in that area just doesn't happen."

"Building overall muscle fiber not only aids in body re-composition all over, but it also drives your metabolism for fat loss," Schemper adds.

Kristen Hislop, AAFA-certified personal trainer and founder of Hislop Coaching, adds that we need to work all the muscles in our arms, and also points out a big part of arm fitness that a lot of us ignore.

"Grip strength and forearm strength are often neglected. Everyone does bicep curls, tricep extensions and shoulder work," she says. "We need a strong grip!"

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Hislop and Schemper also agree that you shouldn't limit yourself just to weights.

"Another big mistake is being afraid to lift heavy. To build strength and see definition in our arms, we need to progressively overload the muscles," Schemper explains. "This can be done in different ways with higher reps, higher weight, more time under tension or mixing up-tempo, but the key is to challenge your body. If something feels too easy, it probably is. Listen to your body and aim to have your first few reps of a set feel easier and your last few reps feel pretty difficult."

Hislop very strongly concurs. "I really think women are afraid to go heavy—they think they will get bulky. Let's put that myth to bed. It is really hard for most women to bulk up," she says. "As we age we lose muscle mass every year. After menopause, if you aren't doing anything to at least maintain your muscle mass, you are getting weaker faster. If you want to pick up a grandchild at 65 or 70, you had better be able to bicep curl 15 pounds in each arm at 40!"

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The Best Exercises for Toning Your Arms

For Schemper, the best arm-toning exercises are the ones that use the most muscles at one time.

"I prefer multi-joint exercises like bent over rows, overhead presses and pushups, especially if you're short on time. This gives you more bang for your buck by working multiple muscle groups at once," she explains. "If you have more time, still include compound exercises, but you can also add isolation exercises like bicep curls and tricep extensions to target the arms specifically."

Hislop points out that you can keep everything really simple and you don't even need special equipment or weights to get results, especially early on in your fitness journey.

"I love easy stuff like picking up as many jugs of laundry detergent as you can and walking around with them," she says. "How about filling up pint glasses and carrying three, then four, then five at a time? Both of these will increase both forearm and grip strength."

If you have an exercise bar (or access to one at your local gym), Hislop says that simply hanging from the bar can really improve your arms.

"Start with what you can build each week. Once you can really hang, then work out with pullups, which are a great way to build toned arms. The goal is always to think about all the muscles and working them individually."

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The Moves That Are Least Effective for Arm-Toning

Chances are you've been focusing a bit on your biceps, which is good—but it's not going to help you get leaner, Hislop advises.

"While we love looking at a nice bicep, most people have weak triceps," she said. "Get balanced and work the whole arm—that's the best way to get toned arms. Go heavy, get strong and live a more active life overall."

Schemper agrees, noting that you should focus on your entire body—including your diet—in addition to your limbs to really get lithe.

"Focusing on isolation exercises only won't be as effective. Going too light on your weights will also hinder your progress," she says. "For toned arms, get a variety of exercises, including cardiovascular and strength training, and be aware of your nutrition."

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Sources

• Kristen Hislop, AAFA-certified and Ironman University-certified personal trainer, USAT Level 1 certified triathlon coach, USA Cycling Level 3 coach, Mad Dogg Athletics and Spinning-certified instructor and founder of Hislop coaching

• Amy Schemper, MS, CPT and BowFlex fitness advisor