Last week was a super-packed week for me and Winston because we are involved in the historical Asia Conference 2010 for the whole 5 days starting Wed to Sun. It’s the biggest Christian conference in Asia, with powerful speakers like David Cho Yonggi (South Korea), pastor of the largest church in the world (700,000 members), Reinhard Bonnke (Germany) who drew 55 millions souls for Christ in 10 years in Africa alone, #1 Religious Leader in New York City and counsellor to Mayor Bloomberg, Dr AR Bernard, and many other great speakers. We even befriended a pastor who hails from Brazil that came alone and we ” adopted” him into our group.
So much for the excitement last week, now is the time to back on the track for wedding prep. 3 weeks to go!! I need to gear up my diet and exercise for the last lap.
I followed an effective exercise from Junebug Weddings to get a toned arm..
For Strapless gown
Row
The bent over row is one of the best exercises to tone your back and shoulders. Stand with legs at a comfortable distance apart (about shoulder width) with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing the body. Bend over about 45 degrees, keeping your back straight as you would for a dead lift or squat. Dumbbells should be kept at about shoulder width apart. Engage your core, keep your back straight and lift the weights to the bottom of your rib cage, squeezing your shoulder blades together. Stay bent over until all repetitions are complete. Do three sets of 20 repetitions. For best results, use dumbbells that are challenging enough where you can barely eek out that 20th repetition.
L’ Lateral Raises
If you want to add shape and definition to the “rounded cap” on your shoulders (your deltoids), look no further than ‘L’ lateral raises! Grab a dumbbell in each hand and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. It is beneficial to stand in front of a mirror to monitor your technique. Hold your left dumbbell with your palm facing the front of your left thigh and your right dumbbell facing the outside of your right thigh. Keeping a slight bend in your elbow, raise both arms up to shoulder level, so if someone were above you looking down, your arms would be in an ‘L’ shape. Alternate positions on each side, returning to the starting position in between, and when your arms are up bring your elbows higher than your wrists so that the thumb-side is lower than your pinky-side. Picture pouring out a glass of water, with the dumbbell as your cup. This will ensure that extra squeeze in your side deltoids. Your back should remain straight and your lower body should be stationary. I recommend using 3-8 lbs dumbbells and completing 3 sets of 15-20 repetitions on each side.
Halter
Shoulder Press
The dumbbells should be held at shoulder height with your palms facing out. Next, push the dumbbells over your head until your arms are almost completely straight and the dumbbells are touching. At the top of the movement do not lock your elbows. Slowly lower your dumbbells back to the starting position. Keep your abs and your lower back tight to support your spine as you push the dumbbells above your head. I recommend using 8-15 lbs and completing three sets of 20 repetitions.
Hammer Curl
The hammer curl is a variation of the classic biceps curl. This is one of my favorite arm exercises because they are gentler on your wrists and are more effective as they keep the tension in your biceps muscles the entire time. Hold two dumbbells and stand straight up with your arms by your side and your palms facing towards your body. Engage your core and lightly squeeze your shoulder blades together as you raise your arms until your hands are almost to your shoulders. Pause at the top of the hammer curl and squeeze your bicep muscles, then slowly lower back down to the starting position. I recommend using 8-15 lbs and completing three sets of 20 repetitions.
Yoga push-up
These are killers and will create muscle definition after only a few days of doing them! Start in a plank position- place the hands directly below the shoulders with fingers splayed wide, so all the weight is not on the wrist, but spread out through the fingers. Keep the knees straight and the heels pressing back, feet flexed. Gently squeeze your buns and draw your belly button in. Keep the hips in line with the body and be aware of any sinking. Look forward about 45 degrees. Every part of the body is solid, light and connected. Inhale while lowering your body and exhale while rising. The elbows should be facing behind you and your ribcage should glide alongside your arms. Stop when your elbows are at 90 degrees and hover for 2 seconds. Stay solid throughout as you push back up to the starting position. If you’re doing these for the first time, lower less than halfway down. As you get stronger your range will improve. Never land on the ground, and do a modified version on your knees if needed. Do three sets of 10-20 repetitions (add more reps each week).
Triceps Kickback
The kickback isolates the triceps so they instantly pop! Hold a dumbbell in each hand, bend your knees and bend from the hip so your torso is parallel with the floor. Squeezing your shoulder blades together, bring your shoulders back and down away from your ears. Point your elbows as high as you can towards the ceiling while leaving the dumbbell hanging by your ribcage. Slowly extend your arms until they are straight behind you, in-line with your torso (do not change the position of your elbow). Pause for a second, then lower back to starting position, elbows at 90 degrees. Your upper arm and elbow should not move at all during the entire set. If you can’t do a complete set without moving your upper arm/elbow, use a lighter dumbbell. I recommend 8-15 lbs dumbbells and three sets of 20 repetitions.
I followed these work-out for 2 months now, although it’s not regimental, I begin to see the result.. Just not too much, because I don’t want to be too muscular, and become (as Winston says) “King Kong Barbie”.
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