Strengthening underarm muscle definition with five exercises
Attaining underarm muscle definition is important not only for a balanced upper body strength but also for aesthetic reasons. This article outlines five highly effective exercises that target the underarm area, focusing on the triceps and surrounding muscles. Incorporating these exercises into your workout regimen will help you achieve muscle definition, increase strength, and ultimately improve the overall look of your arms.
Push-ups: The foundation of arm strength
Push-ups are a fundamental exercise that efficiently targets underarm muscles, chest, and shoulders. For greater emphasis on the underarms, place your hands closer together than shoulder-width apart. This modification focuses more on the triceps, helping to tone the underarms. Do three sets of 10 to 15 reps, depending on your strength.
Tricep dips: Targeted underarm toning
Tricep dips are also highly effective for improving underarm muscle definition. For dips, you'll use a bench or chair to support your weight as you lower and raise your body by bending at the elbows. This exercise really targets those triceps! Begin with two sets of eight to 12 reps, and add more as you get stronger.
Overhead tricep extensions: Precision strengthening
Overhead tricep extensions, performed with a dumbbell or resistance band, isolate the triceps muscle. By raising your arms overhead, bending at the elbows to lower the weight behind your head, and then extending your arms to raise it again, you directly target this crucial area. Do three sets of 12 repetitions with a weight that's heavy enough to challenge you, but light enough to allow good form.
Skull crushers: Intense tricep workout
To perform skull crushers, lie on a bench with weights extended above you. Lower the weights towards your forehead by bending at the elbows (hence, the name skull crushers, don't really crush your skull though!). Then, push the weights back up. This exercise isolates the triceps muscles, providing a highly effective workout for underarm strength and definition. Do three sets of 10 reps with weights that challenge you.
Close-grip bench press: Compound muscle engagement
The close-grip bench press targets the chest and specifically amplifies triceps engagement for improved underarm definition. By narrowing your grip on the barbell to closer than shoulder width, you effectively transfer a greater portion of the workload to your triceps, deviating from the pectoral emphasis of standard bench presses. Incorporate three sets of eight to 12 reps into your regimen for maximum benefit.
