Weight loss diet plan for FAST fat shred: Tone up ARMS with easy at-home moves

It’s creeping closer and closer to Christmas – which means it’s time to start thinking about looking good in your festive party outfits. Make sure you head into the holiday season in great shape with Express.co.uk, Digme Fitness and Gymplan’s amazing six-part weight loss, tone-up series.

Head of Fitness Dan Little has already addressed stubborn areas such as the stomach – how to lose belly fat – and how to tone up your thighs.

But fear not, anyone can banish the dreaded bingo wings with this upper body circuit.

Dan Little said: “We’re targeting the arms a lot but we’ve also included full-body moves which will get your heart rate up high for short spells. That’s the key to these circuits – you don’t need very long but you do need to make sure they’re high intensity.

“Try to do four or five rounds, three times a week, either doing this circuit on its own or at the end of a run or walk for a real finisher. Good luck!”

Day one: 20 seconds on / 40 seconds off

Day two: 30 seconds on / 30 seconds off

Day three: 40 seconds on / 20 seconds off

Press-ups

This is a great move which, if done properly, actually works the entire body, not just the arms. We’ve given you three options depending on how strong you are. If you’re not confident with these, start with the basic option and work your way up. 

Basic: Have your knees on the floor and your toes just touching the ground. Place your hands on the floor a little wider than shoulder width apart, and try to keep your back in a straight line.

Squeeze your glutes and brace your abs, then steadily lower yourself until your elbows are at roughly 90 degrees.

Try not to let your elbows flare out, but keep them close to your body. Push yourself up back to the start and repeat.

Moderate: As above but without your knees on the ground. All your weight is on your feet and hands, making it tougher.

Advanced: As above but each time you come back to the start, raise one hand off the ground and touch your opposite shoulder, then do the same with the other hand before lowering back into the press-up.

Taking one hand off the floor will make your body very unstable, but brace your core to stay as still as possible so the movement is only coming from that arm.

Flow press

This is a popular yoga move which really challenges your strength and helps mobilise your back and shoulders.

If you spend long hours at a desk or in a car, you’ll feel the benefit of this one. Start in a kneeling position, then place your hands on the floor, lift your knees and push your bum into the air until your legs are straight and you’re looking back towards your heels.

Bend your elbows and lower your chest to the floor, then in a circular motion bring your chest up towards the sky. Your hips should be nearly touching the floor. Push back towards your heels again, straightening your arms and legs, then repeat.

Tricep dips

All you need for this is an elevated stable surface around knee height, such as a chair or a park bench.

Sit on it with your knees at right angles and place both hands by your side, holding the edge of the seat or bench. Lift your bum off the surface so your arms are fully extended. Lower yourself by bending your elbows, keeping them tucked in close to your body, then left yourself back up to the start and repeat.

You can make it harder by moving your feet further away from you and straightening your legs.

360s

There aren’t many muscles that aren’t used in a 360! Start with your weight on your hands and feet, with your knees bent. The idea is to turn over on the spot, keeping your body off the ground, then turn back the other way. Try not to have too much side to side movement, so you always start and finish each turn on the same spot. Do as many as you can in the allotted time.

Incline press-up

Like with the tricep dips, find a stable surface like a chair or bench that’s about knee height.

Get into a position where your hands are gripping the edge, your arms are straight and your body is in a straight line from your head to your feet. Your hands should be just wider than shoulder width, then, keeping your body straight, lower your chest to the chair or bench. Pause and push back up to the starting position, keeping your abs tight the whole time.

Digme Fitness is part of the Gympass network, and together with over 1,000 other gyms and fitness studios, we are making exercise excuses a thing of the past. 

With a Gympass membership, available either individually or subsidised through your employer, you can choose when, where and how you want to work out. Activities range from bodybuilding to aquatic classes, across 350 UK towns and cities, to offer a gym membership that finally keeps up with your lifestyle.