Say goodbye to those flabby underarms and grab your favorite sleeveless top. Zumba fitness classes help you tone your triceps muscles with fun dance routines set to upbeat music. Shake, shimmy and dance your way to leaner, meaner arms by putting maximum effort into every arm movement of your Zumba class. Vary your Zumba workouts with different dances, moves or class styles designed to sculpt and tone your whole body, including those troublesome triceps.
Zumba Moves
Zumba classes incorporate different dances with arm movements designed to sculpt and tone your muscles. While each dance, including the cha-cha, merengue, salsa and reggaeton, includes moves that engage the arms, licensed Zumba instructor Sheila Lebedenko recommends targeting the triceps with specific moves. Do a triceps freeze by drawing your arm across your chest and keeping it parallel to the floor. Push your elbow to the right on the beat of the music, bringing it to a sudden stop. Small arm circles performed to the beat of the music can also work the triceps and work well with merengue, salsa or reggaeton beats.
Aqua Zumba
Aqua Zumba takes the dance moves of a regular Zumba classes into the swimming pool. The resistance provided by the water as you move your arms helps strengthen and tone your triceps muscles. You'll perform many of the same cha-cha, merengue, and reggaeton routines from a typical land Zumba class, but at half tempo. The slower pace will allow time to engage your triceps and work through the water with each movement.
Zumba Toning
The Zumba Fitness brand offers classes designed specifically for toning the lower and upper body -- including the triceps -- with 1- to 2-pound hand weights called toning sticks. Zumba Toning classes focus on strength-training exercises performed while holding the toning sticks, interspersed with blasts of fun, cardio dance moves. You may also use other types of light handheld weights during regular Zumba or Zumba toning classes to get a more intense workout for your triceps.
Energy and Form
If you tend to keep your arms soft and mushy during Zumba class, you may be cheating yourself out of an effective arm workout. Licensed Zumba instructor Sheila Lebedenko advises students to keep their arms high and sharp during dances that involve arm motions. By putting your maximum amount of effort into each arm movement, you can engage and build muscles in your triceps even without the use of toning sticks or hand weights.
References
Writer Bio
Sarah Badger is a certified pilates and group fitness instructor, writer and dance teacher. Her work has appeared in "Dance Spirit" magazine and several literary journals. Badger earned her bachelor's degree in English and religious studies from Marymount Manhattan College, and currently owns a dance and fitness studio in upstate New York.