In Pursuit of Michelle Obama's Arms

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

29 Mar 2009 09:05 PM

They're everywhere! First Lady Michelle Obama has bared her toned biceps, triceps and shoulders at several Inaugural Balls, on the covers of Vogue and People, at her husband's first televised address to Congress and in her official White House photograph.

The 5-foot-11-fitness buff's arms are the talk of gyms from coast-to-coast. Trainers claim female clients are begging them to create fitness regimes so they too can sport arms of steel like Obama's. The 45-year-old mother of two obviously watches what she eats and works out, but even if you were to duplicate the first lady's exercise routine to the letter, health experts say, you might not see the same results.

According to fitness trainers, Mrs. Obama's exercise regime likely combines weight lifting along with cardio activities, core strength development and a low-fat diet.

"You can have the best muscle definition, but if you have that layer of fat over it, you'll never see the tone underneath," according to fitness experts.

But before you start cutting calories and increasing your time on the elliptical machine, consider the final factor trainers say contributes to the first lady's fab arms: genetics. Health experts say heredity covers about 50 percent of a person's overall physique.

If you are still determined to sculpt your arms ala Michelle Obama consider the following exercises:

To develop shapely shoulders, start with lateral raises. Hold dumbbells, then raise your arms out to her side, repeating 10 to 12 times, for three sets. If you want a leaner look, use a lower weight with more repetitions.

To pump up your arms, try bicep curls, flexing at the elbow. That exercise should be paired with tricep kickbacks, either standing or leaning on a bench, extending the arm backward. Triceps can also be developed by doing dips using a chair or bench and by executing traditional pushups.

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Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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