No, You Don’t Need Spanx’s New “Arm Tights.” Try These Arm-Sculpting Strength Exercises Instead
Leave it to the creative minds at Spanx to come up with a new type of shapewear you may not have realized you need.
Called Arm Tights, the new product is a sheer, lightweight, seamless crop top. It comes in a variety of colors, and it's billed as a "wardrobe game-changer" that can be worn for layering and to smooth out arm flab—though these "Spanx for your arms" don't feature the compression fabric the company is known for. Spanx’s website touts the tights as having “360 degrees of flawless arm coverage.”
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We're all for wearing garments that make you feel confident and attractive. But covering up your arms, whether you have a little jiggle or a lot, is totally unnecessary. However, if you do want a tighter upper body, skip the Spanx and do these simple strength exercises. Check out our favorites for toning and building lean muscle below.
Oil rigger
Start in a tabletop position, with palms flat and fingers wide. Lift one leg up toward the ceiling, making sure your knee is still facing the floor. As you raise your leg, dip your chin down and out beyond your fingertips, keeping your elbows right next to your ribs. Exhale and lift back up to tabletop. Complete 10 on each side. Check out the video below to see Cassey Ho demonstrate; it’s the first exercise.
[brightcove:4630023870001 default]Upper cut and forward punch
Start with feet wider than hip-width apart, holding a 3-pound dumbbell in each hand at hip level. Keeping your elbow bent, punch your right arm up and across your body toward your left shoulder. Return to start, then punch right arm forward. Return to start. Do 30 reps on each side. Watch Tracy Anderson perform the move in the clip below. Pro tip: Shift your weight with each punch.
[brightcove:4300049746001 default]Triceps kickback
Start with a 5-pound dumbbell in each hand. Bend your knees and hinge at the waist, keeping your back flat and your neck in a neutral position. Hold the weights at your chest, then extend both arms straight back, flexing your triceps. Bend them forward and repeat for 30 seconds, up to five times, resting in between. Watch Emily Skye demo the move in the video below.
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