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Big Guns and Tight Buns

As a physical therapist and gym owner for over twenty years, the two problem areas that most men and women ask me to address as they age are the "guns" (arms) and "buns" (buttocks).

Women complain that their arms are flabby, which I refer to as "kimono arms." They also want to firm up the buttock/hip region (saggy buns) and tighten up the abdominal region (get rid of the muffin top). Men complain about flabby chests (otherwise known as "man boobs") and want the muscle definition back in their arms (guns). In addition, they are interested in firming and tightening their buttocks that seem to have disappeared.

After working with hundreds of clients, I have developed a simple strength training program that can be performed in a short amount of time at home or in the gym to address these areas.

Getting rid of "Kimono Arms":

For these exercises you will need to utilize a weight that you can lift ten times but not 15 times. For most women, I start with two to three pounds. Alternate three sets of each exercise without rest. You should have a tough time completing the last ten repetitions on the final set if you are using the correct weight.

  1. Bicep curls. Perform with the palm up and curl the weight to a full elbow bend, as you straighten your arm and lower the weight, keep your thumb on top. This engages the bicep with the curl up and the forearm on the lowering phase.
  2. Triceps Extensions. While lying flat on your back, hold the weight loosely between your fingers. Straighten your elbow toward the ceiling at 90 degrees of shoulder elevation (90 degrees up from your body lying on the ground). Bend your elbow as far as comfortable, and lower the weight toward your ear. Return your elbow to the straight position to complete this exercise.

For firmer buttocks:

  1. Hip Abduction/Outer thigh exercise. Begin with a light weight on the outer thigh machine at the gym and complete 20-30 repetitions. If you are doing this exercise at home, lie on your back and perform a bridge by tightening your stomach and lifting your buttocks off the floor while keeping your shoulders on the floor. If you can do this easily, try straightening one leg while you are up in the bridge. Complete 20-30 repetitions.
  2. Stand up immediately and perform a set of walking lunges. You can hold weights for added difficulty or put your hands behind your head with your fingertips resting on the back of your head and your elbows out. Complete ten lunges on each side.
  3. Repeat this series three times.

To eliminate the muffin top and tighten the abs:

I encourage you to exercise each part of the abdominals for one minute every day. Here are my top five exercises to target the core:

  1. Crunches: Upper abdominals. Lie on the floor with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hands behind your head with fingertips resting on the back of your head. Contract the abs, lifting the head and shoulders from the floor until your shoulder blades clear, with the motion being more up toward the sky than down toward your feet. Lift the shoulder blades off the floor, as though reaching your chest towards your feet. Lower down slowly until shoulders are back on the floor.
  2. Leg drops: Lower abs. Lie on your back. Lift both legs up to 90 degrees with the knees bent. Holding your back flat and stomach tight, lower one leg down toward the floor, straightening the knee, until you are 12 inches from the floor or until your back starts to arch. Return to start position and repeat with the opposite leg.
  3. Bicycles: Obliques and lower abs - Lie on your back and assume the starting position like the leg drops with legs up to 90 degrees and knees bent, this time with your hands behind your head. Holding your back flat and stomach tight, lower one leg to the floor, straightening that knee, at the same time lifting the opposite chest toward the knee without pulling on your head, gently rotating your trunk. Hold the position with the knee extended about 12 inches from the floor or until the back starts to arch. Return to starting position and repeat with opposite arm and leg.
  4. Plank: Transversus Abdominus. Lie face down on the floor resting on the forearms, palms flat on the floor. Push off the floor, raising up onto toes and resting on the elbows. Keep your back flat, in a straight line from head to heels. Tilt your pelvis gently and contract your abdominals (pull your belly button up and in)to prevent your rear end from sticking up in the air or sagging in the middle. You should feel this exercise in your lower abdominal region, not just in your glutes and arms. Make it easier by starting from your knees and lifting your pelvis, same position with the arms.
  5. Sideplank: Obliques and Transversus Abdominus. Lie on your side with your legs in parallel, "stacked on top of each other". Place your top hand on your hip, and place your other hand under your head like you are propped up to watch TV. From this position, lift your pelvis and trunk up off the ground about 8-12 inches and hold this position. You should feel the muscles working on the obliques on the down side of your waist. If you are having difficulty, then keep your knees on the ground while you perform the movement.

To eliminate the "man boobs":

  1. Begin with a set of 20-30 push-ups or light bench press.
  2. In a standing position with one foot forward, complete a set of flies (10-20 repetitions) using cables in the gym or bands at home.
  3. Repeat this series three times. Rest at least 2 minutes between your sets.

To reload your "guns":

  1. Start with a set of 10-20 push-ups.
  2. Complete a set of dumbbell curls. Perform with the palm up and curl the dumbbell to a full elbow bend, as you straighten your arm and lower the weight, keep your thumb on top on the lowering phase. Select a weight that you can do ten but not fifteen times.
  3. Single arm triceps extensions while lying on your back (see description above). Use a weight that you can lift 10-15 times. Perform three sets of dumbbell curls and triceps extensions.
  4. At the end of your third cycle, finish with a final set of push-ups.
  5. For extra credit: Using a lat pull down bar, complete a fatigue set of under hand narrow grip pull downs. If you are at home, you can use a table to do pull ups with your legs beneath the table. Lying on your back under a sturdy coffee table or the dining room table, reach up and grab the table sides with your hands. Keeping your butt tight and abdominals contracted, pull your trunk from the floor, bending the elbows and keeping your feet on the floor and hold 5 counts. Your body should be in parallel at the top of the movement. Perform this exercise to fatigue by completing at least 10-15 repetitions.

As with any exercise program, this plan is only effective if it is performed consistently and challenge (more weight/reps) is increased as you improve.

Jim Flood, MSPT is co-owner of Personally Fit, a fitness/physical therapy center located in Rancho Bernardo. He has been in clinical practice for over 20 years. He can be reached at jflood@ personallyfitonline.com


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