Often after someone has started T-Tapp, they will see Tempo Arms and decide they need to get that, because “I need help with my arms”!

 

Now, Tempo Arms is a great workout, but….you actually won’t get as good of results as you’re hoping if you haven’t learned to activate those arms in every move of Basic Workout first!

 

Every move in BWO+ (and TWO, but we’re going to focus on BWO+) will work your arms if you activate to your max!

 

 

Let’s start with Primary Back Stretch (PBS).

Once you get into T-Tapp stance (toes forward, bend knees, tuck/curl core, lift ribs, knees out), as you put those thumbs at the back of your hips, really push them in and pull those arms back to activate.  Keep that throughout the first half of PBS.  You’ll probably need a shoulder roll before you go on to the second half!

 

On the second half of PBS, be sure to focus on initiating the move with the upper back and upper arms, not your elbows going straight.  Keep those ribs up!

 

Plies–oh yeah!  Again keep the ribs up, and move those arms as if through thick mud.  Reach awaaaayyyyyy and keep those arms behind your ears. Are your triceps screaming for mercy yet?! 😉  On Chest Press, be very sure you don’t drop those elbows!

 

Reach Scoops–again, reach up and aaaawwwwaaaayyyyy, arm behind your ear (but not reaching behind you), and still through thick mud.  This is a good one to do 4 or 8 to each side vs. back and forth, slowly, to really get the activation.  By the way, don’t lean forward or backward–ever have your kids shut each other between the door and storm door?! Mine just shut you in–so you must move laterally! 🙂

 

Jazz Twist.  Think archery. Bow and arrow.  Where do you initiate the move? With the back shoulder and arm.  Really push that back thumb in and elbow back (like in PBS).  Front arm keeps elbow straight and although it’s not the driving force, it is going forward through–you guessed it!  Thick mud!

 

The Box.  Or more specifically, Mitten Chop Box!  This is a tummy move, but oh, boy!  I declare I got my great bicep definition by substituting MCB for the regular Box!  You can do a set of 4 singles to each side after you do the warm-up with Teresa and Renee for a little more activation!  (Be sure to shake out between sides–you’ll need it!)

 

Oil Wells.  If you hook your thumbs and gently pull, this will help you activate your lats, engage the tummy AND…yes, the arms, too! As you come up and do the shoulder rolls, don’t just flop through them.  Move purposefully as if through—yep!  Thick mud! 😉

 

T-Tapp Twist.  There are three hand positions for TTT.  One of my favorites is pressing the lower hand up while pressing down with the upper hand. Whichever you use, be sure to keep the arms activated.  This is more of a tummy/lats move, but that doesn’t mean the arms are flopping around!  Keep the tension on the hands as you twist, and remember as you reach down you are r-e-a-c-h-i-n-g.  Press hands together as you come up to keep everything activated.

 

Pull the Weeds.  Keep the lats engaged, don’t collapse the ribs or core (yes, you can “lift ribs” horizontally!  Just keep the spine elongated and pretend a string is bringing your head to the opposite wall.)  You initiate this move with the hunch as you “pull” the elbows forward but as you “punch” think lats, lats, lats!  Fold fingers and stretch thumbs for extra lat activation! Pretend you are going to push through the floor (but keep the hands below shoulders, not going in towards the center) as you activate those lats and keep ribs lifted (and tummy tight!).  And again, you are punching/pushing/pulling through what?

 

 

Thick mud!  (notice a theme here?!)

 

Finally–Hoedowns!  As you set up for Hoedowns, before just flopping your hands to the side, put them out in front of you, palms up and make your “mitten hands” nice and tight.  Really keep core curled and ribs up as you slowly open up your arms to the sides, but as if  you were pushing someone’s hands out of the way or…yes…through thick mud! 😉

 

You will feel your lats engage more and your arms will be more activated.  Keep those ribs up as you work the lower body, because ribs up helps inch loss in the tummy, thighs and arms!  Oh yeah!

 

See?  If you don’t have Tempo Arms yet but want to work on your arms, you can!  The more you learn to activate, the more you’ll get out of it.

T-Tapp isn’t called a full body workout for nothing!

Let’s get some Awesome Arms, the T-Tapp way!

 

Here are a few Arms clips on YouTube:

Tricep Curls

Butterflies (great for back fat, too!)

Try Before You Buy Clip:

Arms Sequence (you’ll need to scroll to the last page of videos) 

And of course, “Amazon” Arms! 🙂   (Scroll down just a bit to see the video–great moves you can do in a chair!)

 

 

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