As some women are reportedly spending up to $20,000 to achieve sculpted "trophy arms," a New York City fitness trainer says a targeted at-home routine and proper nutrition can offer a more affordable alternative.
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routine → spend → alternative
Marfred Suazo, better known as Fonz the Trainer, said he often has clients aiming to get what he calls the "holy grail" of arms.
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he → know → arms
Building trophy arms doesn’t require daily workouts — but exercise selection, controlled movements and nutrition matter, according to Suazo, who runs a program called the Decade Strong Blueprint.
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who → build → program
"A lot of people talk about tone and things like that, but I think the best thing — the epitome of an arm — is having it well-balanced and well-framed into the body, and having the right proportion from the shoulders to the triceps and biceps," he told Fox News Digital.
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he → talk → Digital
The goal should be proper proportion to a person’s frame rather than size, Suazo emphasized.
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Suazo → emphasize → frame
A structured approach can help people make the most of their workout time, according to the trainer.
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approach → help → trainer
"Most of us don’t have so much available time to do it, so we want to do it as smartly and as effectively as possible," he said.
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he → have → it
"A more planned-out training protocol will get you to that point where you really start seeing the arms develop and change in shape."
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arms → plan → shape
Suazo shared the following tips for building stronger, more defined arms.
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Suazo → share → arms
No. 1: Choose the right exercises
Suazo recommends combining exercises that work multiple muscle groups — such as pull-ups, rows and chest presses — with movements that target specific areas, including lateral raises and triceps extensions.
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that → choose → raises
"We’re building muscle with these bigger movements, these compound movements, and then just fine-detailing everything else with lateral raises, triceps extensions and overhead triceps extensions," he said.
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he → build → raises
Suazo recommends training the arms twice a week, noting that chest and back workouts also work those muscles.
"Two to three times a week, I think, is more than enough."
Adults should do muscle-strengthening activities that work all major muscle groups at least two days a week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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that → recommend → Control
Muscle-strengthening activities can include lifting weights, using resistance bands or performing body-weight exercises such as pushups.
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activities → strengthen → pushups
It’s also important to allow muscles time to recover.
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It → ’ → time
The National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases advises against working the same muscles on consecutive days.
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Institutes → advise → days
No. 3: Focus on controlled movement
Some common mistakes include rushing through exercises and failing to use a "full range of motion," Suazo said.
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Suazo → focus → motion
"Full range of motion" refers to a comfortable range performed with good technique, without forcing a painful movement.
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range → refer → movement
Suazo emphasized deliberate, controlled movements rather than simply rushing to reach a target number of repetitions.
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Suazo → emphasize → repetitions
"Moving with intention is the biggest thing, where you’re really fatiguing the muscles and you’re getting growth and stimulus out of them," he advised.
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he → move → them
Lighter weights can also challenge the muscles when the exercises are sufficiently demanding, Suazo added.
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Suazo → challenge → muscles
"We’re building muscle with these bigger compound movements.
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We → build → movements
"
Make nutrition count
Nutrition also plays a role in getting the desired results, Suazo said.
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Suazo → make → results
"You use the gym and all your training programs to really shape the arm as best as possible and build the areas that you want – to reveal these things, you can only do that with proper nutrition.
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you → use → nutrition
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Protein helps the body build, maintain and repair muscle, according to the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements.
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body → help → Supplements
Suazo recommends three to four meals a day, with protein included throughout the day.
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protein → recommend → day
"You want to have protein-conscious meals a few times per day," he said.
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he → want → day
"This will help reveal all the hard labor that you’re doing in the gym to develop a tremendous physique aesthetically."
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you → help → physique
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