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.
Marfred Suazo, better known as Fonz the Trainer, said he often has clients aiming to get what he calls the “holy grail” of 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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“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.
The goal should be proper proportion to a person’s frame rather than size, Suazo emphasized.
A structured approach can help people make the most of their workout time, according to the trainer.
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“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. “A more planned-out training protocol will get you to that point where you really start seeing the arms develop and change in shape.”
Suazo shared the following tips for building stronger, more defined 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.
“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.
No. 2: Find the right frequency
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.”
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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.
Muscle-strengthening activities can include lifting weights, using resistance bands or performing body-weight exercises such as pushups.
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It’s also important to allow muscles time to recover. The National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases advises against working the same muscles on consecutive 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.
“Full range of motion” refers to a comfortable range performed with good technique, without forcing a painful movement.
Suazo emphasized deliberate, controlled movements rather than simply rushing to reach a target number of repetitions.
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“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.
Lighter weights can also challenge the muscles when the exercises are sufficiently demanding, Suazo added.
Make nutrition count
Nutrition also plays a role in getting the desired results, Suazo said.
“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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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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Suazo recommends three to four meals a day, with protein included throughout the day.
“You want to have protein-conscious meals a few times per day,” he said. “This will help reveal all the hard labor that you’re doing in the gym to develop a tremendous physique aesthetically.”
