By: Linda Vongkhamchanh

Apr 22, 2009

I know what you’re thinking, “enough already with MObama’s arms.” If you feel like the rest of us, getting Michelle Obama’s arms feels like a faraway dream where we have toned abs, a tight tush and Heidi Klum’s legs. Snapping back to reality—It’s tough getting toned and some of us like our behinds as it is thank you very much. But, we can’t help but wonder how busy Mrs. O gets her arms, “lightning” and “thunder” (ha!), in shape. We just needed to fulfill our fitness curiosities, even if we’re not getting those toned babies anytime soon. So, we went straight to the source. No, not Michelle, but founder of M.O.D.A (stands for Michelle Obama Defined Arms) Mindy Solkin to take her class at The Running Center in Manhattan. Watch us on Access Hollywood >>

During the hour-long class, we did upper-body strength-training exercises: squats with 2.5 and 5-pound dumbbells, partner exercises with resistance bands, push-ups and arm exercises on balance boards. Now that I have the technique down, I realize that I can do all of these exercise routines right at home. And, while a lot of us can’t make it to the gym, you can do variations of these workouts without equipment and during your everyday routine*.

Coach Mindy says that if you do arm exercises twice a week for four weeks, you’ll see a change. So maybe it isn’t a faraway dream. I could use some definition in my arms, so it doesn't hurt to try. Luckily, you’re probably already doing some of these techniques each day anyway. What if you got Michelle O’s arms without even really trying… too hard? Hey, anything’s possible.

What we did:
Scoop down with a hand weight in one hand and get in squat position. Come back up, then lift the weight up towards the ceiling. Do 2 sets of 10 reps on each side.

What you can do:
When you’re doing laundry, fill your laundry basket up to the brim, lift with both hands, do a squat, place basket down and get back up to standing position. Do 2 sets of 10 reps. If you break a little sweat, just throw your clothes in the basket and dump it in the wash. You could even separate the sets, do one set pre-wash and one set post-wash. No more excuses about being “too busy.” This will not only work your arms, but also your legs.

What we did:
With a partner, grab the handles of a resistance band, while your partner grabs the other end with both hands. Spread apart to have enough resistance in the rope. The person with the handles will alternately extend arms, quickly, 20 times. Switch with your partner after 3 sets (one set with palms down, palms up, and palms facing).

What you can do:
The exercise we did works all the muscles in your arms. Shadow boxing is another great high-intensity workout that will surely work your arms. You can do air punches anywhere. Just put on some music, or a little Rocky theme song if you want the extra oomph and punch your heart out to the beat.

What we did:
While standing on a balance board with one foot, resistance band under the same foot, grab both handles, with the other foot raised (knee bent). With arms behind your body, pull in 10 times, pull out 10 times, pull up 10 times.

What you can do:
At the supermarket, work your arms while going through the aisles. Instead of grabbing a push cart, try grabbing two baskets instead (one in each hand). As you fill up your basket, lift and lower, until you get everything you need. Just make sure to keep the baskets balanced, so that your arms are lifting equal weight.

Other activities that you can do to work your arms are swimming and tennis. Why not have fun with it and enjoy these outdoor activities with family or friends, or simply when you don’t want to be cooped up inside or stuck in the gym. Have a little fun—we know Michelle Obama definitely is.

*Make sure you don't lift anything too heavy to avoid injuries.