If you're feeling embarrassed or uncomfortable about the shape of your arms, specially so when the weather is warm and you want to wear dresses or sleeveless tops then you've come to the right place as we are going to show you how to get rid of arm fat.
The exercises we recommend can be done with or without the use of dumbbells (small bar that fits in the hand that has a weight at either end) depending on the exercise.
What Causes Flabby Arms?
Contents
The two main causes of arms looking like this are:
- Age: As you become older the skin starts to lose its elasticity and thus begins to become saggy. Unfortunately there is not much that we ourselves can do about it.
- Body fat: This is something we can tackle. If you lose weight, this will help reduce your body fat including the fat around your arms. In addition by doing resistance exercises it will help to tone the targeted muscle.
Exercises to Get Rid of Arm Fat
In order to make your arms look better and toned, we are going to recommend 10 exercises for you to perform.
We'll start by focusing on the triceps, which is the large muscle at the back of the top part of your arms which is worked when straightening your arms out. Doing exercises that target these muscles has a huge impact on the look of your arms and can really make them look firmer and more toned.
Pushups
Target areas: Chest, back of shoulder and back muscles
To do it:
Get on your knees, place your hands on the ground in front of you so they are in line with your shoulders. Stretch your legs out behind you with your toes touching the ground. Using your arms move your body upwards and downwards (note - keep your elbows close to the side of your chest). Continue this until you have done 12-15 repetitions or until exhaustion.
One Arm Push Up
Target areas: Chest, back of shoulder and back muscles
To do it:
In order to do a one arm push up, lie down on your right side making sure your knees are a little bent. Put your right arm on your left shoulder. Use your left palm to press into the ground and extend it fully until your arm is straight and you have lifted your lower body of the ground. Repeat 12-15 times and then switch sides and repeat again 10-15 times.
Tricep Dips
Target areas: Back of arms
To do it:
For this exercise you will need a chair that is stable. While standing in front of the chair, whilst you face away from the seat cushion, place the palm of your hands on the edge of the chair cushion shoulder width apart.
With your knees slightly bent, your legs hip width apart and your back being close to the chair, do a dip. To do this hold all of your body still, bend your elbows as you lower your body to the ground. Once your arms reach a 90 degree angle you should start to feel some tension in your triceps. Press your arms back up into the start position. Do 12-15 repetitions.
Bent Over Row
Target areas: Back muscles and back of arms
(dumbbell bent over row shown)
To do it:
Standing up place your feet shoulder width apart. From your hip upwards, bend your upper body forward whilst keeping your knees slightly bent. Whilst holding your hand weights, have your arms hanging down under your shoulders. Lift the weight by bending the elbows and lifting towards your core. Lower the weight back down slowly. Repeat 12-15 times.
Tricep Kick Backs
Target areas: Back of arms
To do it:
Get on your knees whilst holding the weight in one hand. Bend forward and place the hand that is not holding the weight on the ground along with both knees and toes. In the weight hand place your upper arm and elbow parallel with your body and with the forearm reaching to the floor. Slowly raise the forearm up while keeping your elbow where it is. Lower it back down. Repeat 12-15 times.
Tricep Extensions
Target areas: Back of arms
To do it:
Tricep extensions can be done in a lying down or standing up position.
Lying Down: For the lying down version, lie on the ground or bench. With the weights in your hand reach up to the sky whilst keeping your elbows slightly bent (not locked!). Bend your elbows and lower the weight so your elbows end at 90 degrees (elbows should be on either side of your head). Push back up into the starting position. Repeat 12-15 times.
Standing Up: While standing up and holding the weight in each of your hands, reach for the sky with both hands. Keep your elbows slightly bent but still. Lower the weight down behind you until your elbows reach 90 degrees. Still keeping the elbows still, push the weight back up to the starting position. Repeat 12-15 times.
Crab Sit With Dip
Target areas: Back of arms
Source: news.health.com
To do it:
Sit on the ground with your feet flat on the floor shoulder width apart. Put your hands behind you under your shoulders with your nails pointing forward. Now push your hands into the ground and extend your arms so your hips come as far off the ground as possible with locking your elbows. Lower yourself down and repeat 12-15 times.
Reverse Curls
Target areas: Front of arms (biceps) and forearms
Source: www.directlyfitness.com
To do it:
Take an overhand grip of your weights. Place your feet should width apart with your knees slightly bent. Start with your weights down by your sides with your palms facing backwards. Keep your elbows still and use your lower arms to lift both weights towards your shoulder. Lower the weight back down slowly and then repeat 12-15 times.
Shoulder Press
Target areas: Shoulders
To do it:
Working both your shoulders and triceps, the shoulder press is a basic but essential exercise for your routine. Standing upright, keeping your feet should width apart, hold a weight in each hand. Raise the weights to shoulder level while keeping elbows bent. With the palm of your hands facing forward, push the weight skywards and straight overhead. Lower the weight back down to your shoulder. Push back up and repeat 12-15 times.
Planks
Target areas: Abs!!!
We've included this exercise because improving your core stability will help you with your overall exercise routine. You may get some minor arm muscle activation when balancing yourself, but this one is mainly for toning that tummy!
To do it:
Lower yourself onto your knees. Put your forearms on the ground parallel with your body while bending your elbows 90 degrees. Toes pointing down, you lower body should be in a push up position. So to sum up your forearms and toes shoulder be the only parts in touch with the ground. Hold position for 30 seconds. Rest and repeat 10 times.
Conclusion
There you go, a full battery of exercises to give those arms a good workout.
Team this with some smart diet changes to go alongside your workouts and your arms will be looking great in no time at all!