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You have probably heard a million times that you cannot spot reduce. It is true; you cannot. But what you can do is tone the muscles underneath the area that you would like to look better.
Having more toned muscles underneath will make the area look more sculpted despite the presence of excess fat over the muscles.
Weight lifting (resistance training) burns more fat than cardio does and raises your metabolism for a while after your workout. (1)
Arm Fat and Loose Skin: A Common Concern
The upper arm area is a problem spot for many women as it is prone to fat deposition and excessively saggy skin. Many people refer to this area as bat wings on account of the loose hanging flab.
If you have a lot of excess skin in the upper arm area, do not despair. Remember that skin is a living tissue that adapts to change and stimulus. Weight training can help build muscles in the arms that can fit into the skin, giving it a tighter appearance.
Your skin will never act like the “shrink wrap” it did when you were younger and had changes in weight, but the condition of your skin is not a static thing.
This article does not want to give false hope that a lot of loose skin can be completely fixed with resistance training, but it can be helped. Loose skin is not permanent – it can adapt.
Best Exercises To Reduce Arm Fat and Tone Your Arms
The following exercises are specific to reducing arm fat, muscle toning, strengthening, and making them look better.
1. Arm Kickback Exercise
2. Arm Plunge Exercise
3. Simple Arm Rotating Exercise
4. Push-and-Pull Exercise
5. Push-and-Stretch Elbow Exercise
6. Scissors Exercise
7. Upside-Down Namaste Exercise
8. Wall Push-Ups
9. Floor Push-Ups
We thank Phoenix Rehab and Physiotec for these explanatory images.
10. Tricep Strengthening
Sets: 3 Reps: 10 Weight: Varies
- Tie an elastic in front of you at waist height.
- Hold the elastic with your hand (thumb facing up and elbow bent).
- Straighten your elbow, so your arm comes down to your side.
- Return to the starting position and repeat.
11. Elbow Extension With Weight
Sets: 3 Reps: 10 Weight: Varies
- Lie on your stomach with your arm at 90° from your body with your forearm hanging on the edge of the bed, holding a weight in your hand.
- Straighten your elbow.
- Slowly lower your hand and repeat.
12. Tricep Kickback
Sets: 3 Reps: 10 Weight: Varies
- Lean over a table or chair with your other arm as support.
- Hold a weight in the other hand and push the elbow back, keeping it bent.
- Straighten your elbow to raise your hand backward without moving the elbow or upper arm.
- Return to the starting position and repeat.
13. Elbow Overhead Extension
Sets: 3 Reps: 10 Weight: Varies
- Raise your arm overhead and provide support at the elbow with your opposite hand.
- Straighten your arm overhead and then lower it slowly.
- Repeat.
14. Bilateral Tricep Press
Sets: 3 Reps: 10 Weight: Varies
- Sit.
- Place a band at your back at chest height and then press outward simultaneously with both arms.
Note: Keep your body straight at all times.
15. Elbow Extension With Weight
Sets: 3 Reps: 10 Weight: Varies
- Lie on your back with a weight in your hand.
- Raise and extend your arm over your shoulder, holding the elbow with the other hand.
- Slowly lower your hand toward your head by bending the elbow. Make sure to keep the upper arm perpendicular to the floor.
- Extend the elbow and repeat.
16. Ulnar Deviation With Weight
Sets: 3 Reps: 10 Weight: Varies
- With your arm at your side and weight in your hand, bend your wrist to go toward the back and do not let your arm bend.
- Return to the starting position and repeat.
17. Elbow Flexion (Neutral)
Sets: 3 Reps: 10 Weight: Varies
- Place your arm at your side, elbow straight, hand in neutral (palm inward), and holding a weight.
- Keeping your elbow at your side, bend your arm up while keeping the hand in neutral.
- Return to the starting position and repeat.
18. Eccentric Bicep Curl
Sets: 3 Reps: 10 Weight: Varies
- Stand up with a band in the unaffected arm. Bend the affected elbow.
- With the unaffected arm, lift the band to give it to the affected side.
- Slowly lower the hand by straightening the elbow.
Note: The goal of this exercise is to work the lowering phase of the exercise alone, so use your unaffected arm to lift the band back up.
19. Eccentric Elbow Extension
Sets: 3 Reps: 10
- Begin in a standing position with a TheraBand anchored overhead.
- Starting with the arms at the side, grasp the TheraBand with one arm.
- Slowly allow the elbow to bend into a flexed position in a controlled manner.
- Use the other arm to press down into the band, restoring the arm to a straightened position at the side.
- Repeat on the other side.
20. Incline Push-Up
Sets: 3 Reps: 10
- Start in a plank position against a table or a piece of stable furniture with your hands shoulder-width apart.
- Your body should be at a 45° angle with the ground.
- With your body stable and completely straight, bend your arms to bring your chest close to the table.
- Push back to the starting position.
Note: Keep your chin tucked during the exercise.
21. Modified Dips on Table
Sets: 3 Reps: 10
- Begin with your knees and hips slightly bent and your hands on a table.
- Keeping your back straight, bend your elbows so your hips lower toward the floor. Your hips and knees should not go past a 90° angle.
- Push through your hands to straighten your elbows and return to the starting position.
Triceps and Biceps: The Muscles Involved in Arm Exercises
The muscles in the arms that you want to really hammer are your biceps and triceps – particularly the triceps.
Anteriorly on the upper arm, the biceps are a set of muscles that have one attachment (the insertion of the muscle) near your elbow but begin with two different attachments at the top of the arm.
Located at the back of the upper arm, the triceps have three heads. This muscle group has one attachment but has three heads (the origin of the muscle attachment to the bone) at the upper arm.
Concentric and Eccentric Motions
During a bicep curl, the hand is brought closer to the upper arm by contracting the bicep muscles, which are getting shorter in the process. This is called concentric contraction and this is how people more commonly think a muscle works.
Now, think of putting down a cup of water on the table from a standing position. That same muscle group is controlling that movement, but this time the biceps are lengthening, which is called eccentric contraction of the biceps.
When following a strengthening program, it is very important to understand these concepts and work the muscles eccentrically.
If you hear someone say that they are working on negatives when performing a weight training routine, it means eccentric contraction is being performed. (2)
What Is Muscle Failure?
When you are exercising, your muscles get tired. Either they are simply fatigued, or you worked them so hard that they do not work anymore but only for a brief period. (3) This is called muscle failure and it may sound like a problem but is, in fact, a positive sign of building muscle strength.
Do not worry. Your muscles will work again in about 30 seconds. They will be sore the next day or two, but most likely, you will like the feeling.
Role of Diet in Reducing Arm Fat
The above exercises will only bear fruit if you couple them with a proper diet. If possible, count your calories and macronutrients daily. This means counting the percentages of protein, carbohydrates, and fats in your diet.
Try to keep your daily diet (on days that you are not allowing yourself to splurge) to 40% protein, 30% carbs, and 30% fats. Consume moderate calories. You can use an app on your phone to track everything. It makes it so easy. It also gives a readout of your macronutrient percentages.
Final Word
Realistically speaking, you can only tone your arms through a whole-body exercise routine supplemented with a healthy, low-calorie, high-protein diet. No specific exercises burn fat in targeted areas, but there are exercises that can build your arm muscles.
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