15 Tips on How to Get Rid of Arm Fat
What’s one thing looks great with every single cute summer sundress, swimsuit, tank top, or breezy lightweight t-shirt? The answer is strong, toned arms. So many summer fashion choices leave our arms exposed all the way up to the shoulder, and the fat that never bothered us in the winter is suddenly on full display, and definitely bothering us.
How to get rid of flabby arms? The fat on our upper arms is notoriously hard to get rid of, but it’s not impossible. With a two-fold approach, Michelle Obama arms are within your reach. How to get toned arms and how to lose weight in your arms? First, you need cardio to burn fat. Second, you need exercises for arms to build muscle and shape in your arms. In addition to these two aspects, you may also want to make some dietary changes to help you maximize your fat loss. What are the best arm workouts for women? Check the following list of body and arm workouts.
1What’s the deal with cardio?
You cannot burn fat in a specific part of your body by working out those muscles. That’s right: crunches and planks don’t cause you to lose the fat around your middle while squats trim your butt. These exercises build muscle in those areas, which will make them look more toned, and any good workout will help you burn fat, but the fat loss is not specific to the area that’s feeling sore when you leave the gym. Any lean muscle will make your body burn more fat, but you don’t get to pick where the fat comes off. So, let’s begin with some cardio tips.
2Ride a bike
Take a brisk ride on your bike for 30-60 minutes to get your heart rate up and build the muscle that makes you a fat-burning machine. Your legs contain some of the biggest muscles in your body, so building those will really get you your money’s worth in terms of fat-burning. For added muscle building, ride at an easy pace for five minutes, sprint hard for one, and repeat several times.
3Go for a run
If you’re not the cycling type and you still want some outdoor cardio, go for a run! All you need is a pair of sneakers. Running can really take it out of you, and it gets your heart rate up FAST, so start small if you’re new to it.
4Take the stairs
Over, and over, and over, Rocky style. If there are no stairs in your house, look for some on your run to mix things up.
5Intervals Arm Workouts for Women
There are hundreds of variations on five, ten, and fifteen minute interval workouts floating around the internet, so pick one that suits your fitness level and preference. Intervals are good arm workouts for anyone. The idea of intervals is to do quick bursts of fast-paced exercise followed by a brief period of rest, several times. Here’s a super-simple routine with no complicated, unusual moves and no equipment needed.
1. 25 jumping-jacks
2. 30 punches (just quickly extend a fist out and across your body like you’re punching the air, alternating hands)
3. 15 squats
4. 10 push-ups followed by 30 seconds plank
5. Rest 30 seconds and repeat as many times as you can in the allotted time period.
Now that you’ve got your cardio on, we can talk about the second part of the equation, which is…
6Muscle building
The reason so many people have a problem with that loose, saggy fat on their upper arms is because the things we do with our arms every day and the exercises we do to keep them fit make more use of the shoulders and biceps than the triceps, which is the muscle on the back of your upper arm. Weak triceps mean more sag on the upper arms, so what can you do to strengthen, build, and tone your triceps? Let’s start with the stuff anyone can do, with no equipment whatsoever.
7Good old push-ups
You know what a push-up is, don’t you? That’s why it’s a great exercise and arm workout for women: you already know the deal. The anatomy of a perfect push-up goes like this:
1. Palms flat on the floor, approximately shoulder-width apart.
2. Your whole body a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles, balanced on your toes.
3. Shoulders straight and not pinched together over your neck and back; elbows pointed to the left and right.
4. Ease your body down as low as you can without touching the floor, hold one second, then raise back up.
To do a modified push-up, cross your ankles and balance instead on your knees.
8How to Tone Your Arms with Tricep Push-Up
Regular push-ups are okay but we want a push-up that targets the triceps. Enter the aptly named tricep push-up:
1. Start in regular push-up position.
2. Lower yourself toward the floor while keeping your arms parallel to your body, elbows pointing straight back. Raise back up and repeat.
If you’re after even more of a challenge…
9Diamond push-up
1. Start in regular push-up position.
2. Bring your hands together under your chest so your index fingers and thumbs touch, forming a diamond shape.
3. As you lower your body, keep your arms tucked to your sides. Go as low as you can without touching the floor, raise back up, and repeat.
This is a challenging exercise, and can also be modified by balancing on your knees instead of your toes.
10One arm/side push-up
Okay, Wonderwoman: this one is serious.
1. Lie on your left side with your knees slightly bent.
2. Cross your left arm over your chest with your hand on your right shoulder.
3. Cross your right arm over your body and put your palm on the floor. Now push yourself up with that arm until your arm is almost straight. Lower down and repeat. Switch sides after ten repetitions.
11Airplane extension
1. Lie flat on your stomach with your arms perpendicular to your body, palms on the floor, legs straight.
2. Let your shoulder blades come together as you lift your arms, chest, and legs off the floor. You’ll end up balanced on your hips and belly.
3. Raise your arms as high as you can while keeping them straight, then bring them forward to reach straight out in front of your head. Hold for one second, then slowly return to starting position and repeat.
12Tricep dips
You need one thing for this exercise: a stable chair.
1. Sit in front of your chair and put your hands behind you, on the left and right edge of the seat. Your fingers should be pointed forward.
2. Plant your feet flat on the floor in front of you, then push your body up with your arms until they’re fully extended.
3. Lower yourself down about halfway (your elbows and knees should be a 90 degree angle here), then repeat.
For an extra challenge, extend your legs out straight with your toes pointed up and just your heels on the floor.
That covers the best, tried-and-true tricep workouts that don’t require equipment. For these next tips, you only need small hand weights (1-3 pounds is just fine). You can get these on the cheap at Target or Walmart.
13Weighted arm circles
You can do this one as part of your intervals, with or without weights. It’s super simple and can be done anywhere, any time.
1. Hold a small weight (the smallest weight you have is enough) in each hand and extend your arms out so they’re parallel to the floor and form a straight line across your shoulders.
2. Make small circles with your arms without bending or moving your elbows or wrists.
3. Do 10-20 circles in one direction, then do 10-20 in reverse. Repeat for five minutes.
14Standing V raise
1. Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart and your arms straight down and your palms toward your body, holding a weight in each hand.
2. Keeping your arms straight (but not locked), raise the weights up to about shoulder height, slightly opening up your arms so they form a V.
3. Hold for one second, slowly lower your arms back to your sides, and repeat.
15Shoulder press
1. Hold a weight in each hand and bend your arms so the weights are at shoulder height and just in front of your body.
2. Lift the weights straight up until your arms are almost fully extended, but not locked.
3. Hold for one second, slowly return to starting position, and repeat.
16Tricep kickbacks
How to get rid of underarm fat? Tricep kickbacks. as well as upper arm? Do both arms at once on this, or alternate sides.
1. Hold a weight in each hand and stand with your knees slightly bent and your body leaned forward, back straight, shoulders straight and strong.
2. Hold your upper arms parallel to the floor with your elbows bent about 90 degrees and your palms toward your body.
3. Press back until your arm is straight behind you, rotating your palm upward as you go. Return to staring position, rotating your palm back toward your body. Repeat.
17Tricep extension
This requires only one weight and can be done with one arm at a time or both at once.
1. Raise your arms all the way up so your elbows point at the ceiling. Bend your arms so your hands are level with the back of your head.
2. Hold one weight with one hand or both, hold your upper arms straight and still, and raise the weight by extending your forearms up above your head.
3. Hold for one second, then slowly return to starting position.