If you have embarrassing jiggly arms and you don’t feel comfortable to wear sleeveless shirts, then you are not alone. These jiggly parts of your arms are called triceps. Your triceps are the large muscles at the back of your upper limb and are primarily responsible for straightening the arms.
There are 2 main causes of flabby arms, the first one is age and the second is body fat. As we become older, our skin becomes saggier as it loses its elasticity. This is mainly noticeable in the upper parts of our hands. The problem is that there is not much we can do about it.
As for the second cause – body fat – we can lose weight to reduce body fat including arm fat. If you are interested to lose weight and body fat then you should read my other articles: Amazing 9 Secrets of Losing Weight Without Diet and 12 Simple Tweaks for Weight Loss and Great Health.
In addition to appropriate nutrition, you also need to tone your muscles by doing resistance exercises. They can also help you if you want to lose weight fast, for example losing 10 pounds in a week.
These exercises can be done at home, and some of them require 1-2 kg hand weights (dumbbells) or heavier if you want.
Exercises to Get Rid of Flabby, Jiggly Arms
1. Triceps Dips
You will need a stable chair to perform this exercise. Place your hands shoulder-width apart on the chair, while your bum is in front of the chair. Your legs should be bent on the floor about hip-width and your back close to the chair. Now straighten out your arms but always keep the elbows slightly bent. Then slowly bend your elbows and lower your body towards the floor until your arms are at about 90 degree angle (you will feel tension in the triceps) then press with your arms and push yourself back up to the starting position. Repeat 10-15 times.
2. Push-Ups
Get on the floor with your hands under your shoulders. Keep your elbows close to your side and then lower your body. Then return to starting position. If you find it too hard, change your starting position so that your knees are bent and touch the floor. Repeat 10-15 times.
3. Tricep Kickbacks
For this exercise you will need 1-2 kg weights. Hold your weights and get on the floor while your knees and toes touch the floor. Bend your upper body forward from the hips up and bend your elbows at 90 degree angle. Now extend both your arms backwards while your palms facing each other. Feel the tension in the triceps and return to the starting position. Do 3 sets of 8-10 repeats.
4. Tricep Extensions
You can do this exercise by standing or lying on the floor. You will also need 1-2 kg weights.
If you lie on the floor:
Lye on your back and raise your arms above your chest. Keep your elbows slightly bent and not locked. Now bend your elbows at 90 degree so the weights reach the floor. Your elbows should be on either side of your head. Lift back to starting position. Repeat 15 times.
If you stand on the floor
Stand with knees soft and not locked. Straighten your arms while your elbows are next to your ears. Now bend your elbows at 90 degrees. Then squeeze your triceps to straighten your arms. Repeat 15 times.
5. Bent-Over Row
Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees and bend your upper body forward from the hips up. Keep your spine neutral and don’t bend your lower back. Your hands should be straight under your shoulders. Now bend the elbows back while lifting your arms towards the sides of your chest (your shoulder blades should be pulled towards each other). Slowly lower the weights in a controlled movement and feel the tension at your triceps. Repeat 15 times.
6. One arm Pushup
Lie on your left side while your knees are slightly bent. Put your left arm on your right shoulder. Then press your right palm into the floor until it’s straight and lift your upper body. Repeat 10 times, and switch sides.
Other Ways to Get Rid of Arm Fat
Is it possible to target specifically the arm fat? Unfortunately it is not possible to lose fat from a specific part of your body. Because flabby arms are often the result of weight gain, you should try to lose body weight to reduce the fatty layer of tissue in your arms.
There are some specific ways to lose weight and prevent your body retaining too much fluid. These will not only help you to get rid of flabby arms, but they will also help to improve your overall health.
To help you lose more fat from your arms, you should make some lifestyle changes to lose body weight and fat.
Here are some great ways to get rid of flabby arms and excess pounds at the same time:
1. Cardio exercising. Cardiovascular exercises such as running, cycling, and swimming are great ways to lose arm fat fast. It will also boost your metabolism, which will also help you lose weight faster.
2. Eat healthily. Avoid processed foods, foods rich is saturated fats or refined sugar in large amounts to reduce fat around your arms, your upper body, around your belly, and on your thighs.
Reducing sugar consumption and reducing your simple carbohydrate intake will help to reduce your flabby arms by helping you lose more fat in general. According to doctors from WebMD, any sugar that the body doesn’t use gets stored as body fat. In addition, reducing the amount of simple carbohydrate intake will make the body burn more fat and lead to faster weight loss.4
You can try to consume probiotics to help with digestion, berries to boost your immune system, and drink green tea to help you lose weight.
3. Consume more fiber. You can help to get rid of fat arms by increasing fiber intake. Fiber helps to keep you feeling fuller for longer and reduces cravings.
4. Drink more fluids. Drinking plenty of fluids can help you lose arm fat by helping you lose weight naturally and prevent water retention. It will also help you avoid the damaging effects of dehydration.
Dr. Brunilda Nazario on WebMD recommends drinking plenty of water to assist with weight loss and says that water helps to boost metabolism and helps the body work more efficiently. Drinking a glass of water before a meal will help you feel fuller and eat less.1
If water retention is causing you to have flabby arms, then drinking plenty of water can help to reduce water retention. The Journal of the American Society of Nephrology reported that drinking enough fluids helps to prevent a buildup of toxins in the body and flush out the kidneys.2
Instead of plain water you can drink ginger tea for weight loss or flat tummy water.
5. Avoid excess alcohol and salt. Alcohol is high in calories and drinking too much of it will contribute to a buildup of arm fat. Too much alcohol can also damage your liver and kidney function which will lead to water retention in your body.5 Doctors on WebMD mentioned a study about the relationship between alcohol consumption and body weight. The study found that people who consumed more than 4 drinks a day were more likely to be overweight or obese.6
Reducing salt intake can also reduce water retention in your body which can make you look slimmer. The journal Clinical and Experimental Hypertension found that reducing dietary sodium prevents the body from storing excess fluid.3