Flabby Arms Workout: 11 Must-Do Batwing Exercises
Excess body fat sagging in your upper arms and back is common as you age, especially if you’re a woman. Hence, many derogatory terms exist, such as “bingo wings,” “batwing arms,” and “flabby arms,” all referring to this one little problem area. If you’re self-conscious about your upper arms, there is a fix —and it doesn’t even take much effort. These must-do arm flab exercises can reverse the loss of tone, and you’ll be wearing sleeveless tops again in no time.
Ignore the noise. Spot-reducing flabby arms doesn’t work. Instead, a healthy diet, cardio exercises, and these upper arm workouts will tighten upper arm flab and banish flabby arms for good.
What Causes Flabby Arms?
1. Aging
A little body fat in your upper arms may not be noticeable when your muscles are toned and your skin is taut, but as you age, your skin loses its elasticity. Unless you’ve nailed your fitness regime and you’re keeping those upper arm muscles active, your muscles will lose tone, and your upper arms can start to sag.
2. Weight Gain
If you’ve gained a few pounds as you’ve aged, you’re not the only one. Lifestyles change, and many of us become less active; as a result, it’s typical to gain weight. Those extra pounds will exacerbate flabby arms. Regular exercise and a healthy diet will help you maintain a healthy normal weight.
3. Genetics
Prone to storing body fat in your upper arms? It could be down to your genetics. Batwing arms can be a family trait. That doesn’t mean it can’t be overcome, but you’ll definitely need these exercises to tone arms and tighten underarm flab.
Tips To Prevent Flabby Arms
1. Start Strength Training
This batwing arms workout for women will help you firm and tighten those upper arms. You’ll increase your muscle mass, boost your metabolism, and reduce sagging arms. These tricep exercises will improve muscle definition. Using lighter weights and high repetitions, you won’t build bulk: instead, expect lean, toned upper arms. Aim for 2 or 3 workouts a week for rapid results.
2. Work On Your Cardio
Cardio exercise, such as brisk walking, running, or HIIT workouts, all help to burn calories and reduce excess body fat. Find something you enjoy and build it into your routine. Aim for at least three cardio workouts a week.
3. Don’t Neglect Your Diet
Processed foods with a high content of saturated fats and added sugars are the main culprits of weight gain. Aim to eat home-prepared food whenever possible, full of lean protein, fresh vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and legumes. Often, small changes to your diet can have a big impact. Try making one small positive change at a time, and when it becomes a habit, add in another.
Flabby Arms Exercises: What Equipment Do I Need?
These batwing exercises use dumbbells. The weight of the dumbbells depends on your current strength and on the type of exercise. For example, you’ll find that you use heavier weights for a dumbbell chest press than for tricep kickbacks.
It’s best to start with a low weight and increase the dumbbell weight as you get stronger; otherwise, you’re risking injury. As a beginner to strength training, a set of 4-pound weights is a good starting point. These Amazon weights are ideal. I currently use a 4-pound set and a 10-pound set.
Some of the exercises use a bench for support. For a flabby arms workout at home, I use my kitchen bench and prop it against the wall for tricep dips. Alternatively, you can use a basic weight bench. This one folds up so you can easily store it away when not in use.
11 Batwing Exercises To Banish Flabby Arms
The Flabby Arms Workout: Aim for three sets of 10 repetitions. As you get stronger, increase the number of repetitions. I typically do one set of 10, one set of 12, and one set of 15 repetitions. Try to complete both workouts at least once a week with 1-2 days’ rest between workouts—for example, Workout 1 on Monday and Workout 2 on Thursday.
Flabby Arms Workout 1
- Bench Press with Dumbbells
- Single Arm Dumbbell Row
- Triceps Kickbacks
- Deltoid Lateral Raise
- Tricep Dips
- Bicep Curls
Flabby Arms Workout 2
- Two Arm Standing Dumbbell Triceps Extension
- Dumbbell Front Raise
- Dumbbell Upright Row
- Rear Delt Raises
- Triceps Pushup
Bench Press with Dumbbells
Pick the dumbbells off the floor with your palms facing in and rest the dumbbells on your hip crease. Sit down on the bench and lie back, keeping the weights close to your chest. Get into position, breathe in, and push the weights to lock out at the top, breathing out as you push. Slowly lower the weights to chest level and repeat.
If you don’t have access to a suitable bench, you can do this exercise lying on your back on the floor with your knees raised.
Single Arm Dumbbell Row
Hold a dumbbell in one hand and place the opposite knee and hand on a bench for support. Engage your core to stabilize and protect your spine. Make sure your back is flat and your head is aligned with your spine.
Pull your shoulders down and back without arching your lower back. Breathe in and drop the hand holding the dumbbell towards the floor without rotating your spine. Exhale and slowly pull the dumbbell upwards. Bend your elbow and push your upper arm back while keeping it close to your body. When you’re unable to lift it further, inhale, drop your arm back to the starting position, and repeat.
Triceps Kickbacks
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and bend your knees slightly. Engage your core and hinge forward at the waist, keeping your back straight. Your head should be in line with your spine. Breathe in, keep your upper arms close to your body, and as you exhale, straighten your arms. The aim is to keep your upper arms still and restrict movement to your forearms only. Pause at full extension, then inhale, slowly return the weights to the starting position, and repeat.
Deltoid Lateral Raise
Pick up the dumbbells with a neutral grip (palms facing in). Breathe in and exhale as you raise the weights to shoulder height, keeping the elbows slightly bent. Slowly lower the dumbbells to the starting position and repeat.
Tricep Dips
Make sure you have a sturdy chair or bench for support. I like to position mine up against a wall to make sure it can’t slip back during the exercise.
Sit on the edge of a bench (or chair), with your legs extended and about hip-width apart. Gripping the edge of your support, lift your body and slide forward until it’s clear of the bench. Looking straight ahead, lower yourself until your elbows are bent between 45 and 90 degrees. It should be a smooth, controlled motion. Push yourself back up slowly and repeat.
Bicep Curls
Start by holding a pair of dumbbells, standing straight up with your feet slightly apart. Palms facing upwards, and keep the dumbbells away from your body. Bend the elbows slightly. Curl the dumbbells up as far as you can in a slow, controlled movement. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position and repeat.
Two Arm Standing Dumbbell Triceps Extension
Lift the dumbbell to your shoulder and overlap both hands around the dumbbell head. Take a deep breath, then position the dumbbell behind your head in the starting position, with your elbows bent. Breathe out and lift the dumbbell using the two-handed overlap grip, straightening the elbows and reaching as high as possible. Return to the starting position and repeat.
Dumbbell Front Raise
Pick up your dumbbells, palms facing in, and stand with your legs shoulder-width apart. Inhale, engage your core, and exhale, raising your arms away from your body, keeping your elbows slightly bent. Keep raising your arms until they’re parallel to the floor, then slowly lower to the starting position and repeat.
Dumbbell Upright Row
Grasp your dumbbells and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Breathe in and raise your dumbbells directly up in front of your body to chest height. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position and repeat. Tip: When you raise your elbows, avoid raising your upper arms above parallel if you have any shoulder issues or you’re using heavy weights.
Rear Delt Raises
Holding a set of dumbbells, engage your core, bend forward at the hips in a hinge position with your body almost parallel to the floor, and your arms hanging down straight from the shoulders. Breathe in and pull the dumbbells up using the rear deltoids, keeping the shoulders stable. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position and repeat.
Triceps Pushup
A triceps pushup is similar to a conventional pushup, except you keep your elbows close to your sides, giving your triceps a tough workout. If you’re a beginner, drop your knees to the floor to take some weight off your arms.
Start in a high plank position, engage your core, glutes, and quads, and slowly bend your elbows, keeping your arms close to your sides, to lower your body to within a few inches of the ground. Make sure your head and neck muscles are relaxed and your body forms a straight line from head to toe. Push through your palms to return to the starting position and repeat.
