Over time, excess body fat and poor muscle tone can lead to flabby, jiggly arms. If you find yourself feeling self conscious and always wearing long-sleeved shirts, don't despair. Several arm-targeting exercises can help you tone and firm your arms to reduce flab. Toned arms can improve your self image, enhance your quality of life and help you do more with less fatigue.
Push Ups
Push ups are one of the best methods for firming up flabby arms, notes Columbia University's health services. Push ups work both your biceps and your triceps so your entire arm looks more toned. Best of all, this exercise requires no specialized gym equipment. Lie face down and rest your feet on your toes. Position the palms of your hands just outside shoulder width and parallel to your chest. Push yourself up so that your arms are straight, then lower yourself down until your arms create a 90-degree angle. Push yourself back up and you've completed a single rep. For the ultimate arm toning, the university recommends doing three sets of 15 reps.
Triple Play
The triple play exercise works your entire arm region, from your forearms to your shoulders. Stand with your feet spaced apart, shoulder width. Grasp a dumbbell in each of your hands and raise your arms at your side with your palms faced toward the ceiling. Bend your arms inward until your elbows create a 90-degree angle while keeping your upper arms stable and running parallel to the ground. Straighten your arms straight above your head, keeping your palms facing toward each other, then lower your arms back into the 90-degree bend. For the best toned arms, "Shape" magazine recommends doing two sets of 15 with a 60-second resting period between sets.
Cardio
You can build arm muscles all you want, but the excess fat in your arms will still lead to a less-than-toned appearance. Despite popular opinion, it's impossible to burn fat in a specific part of your body, warns the University of Cincinnati Wellness. Instead, aim to do full-body cardio for a minimum of 30 minutes at least three times a week. Example cardio exercises include swimming and running. This can help reduce your total body fat percentage and tone up your arms along with the rest of your body.
Bicep Curls
Bicep curls are the quintessential arm exercise and can help tone the front side of your arm. Hold dumbbells in your hands with your arms resting at your side. Keep your back straight and your elbows at your side while you lift the dumbbells toward your shoulder then lower them back down. Do a couple sets of 10 to 15 reps. If you don't have dumbbells lying around, you can also use 32-oz. water bottles filled with water, suggests Columbia University.
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