Underarm flab is not as critical as stomach flab, but it can still cause frustration and feelings of self-consciousness. If you are trying to firm your arms, you need to perform specific exercises that target your triceps. Triceps are the three-part muscles that are at the back of your arms. To pull this off, you are going to need some weightlifting equipment and some key exercises.
Step 1
Load a barbell on a bench press to do close-grip bench presses. Lie on the bench and grab the bar with an 8- to 10-inch grip. Push it off the supports and hold straight above you. Slowly lower the bar down towards your chest and stop when it is about 3 inches away. Push it back up and repeat.
Step 2
Use a decline bench to do lying decline extensions. Lie on the bench and hook your lower shins under the padded supports. Hold the dumbbells above your body with your arms fully extended and your palms facing each other. Keep your upper arms still as you bend your elbows and lower the dumbbells down by your ears. Push them back up until your elbows are almost locked out and repeat.
Step 3
Arrange two benches parallel to each other, and slightly wider apart than the length of your legs, to do dips. Place your hands on the edge of one bench and your heels on top of the other. Lower your body down towards the floor by bending your elbows. Stop when your upper arms are parallel to the ground and push yourself back up.
Step 4
Attach a rope to the high pulley of a cable machine to do pushdowns. Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart and grab the two rope handles with each hand. Keep your upper arms tight against your body and have your elbows bent so your hands are at chest height. Push the handles down as far as you can and pull outward. Squeeze for a second and slowly let your hands come back to the starting point.
Tips and Warnings
- Perform 10 to 12 reps and three to four sets of these exercises. Work them three times a week on alternating days. To prevent muscle imbalances, work your biceps as well with exercises like barbell curls, reverse curls and hammer curls. Perform cardio two to three days a week to help burn fat throughout your body. Aim for 45 to 60 minutes and do something that you enjoy, like rowing, biking, swimming or elliptical training. When you do close-grip bench presses, keep your arms in tight against your sides. If you do not have access to two benches in Step 3, use two chairs instead. When you do rope pushdowns in Step 4, you can also place your feet in a staggered position, if you feel more comfortable.
Things You'll Need
- Barbell
- Weight plates
- Decline bench
- 2 benches
- Dumbbells
- Cable machine
- Rope attachment
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