The arms are just as vulnerable to weight gain as any other body part. You need to focus on muscle building exercises and overall weight loss to help slim them down. Being that spot reduction is not possible, weight loss needs to take place throughout your whole body. Building muscle can help increase your metabolic rate and also create better definition on your arms. You want to do exercises from various angles and with different grips to get the maximal amount of muscle recruitment.
Step 1
Follow a healthy diet that promotes weight loss. Eat foods that are low in saturated fat, sodium and sugar like fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish, whole grains and beans. Keep your portion sizes under control and eat frequent meals throughout the day to keep your metabolism elevated.
Step 2
Partake in some form of cardio that involves your arms. Cardio will help slim down your arms and the rest of your body for that matter. Elliptical training, swimming, kick boxing, jumping rope and cross country skiing are examples of cardio that incorporates your arms. Aim for 45 to 60 minutes, three times a week on nonconsecutive days.
Step 3
Perform close-grip bench presses. Lie on the bench and grab the bar with a shoulder width grip. Push it off the supports and hold it directly above you. Lower it down by bending your elbows and stop when it lightly touches your chest. Push it back up and repeat. Make sure to keep your arms in tight against your sides when you are lowering the bar.
Step 4
Arrange two benches slightly wider apart than the length of your legs. Place your hands on the edge of one bench and your heels up on the other bench. Lower your body down by bending your elbows. Feel your triceps working on the backs of your arms. Stop when your upper arms are parallel to the floor, push yourself back up and repeat.
Step 5
Brace your lower shins under the pads of a decline bench to do triceps extensions. Hold dumbbells in your hands with your arms fully extended above you and your palms facing in. Keep your upper arms still as you bend your elbows and lower the weights down by your ears. Push the weights back up and repeat. Keep your upper arms still throughout the whole movement and do not let your arms flare out to the sides.
Step 6
Hold a barbell in front of your thighs to do curls. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the bar with an underhand shoulder-width grip. Curl it up towards your chest by engaging your biceps and squeeze for a second. Slowly lower it back down and repeat.
Step 7
Utilize an incline bench to do hammer curls. Lie on the bench with dumbells in your hands and your arms hanging down by your sides. Twist your wrists so your palms are facing each other and lift them up toward your chest. Squeeze for a second then lower the weights back down. Maintain the same grip throughout the whole movement.
Step 8
Grab a set of dumbbells to do reverse curls. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold dumbbells in front of your thighs with your palms facing you. Maintain this grip as you lift the weights up toward your chest. Squeeze for a second then slowly lower them back to the starting point.
Tips and Warnings
- Perform 10 to 12 reps and three to four sets of your arm exercises three times a week on the alternating days of your cardio.
Things You'll Need
- Two benches
- Decline bench
- Dumbbells
- Barbell
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