Exercises To Lose Arm Fat Fast That Trainers Swear By
Looking to achieve strong, sleek, and sculpted arms? Having toned arms when you're rocking a sleeveless top, dress, or bathing suit is a popular fitness goal many individuals strive to achieve—and for good reason. Dealing with "bat wings" or "bingo wings" is just plain old frustrating. But rest assured, we have the best exercises to lose arm fat fast that trainers swear by.
Unfortunately, as far as fat loss is concerned, you can't completely spot reduce or target one particular area. What you can do is perform training that helps to reduce the amount of fat you have in certain areas, like your arms. The below exercises will melt fat, build lean muscle, and sculpt your arms.
So gear up for your new favorite fitness routine! Read on for the moves that will have you doing double takes in the mirror just to stare at your tight, toned arms. And next up, don't miss The Best Arm Workout To Get Rid of "Turkey Wings," Trainer Says.
Arm Circles
Victoria Brady, a personal trainer on Fyt (a service offering in-person and virtual expert-guided fitness), has you covered with the first five exercises.
For arm circles, you'll set up with your feet shoulder-width distance apart. Extend your arms out straight and raised up to shoulder height. Start making a tiny circular motion by rotating your hands forward. This counts as one rep. Perform 10 to 12 reps of forward circles, then 10 to 12 reps of backward circles. "The backward and forward arm movement targets and tones all the muscles of the arms, from the triceps to the shoulders," Brady says.
Modified Pushups
Next up, Brady walks us through modified pushups, which start in a plank. Your knees should be on the floor and your hands positioned a bit wider than shoulder-width. Making a straight line that's parallel to the floor, bend at your elbows slowly, and bring your chest down until it almost grazes the ground. The muscles in your core should be tight, and your back should remain flat. Hold that position, then rise back up into a plank. This counts as one rep. Perform 10 to 12 reps.
Dumbbell Bicep Curls
Now, get ready for the dumbbell bicep curl. Brady instructs you to hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides. Keep your elbows locked to the sides of your body, and then curl your elbows to your shoulders. Make sure your elbows remain still so your arms don't start swinging. Bring your arms back to the starting position, and that makes one rep. Perform 10 to 12 reps.
Tricep Kickbacks
Another one of Brady's favorites to lose arm fat fast is the tricep kickback. This exercise has you holding a dumbbell in each hand. Lean forward just a bit, making sure your back stays straight. Bring your elbows back to the sky, keeping them locked to each side of your body. Your elbows should be still as you "kick" the dumbbell toward your back. You'll do this by moving the lower part of your arm back and up to the sky. Remain in that position for a second, then move your arm to the position you started in. This counts as one rep. Perform 10 to 12 reps.
Front Raise with Dumbbells
Brady's final pick is the front raise with dumbbells exercise. Position your feet shoulder-width distance apart. Hold your dumbbells with your palms facing toward your body and in front of your legs. Bend just a bit at your elbows as you gracefully bring the dumbbells up to the height of your chin. Pause for a second, then gradually bring the dumbbells back to the position you started in. This counts as one rep. Perform 10 to 12 reps.
Tabletop Tricep Pushups
Jacquie Smith, a certified integrative nutrition health coach and a fitness instructor specializing in barre, yoga, and pre/postnatal workouts, guides you through the next three exercises.
The tabletop tricep pushup is a low-impact tricep exercise that's extremely effective. To set up, place your hands underneath your shoulders and your knees underneath your hips. Create a slight bend in your elbows, and pull your abdominals in. Drop your elbows down to the mat, squeezing your elbows toward each other and keeping your hips over your knees. Then, lift them back up into the starting position. Do eight reps and eight halfway pulses for two rounds.
Side Lying Triceps Press-ups
This move will take your tricep burn to the next level. Lie down on your right side, bend your knees, and stack your hips. Place your right hand on your left shoulder, and plant your left hand on the floor in front of your right elbow. Press firmly into your left hand, and stabilize your core as you lift your upper body up just using your tricep. Lower your body back down to the floor. Do eight reps and eight pulses at the top for two rounds. Repeat on the other arm.
Reverse Pushups
Now, get ready for reverse pushups. Sit on your butt with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Put your hands behind you with your fingertips facing your glutes. Pressing your feet into the floor, lift your hips up, and roll back your weight over your wrists. Bend your elbows—all while keeping your hips up and driving your elbows back—and re-straighten your arms. Do eight reps and eight pulses at the halfway point for two rounds.
Tricep Rope Pull-Downs
Seamus Sullivan, B.S., CSCS PN1, online performance, and nutrition coach, wraps things up with the final three exercises.
Sullivan notes that the tricep rope pull-down is performed with a cable machine and the rope handle attachment. He suggests tricep rope pulldowns as an effective exercise to help you target your upper arms.
To get started, take hold of the ropes with both hands, keeping your elbows by your ribs. Then, extend your hands to your hips. While doing so, you should feel the muscles that extend behind your elbow to your shoulder working hard. Completing three to four sets of 12 to 15 reps at least twice a week will help you create defined upper arms.
Dumbbell Lateral Raise
Sullivan also suggests adding dumbbell lateral raises to your workout routine to specifically target upper arm fat. If performed correctly, this exercise will result in a rounded look you'll be pleased with.
You should feel this movement activating the deltoid shoulder muscle. "This movement starts with holding dumbells by the hips and raising the hands to no higher than shoulder level with a slight bend in the elbows," says Sullivan.
Start off by doing 15 reps before resting for 10 seconds and following that with another five reps. From there, Sullivan instructs, "Repeat the short reps and small rep set for four to five rounds to get more muscle fiber recruitment for the amazing rounded look."
Bicep Curl Machine
When it comes to putting a bicep curl machine to good use, Sullivan tells us, "[This will benefit] the muscles in front of the shoulder and between the elbow, plus some of the forearm depending on the variation." He also explains, "There are multiple bicep curl machines, so any is a good choice."
As for performing the bicep curl on the machine, make sure your elbows stay by your ribs as you curl your hands up to your shoulders. This exercise is another option to do twice a week. Perform three to four sets of 15 reps in order to achieve defined arms.
A version of this story was originally published in October 2022. It has been updated to include new information and more exercises.
