Thick arms above the elbow: what to do, a set of exercises, reviews

Each representative of the fair sex, looking at the reflection in the mirror, begins to notice the shortcomings of her figure. The most common problem areas are the legs and abdomen. But often girls don’t like the forearm area either. By raising your arms and moving them to the side, you can see excess volume in the armpit area. Moreover, excess volume is accompanied by sagging and sagging skin. This defect can affect even girls with relatively normal weight and body constitution, but with thick arms above the elbow. What to do if arm fat is bothering you? What methods and methods exist for dealing with excess volume on the arms?

Where does fat on the arms come from?

For many girls and women, the problem of fat arms gives many reasons for complexes. They prefer to wear things with long sleeves, and on vacation they try to appear in a swimsuit as little as possible. Finding out why your arms above the elbow have become thick and what to do about it is actually not that difficult. It is enough to take a balanced approach to solving the problem and use appropriate methods. It is worth finding out the reasons for thick arms above the elbow. Here are the main ones:

Overweight.
Sedentary lifestyle.
Poor nutrition is most often the reason for the appearance of excess volume on the body. Excess fat is deposited on various parts of the body. This also applies to hands.
Changes in hormonal levels.
The use of certain medications and pregnancy all lead to hormonal fluctuations. Against this background, fat deposits are possible in the most unexpected places, including on the forearms.

Effective exercises for losing weight on your arms

If you have thick arms above the elbow, what should you do? We will list exercises that will get rid of the problem in the article. To make your arms slender, there is a whole set of exercises. It is enough to add proper nutrition to your workouts, and your arms will become toned again.

Many women do not know where to start a set of exercises when their arms above the elbow are thick. What to do in such a situation? What exercises should you start with first? You need to start exercises for thick arms with a warm-up. It allows the muscles to warm up and relieves unnecessary sprains and injuries. After warming up, you can use a jump rope or light walking in place.

Take a vertical position, place your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold the dumbbells in your hands, spread them to the sides, then lower them. Hold in the upper position for a couple of seconds. Make 10 to 15 such dilutions in several approaches. If you have thick arms above the elbow, what else can you do?

Shoulder lift. In this exercise, you raise and lower your shoulders while holding dumbbells. Hands along the body. In this case, only the shoulders work. Such lifts need to be done about 20-30 times.

Standing press. For this exercise, the dumbbells should be pushed up while raising your arms. Moreover, they are parallel to each other. At the highest point of the rise, linger for a couple of seconds, then lower your hands. Do 10-15 such repetitions in several approaches.

Push ups. These push-ups are not quite classic, as they simplify the task for beginners. They must be performed from the knees. In this case, a comfortable position will be the position of the legs in a crossed state.

Reverse push-ups. In this exercise, stand with your back to a chair or bed, lean on your arms, bend your legs at the knees and perform push-ups for 10-15 repetitions in several approaches. These exercises will reduce thick arms above the elbow. What else can you do, what exercises?

Plank. One of the most common and favorite exercises of many athletes. The plank activates many muscles in the body. Therefore, this exercise will be useful not only for the hands. To perform it, you need to take a position like in push-ups, and lean not on your palms, but on your elbows.

This complex is enough to solve the problem of thick arms above the elbow and make them fit. The main thing is to do the exercises regularly and measuredly.

To perform the first exercise, you need to stand up straight and spread your arms in different directions. Parallel to the floor. Then you need to slowly move your hands behind your head, and then return them to their original position, in different directions.

For the second exercise, you need to stand up straight and lean forward a little. Stretch your arms forward. First, spread them in different directions, and then cross them and spread them apart again. This crossing of arms should be done with vigorous movements for 5 minutes.

For the third exercise, you need to stand up straight, spread your arms to the sides, parallel to the floor. You need to clench your hands into fists and start making circular movements with them. First, 5 times in one direction, then the same amount in the other.

To perform the fourth exercise you will need dumbbells. Take dumbbells in your hands and begin to perform movements, raising your arms to the sides until they are parallel to the floor, and then lowering them parallel to the body. You need to do this exercise 15 times.

To perform the fifth exercise, lie on the floor, bend your knees, bend your arms at the elbow, and clasp your hands. Then you need to touch the elbow of your left hand with your right knee, then return to the starting position. Then do the same exercise with the other hand, that is, touch the elbow of your right hand with your left knee.

1. Plan your workouts. In order for arm exercises for weight loss to be as effective as possible, and for the muscles to become as elastic as possible, it is very important to first develop a training schedule and try to stick to it. Choose 3-4 exercises according to your strength that you can perform correctly. It is better to choose exercises for different groups of arm muscles, so as not to train only one group all the time.

Each exercise should be performed in 2-3 sets of 8-12 repetitions each. The number of repetitions and approaches can be increased as the first results are obtained.
Keep in mind that the intensity of your workout will depend on whether you just want to tone your arms or build muscle. Use lighter weights and more reps if you just want to tone your arms above the elbows—an option that's most likely to work for women and girls. To build muscle, you need to do fewer reps with heavier weights.

2. Do push-ups. Push-ups are considered one of the basic exercises that every person has performed at least once in their life. It has become a fixture in the fitness world for one reason only: it works. Push-ups work the triceps muscles, strengthen the pectoral muscles, abdominal muscles, quadriceps muscles, and lower back, making them an excellent exercise for almost all muscles of the body. To perform a regular push-up:

Lie face down on the floor, close your legs together, resting on your toes, or rather on the balls of your feet.
Place your hands on the floor, palms down, approximately shoulder-width apart.
Raise your arms until they are completely straight. The body should be straight from head to toe. This is the starting and ending position for the exercise.
Slowly lower your body toward the floor until your elbows are bent at a 90-degree angle. Lowering is done while inhaling.
Slowly lift yourself up at the exit until your arms are completely straight. This was one repetition.
Variations: Basic push-ups can be complicated and varied with different execution options. At the initial stages of training, when your arms are not yet strong, you can do push-ups from your knees. You can also try triangle push-ups, where your hands form a triangle shape due to the connection of your index fingers and thumbs, located just under the sternum.

3. Do push-ups. Another fairly common exercise is push-ups, which work the triceps, chest muscles and core shoulder muscles. To perform this exercise you will need a bench or step; a stool from the kitchen will also work. To perform a push-up:

Sit upright on the edge of a bench or chair with your legs extended in front of you and your feet flat on the floor.
Firmly grip the edge of the bench with your hands, fingers pointing down. Slowly step down from the bench without moving your legs.
Slowly lower your body toward the floor, keeping your back straight, until your elbows are bent 90 degrees.
Straighten your arms again and return to the starting position. This was one repetition.
Exercise options: To complicate the exercise technique for losing weight on your arms at home, place your feet on a second bench or chair.

4. Curling arms with dumbbells. Dumbbell curls are one of the main exercises in weightlifting, which develops arm strength and gives them a very sexy look, especially in short sleeves or wrestling shorts. Dumbbell curls work the biceps, which are responsible for bending the arm at the elbow. To perform this exercise you will need a pair of dumbbells, approximately 2-7 kilograms each.

Take dumbbells in your hands and stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart.
The arms are relaxed and at the sides of the body, palms facing forward.
Slowly bend your elbows towards your chest.
Then lower your arms with the dumbbells back down, keeping tension in your biceps. Try to maintain correct posture throughout the entire exercise, that is, keep your back straight and your stomach pulled in.
Options: The gym has a biceps curl machine that works the same way as the exercise itself, working the biceps. If you train at home, then you can take 500 g jars of beans and peas to complete this exercise.

5. Pull-ups. This exercise is quite complex and is aimed at working several muscle groups, including the muscles of the back, chest, shoulders and abdominals, as well as the biceps and forearms. To perform the exercise you will need a horizontal bar or crossbar. Beginners are advised to get a support group or a pull-up band.

Grasp the bar with your palms, fingers pointing forward, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Lift your feet off the ground.
Pull your body towards the bar so that your chin is slightly higher than it. Stay at the top for a few seconds if possible.
Lower yourself down without straightening your arms completely to keep your muscles tense. You have completed one repetition.
Options: Pull-ups are a rather difficult exercise, but with a little practice, the process will improve, regardless of gender and age. In the initial stages, an elastic band for pull-ups can be very useful. It is attached directly to the crossbar. One or both legs are inserted into it, and during the exercise, part of the body weight is supported by the elastic band, which makes the process a little easier.

6. Bench press. The bench press is an exercise designed to increase upper body strength and targets the chest muscles of the shoulders, including the triceps. To perform this exercise, you will need a barbell and an exercise bench.

Place the barbell on the rack and add the required weight. The weight should be suitable so that you can perform about 8 repetitions without stopping. For beginners, a barbell without additional weight will do.
Lie flat on the bench and take the most natural position, with your feet on the floor and your shoulders touching the bench.
Reach the barbell and clasp it with your palms, placing your hands shoulder-width apart. Some people like wider grips, but a shoulder-width grip works the triceps the most.
Tighten your abdominal muscles and smoothly lift the barbell from the rack. Place the barbell directly above the middle of your chest and straighten your arms.
Slowly lower the barbell toward your chest, bending your elbows to your sides. Inhale as the bar moves down.
Squeeze the barbell up to the starting position as you exhale. You've just completed one repetition.
Note: It is advisable that during the exercise, especially with heavy weight, someone is present for backup. He will help you lift the weight, return the barbell to the rack, or simply make sure that you don't accidentally drop the barbell on yourself.

Body constitution

As you know, there are different types of figures in women. This is an inverted triangle, hourglass, rectangle. Most often, women with an inverted triangle body type suffer from fuller arms.

In women with weak tone or, conversely, with highly developed muscles, the arms may look thick. In the first case, the arms above the elbow turn out to be flabby; if you lift them, the problem area sags. In the second case, the adipose tissue appears to be located above the muscles, which is why the arms appear thick.

Age-related changes

It has been proven that women burn arm fat much more slowly than men. Accordingly, with age, removing fat from your arms will be much more difficult, since changes in hormonal levels lead to a weakening of muscle tone. The skin becomes less elastic, the hands lose their attractiveness.

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If a woman’s diet is dominated by high-calorie, unbalanced foods, then excess calories lead to excess weight and obesity. All this is deposited on various parts of the body, not excluding the hands.

Ways to solve the problem

Having decided to get rid of the hated fat, many women begin to go to extremes. Some go on long and grueling diets, others spend hours in the gym, completely exhausting themselves. Such measures are too harsh, even if the body initially reacts to diets and training, then later the body can return to its previous shape. Another problem can be body disproportion, when the upper part looks larger than the lower part. What to do if your arms above the elbows look thick and their shape leaves much to be desired? There are many methods for solving the problem, the main thing is not to be lazy, and the result will not be long in coming.

Proper nutrition is the key to a beautiful body. The first method in the fight against excess volume in the arm area is nutritional adjustments. It is not necessary to completely limit yourself in everything, it is enough to follow the basics:

exclude sweets in all its forms from the diet;
avoid eating spicy, smoked, fatty foods;
include more fruits and vegetables in the menu;
diversify your diet with cereals;
drink about 2 liters of water per day;
frequent and small meals;
fish, meat, cottage cheese, eggs are the main source of protein;
give up alcoholic drinks.

Nutritionists say that vitamin C is an excellent fat-burning substance. Large amounts of it are found in citrus fruits - oranges, tangerines, grapefruits, rose hips. Consuming vitamin C daily will help speed up fat burning.

Hand exercises

If you have thick arms above the elbow, what should you do? We will list exercises that will get rid of the problem in the article. To make your arms slender, there is a whole set of exercises. It is enough to add proper nutrition to your workouts, and your arms will become toned again.

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Hands look asymmetrical

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There are cases when women encounter the problem that one arm is thicker than the other above the elbow. Such asymmetry can cause discomfort and cause complexes.

There may be several reasons:

Diseases. Most often, hand asymmetry is associated with osteochondrosis. It can also be curvature of the spine, diseases of the thoracic region, vascular diseases, and genetic disorders. If you notice any symptoms due to arm asymmetry, you should first consult a doctor, and he will prescribe the appropriate treatment.
Uneven loads on the hands. This problem is mainly faced by women who often spend time in the gym or engage in bodybuilding. The reason here is the incorrect distribution of the load on the arm muscles. In this case, experts recommend performing exercises with dumbbells for both biceps and triceps. With an even load, the muscles of the weakened arm will be equal in strength and volume to those of the other.

Exercise technique

Shoulder lift. In this exercise, you raise and lower your shoulders while holding dumbbells. Hands along the body. In this case, only the shoulders work. Such lifts need to be done about 20-30 times.

Push ups. These push-ups are not quite classic, as they simplify the task for beginners. They must be performed from the knees. In this case, a comfortable position will be the position of the legs in a crossed state.

This complex is enough to solve the problem of thick arms above the elbow and make them fit. The main thing is to do the exercises regularly and measuredly.

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Arm twisting

Don't let the name of this exercise scare you. You don't actually need to twist your arms and cause yourself pain. It's worth noting that this is one of those exercises that looks easy until you start doing it.

Stand up straight and spread your arms wide to the sides. Hold them in a position as if you want to hug someone. Keep your arms straight, palms down, and then rotate them until your palms face the ceiling. Then twist your arms in a horizontal axis in the other direction until your palms are again turned toward the ceiling.

Repeat the exercise as many times as you want. However, remember: if you overdo the number of approaches, you will feel unpleasant pain in your arms the next day.

Massage

There is another effective method that copes with the problem when a woman has thick arms above the elbow. What to do in this case? You should seek help from a massage therapist. Typically, specialists use anti-cellulite massage, which perfectly improves muscle tone, increases blood circulation, and gives the skin elasticity. Various oils and scrubs are also included in the procedures. They contain nutrients that act on fat tissue. The skin on the hands after their regular use becomes more toned and elastic. You can also perform wraps in combination with massage. They remove excess fluid from the body and improve blood circulation. These cosmetic procedures can be performed both in salons and at home.

What exercises to use for weight loss in hands

Even if you have managed to get rid of excess fat through diet, your shoulders may look unsightly: the lines are blurry, the skin hangs. This problem becomes especially acute when deciding how to lose weight in your arms and shoulders.

In this case, physical exercise will help. It is important here not to over-pump your arms, otherwise they will become too prominent.

It is best to use stretching exercises.

Clasp your hands behind your back in a lock so that one hand goes from top to bottom and the other from bottom to top. Hold this position for 15 seconds, then change hands.

Take a 1 kg dumbbell in each hand, spread your arms to the sides with your palms down and lift them up. Perform the exercise 10 times.

Bend your arms with dumbbells in front of your chest and spread them to the sides until fully straightened, as if stretching an elastic band. Repeat 10 times.

Do push-ups from the bench with your palms facing each other.

Repeat this cycle of exercises 3-4 times.

Learning to breathe correctly

Proper breathing during sports is the key to health. Many people do not pay attention to this issue and do the exercises incorrectly. This makes no sense. Our body is a huge system that operates according to its own internal rules.

Breathing is an integral part of all human processes. It’s not for nothing that an organism can live without oxygen for a maximum of 5 minutes. Blood pressure automatically increases when you lift weights, but very slow breathing can speed up your heart rate.

You should always think about breathing, because in its absence oxygen starvation occurs, which can lead to dizziness and nausea. It is especially important to breathe through your nose! Frequent mouth breathing causes dry mouth, which means that the body does not receive enough oxygen.