One of the most common places women want to firm is under their arms, specifically the bottom of the upper arm, or the tricep. Many fear having a floppy arm like their grade school teacher. Remember how her arm swung and swung when she wrote on the board?
The triceps are the muscles you need to work on to tighten under arm flab.
Working this area of your arm is not difficult and can be done at home. These exercises can be done using light weights, your own body weight, or simple weight bearing items found in your home. A water jug filled with varying amounts of water makes a great weight up to 5 lbs.
(See photographs for exercise positions.)
Tricep Dip
A tricep dip can be done from a workout bench, chair, desktop, or even a counter-top. You can do this exercised any time and any place. To complete a set of tricep dips do the following:
Place your hands behind you on the bench or counter-top palms down, fingertips extending slightly over the edge.
Lean back into your triceps.
Hold your legs out at an angle. This may require you to step a foot or two away from your support, depending on your height.
Rest your weight on your triceps and lower your bottom until you feel the weight in your triceps.
Hold the position for two to three seconds then lift.
Try to do fifteen repetitions, if that is too difficult start with less. Do three sets of reps.
Tricep Extension
For this exercise you’ll need a weight that you can easily lift and lower behind your head. Don’t pick a weight that is too heavy. Using correct form is more important than lifting heavy weight. If you don’t have weights this exercise is easily done with a full, gallon water jug.
Hold one weight firmly with two hands. Position your hands so they are stacked on top of each other.
Lift the weight up and over your head.
Lower it slowly behind your head. Feel the extension in your tricep.
Slowly lift the weight and repeat for 15 times. If you can, do three sets of reps.
Tricep Push Back
This is a very easy move that requires only on your body strength to tighten and tone flabby underarms.
Position yourself in a lunge. One leg is forward and bent at a 90 degree angle. One leg is behind you pushing down toward the floor.
Make sure your spine is straight by holding your head up.
Lean forward into the lunge bending at the waist.
Once you reach a challenging, but comfortable angle at which you can stand turn your palms up and push them behind you. Push them up toward the ceiling, feeling your triceps contract. Hold this position for a count of ten or squeeze and release your triceps quickly until you feel the muscles begin to fatigue.
Lower your arms and repeat three times.
As this exercise becomes easier use 5 lb weights in each hand as you press, palms up, toward the ceiling.
The trick to getting rid of underarm fat
The real key for these exercises to work is consistency. Do these exercises at least three times a week. It will not take long to start seeing and feeling smooth, toned underarms.
