I've lost 22 pounds and am looking so much better everywhere except my upper arms, or "batwings" as I have heard them called. I am still dieting to lose 10-20 more pounds (not sure about final goal weight). I have also added strength training to my treadmill time. If anyone has had success in getting their arms smaller and toned, I'd love to hear about how you did it. I could use some inspiration!
Pushups! Seriously, I didn't think I'd be able to get rid of the remaining batwing at my age (42), thinking it was more skin than anything else, but they're slowly disappearing in favor of muscle definition.
Improvement had started when I was doing Jillian's 30 Day Shred video, which I didn't think would have any affect what with only the small hand weights. But there are a lot of reps through the video, and I use the heaviest hand weights I can manage for individual exercises (up to 10lb). I still do her resistance exercises (upper body and lunges) at home even when I don't do the whole video, and pushups every day. So if you have hand weights at home, don't diss those just because people make fun of small weights, especially since so it's easy to knock out a few sets of 20 every day while you're watching tv. I also think free weights develop your muscles better in some ways than machines.
I have now added more weight training, especially tricep rows with the heavier hand weights available at my gym, and lat pull downs. I think those have also accelerated the arm shrinking process. I would do barbells but the place I use doesn't have trainers and I'm afraid of injury. So I have this web page bookmarked, which shows body weight moves: Triceps
Agreeding with others on the pushups but also pullups (assisted - most gyms have an assisted pull up machine like a gravitron, it looks intimidating, but really, its now) and tricep dips.
Granted, remember - you can't spot reduce or spot tone, so continued weight loss is also necessary.
Eventually the loose skin should shrink back down.
Last edited by chnkymonkey; 06-18-2010 at 10:40 AM.
we call them Bingo wings in the UK and i agree they are awful to have. Can u swim? breast sroke is a really good way to tone them GL x
I worked with a guy from the UK, and when I lifted up my arms to point to something he exclaimed "oh, you have bingo wings!"
I was embarrassed, and then he made it more awkward by saying they turn him on and he wanted to bite them But he was cute... hehe.
For arms, I'm dealing with the same thing right now. I'm doing various excercises with weights to tone them up. Push ups are great if you have the strength, or I throw punches with the weights in my hands, or I'll hold my arms at my side with weights and lift them out so my body is in a T shape.
These things really worked when I was working out before. I lost less then what I have now, but I did those things so much that my arms lost that jiggly look before the rest of me did. Now I'm trying to get them nice again!
I agree about the push-ups. I think that's a great tip for batwings. Push ups are overall an amazing exercise, probably my favorite in terms of the results I see with it. (And I'm still obese, so if you're near goal you might see greater improvements).
Look up Skull crushers
its where you lay on your back and have a weight/bar and basically keep your elbows UP pointing to the sky and straight and bend at the elbow so your knuckles just abou ttouch your forehead.
Water Aerobics/Pilates has done wonders for me. We do a lot of resistence work under water and we are always doing new moves. Keep your fingers closed for more resistance or buy the gloved hand weights for the water.
Yoga has also helped a lot. I think it's because it requires a lot of strength to hold some of the poses and flow through the movements.
One of my instructor's said the best way to get rid of them is to eat plenty of fruit and veggies and stay active!
After two years of effort, I've got defined biceps & triceps, but I still have batwings, damn it. Noticeable mostly if I hold my arms directly in front of me, in what I want to call "Dawn of the Dead" zombie position. The skin sags downward in narrow festoons. I think in my case it really is excess skin. They're smaller but still definitely there & odd-looking in the exercise room mirrored walls.
Strength train, strength train and strength train some more. Seriously I've lost 115 lbs and my arms look AWESOME (can't say the same about my butt, tummy or thighs although I'm working on it). I have very mimimal "bat wings" and I wear tank tops ALL the time and feel amazing. I also have a 22 month old that I'm constantly picking up and carrying which I equate to strength trainging
Thanks everyone! I will keep up with the weight loss and strength training and today, I added push-ups! I could only do 10 with great effort, but I know I will get better as my muscles get stronger. It was great to hear that many of you had success in getting rid of the bat or bingo wings (how funny!).
Maybe one day I can add the pullups, water aerobics and yoga as well. Thanks again!
Need advice about my upper arms!
But he was cute... hehe.
