Loose skin often occurs when you have lost a lot of weight rapidly. This can be a bit frustrating for those who just have reached their weight loss goal because they have another problem to consider. Seeing loose skin under the arms can even affect one’s self-confidence but not for long especially when you start working out.
Yes, there are many reasons why loose, sagging skin can occur under the arms. Among these are diet, gravity, and lack of exercise. The good news is that you can remedy this problem by making it a point to add exercise to your daily routine. You just need to find the right kinds of arm workouts to ensure that you tighten and strengthen those loose skins so you will have better looking arms in no time.
Arm Exercises to Do
So which arm exercises should you include in your fitness routine to get rid of sagging and loose skin? Here are some that are worth mentioning.
- Triceps Stretch. The triceps stretch aims to strengthen, tighten, and tone the muscles in the backs of the upper arms. For this exercise, you should stand with your feet hip-width apart. Hold a light dumbbell with your right hand and extend your right arm in front of you. Bend at the elbow and bring the weight towards the right shoulder blade. Hold this pose for 20 seconds then release. Repeat with the other arm.
- Standing Triceps Kickback. Our biceps are the ones that we use when it comes to carrying groceries, lifting heavy weights and so on. However, our triceps are the least used which is one of the reasons why we end up with sagging and loose skin under our arms. For this exercise, you will need to stand with your feet positioned about hip-width apart and with your knees slightly bent. Hold a light dumbbell in your right hand then take a step forward with your left foot and bend your torso to 45 degrees. Hold on to the back of a chair or edge of a table with your left hand to help you keep your balance. Extend your right arm behind you and hold for a few seconds. Lower your arm and switch to the other hand. Repeat the steps. Do 15 reps for each arm.
- Single Arm Pushup. For this exercise, you will need to use a medicine ball. Go into a push up pose with one hand on the medicine ball and the other on the floor. Lower yourself until your chest touches the medicine ball. Push yourself back up to complete one rep. Do 3 to 4 repetitions for this exercise before switching to the other hand. You can increase the number of repetitions depending on your skills.
- Triceps Extension. Here is another exercise to combat sagging underarm skin. You need to lie down on a bench while your right hand is holding a dumbbell. Extend your right arm upwards until it meets your left hand. Your elbows should be at 90 degree angles and held in place for a few seconds before lowering your hands back to your first position. Repeat this exercise 10 to 15 times before switching hands.
- Chair Lift. To tone the flab under your arms, you should include chair lifts in your fitness routine. You will need to sit on the edge of a sturdy chair with your hands gripping the edges. Scoot your butt over the edge and bend your elbows to lower yourself until your elbows are at 90 degrees. Hold this pose for a few seconds before raising yourself back up. Do up to 5 reps or more depending on your skills.