"Chicken Arms" or "Chicken Fat:"
Four Best Exercises to Get Rid of Them for Good
by www.SixWise.com
Many people, particularly women, struggle with flabby arms that "flap" when they're moved, hence the dreaded term "chicken arms." How can you best tone up your triceps and add some firmness to your arms?
First and foremost, losing any type of flab is not simply a matter of doing specific toning exercises. So doing pushups won't help you to lose your chicken arms any more than crunches will help someone lose a big belly.
To remove fat, no matter where it may be, you must follow the basic rule of weight loss: burn more calories than you consume. Ideally this should be done with a combination of two things: diet and exercise.
That said, once you've got your diet under control, and you're exercising regularly using a combination of cardio exercise and strength training, you can certainly add in some specific exercises to help target and tone your arms.
Toning Your Triceps to Fight Chicken Arms
In the case of flabby arms, the muscle that you need to focus on is the tricep, which is located at the back of your arm. Here are some of the best triceps exercises out there.
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1. Triceps Push-Up
Get into a regular push-up position, but put your hands closer than shoulder-width apart, close to your sides. Slowly lower your body as far down as you can while maintaining proper form, then push back up until your arms are fully extended. Repeat. Your body should be kept straight, your back not arched.
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2. Kickbacks
Brace your right hand and right knee on an exercise bench, and hold a dumbbell with your left hand. Place your left upper arm parallel to the floor, and bend your elbow to a 90-degree angle. While keeping your upper arm still, extend your forearm back until your arm is parallel with the floor. Return to starting position then repeat with your other arm (using your left hand and knee for support).
You can also do this exercise while standing by bending one knee and resting your free arm on your knee for support.
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3. Overhead Triceps Press
Stand up straight with your elbows over your shoulders, aligned with your ears, holding a dumbbell. Extend your elbows so the weight is lifted above your head, then slowly lower your arms back to the starting position. Make sure your upper arms stay still during the exercise.
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4. Triceps Extension With a Towel and a Partner
Have your partner hold a rolled up towel while you kneel on one knee. Keeping your upper arm still and close to your side, grab the other end of the towel and extend your elbow. Repeat.
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Recommended Reading
The Nine Best Exercises for You if You Have Aching Joints
The 10 Keys to Start an Exercise Program -- and Finally Stick to It!
Sources
American Council on Exercise
Askmen.com Top 10 Tricep Exercises
WebMD.com The Best Arm Exercises