Help settle a debate between my husband and I please!

twinmomtwice4
twinmomtwice4 Posts: 1,069 Member
in Success Stories
My husband insists that there is no way for a woman to lose her "bat wings" (aka the fat that wobbles under your arm when you try to wave hello to the neighbors).

My biceps and shoulders are looking very sculpted but I still have my bat wings and I'm trying desperately to get them to firm up. I can feel my tricep muscle when I flex but when my arm is relaxed, I still have the wings.

So I'm looking for others who started off with "bat wings" and were able to strengthen to the point where they have completely toned, sculpted arms!! Pics would be even better!!!

I need encouragement and proof that he's wrong!!!!!! :smile:
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Replies

  • kasslass2
    kasslass2 Posts: 337 Member
    bump!
  • gseburn
    gseburn Posts: 456 Member
    So men can, but women can't? :-) I don't have them, but I think it really depends on whether the "excess" is actually fat, or mostly stretched skin. The skin could be an issue without surgical intervention. If it is still body fat, then you go girl! They will reduce as you reduce all over. Good luck!
  • LadyIntrepid
    LadyIntrepid Posts: 399 Member
    My bat wings haven't completely gone away, but they've gotten much better! I've lost about an inch on each of my upper arms and my biceps have gotten a bit bigger which means bat wings have definitely gotten smaller! It's possible! (BTW - I do a ton of tricep work.)
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    Depends on age, genetics and amount of skin, but the best way to prove him wrong is to prove him wrong. :happy:

    I didn't have a lot of excess skin, but my arms have gotten smaller and tighter with heavy lifting. Even at about the same weight.

    arms2-1.jpg
  • mtkautz
    mtkautz Posts: 218 Member
    bump
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    If it's just extra skin, you can't lose it. If it's fat, then you need to lose fat overall and tone the area.
  • julie2719
    julie2719 Posts: 1 Member
    I think it is possible to lose the wings - I do not have pictures, but have worked with a personal trainer and he is very pleased with how my arms are looking - and the wings are much less significant! I think it takes a lot of tricep work and consistency. Keep at it. It was changed in time.:smile:
  • siriusalien
    siriusalien Posts: 207
    I have...Overhead lifts
  • vettle
    vettle Posts: 621 Member
    chair dips perhaps? I know that sometimes that skin just won't tighten, gravity is a mean thing.
  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
    Depends on age, genetics and amount of skin, but the best way to prove him wrong is to prove him wrong. :happy:
    :heart:
  • rprussell2004
    rprussell2004 Posts: 870 Member
    "Batwings" LOL

    Thanks for the mental imagery!

    I will never, EVER use that term at home though, for reasons of personal safety.
  • kenmunson333
    kenmunson333 Posts: 51 Member
    Personally, I don't think you can lose them if you've been severely overweight. And that goes for both men and women. That extra fat that was stored there may be gone but the extra skin the body had to grow to make room for it never goes away. Seems unfair that a body will grow extra skin when needed but doesn't recycle it when it's no longer needed. As far as I know, for people who've been severely overweight (like me), the only way to get rid of such extra skin is surgically.
  • Alex_is_Hawks
    Alex_is_Hawks Posts: 3,499 Member
    firming up skin is highly effected by genetics....so there's really no way for a forum to solve this debate, you either will or you won't.
  • HauteP1nk
    HauteP1nk Posts: 2,139 Member
    ...dedication, hardwork, and consistency! It CAN be done. :)
  • skylark94
    skylark94 Posts: 2,036 Member
    If it's just extra skin, you can't lose it. If it's fat, then you need to lose fat overall and tone the area.

    This.

    I think for a lot of women, no amount of "toning" is going to cause the skin to retract.
  • atsteele
    atsteele Posts: 1,358 Member
    Dips and tricep extensions might help. Here's a few more ideas: http://www.nowloss.com/flabby-arm-toning-exercise.htm
  • nygrl4evr
    nygrl4evr Posts: 196 Member
    bump
  • kimosabe1
    kimosabe1 Posts: 2,467 Member
    Prove him wrong girl! Get hand weights at wally world (Walmart) lol...
    Samantha
  • MarynEve
    MarynEve Posts: 46 Member
    I call them "bingo wings."
  • Plates559
    Plates559 Posts: 869 Member
    Squats and Oats
  • rlmadrid
    rlmadrid Posts: 694 Member
    Love your "Batwings" and get a Batmobile to go with them.

    be-yourself-unless-you-can-be-batman_thumb.jpg
  • Annette_rose
    Annette_rose Posts: 427 Member
    Bump
  • Feisty_Red
    Feisty_Red Posts: 982 Member
    Another good term for them..is Bingo arms..
    lol ;)

    I'm trying...we will see how it goes! :heart:
  • dlf820
    dlf820 Posts: 20
    I am a big believer that it's mostly about genetics!!! You know the girlfriends that had 2 or 3 or 4 kids and yet somehow their stomachs are flat and muscular??? I know you must have at least one of those lucky girlfriends!

    Unfortunately, my genetics have sentenced me to lifetime of skin that will never "snap back". I've had two babies, got the stretch marks and now that belly skin will always be a little droopy. Now, the muscles can and do get strong underneath, but the skin is just not as elastic as some people. You are the only one who knows how elastic your skin is, maybe you are one of the lucky ones!


    P.S. My four other sisters are exactly the same way (that is why I believe it is genetic). I have one sister that lost almost 100 pounds and her stomach was rock hard, but the skin on top was sagging and loose. She had a tummy tuck and now her stomach is fantastic!! Her arms definitely got small but never sculpted.
  • Nightdust
    Nightdust Posts: 171 Member
    When I was doing pushups and lifting heavy stuff at my old job all the time my arms started to firm up but the "batwings" never truly went away. I agree that it probably has something to do with genetics and all that.
  • np11073
    np11073 Posts: 30
    I agree that it depends upon age, genetics and amount of weight lost. Increasing muscle tone will help somewhat, but the bad news is that without plastic surgery to remove the excess skin, the wings will remain. Sorry....he is more correct than you were hoping.:frown:
  • DeniseBarone
    DeniseBarone Posts: 80 Member
    He's not! LOL!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I'm not sure he is wrong, depending on how you define "bat wings". I noticed even female Olympic athletes have a little wobble when their arm is raised and relaxed. But I wouldn't say they have bat wings. It's just the difference between flexing and not flexing.
  • da1128
    da1128 Posts: 212 Member
    LorinaLynn, you look fabulous! Very nicely toned.

    Alas, I'm a gravity and age victim even though I won four back to back female weightlifting championships in my early 50's. (Left the 20 somethings in the dust!) Sadly, I thought I would never have wrinkled knees and upper arms until I was, oh, say 75 or so, but SOMETHING HAPPENED and I am dimpled! :ohwell:

    Aside from surgery, I'm a lost cause, but I'm not about to shell out the big bucks to be nip, tucked, and tightened. I'll just wear flattering clothes to cover the sins.

    But yeah, I think if you're still young and have good elasticity in your skin, you can whack the bats!
  • SilkyHotspur
    SilkyHotspur Posts: 233 Member
    Before you give-in and say they'll never go away, make sure you have muscle there and you've given it your all. Look at chair dips...how many are you doing? have you added weights to build the muscle underneath....

    Chair dips....both feet on the ground straight legs.....then one leg up...then both legs on another bench...then add some weight (obviously not in the same workout)

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