can you target arm/back fat?

skopp18
skopp18 Posts: 27
edited January 3 in Fitness and Exercise
Ok, I know there's no way to target areas for weight/fat loss, but maybe there are exercises that you can do to tighten the areas up?

I've always had big arms and the back area right near the shoulder blades. How do I get rid of that? I'm working on losing fat overall, but I'd really like to have nice, skinny and toned arms and a nice toned and slender back.

Any tips?

Right now, I'm not doing any sort of workout routine, so I can pretty much add just about anything, but I'm not a member of a gym, so I will need something I can do at home. Thanks!!

ETA: To clarify, I'm looking for workouts that won't build my arms or back up bulkier. I once had a personal trainer who suggested I do lots of reps with lighter weights to 'shrink' areas, but I've also heard that's not true - just wondering if there are any workouts I can do to shrink my arms/back while toning them up instead of building bulky muscles (I understand I won't ever get bulky like a man, but my arms may as well be a man's arms right now, I feel!).

Replies

  • gddrdld
    gddrdld Posts: 464 Member
    You do realise you just completely contradicted your self, in the title and the post, right?? ...The only way to "tighten" the area is to lose body fat and maintain or build muscle via diet and exercise.
  • auntdeedee87
    auntdeedee87 Posts: 706 Member
    What she said, for the most part.

    However, get on Pinterest assuming you have one, and look up the tank top arms workout. It's pretty great and muscle tone is better than fat, big or not.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    You have to lose the fat because no matter now much muscle you have no one can see it under a blob of fat. Start lifting weights to get those muscles in shape for once the fat is gone.
  • skopp18
    skopp18 Posts: 27
    You do realise you just completely contradicted your self, in the title and the post, right?? ...The only way to "tighten" the area is to lose body fat and maintain or build muscle via diet and exercise.

    I realize that you can't target certain areas in fat loss, like I know there's nothing I can do to keep myself from losing fat in one area and losing it more in another, but I was just wondering if there are certain exercises that will tighten up and shrink my arms instead of making them bulkier. I know I'm not going to build muscles like a man, but I don't want to build any muscle if it's going to make it any bigger than my arms are already, if that makes any sense - I want to do workouts to make my arms shrink, not grow in size.
  • skopp18
    skopp18 Posts: 27
    You have to lose the fat because no matter now much muscle you have no one can see it under a blob of fat. Start lifting weights to get those muscles in shape for once the fat is gone.

    I understand, I just didn't want to make my arms bigger.
    What she said, for the most part.

    However, get on Pinterest assuming you have one, and look up the tank top arms workout. It's pretty great and muscle tone is better than fat, big or not.

    Thanks! I have a pinterest, so I'll look it up!
  • munchlaxx
    munchlaxx Posts: 102 Member
    As everyone else said, no you can't target those area.

    I always had large upper arms and a lot of fat on my back...it made for unflattering photos. -_-

    Personally, I started working out in June/July...my arms AND back look so much better now. I was afraid to lift weights since I didn't know much about it at the time. I thought my arms wouldn't shrink...but then I started lifting in late July...eventually moved on to HEAVY lifting. I am so glad I did. As the rest of my body started to lose weight, my arms and back started becoming more defined. My arms have finally became smaller too...which is so weird to witness since I had been used to my fat, flabby upper arms for over a decade.

    What made me realize that I have had a lot of fat loss in my arms, is when I put on some hoodies that had been tight (in the upper arms) before. Now I can comfortably wear my Medium sized (fitted) hoodies.
  • MacApples
    MacApples Posts: 3
    I have been doing elliptical workouts for 10 months or so and have noticed a big difference in my back and arms. Nice thing is that they are now nicely toned and not bulky and I didn't have to do crazy amounts of reps, which I am not into at all. Keep in mind that this is also with an overall weight loss of 45+lbs which helps to shrink everything, right? It's a great overall fat buster without the impact or insane cardio heartrate levels, unless you want that!
  • sapphireswi
    sapphireswi Posts: 583 Member
    Oh I hear you . . cos I have the same problem areas . . . :sad: :sad: :sad:
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    so you know you cant spot reduce but you're wondering if there's a way to spot reduce?

    in any case, you need to reduce overall body fat. how you lose it will depend on genetics, not on certain exercises or machines. it's GENETICS.

    eat a little below your TDEE and moderate exercise and be consistent and you will lose body fat
  • skopp18
    skopp18 Posts: 27
    so you know you cant spot reduce but you're wondering if there's a way to spot reduce?

    in any case, you need to reduce overall body fat. how you lose it will depend on genetics, not on certain exercises or machines. it's GENETICS.

    eat a little below your TDEE and moderate exercise and be consistent and you will lose body fat

    I know that I can't control where the fat will come off from, but I was wondering if there are workouts that will tighten the area up and make them look smaller anyway.

    I read an article in Women's Health about a certain core exercise that you can do that targets the mid-area and can get you to lose 1" off your waist - it won't make you lose fat or lose any weight, but the exercises tighten up the midsection and pull everything in, making you smaller than you are, even if you aren't losing any weight. I was just wondering if there was anything you can do to get the same effect on arms/back.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    No, but you can target the muscles in your arms and back so that once you lose the fat, they'll look great.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    You do realise you just completely contradicted your self, in the title and the post, right?? ...The only way to "tighten" the area is to lose body fat and maintain or build muscle via diet and exercise.

    I realize that you can't target certain areas in fat loss, like I know there's nothing I can do to keep myself from losing fat in one area and losing it more in another, but I was just wondering if there are certain exercises that will tighten up and shrink my arms instead of making them bulkier. I know I'm not going to build muscles like a man, but I don't want to build any muscle if it's going to make it any bigger than my arms are already, if that makes any sense - I want to do workouts to make my arms shrink, not grow in size.

    You can't tighten ANYTHING without building your muscles. It just doesn't work that way. It's the toned muscles that make you look and feel firm. It's the fat that can make you look bulky, not the muscle.
  • lasmit4477
    lasmit4477 Posts: 308 Member
    As everyone else has said, you can't spot reduce and you will have to lose more body fat. However, maybe your question should have been stated differently. Some things that you can do are: tricep kickbacks, arnold presses, rows, shoulder presses, dips, cable pushdowns, bicep curls, reverse flyes and overhead triceps extensions. Also, please note that proper form is important. If you need to, look up these workouts on YouTube or look on bodybuilding.com to see the correct form that should be used.
  • junipearl
    junipearl Posts: 326 Member
    my arms are my problem areas as well - they've always been bigger than the rest of me!

    I've been doing the less weight, more reps approach for 2 months as well as maintaining a calorie deficit and it has made a HUGE difference.
    the fat loss means that my arms are smaller (along with the rest of my body) but the toning of the muscles in that area makes a huge difference in how they look as well!
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    You do realise you just completely contradicted your self, in the title and the post, right?? ...The only way to "tighten" the area is to lose body fat and maintain or build muscle via diet and exercise.

    I realize that you can't target certain areas in fat loss, like I know there's nothing I can do to keep myself from losing fat in one area and losing it more in another, but I was just wondering if there are certain exercises that will tighten up and shrink my arms instead of making them bulkier. I know I'm not going to build muscles like a man, but I don't want to build any muscle if it's going to make it any bigger than my arms are already, if that makes any sense - I want to do workouts to make my arms shrink, not grow in size.

    No, there are no exercises that will make body parts smaller. They will stay the same or get bigger, depending on the workout and your diet. Otherwise bodybuilders would all be stick figures. The only way to get smaller is to lose fat.
  • spoonful
    spoonful Posts: 200 Member
    Swimming might help you.
  • DaughterOfTheMostHighKing
    DaughterOfTheMostHighKing Posts: 1,436 Member
    you have to lose the fat through diet and shape the muscle by lifting and moving... no way out of it. stop eating what you want to get rid of... that's all...
  • Lennox497
    Lennox497 Posts: 242 Member
    The "bulky" building takes insane dedication. I don't know where this idea that if women lifts weights they are will get bulky. There is not enough testosterone in a woman's body to get this effect, plus you have to eat like a horse.

    There is not a magic exercise to lose weight in specific spots. The human body is a magnificent machine and with every machine you want all parts to work well in conjunction with one another.

    There are posts above that have stated that is comes to down to calories in and calories out and the are absolutely CORRECT. It is not about burning fat, it is about burning calories.

    Think of your body as furnace, when you have more muscle, just muscle, not "BULKY" muscle. Your furnace will burn hotter which burns more calories. More muscle more calories burned for maintenance. But also keep in mind you have to fuel your furnace. Because if you don't it will eat itself alive since your body will burn two things first, food and muscle tissue. Fat is always last because it is storage system.

    Sorry if this reads all over the place, but that is how my mind is operating today.
  • skopp18
    skopp18 Posts: 27
    Thank you to everyone who has responded. I really appreciate the help. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't destined to have a fat back and fat arms even if I get skinnier everywhere else. I know my question was posted kind of weird and I didn't explain myself correctly, so thank you to the ones who read between the lines and understood what I meant and answered - thanks!!
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