Dreaded batwings...y'all know what I am talkin' about!

loriq41
loriq41 Posts: 479 Member
Ok...please don't tell me you cannot spot reduce...I am well aware my friends. If you are spot on diet wise and do cardio/lift..what exercises do you say "hell yeah, this is really helping my arms more than anything I have tried before"..that is what I am looking for..the most bang for my buck taking into consideration I am doing everything else correctly. Do share.....
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Replies

  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    In for ideas.

    Although I have to say, mine are still there but they have reduced a lot just with time and continued loss. They looked MUCH worse 20-30 lb ago.
  • PunkyDucky
    PunkyDucky Posts: 283 Member
    :huh: what the....

    ...sorry to tell you this but it's all about decreased body fat.
    just keep lifting heavy and log calories. You'll definitely see your body change after a few weeks/months
  • eversmj
    eversmj Posts: 40
    A new exercise you haven't done before will always feel like it's giving you the best bang for the buck. It is a novel stimulus and your body isn't adapted to it. But it is easy to get in the silly habit of constantly changing things to "confuse" your body and you sort of end up spinning your wheels.

    In my opinion the most effective lifts are multi joint movements that force you to use and coordinate large areas of your body at once. They're more difficult but by the same token cause a bigger response from your body. For example, doing barbell overhead presses will generally be more productive than dumbbell triceps kick backs. Then if you plateau after a period of incremental improvement you can change some variables (exercises, rep scheme, etc) to kick start the process again. Best of luck.
  • loriq41
    loriq41 Posts: 479 Member
    :huh: what the....

    ...sorry to tell you this but it's all about decreased body fat.
    just keep lifting heavy and log calories. You'll definitely see your body change after a few weeks/months
    *SIGH*
  • loriq41
    loriq41 Posts: 479 Member
    A new exercise you haven't done before will always feel like it's giving you the best bang for the buck. It is a novel stimulus and your body isn't adapted to it. But it is easy to get in the silly habit of constantly changing things to "confuse" your body and you sort of end up spinning your wheels.

    In my opinion the most effective lifts are multi joint movements that force you to use and coordinate large areas of your body at once. They're more difficult but by the same token cause a bigger response from your body. For example, doing barbell overhead presses will generally be more productive than dumbbell triceps kick backs. Then if you plateau after a period of incremental improvement you can change some variables (exercises, rep scheme, etc) to kick start the process again. Best of luck.
    Grazi
  • tonynguyen75
    tonynguyen75 Posts: 418 Member
    So you want to reduce fat. By reducing as much fat and keeping as much muscle as possible. Therefore, you'll want to be on a caloric deficit (not too much of a deficit), have adequate protein, and lift as heavy as possible.

    No science behind what I'm about to say here: But I would assume that the biggest compound movements (squats, deadlifts, rows, & bench) will help preserve the most muscle. So as long as you're going hard on those lifts, the fat should melt off most efficiently.

    Working out a particular area won't tone up any specific area. You just want to make the weight that you lose to come from fat as much as possible.
  • loriq41
    loriq41 Posts: 479 Member
    In for ideas.

    Although I have to say, mine are still there but they have reduced a lot just with time and continued loss. They looked MUCH worse 20-30 lb ago.
    Oh i agree with that..42 lbs ago it was atrocious..I was just thinking in terms of effectiveness...I know all about the body fat thing but obviously some things are more effective in combination with diet :)
  • loriq41
    loriq41 Posts: 479 Member
    So you want to reduce fat. By reducing as much fat and keeping as much muscle as possible. Therefore, you'll want to be on a caloric deficit (not too much of a deficit), have adequate protein, and lift as heavy as possible.

    No science behind what I'm about to say here: But I would assume that the biggest compound movements (squats, deadlifts, rows, & bench) will help preserve the most muscle. So as long as you're going hard on those lifts, the fat should melt off most efficiently.

    Working out a particular area won't tone up any specific area. You just want to make the weight that you lose to come from fat as much as possible.
    Grazi ....I am doing those things...maybe my workout in those areas arent kickass enough :)
  • Rogiefreida
    Rogiefreida Posts: 567 Member
    :huh: what the....

    ...sorry to tell you this but it's all about decreased body fat.
    just keep lifting heavy and log calories. You'll definitely see your body change after a few weeks/months

    QFT. Sorry OP, it's true. My batwings never budged with anything other than lifting and logging accurately.
  • PunkyDucky
    PunkyDucky Posts: 283 Member
    :huh: what the....

    ...sorry to tell you this but it's all about decreased body fat.
    just keep lifting heavy and log calories. You'll definitely see your body change after a few weeks/months
    *SIGH*

    I honestly do not get this thread. Forgive me for sounding naive, but you know about reducing body fat but don't think it's important as far as losing your "batwings"? So you want effective lifting techniques to help you along with your diet?
    ..i shall *Sigh* with you.
  • tonynguyen75
    tonynguyen75 Posts: 418 Member
    Are your lifts steadily going up each time you go in to the gym?

    What you want to avoid is getting into the habit of squatting 135 3x8 week after week and never progressing. If you're not progressing, you are not building muscle or taxing your body nearly enough.
  • GorillaNJ
    GorillaNJ Posts: 4,024 Member
    Compression shorts should keep those things under control....
  • Eleonora91
    Eleonora91 Posts: 688 Member
    I really hope it's not just about losing weight because I don't know how skinny I'll have to be to get rid of them... even though I've lost 20 kgs and I'm at a normal weight I still have them :/ I hate them because my biceps and triceps are getting toned and the rest of the arm is still so big.
  • ZOOpergal
    ZOOpergal Posts: 176 Member
    Compression shorts should keep those things under control....

    :huh: :huh:
  • loriq41
    loriq41 Posts: 479 Member
    :huh: what the....

    ...sorry to tell you this but it's all about decreased body fat.
    just keep lifting heavy and log calories. You'll definitely see your body change after a few weeks/months
    *SIGH*

    I honestly do not get this thread. Forgive me for sounding naive, but you know about reducing body fat but don't think it's important as far as losing your "batwings"? So you want effective lifting techniques to help you along with your diet?
    ..i shall *Sigh* with you.
    I never said reducing body fat was not important..WOW!! What I am saying for example is..you log correct and you do pushups for example and aren't seeing much of a gain in strength or your arms but then you try overhead presses and notice that that exercise is more effective in getting the results that you want. Sorry you don't GET this post..
  • loriq41
    loriq41 Posts: 479 Member
    I really hope it's not just about losing weight because I don't know how skinny I'll have to be to get rid of them... even though I've lost 20 kgs and I'm at a normal weight I still have them :/ I hate them because my biceps and triceps are getting toned and the rest of the arm is still so big.
    Amen sister! Thanks for not persecuting me.
  • loriq41
    loriq41 Posts: 479 Member
    Are your lifts steadily going up each time you go in to the gym?

    What you want to avoid is getting into the habit of squatting 135 3x8 week after week and never progressing. If you're not progressing, you are not building muscle or taxing your body nearly enough.
    I think the problem is that I am not progressing enough and perhaps NROLFW is just not doing it. I see strides in my shoulders, a little in my arms and definately in my legs but the arms are still failing me.
  • geckospot
    geckospot Posts: 56 Member
    Found this link on tricep exercises the other day. http://www.skinnymom.com/2014/01/01/top-5-moves-for-toned-triceps/#.UtBcmhbvxz8

    Give that try.
  • Eleonora91
    Eleonora91 Posts: 688 Member
    I really hope it's not just about losing weight because I don't know how skinny I'll have to be to get rid of them... even though I've lost 20 kgs and I'm at a normal weight I still have them :/ I hate them because my biceps and triceps are getting toned and the rest of the arm is still so big.
    Amen sister! Thanks for not persecuting me.

    I know what it means! Don't take it too personally. It's right, there's not a magic exercise that's going to make your flab disappear. As long as you lose weight (by staying at a deficit) & keep your muscle tissue (by lifting) you'll definitely see an improvement, but I'm not sure about how quickly it's going to happen and I'm not sure to which degree you're going to improve. I though I would have gotten rid of them by the time I stopped being overweight, but it didn't happen. I guess it's some kind of stubborn fat for my body...
  • Diary_Queen
    Diary_Queen Posts: 1,314 Member
    From what I've heard, read, etc. the best thing you can do is get stronger and keep working to give your skin time to shrink up as you're losing fat. In my case, my upper arms were massive and with the weight I've lost, it's just a ton of loose skin. In some cases, these batwings, like mine, won't go away without surgery. They can be smaller, they can be more filled with muscle with heavy lifting and good protein balance diet., but if the skin is beyond your body's ability to repair.. even if the fat is gone, the stretched out skin remains... kind of like really old sweatpants.. the elastic gets worn out.
  • tonynguyen75
    tonynguyen75 Posts: 418 Member
    His point is that to reduce fat across the whole body, there really isn't any exercises that will change your appearance vastly as long as you're already doing everything right.

    Calorie deficit (which you already know) losses weight. HOWEVER, weight loss is NOT synonymous with FAT loss. They are different.

    High protein aides with muscle retention, causing more of your deficit to come from fat.

    Heavy lifting in a progressive manner also aides with muscle retention, causing more of your deficit to come from fat as well.
  • LianaG1115
    LianaG1115 Posts: 453 Member
    Trainer has me working my arms because this bothers me and it's progressively getting saggier and worse with exercise. Lord it's getting worse too!! I keep working it, I hope it does get better as I work them. I hope otherwise I'm heading for plastic surgery!! :(
  • loriq41
    loriq41 Posts: 479 Member
    From what I've heard, read, etc. the best thing you can do is get stronger and keep working to give your skin time to shrink up as you're losing fat. In my case, my upper arms were massive and with the weight I've lost, it's just a ton of loose skin. In some cases, these batwings, like mine, won't go away without surgery. They can be smaller, they can be more filled with muscle with heavy lifting and good protein balance diet., but if the skin is beyond your body's ability to repair.. even if the fat is gone, the stretched out skin remains... kind of like really old sweatpants.. the elastic gets worn out.
    Thanks...I will keep at it! :)
  • loriq41
    loriq41 Posts: 479 Member
    Trainer has me working my arms because this bothers me and it's progressively getting saggier and worse with exercise. Lord it's getting worse too!! I keep working it, I hope it does get better as I work them. I hope otherwise I'm heading for plastic surgery!! :(
    Good luck to you as well! :)
  • tonynguyen75
    tonynguyen75 Posts: 418 Member
    Are your lifts steadily going up each time you go in to the gym?

    What you want to avoid is getting into the habit of squatting 135 3x8 week after week and never progressing. If you're not progressing, you are not building muscle or taxing your body nearly enough.
    I think the problem is that I am not progressing enough and perhaps NROLFW is just not doing it. I see strides in my shoulders, a little in my arms and definately in my legs but the arms are still failing me.

    If you're seeing good progress in your shoulders and legs, this may unfortunately just be an issue with your genetics. Your body will hold on to fat in specific areas longer than others. For some people it's love handles, butt or stomach. For you it sounds like your body may be genetically predisposed to want to hold on to fat around your arms (I'm assuming this is where the "bat wings" are? or "bingo wings"? The only thing that can cure this is time unfortunately. You can try to add in skull crushers, these are good at hitting that spot between your tricep heads and the shoulder.
  • loriq41
    loriq41 Posts: 479 Member
    His point is that to reduce fat across the whole body, there really isn't any exercises that will change your appearance vastly as long as you're already doing everything right.

    Calorie deficit (which you already know) losses weight. HOWEVER, weight loss is NOT synonymous with FAT loss. They are different.

    High protein aides with muscle retention, causing more of your deficit to come from fat.

    Heavy lifting in a progressive manner also aides with muscle retention, causing more of your deficit to come from fat as well.
    Thank you!
  • loriq41
    loriq41 Posts: 479 Member
    Are your lifts steadily going up each time you go in to the gym?

    What you want to avoid is getting into the habit of squatting 135 3x8 week after week and never progressing. If you're not progressing, you are not building muscle or taxing your body nearly enough.
    I think the problem is that I am not progressing enough and perhaps NROLFW is just not doing it. I see strides in my shoulders, a little in my arms and definately in my legs but the arms are still failing me.

    If you're seeing good progress in your shoulders and legs, this may unfortunately just be an issue with your genetics. Your body will hold on to fat in specific areas longer than others. For some people it's love handles, butt or stomach. For you it sounds like your body may be genetically predisposed to want to hold on to fat around your arms (I'm assuming this is where the "bat wings" are? or "bingo wings"? The only thing that can cure this is time unfortunately. You can try to add in skull crushers, these are good at hitting that spot between your tricep heads and the shoulder.
    You may be right..thanks!
  • eversmj
    eversmj Posts: 40
    Are your lifts steadily going up each time you go in to the gym?

    What you want to avoid is getting into the habit of squatting 135 3x8 week after week and never progressing. If you're not progressing, you are not building muscle or taxing your body nearly enough.
    I think the problem is that I am not progressing enough and perhaps NROLFW is just not doing it. I see strides in my shoulders, a little in my arms and definately in my legs but the arms are still failing me.

    To Tony's point, you should try to increase your working weight every time you do that particular lift. If you're still relatively new this shouldn't be a problem to do, even if you are adding just 1lb to the bar. Make linear progress for as long as you can.
  • loriq41
    loriq41 Posts: 479 Member
    Found this link on tricep exercises the other day. http://www.skinnymom.com/2014/01/01/top-5-moves-for-toned-triceps/#.UtBcmhbvxz8

    Give that try.
    I will..thanks!
  • loriq41
    loriq41 Posts: 479 Member
    Are your lifts steadily going up each time you go in to the gym?

    What you want to avoid is getting into the habit of squatting 135 3x8 week after week and never progressing. If you're not progressing, you are not building muscle or taxing your body nearly enough.
    I think the problem is that I am not progressing enough and perhaps NROLFW is just not doing it. I see strides in my shoulders, a little in my arms and definately in my legs but the arms are still failing me.

    To Tony's point, you should try to increase your working weight every time you do that particular lift. If you're still relatively new this shouldn't be a problem to do, even if you are adding just 1lb to the bar. Make linear progress for as long as you can.
    Thanks!