Ideal arm size?

bms34b
bms34b Posts: 401 Member
edited November 12 in Health and Weight Loss
Alright. So. In general, I'm really happy with how my body has been responding to me watching what I eat and whatnot...I'm happy with the pace at which I'm losing, and I'm happy with my measurements...EXCEPT for my arms!! I'm sorta stubby in general which is fine, but my arm measurements just aren't budging at all.

(I'm 5'5", 135, and my arms are 11.75ish around)

Do you guys have ideal arm measurements? What are they now? What are you doing to get there?
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Replies

  • superhippiechik
    superhippiechik Posts: 1,044 Member
    Jillian Michaels 30 day shred took 1/2 inches off each arm.
  • ashley_jorah
    ashley_jorah Posts: 71 Member
    I dont' know what ideal is, but I'm ~130lbs, 5'5" and my upper arm is 11".
    But I may have fairly strong arms compared to some people.
  • ambercole
    ambercole Posts: 426
    My arms have never gotten smaller. I lost 120lbs about 3 years ago going from 250lbs to 130lbs and didnt lose a single inch in my arms. They do get significantly bigger when I lift weights though. :grumble:
  • Julezebub
    Julezebub Posts: 106
    Snap!
    Having measured my arms for the first time right now around the centre of the bicep they also measure 11.75 or 30cm

    I'm 5ft 7 (170cm) and 155lb 70.3kg
  • fenix1976
    fenix1976 Posts: 33 Member
    11 inch here as well....ive lost 15 lb nonthing off my arms * cry*
  • becksini
    becksini Posts: 17 Member
    My arms are 9 inches around the bicep. I've lost about 20-25 pounds and my arms are totally smaller! I've got a small frame naturally though so im just small all around
  • RachVR6
    RachVR6 Posts: 3,688 Member
    Mine are definitely bigger at this weight, with my weight going down, than they were at this weight when I was gaining. My biceps are 13.25" (167lbs, 5'3"). Though I just started P90x again and I knoooow I'm gaining tons of muscle. They're down 0.25" after the first 30days and I guess we'll see where they're at after the remaining 60days of the program.
  • brianna626
    brianna626 Posts: 156
    Currently my arm is 10.25 inches. I believe ideal for me would be somewhere between 9 and 9.5.
  • emilymiesel
    emilymiesel Posts: 207 Member
    I've lost about 1/4in so far from:

    1) every time I go to the bathroom I have to do 12 reps with my 5lb dumbbells of any arm workout! Leave the weights in the bathroom as a constant reminder. If you're drinking adequate water those reps will add up!

    2) do 2 min intervals on elliptical of using my arms to move the leg part.. (hope that makes sense!) it gets harder as you up the resistance and you're moving your own weight!) I usually do one set every 10min and sometimes I go longer than 2min..just till I have a good burn goin-then sustain the burn for at least a min!

    3) scrubbing dishes!

    I also do weights 2-3 times a week and do a lot of arm work and then legs..I use my apartment complex gym and there's not much machinery to choose from!
  • thedreamhazer
    thedreamhazer Posts: 1,156 Member
    I lost 2.5 inches from each arm before I hit weight training. I then added on 1/2 an inch. So my question is, do you want smaller arms or more toned arms? If you're just going for smaller, you probably want to avoid arm-focused weight training. If you want toned, go for it! (I recommend going for it!)

    When it comes to fat, though, keep in mind that you're not going to spot reduce. Your body loses fat the way it, personally, is genetically programmed to lose fat. But you're never going to see bicep and/or tricep lines without building a little muscle, anyway!


    I do rows, bench presses, dips, chin-ups/pull-ups, and push-ups. Occasionally, I'll throw in a tricep row, or a combo bicep curl and overhead press, but I've found these to be unnecessary if I'm focusing on form with my other multi-muscle exercises.
  • my arm size is 9.5 inches im a male 5ft and my ideal arm size is 12 inches
  • my weight is 140 im 5ft my arm size is 9.5 inches im a male.
  • Danni3ll3
    Danni3ll3 Posts: 365 Member
    I am 5'5" too and I just measured my arm for the first time: 11" around. I consider my arms to be one of my best features (arms, hands and feet stay skinny even though my body didn't when I gained weight). I would not want my arms to be significantly smaller than they are right now.

    I have an hour glass figure so maybe that is why I like my arms they way they are. If they were any slimmer, they would look like toothpicks coming out of my shoulders.
  • In the last 20 lbs I've lost my arms went from 12.5 to 11.25, My goal from the beginning has been 11, I think anything less for me is unachievable, lol. Now that I'm almost there I notice some of its lose but I haven't worked out at all since I've started to lose weight so I think I've done good thus far, lol.
  • Mustang_Susie
    Mustang_Susie Posts: 7,045 Member
    I think your end arm circumference from weight loss is genetic.
    Muscle gain is another story.
    I have always had skinny spaghetti arms and would need to do some serious bulking to build muscle/size.
  • awesomeandrea22
    awesomeandrea22 Posts: 1 Member
    right now i weigh about 115 pounds and am 5'5 (well if we want to get technical i'm 5 foot 4.75, but whatever) my BMI is 19.1, and my arm circumference is 9.5 inches just below the shoulder muscle and 8.5 inches just above the elbow. my ideal would probably be 8.5 for upper arm and 7.5 for lower upper arm i know that one inch of fat is 8 pounds so i guess 105 is my goal ugh i still have a long way to go i don't understand cos i lost 15 pounds (130 to 115 lbs) and my upper arms went from 12 in to 9.5 inches but i guess i have extra skin or something cos for a while i was 110 pounds but my arms were still 9.5 inches around...i never understood why people would want bigger arms because let me tell you, it's no fun but whatever.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    right now i weigh about 115 pounds and am 5'5 (well if we want to get technical i'm 5 foot 4.75, but whatever) my BMI is 19.1, and my arm circumference is 9.5 inches just below the shoulder muscle and 8.5 inches just above the elbow. my ideal would probably be 8.5 for upper arm and 7.5 for lower upper arm i know that one inch of fat is 8 pounds so i guess 105 is my goal ugh i still have a long way to go i don't understand cos i lost 15 pounds (130 to 115 lbs) and my upper arms went from 12 in to 9.5 inches but i guess i have extra skin or something cos for a while i was 110 pounds but my arms were still 9.5 inches around...i never understood why people would want bigger arms because let me tell you, it's no fun but whatever.

    That is not how it works. You could lose 8 lbs and it could come off other places (such as your chest or glutes). Also I would not aim to be underweight. If you aren't happy with your current body composition then the problem isn't so much fat but lack of muscle base, unless your aim is to just be a smaller version of your current body.

    You know people have different goals right? I would love to have more muscle on my arms to balance out my frame.
  • Mouse_Potato
    Mouse_Potato Posts: 1,512 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    right now i weigh about 115 pounds and am 5'5 (well if we want to get technical i'm 5 foot 4.75, but whatever) my BMI is 19.1, and my arm circumference is 9.5 inches just below the shoulder muscle and 8.5 inches just above the elbow. my ideal would probably be 8.5 for upper arm and 7.5 for lower upper arm i know that one inch of fat is 8 pounds so i guess 105 is my goal ugh i still have a long way to go i don't understand cos i lost 15 pounds (130 to 115 lbs) and my upper arms went from 12 in to 9.5 inches but i guess i have extra skin or something cos for a while i was 110 pounds but my arms were still 9.5 inches around...i never understood why people would want bigger arms because let me tell you, it's no fun but whatever.

    That is not how it works. You could lose 8 lbs and it could come off other places (such as your chest or glutes). Also I would not aim to be underweight. If you aren't happy with your current body composition then the problem isn't so much fat but lack of muscle base, unless your aim is to just be a smaller version of your current body.

    You know people have different goals right? I would love to have more muscle on my arms to balance out my frame.

    Yeah, this thread didn't really go where I was expecting either. I would like to add another inch or so to each bicep and definitely to my forearms! They look so scrawny. :cry:
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    right now i weigh about 115 pounds and am 5'5 (well if we want to get technical i'm 5 foot 4.75, but whatever) my BMI is 19.1, and my arm circumference is 9.5 inches just below the shoulder muscle and 8.5 inches just above the elbow. my ideal would probably be 8.5 for upper arm and 7.5 for lower upper arm i know that one inch of fat is 8 pounds so i guess 105 is my goal ugh i still have a long way to go i don't understand cos i lost 15 pounds (130 to 115 lbs) and my upper arms went from 12 in to 9.5 inches but i guess i have extra skin or something cos for a while i was 110 pounds but my arms were still 9.5 inches around...i never understood why people would want bigger arms because let me tell you, it's no fun but whatever.

    That is not how it works. You could lose 8 lbs and it could come off other places (such as your chest or glutes). Also I would not aim to be underweight. If you aren't happy with your current body composition then the problem isn't so much fat but lack of muscle base, unless your aim is to just be a smaller version of your current body.

    You know people have different goals right? I would love to have more muscle on my arms to balance out my frame.

    Yeah, this thread didn't really go where I was expecting either. I would like to add another inch or so to each bicep and definitely to my forearms! They look so scrawny. :cry:

    Zombie thread from almost 5 years ago.
  • Mouse_Potato
    Mouse_Potato Posts: 1,512 Member
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    sardelsa wrote: »
    right now i weigh about 115 pounds and am 5'5 (well if we want to get technical i'm 5 foot 4.75, but whatever) my BMI is 19.1, and my arm circumference is 9.5 inches just below the shoulder muscle and 8.5 inches just above the elbow. my ideal would probably be 8.5 for upper arm and 7.5 for lower upper arm i know that one inch of fat is 8 pounds so i guess 105 is my goal ugh i still have a long way to go i don't understand cos i lost 15 pounds (130 to 115 lbs) and my upper arms went from 12 in to 9.5 inches but i guess i have extra skin or something cos for a while i was 110 pounds but my arms were still 9.5 inches around...i never understood why people would want bigger arms because let me tell you, it's no fun but whatever.

    That is not how it works. You could lose 8 lbs and it could come off other places (such as your chest or glutes). Also I would not aim to be underweight. If you aren't happy with your current body composition then the problem isn't so much fat but lack of muscle base, unless your aim is to just be a smaller version of your current body.

    You know people have different goals right? I would love to have more muscle on my arms to balance out my frame.

    Yeah, this thread didn't really go where I was expecting either. I would like to add another inch or so to each bicep and definitely to my forearms! They look so scrawny. :cry:

    Zombie thread from almost 5 years ago.

    Kittens! I'm usually pretty good about noticing such things. I guess I got all excited...
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
    Ideal arms for what? A Barbie doll, a bodybuilder, a monkey? Your arms is part of your genetic make-up - it will not be the same as someone else's.....
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    5'4". I have 11 inch arms when I'm below 135 and 12 inch arms between 135-150.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    my arm is 12.5 inches.

    i dont know what it was 100 pounds ago. the reports dont back that far.

    a year ago it was 14.

    well see what it is this time next year lol
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    sardelsa wrote: »
    right now i weigh about 115 pounds and am 5'5 (well if we want to get technical i'm 5 foot 4.75, but whatever) my BMI is 19.1, and my arm circumference is 9.5 inches just below the shoulder muscle and 8.5 inches just above the elbow. my ideal would probably be 8.5 for upper arm and 7.5 for lower upper arm i know that one inch of fat is 8 pounds so i guess 105 is my goal ugh i still have a long way to go i don't understand cos i lost 15 pounds (130 to 115 lbs) and my upper arms went from 12 in to 9.5 inches but i guess i have extra skin or something cos for a while i was 110 pounds but my arms were still 9.5 inches around...i never understood why people would want bigger arms because let me tell you, it's no fun but whatever.

    That is not how it works. You could lose 8 lbs and it could come off other places (such as your chest or glutes). Also I would not aim to be underweight. If you aren't happy with your current body composition then the problem isn't so much fat but lack of muscle base, unless your aim is to just be a smaller version of your current body.

    You know people have different goals right? I would love to have more muscle on my arms to balance out my frame.

    Yeah, this thread didn't really go where I was expecting either. I would like to add another inch or so to each bicep and definitely to my forearms! They look so scrawny. :cry:

    Zombie thread from almost 5 years ago.

    Kittens! I'm usually pretty good about noticing such things. I guess I got all excited...

    i rarely notice lol
  • Davidsdottir
    Davidsdottir Posts: 1,285 Member
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    5'4". I have 11 inch arms when I'm below 135 and 12 inch arms between 135-150.

    12" is my goal. Right now I'm at 11".
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    right now i weigh about 115 pounds and am 5'5 (well if we want to get technical i'm 5 foot 4.75, but whatever) my BMI is 19.1, and my arm circumference is 9.5 inches just below the shoulder muscle and 8.5 inches just above the elbow. my ideal would probably be 8.5 for upper arm and 7.5 for lower upper arm i know that one inch of fat is 8 pounds so i guess 105 is my goal ugh i still have a long way to go i don't understand cos i lost 15 pounds (130 to 115 lbs) and my upper arms went from 12 in to 9.5 inches but i guess i have extra skin or something cos for a while i was 110 pounds but my arms were still 9.5 inches around...i never understood why people would want bigger arms because let me tell you, it's no fun but whatever.

    The original thread is old, but this reply is from today and very concerning.

    WHY do you have a specific goal of 8.5"? That seems like a very strange thing to be focused on. Surely you don't have a problem with clothe fitting, or anything like that? You are already at the very low end of the healthy BMI. A goal of 105 at 5'5" is officially "underweight". I would encourage you to talk to a doctor or counselor about your weight loss goals and body image issues.
  • Bridget28152723
    Bridget28152723 Posts: 372 Member
    It depends on a lot..that sounds like a thin arm to me. I'm 5'7" and my bicep is 12.5 . I weigh 173. I also lift weights. Id like to lose more fat in my upper arms. I have long arms and legs.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    5'4". I have 11 inch arms when I'm below 135 and 12 inch arms between 135-150.

    12" is my goal. Right now I'm at 11".

    They grew while I was eating like crazy and doing a ton of direct arm work. I feel iffy about them. Like I love the FEELING of getting bigger, but sometimes I like the smaller look better. Sometimes.
  • Davidsdottir
    Davidsdottir Posts: 1,285 Member
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    5'4". I have 11 inch arms when I'm below 135 and 12 inch arms between 135-150.

    12" is my goal. Right now I'm at 11".

    They grew while I was eating like crazy and doing a ton of direct arm work. I feel iffy about them. Like I love the FEELING of getting bigger, but sometimes I like the smaller look better. Sometimes.

    Yeah, I've gone up half an inch since I started this bulk!
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