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If you’re hoping to get rid of that annoying armpit shake and tighten things up in time for spring, you’ve come to the right place. We spoke with Michelle SameTraining Development Manager at Pure Barre, which breaks down the benefits of sculpting strong inner arm muscles, as well as the nine best exercises for getting rid of underarm fat.
Ditto explains that your armpit/inner arm is made up of your triceps, biceps, rotator cuff, and chest muscles. Each of these muscles attaches to your shoulder joint. By strengthening the inner muscles of your arms, you provide your shoulder joints with much better mobility.
“As the most mobile joint in the body, shoulder mobility is essential to allow freedom of movement and less pain during daily activities,” says Ditto. “When you can better maneuver your shoulder through its full range of motion, you allow your muscles to perform at their best, which increases strength and mobility.”
Unfortunately, targeting a specific area for fat loss – aka “spot reduction” – is a total myth. The good news? You can focus on certain muscle groups to increase their strength and work on “muscle activation,” which is key to changing your body composition over time, Ditto says. “Focusing on the core motors of the upper body is key,” she adds.
Now let’s move on to Ditto’s most recommended firming exercises. Start with eight to twelve reps, three to five rounds, depending on what you feel most comfortable with and the weight of the weights you’re working with. “Consider that you want to reach a point of fatigue without losing proper form,” says Ditto.
It’s time to get rid of armpit fat and get the strong, defined muscles you desire. Keep reading to learn more, and then don’t miss 6 Best Exercises for Men to Get Bigger Arms.
Triceps Dips
For triceps dips, you’ll start seated with your hands under your shoulders and your fingers pointing forward. Press your body so that it hovers above the ground. Next, switch between flexing and extending your elbows to bring your body down and then up.
If you want to modify this exercise, Ditto says, “Consider keeping your seat on the floor and bending your elbows from there to take some of the weight off the shoulders/triceps. To challenge this position, consider extending one leg for the ceiling (be sure to even it out on the other side).”
Pull chair
You will need a chair or object that you can easily and safely remove for this exercise. Bend both knees so that they form 90 degree angles. Keep them on your ankles. Make sure your arms and chest are straight, and your shoulders line up with your hips. Then “pull” your shoulders back and down. “This in itself engages your arms,” Ditto says.
To complete the challenge, start bending and extending your arms and lean forward a bit to activate your biceps and chest.
Push ups
Next, get ready for that “tried and true” exercise: push-ups. “Consider varying hand placement, as you want to maintain your posture and neck alignment throughout the movement,” says Ditto. “Think of a push-up as a ‘moving plank’; your core should stay tight throughout and squeeze your glutes to take the weight off your lower back!”
If traditional push-ups are too difficult, feel free to perform push-ups on your knees while working through the full range of motion of your upper body.
Isometric chest press
As you raise and lower your elbows in the isometric chest press, Ditto asks you to “remember to continually squeeze the heads of the weights together to engage your chest muscles throughout.” She adds, “Focus on maintaining proper postering and alignment to keep your neck long and your shoulders down and away from your ears without lowering your shoulder blades.”
For a greater challenge, incorporate two pushes of your elbows toward each other as you lower them both. This can engage the muscles on the inside of your arms more.
Supinated chest flies
To perform this exercise, place your palms up as you open and close both arms. According to Ditto, “Think about isometrically flexing your biceps throughout, and close your arms thinking about leading with your elbows to maintain shoulder stability.”
If necessary for mobility in your shoulders, feel free to lower both arms slightly and opt for a smaller range of motion.
goal post
Then it’s time for the goal post. Bend both elbows to form 90 degree angles. Stack your wrists over your elbows. As you open and close your arms, lead with your elbows and flex your triceps.
For an added challenge, incorporate a side arm extension as you open your arms sideways to further activate your shoulders, biceps, and lats.
Side reach
Start in a bent elbow position, keeping your elbows close to your rib cage. Then extend both arms out to the side, keeping them aligned with your shoulders. Next, squeeze your elbows toward the starting position near your rib cage. Consider flipping your palms up to further engage your biceps.
Separate the bands
You will need a resistance band for this exercise. Bring your arms forward, pulling the resistance band as wide as you can while keeping your core activated and maintaining good posture.
For an added challenge, form an isometric grip, keeping as much tension on the band and in your muscles as you can.
Tricep extension
Finally, we will finish these exercises to get rid of armpit fat with triceps extensions. Ditto says, “From a hip-hinged position with a flat back and soft knees, extend and bend your arms. You want your elbows slightly above your rib cage to effectively engage the triceps while keeping your long neck and avoiding rounding the shoulders forward (shoulder adduction).”
Feel free to play with the intensity by lowering your arms a little or performing this exercise without weights.
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