Bingo wing attack. Banish the wobble!

For those of you not familiar with the term, 'bingo wings' refers to the ‘wobble’ that appears underneath upper arms. The problem shows up when arms aren’t toned, or after weight loss leaves loose skin. It isn’t just a female issue; men can get 'chap flaps' too. 

Whatever we call them, most of us would rather not have them – so what can we do to banish bingo wings?

Losing fat won’t produce toned arms, just smaller arms. To tighten things up, you need to exercise. The muscles that you need to work are the triceps – these are the muscles that straighten your arms and pull against your biceps.

Most everyday activities don’t exercise these muscles, so unless you are a regular church bell-ringer you will need to do some work.

Here is a ten-minute bingo wings blaster, with accessible exercises for anyone. Do remember to warm up first, especially if you aren’t used to exercising. Too much too soon can cause injury, so start gently, even though you may think these exercises seem very easy.

The particular exercises that will work include:

• Push ups and press ups – as well as the standard ‘marines’ version, try vertical pushes against a wall, or the easier floor version starting on all fours.
• Tricep dips; be careful with technique on these. This short video gives some excellent hints. Don’t worry if you don’t want big muscles; they won’t creep up on you!
• Remember to balance things out by strengthening your biceps as well. Try these  exercises to add tone to the front of your upper arms and support your joints.

Add these short sessions to your regular swim and gym visits, and watch those bingo wings fly away!