Having beautifully toned arms is something a lot of us desire. Not only is it aesthetically pleasing, but its also a sign of strength, flexibility and all-round fitness.
But as we age, the battle for firm, toned arms can seem a challenge. Our muscle mass naturally declines and the process of ageing can start to have its impact on all aspects of our body – including our arms.
If you’re wondering if you can even tone your arms after 50, don’t worry, you absolutely can! You just need to know what exercises to do that specifically target the arm muscles.
This guide outlines the best arm exercises for women over 50 looking to combat flabby arms. As we age, it’s about finding exercises that best suit our bodies and goals. These following arm exercises are beginner-friendly so anyone can get started with them right away.
Best Arm Exercises for Women Over 50
The upper arm is roughly two thirds tricep, one third bicep. This means toning the tricep will give us the biggest immediate impact on the appearance of our upper arms.
Triceps are also often the culprit for flabby arms so exercises that target the tricep will often help best combat this.
The exercises below offer a good range of movements to test and strengthen the arm from lots of angles. This helps create a great all-round workout to get the best results.
Tricep Cable Pull Downs
The tricep cable pull down is a great gym exercise to tone and define the tricep.
There are lots of variations of the pull down, depending on your grip. Using a rope instead of a traditional cable bar will influence how your triceps are engaged so you can constantly mix it up to ensure your triceps are getting tested each workout.
Similarly, if you don’t have access to a cable machine in a gym, you can use resistance bands to achieve the same result.
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and hold the cable bar or rope. With your elbows tucked in, pull down, engaging your triceps. Avoid a swinging motion and keep in control at all times. Adjust the weight as necessary.
Bicep Curls
Bicep curls are a popular exercise and great for all-round arm toning.
This will target the bicep but you can add variations to target the biceps differently, depending on the grip. This will influence if the inner or outer bicep head is engaged and thus stimulated.
Hold dumbbells in each hand and slowly raise each dumbbell, bending at the elbow.
Tricep Dips
Tricep dips will tone your arms, shoulders and chest.
Start by sitting on the edge of a bench or chair. Slowly raise yourself down while still holding the edge of the bench or chair. Tense your triceps to push yourself back up. Repeat this motion for the desired number of repetitions.
Lateral Raises
Lateral raises predominately target the shoulders but this will impact the overall appearance of your arms. Defined, toned shoulders will make a big difference to the overall look of your upper arms.
Stand with feet shoulder width apart, holding the dumbbells. Raise each dumbbell outwards while maintaining a straight arm.
Push Ups
Push ups are a great all-round exercise, strengthening the chest, arms and shoulders.
For toning arms, have your hands closer together – this will make it harder so you may want to have your knees on the floor to begin with.
Starting in a plank position, slowly lower yourself to the floor and back up again. Keep your elbows close to your body.
Tricep Kickbacks
Tricep kickbacks will help add definition to your triceps.
Lean forward and hold a dumbbell is your hand. Bend your elbow to straighten your arm, squeezing your tricep in the process. Return to the starting position and repeat.
Arm Workout for Women Over 50
Getting toned arms after 50 is without doubt possible – it just takes a bit of hard work and dedication.
You can create your very own arm workout at home by selecting a handful of those exercises and doing them a couple of times a week. Aim for somewhere in the region of between 6-15 repetitions per set. You may wish to do 3 sets per exercise.
If you’re just getting started, try the over 50’s arm workout become from Schellea Fowler. This requires no equipment and you can do it at home or when you’re on holiday. It’s a great way to get the arms moving and ready for toning!
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