Why do my arms look old?
Although arms lose muscle tone with aging, strength conditioning can help reverse the process.
You can strengthen your delts (shoulders), biceps (fronts of your upper arms), and the triceps (backs of your upper arms) thanks to the convenience of using dumbbells. And, of course, if you want to tone your arms, strength training is a must. Regular arm exercises are your greatest bet for building strength and tone. Think of every muscle in your arms when you’re doing out. To gain muscle mass or strength, we must perform exercises that gradually increase our workload.
Training volume is the best way to gauge this. Training volume is determined by the number of repetitions divided by the weight you’re lifting. To increase your training volume, you can raise the total load, increase the frequency of training, increase the number of sets and reps you perform, or use techniques to enhance the intensity. Either raise the weight you use, train your arms more frequently, do more sets or reps, or add a “finisher” round to exhaust your muscles entirely after each set, attempt to squeeze in 4 more reps to raise your overall training volume and build strength, which will allow you to lift heavier weight eventually.
To prevent injury, be sure to use proper form and avoid being too heavyweight. If you are new to lifting weights, stick with 1-5 pound weights, and increase your repetitions.
Warm-up before working out with weights.
Take a brisk walk, or do arm circles, arm swings, or pushups to get your blood circulating and your muscles warmed up.
Instructions: For a full arm workout, follow the moves from the list below. Perform 30 reps of each, then continue to the next move.
Biceps Curls
How to: Start standing with feet hip-width apart, holding a pair of dumbbells at the sides. Palms should be facing forward with back straight and chest upright. Without moving upper arms, bend elbows and bring weights up toward the shoulders. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to starting position with control. That’s one rep.
Tricep Kickback
How to: Start standing with feet two-fists-width apart with knees bent. Lean forward slightly, with a dumbbell in each hand and elbows at 90-degrees by the sides. Press dumbbells back and up, and as you straighten your arms, squeezing triceps. Return to start. That’s one rep.
Upright Rows
How to: Start standing with feet hip-width apart, with arms resting in front of the body and a dumbbell in each hand. Lift dumbbells by raising elbows until they reach chest level. Slowly lower them back down to the waist with control, and repeat. That’s one rep.
Skull Crusher
How to: Grab two dumbbells of choice and lie face up on a bench or the floor; I have also done this in a standing position.
Extend your arms toward the ceiling with palms facing inward and the dumbbell shaft vertical to ensure your upper arms are not moving back and forth (to avoid loading the shoulders) as you flex your elbows and lower the dumbbells down. Exhale here
Continue this phase with control until the dumbbells reach just behind your ears; begin to reverse this movement by straightening your arms and pushing the dumbbells back up to the starting position. Make sure not to lock your elbows at the top. That’s one rep.
Bicep with external rotation
W Curls
The W Curl is rightly named because of the shape your arms make when doing this bicep exercise.
How to: Extend your arms down to your sides with an underhand grip.
Your palms will face outward with the back of your hands against your sides.
Bring your arms up at a 45-degree angle; once your arms make a W shape, slowly lower them back down to the starting point. That’s one rep.
Military Press
How to: Standing tailbone tucked and core engaged. Bring elbows up and out, so arms form 90-degree angles, like a field goal, with dumbbells in hands. Press right arm up to straight until right bicep is near the right ear. Lower down to return to the field goal position, then repeat with the left arm. That’s one rep.
Frontal Lifts
How to: Stand with a dumbbell in each hand. Position your arms in front of you, with your palms facing your thighs.
Slowly raise the dumbbells, keeping your arms straight until your arms are parallel to the ground.
Slowly return the dumbbells to the starting position. That’s one rep.
Lateral Lifts
How to: Stand with your arms at your sides and a dumbbell in each hand.
With your palms facing your body and your elbows slightly bent, raise the dumbbells, so your arms are parallel to the floor. You should be making a T-shape.
Slowly lower the dumbbells to the starting position. That’s one rep.
Strong shoulders are essential because most arm movements involve the shoulders. In addition, strong shoulders provide support and stability to the shoulder joint and lower your risk of arm injuries.
Rest for a day or two between your arm-strengthening workouts to allow your muscles to recover.
Please contact your healthcare professional before beginning any exercise program.
