The natural loss of lean muscle mass as you age can be a buzzkill in your everyday life. After you turn 30, you can lose anywhere from 3% to 5% of your muscle mass every 10 years if you don’t do anything to preserve it, according to Harvard Health Publishing. Having low muscle mass can make you less mobile and weak. This makes performing daily tasks challenging, and you’re at a heightened risk of suffering from a low-trauma fracture if you fall.
While you can lose muscle mass in all parts of your body, primarily your legs, your arms also lose strength as you age. As such, when you’re past middle age, it’s important to consume a diet high in protein as well as perform exercises to regain muscle mass in your arms. Stephanie Thomas, a personal trainer on Fyt, the largest personal training service in the nation that makes virtual or in-person, expert-guided fitness convenient for everyone, reveals the best exercises to regain arm muscle mass.
Thomas suggests first practicing each exercise without added weights so you get comfortable with the proper form and avoid potential injuries. Keeping up with your physical fitness and staying strong as you age is the name of the game, so don’t sleep on enhancing your workout routine with these go-to moves she recommends to her clients. Read on, and for more, don’t miss The Best Exercises To Regain Strength as You Age, Expert Says.
To perform bicep curls, position your feet hip-width distance apart, and hold a dumbbell in each hand. Make sure your palms face outward as you bend at the arms until the dumbbells are close to your chest. Gradually release your arms to return back to the starting position. That counts as one rep. Complete three sets of 10 to 12 reps total.
For tricep pushups, position yourself on all fours in a plank. Your shoulders should be stacked over your wrists and your elbows tucked in close to your body. Lower down until your body hovers above the floor. Utilize your core and triceps to lift your body back up to the position you started in. Perform three sets of eight to 10 reps.
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This next exercise starts with you standing tall and placing your feet hip-width distance apart. Hold a light- to medium-weight dumbbell in each hand, making sure your palms face your body. Raise your arms until they’re parallel to the floor. Make sure your elbows don’t lock; keep a micro-bend in each one. Gradually bring your arms back down to the starting position to finish the first rep. Perform three sets of 10 to 12 reps.
To begin plank shoulder taps, assume a plank. Keep your shoulders stacked over your wrists, then bring your right hand up to your left shoulder to tap it, and switch sides. Keep your core activated throughout this exercise, and try not to move your hips. Perform three sets of 30 seconds for each set.
Last but not least, let’s wrap up with tricep dips. Sit down on a sturdy bench with your palms facing your body. Use your hands to raise your body off the bench. You can keep your legs straight or bend them at a 90-degree angle. Then, lower your body until it’s hovering above the floor by bending at your elbows at about 90 degrees. Lift your elbows back up so that your glutes are in line with the bench, but don’t sit on the bench! That counts as one rep. Perform three sets of 12 reps.
Alexa Mellardo
Alexa is the Mind + Body Deputy Editor of Eat This, Not That!, overseeing the M+B channel and delivering compelling fitness, wellness, and self-care topics to readers. Read more about Alexa
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