People commonly complain about sagging arms after 60. Most blame extra fat, which does play a part, but arm sag is usually a result of muscle loss. When the muscles shrink as you get older, there’s nothing for the skin to rest against. Most of the clients I’ve worked with over 60 made the biggest changes in their arms through rebuilding muscle rather than simply weight loss.
Group classes are a great way to elevate your heart rate, but often they don’t restore arm muscle because the weights are too light. It’s hard for an exercise instructor to have enough heavy weights in a class to suit everyone, so you end up using 3- or 5-pound dumbbells instead. If you want to firm sagging arms after 60, you need to lift relatively heavy weights to give your muscles the proper stimulus to grow.
I use the following movements with clients to strengthen the entire arm. By rebuilding the triceps, the biceps, the forearm and the shoulders, you can change your arm composition. Plus, added muscle increases the rate at which you lose total body fat. These five exercises cover the whole arm and the shoulder. Use a weight for each exercise that makes the last two reps challenging. You want to work close to failure. That is what’s going to make your muscles grow and get rid of that sagging skin.
Standing Overhead Triceps Extension
The triceps comprise two-thirds of your upper arm. This is the back of your arm, which is where most people complain about sagging skin. Lift a weight overhead with both arms. The overhead triceps extension focuses on the long head of the triceps, but your medial head gets worked as well. As you bend the elbow, lowering the dumbbell back, keep your shoulder in the same position for the whole time. You just want to focus on flexing the elbow and extending it rather than moving your entire arm forward and back.
How to Do It
- Stand tall holding one dumbbell with both hands
- Press it straight overhead
- Keep your elbows close to your head
- Lower the weight slowly behind you
- Press back up without flaring the elbows
- Repeat for 10 to 12 repetitions.
RELATED: 5 Home Exercises That Firm Belly Overhang Faster Than Gym Workouts After 55
Standing Dumbbell Curl
Now, let’s focus on the front of the arm. Grab two weights and hold them by your sides. Flex your elbow and raise the weights up, keeping your arms pinned at your sides. Lower the weight to the starting position with control. Think about raising up on a 2-second count and lowering with a 3-second count. Emphasize form and muscle pump on each set rather than weight. If you can feel your biceps and forearms getting fatigued, that’s more important than being able to lift the heaviest weight.
How to Do It
- Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand
- Keep your upper arms pinned at your sides
- Curl both weights toward your shoulders
- Squeeze hard at the top
- Lower over three slow seconds
- Repeat for 10 to 12 repetitions.
Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press
A muscular shoulder gives your whole arm a defined look. Having that cap at the top of your arm improves overall aesthetics and reduces that sagging skin look. Shoulder press also utilizes the triceps, so you’re going to train the back of the arm with this movement in addition to the deltoids.
As you press up, keep your core tight and make sure to press straight over your head. Sometimes people with tighter shoulders press up and forward and the dumbbell ends up in front of them, which turns the movement into a forward raise.
How to Do It
- Stand tall with dumbbells at shoulder height
- Brace your midsection and keep ribs down
- Press both weights straight overhead
- Lower until elbows reach shoulder height
- Avoid leaning back at the top
- Repeat for 8 to 10 repetitions.
RELATED: 4 Standing Exercises That Rebuild Calf Strength Faster Than Treadmills After 65
Standing Hammer Curl
The hammer curl trains the brachialis, which is the muscle underneath the bicep. A bigger brachialis increases overall arm definition. You also train your forearms with this exercise. Curl both weights like with the standard dumbbell curl, but keep your wrists neutral, or pointing up, the entire time.
How to Do It
- Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand
- Turn your palms to face your legs
- Keep your upper arms pinned at your sides
- Curl both weights toward your shoulders
- Hold the neutral grip throughout
- Lower slowly for 10 to 12 repetitions.
RELATED: 4 Daily Exercises That Restore Thigh Strength Faster Than Squats After 65
Standing Dumbbell Row
Standing rows strengthen the upper back, your biceps, and your grip. You also build the rear delts, the back of the shoulder. The other benefit of the dumbbell row is that it pulls your shoulders into a better postural position. This keeps you healthy, and it will reduce that “hunched over” look most people get from computer work and screen time.
Hinge forward and pull the weights in towards your ribs. Keep the shoulder blades pulled back and down through each rep and engage the core throughout.
How to Do It
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand
- Push your hips back and hinge forward
- Keep your spine long and chest tall
- Pull both weights toward your ribs
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together
- Lower slowly and repeat
- Perform 10 to 12 reps.
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