The natural loss of lean muscle mass as you age can be a hindrance in your everyday life. After you turn 30, you can lose 3-5% of your muscle mass every 10 years if you do nothing to preserve it, according to Harvard Health Publication. Having little muscle mass can make you less mobile and weak. This makes performing daily tasks challenging, and you are at greater risk of a minor trauma fracture if you fall.
While you can lose muscle mass in all parts of your body, mainly your legsits arms also lose strength with age. As such, when you get past middle age, it’s important to eat a high-protein diet, as well as perform training to recover muscle mass in the arms. Stephanie Thomasa personal trainer in suitableAmerica’s largest personal training service that makes expert-guided, virtual or in-person fitness convenient for everyone, reveals the best exercises for rebuilding arm muscle mass.
Thomas suggests practicing each exercise without additional weights first so that you feel comfortable with proper form and avoid potential injury. Keeping up with your fitness and staying strong as you age is the name of the game, so be sure to upgrade your fitness routine with these moves she recommends to her clients. Keep reading, and for more, do not miss The best exercises to regain strength as you age, says an expert.
To perform bicep curls, place your feet hip-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand. Make sure your palms face out as you bend your arms until the dumbbells are close to your chest. Release your arms gradually to return to the starting position. That counts as one repetition. Complete three sets of 10 to 12 total reps.
For triceps pushups, position yourself on all fours on a plank. Your shoulders should be stacked over your wrists and your elbows tucked in close to your body. Lower yourself until your body hovers above the ground. Use your core and triceps to lift your body up to the position you started in. Perform three sets of eight to 10 repetitions.
The next exercise begins with you standing with your feet hip-width apart. Hold a light to medium weight dumbbell in each hand, making sure your palms face your body. Raise your arms until they are parallel to the floor. Make sure your elbows don’t lock; maintain a microcurve in each. Gradually lower your arms back to the starting position to finish the first repetition. Perform three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions.
To begin table shoulder taps, assume a table. Keep your shoulders stacked over your wrists, then bring your right hand up to touch your left shoulder and switch sides. Keep your core engaged during this exercise and try not to move your hips. Perform three sets of 30 seconds for each set.
Last but not least, let’s finish with triceps dips. Sit on a sturdy bench with your palms facing your body. Use your hands to lift your body off the bench. You can keep your legs straight or bend them at a 90 degree angle. Then lower your body until you are suspended above the floor by bending your elbows to about 90 degrees. Raise your elbows up so your buttocks are in line with the bench, but don’t sit on the bench! That counts as one repetition. Perform three sets of 12 repetitions.
alexa mellardo
Alexa is the Mind + Body Deputy Editor for Eat This, Not That!, overseeing the M+B channel and providing readers with engaging topics on fitness, wellness and self-care. Read more about Alexa
