Strengthening Your Arms at a Faster Rate: Two Exercises Prove More Efficient Than Regular Workouts Beyond Age 40
As we age, maintaining arm strength becomes increasingly important for everyday activities and overall health. Leon Veal, a level three certified personal trainer, suggests focusing on compound exercises that recruit multiple muscle groups and are joint-friendly. Here are two top exercises for building arm strength effectively after age 40:
### 1. **Chin-ups with an Underhand Grip**
Chin-ups are a powerful compound exercise that targets the biceps, lats, and upper back simultaneously. This exercise is beneficial for building overall upper body strength and is a functional movement that mimics real-world activities, such as pulling and lifting.
Why it's effective: - Multi-muscle recruitment: Engages the biceps, lats, and upper back muscles. - Efficient: Trains multiple muscle groups at once, improving the efficiency of your workout. - Hormonal response: Stimulates a better hormonal response compared to isolation exercises.
To perform a chin-up, use an underhand grip on a chin-up bar. Pull yourself up until your chin is above the bar, and lower yourself back down slowly.
### 2. **Close-Grip Pushups**
Close-grip pushups are another effective compound exercise that targets the triceps while also engaging the chest and shoulders. This exercise is low-impact on the joints and can be modified by using knee support if needed.
Why it's effective: - Multi-muscle recruitment: Involves the triceps, chest, and shoulders. - Joint-friendly: Low-impact compared to heavy weightlifting. - Functional: Mimics real-world movements like pushing and bracing.
To perform a close-grip pushup, place your hands shoulder-width apart or closer. Lower your body until your chest almost touches the ground, then push back up to the starting position.
Both exercises are compound, meaning they work multiple muscle groups at once, which is crucial for maintaining strength and muscle mass after age 40. Incorporating close-grip push-ups and chin-ups into a regimen can aid in improving joint health as one ages. Chin-ups, especially assisted, help maintain a stable and neutral position for the shoulders, reducing potential irritation to the elbows and rotator cuff.
For those who are not yet able to perform bodyweight chin-ups, assisted band versions or machine-assisted sets can be used instead. The key to these exercises is choosing moves that target the arms while also recruiting other muscle groups for overall strength. These exercises are part of a list of five bodyweight moves for visible results in two weeks.
After age 40, it's common to experience sarcopenia, a natural age-related decline in lean muscle, particularly in the upper body. To combat this, Leon Veal suggests close-grip push-ups for natural wrist and elbow positioning, with the range of motion modifiable to reduce stress. Close-grip push-ups can be beneficial for building arm strength and overall strength, while also engaging the core and stabilizers.
The dead hang position is the starting point for performing chin-ups. Leon Veal, a level three certified personal trainer, recommends these exercises to build arm strength fast after 40.
Incorporating compound exercises like chin-ups and close-grip push-ups in a fitness routine after age 40 can aid in maintaining overall health, particularly arm strength for daily activities. Chin-ups, in addition to targeting the biceps, lats, and upper back, also offer a functional movement that mimics real-world activities. Close-grip push-ups, on the other hand, engage the triceps, chest, and shoulders, while being joint-friendly. Incorporating proper nutrition and hydration, alongside a wellness approach, is essential for maximizing the benefits of fitness and exercise, all under the science-backed principles of health-and-wellness and fitness-and-exercise.
