Why You Should Never Skip An Arms Day!
For women in midlife (especially) training our upper body through strength training means a lot more than just “toning our arms!” It supports strength, bone health, posture, metabolism, mobility and long-term independence during a phase when hormonal changes accelerate muscle and bone loss. Training my upper body has always been one of my favourite workout days and I really think it’s an area where you can see as well as feel the benefits in a relatively short space of time if you are consistent. It is about building in those small habits that last and strengthening the upper body is so important for our functional daily movements, now and in the future.
What Can I Do To Warm Up/Cool Down My Upper Body?
Before starting your workout, taking just a few minutes to properly warm up your upper body (specifically your back, your shoulders, your core) will make a huge difference. A good warm up helps increase blood flow, improve mobility, activate the muscles and reduce the risk of injury. This is especially important as our joints need more attention as we age, yet it is key at any life stage. This quick upper body warm up will help wake up the shoulders, chest, back, arms and core so you feel more mobile and ready to get the most out of your workout plus support with recovery.
Try each of the below for 30-40 seconds:
- Arm circles (forward + backward)
- Shoulder rolls
- Cat-cow stretches
- Wall push-ups
- Torso twists with arm swings
- Light punches or shadow boxing
What Weights Should I Be Using?
I always encourage using weights that are right for you – this should feel challenging but never painful. Progressive overload is important for building strength and overall fitness. The right weights will always depend on your experience, fitness levels and goals but as a rough guideline for any beginners I suggest starting with 2kg and building up from there and always ensure correct form (I have a “How To” section on my platform that can help you here). Remember that the last 2 or 3 reps of your set should feel a challenge if you are using the correct weights.
What Are My Top 5 Arms/Shoulder Exercises?
These are my go-to Arm/Shoulder exercises that I swear by for building strength, improving tone, and supporting everyday movement. Simple, effective and easy to add into your weekly routine! You can do these as a daily 5 minute routine or repeat the sets for a longer session. Perform these for 40 seconds of work with a 20 seconds rest.
• Shoulder press – targets the shoulders and triceps
• Hammer curls – targets the biceps and forearms
• Tricep kickbacks – targets the back of the arms (triceps)
• Press ups – targets the chest, shoulders, triceps, and core
• Lateral raises – targets the shoulders
How Can I See The Benefits?
A common fear I hear from many women when it comes to strength training and upper body workouts is becoming “too bulky”. This is a myth. Building significant muscle size requires very specific training, nutrition and consistency over time and to get the bodybuilder physique is really not easy. However to build lean muscle you need to focus on a variety of weights, progressive overload and a structured program with both isolated and compound movements such as those I have included here and of course a balanced diet and recovery. If you stay consistent you will see those results.
A Final Thought
On my platform we focus on all of these elements and keep the workouts varied to ensure we keep challenging the muscles. For the upper body class on a Tuesday, we do some of the workouts with heavier weights for pure strength and power and some with more moderate weights with high reps for endurance which helps develop lean muscle overall. Strength training 3-4 times per week creates a balanced approach to training the entire body while still giving each muscle group the attention and recovery it needs to grow progressively, effectively and safely over time.
As always, any questions please do get in touch.
Caroline x
