To some people, the sight of flabby, lose and dangling skin on the arm is cute. Jim Croce has even written a song about how he loves that kind of flesh. But most women will not be caught with such unsightly arms and will try everything they could think of to prevent the skin in their arms getting saggy and wavy. That is a real sign of old age, and not too many women like to get old.
But unless you find the fountain of youth, (which has not been found yet by bounty hunters and explorers since the time of Juan Ponce de Leon), you will never be able to control the effects of gravity on the sagging skin of your arms.
But don’t lose hope, if you act now, you can tone your arms to such extent that its chronological age will never show. In that vein, read this article carefully because it will explain to you several effective ways of keeping the natural youthful tone of your arms, even if your years on this earth keep marching on.
1. Barbell Bicep Curls
This exercise should be your fundamental bicep exercise because it is one of the easiest to do and it produces excellent results. The weight of the barbell should be what you can safely lift without straining your back, arms and shoulders too much.
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and lift the barbell up. Lift your shoulders up so that your shoulders are lower than your chest but with your back still straight. Curl the barbell up to the level of your pectoral muscles and slowly lower the barbell down. Keep your elbows solid and stable as you do these movements.
2. Pilates Boxing
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, and then bend your knees and hinge forward from your waist, while maintaining a straight back. Raise your fists to your shoulders. While keeping your elbows up and your abs clenched, box your right hand forward. Bring back your right hand to its original position. Then do the same thing with your left hand and repeat 20 times.
3. Alternate Dumbbell Curl
This exercise allows you to focus on one arm at a time and gives your other arm time to rest. As such, you can carry more weight.
Take one dumbbell in each hand and stand straight. Curl the right dumbbell up towards your shoulder and try to curl it past your right shoulder. Lower the dumbbell slowly until it rests in its original position. Do the same thing with the dumbbell at your left hand. Always strive to lower the dumbbells slowly to prevent undue stress on your arms and wrists.
4. Triceps push-back
With a dumbbell on each hand, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees slightly and lift your arms straight back about 2 feet behind you and then return your hands to your sides. Repeat 20 times.
5. Half-moon rotations
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand with feet hip-width apart. Stretch your arms straight out to your sides at shoulder height with your palms down. Rotate your thumbs until your palms are facing up. Repeat 30 times.
6. High V
Holding a dumbbell in each hand, stand up with feet shoulder-width apart. Extend your arms overhead in a V with palms facing your sides. Slowly bend your elbows to your hips, while keeping your palms facing your body. Bring your arms back up in a V and repeat 20 times.
7. Triceps Swing
This exercise is good for reducing “bat wings”.
With a 5 pound dumbbell in each of your hand, lie down with your feet on the floor. Bend your knees and keep the dumbbells extended over your head a few inches off the floor. Keep your arms straight and raise your left arm over your chest while keeping your right hand in place. Repeat 15 times then do the same thing with your right hand. Perform 2 to 3 sets of this exercise.
8. Skull Crasher
This is an exercise that you can safely do in any Crossfit gym or an Equinox gym.
Lie flat on a bench while holding a light barbell. Lift the barbell over your head with your palms pointing up. Then slowly shift the weight of the barbell backwards towards the back of your head and hold it there for a few seconds. And then lift back the barbell slowly to its original position. Repeat 2 to 3 times.
9. Straight-Arm Shrug
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand with feet hid-width apart. Extend your arms to your sides at shoulder level. Lift your right forearm and bring the right dumbbell to your right ear, using your elbow as your hinge. Do the same with your left forearm. Repeat alternately for 30 times keeping each arm extended to your side the whole time.