7 Exercises For Flabby Arms Over 60 - Welltech (2024)

Want to tone your arms? It’s possible even if you are over 60! Try these easy exercises for flabby arms over 60 and get rid of bingo wings ✅

Table of Contents

• What causes arm fat?
• 7 Best exercises to reduce my flabby arms over 60
• Tips to help deal with bat wings faster
• How long does it take to get rid of flabby arms over 60?
• Wrapping up

As we age, our arms and muscles tend to lose tonicity related to disease, decreased physical activity, and lowered ability to build muscle. These changes are absolutely normal, but they can still lead to insecurity as you develop the so-called ‘bingo wings,’ or simply flabby arms.

What causes arm fat?

The loosening of the arm skin is caused by one or a combination of factors that can affect aging individuals. This usually includes a decrease in skin elasticity and turgor, a decrease in collagen levels, a lack of or reduced muscle mass, and excess body fat. [1], [2], [3]

Increased body fat percentage can be a single factor contributing to flabby arms regardless of age. However, this can be especially emphasized in people with decreased muscle mass.

Another possible reason for arm fat is water retention caused by hormonal imbalances. This may happen, for example, in people with hypothyroidism, and that’s why they may lose weight after starting thyroid medication.

But there is no reason to despair though, as there is a solution to this problem. In fact, depending on what is causing your flabby arms, there are ways to mitigate the issue. In this article, we will cover how seniors can get rid of their bingo wings via effective exercises for flabby arms over 60 and a few useful lifestyle adjustments that you can start implementing today.

Can old flabby arms be toned?

Yes, old, flabby arms can be toned. This can be achieved through a combination of targeted exercises, maintaining an active lifestyle, focusing on slow, sustained fat loss, following a targeted nutrition plan, and boosting skin elasticity, which can also contribute to toning flabby arms.

Note that visible results typically require consistency and may take around 9-12 weeks to appear.

7 Best exercises to reduce my flabby arms over 60

The following exercises are beginner-friendly and can be performed both at home or in the gym. However, here are a couple of important rules and mistakes to avoid:

• Prioritize controlled and proper form over bigger weights.
• Start with a weight you can lift comfortably for 8 to 12 reps. The weight should be challenging but manageable.
• Progress gradually to avoid injuries.
• Schedule rest days to let muscles recover.

1. Seated overhead tricep extensions

Technique

• Sitting on a chair, maintaining a neutral posture, keep your torso upright;
• Grab one dumbbell with both hands and move it above your head, holding it securely at one end;
• Slowly lower the weight behind your head, making sure to keep your elbows still and only moving your forearms;
• Move the weight back up above your head. This is one repetition.

Reps

Perform 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps

Pro Tips

• Move the weight slowly and in a controlled manner to avoid injuries and also to make the exercise more effective;
• Sit upright against the chair back to improve your back support;
• Perform this exercise in front of a mirror to have more control over the weight;

2. Seated lateral raises

Technique

• Sitting comfortably on a chair with your torso upright and a neutral spine;
• Take one dumbbell in each hand and position your arms along the sides of your body, with the palms facing inward;
• Raise your arms sideways until they are parallel to the floor with your palms facing down;
• Lower the weights back to the starting position. This is one repetition.

Reps

Perform 3-4 sets of between 10 and 12 repetitions

Pro Tips

• Don’t arch your back when moving the weights up, but rather try to maintain a neutral spine;
• Move the weight slowly to have more control over it and make it more effective;
• Don’t raise the arms too high above shoulder level.

3. Arm circles

Technique

• Stand or sit comfortably on a chair with your torso upright;
• Raise your arms to the sides at shoulder height, with your palms facing down;
• Create small forward circles in the air for 20 seconds. Then, make circles with a backward motion for another 20 seconds. This is one set.

Reps

Perform 20-30 seconds of arm circles both forward and backward, 3-4 times

Pro Tips

• As you get stronger, start holding dumbbells in your hands to keep the exercise effective, but make sure the weight you select enables you to keep the arms straight without straining them;
• Maintain a neutral spine throughout to avoid injuries;
• To prevent injury to the shoulder cuffs, don’t raise your arms above shoulder level.

4. Wall push-ups

Technique

• Standing facing a wall, a few centimeters away from it and with your feet slightly apart;
• Place your hands on the wall, positioning them at shoulder height but with a slightly wider stance;
• Lower your body slowly against the wall by bending your elbows while keeping a neutral spine and your body tight;
• Move your body back to the starting position by pushing yourself away from the wall with your arms, while keeping a straight back and a neutral spine. This is one repetition.

Reps

Perform 2-3 sets of 8-12 repetitions

Pro Tips

• Get as close as you can to the wall to increase the range of motion and effectiveness of the exercise;
• Do not arch your back, as that can lead to postural problems or even injury;
• Make sure to perform the movement slowly and well controlled to increase muscular tension.

5. Seated arm rotations

Technique

• Sitting comfortably on a chair with your torso upright;
• Fully extend your arms to the sides, but this time with the palms facing up;
• Then fully rotate the hands forward in the air until your palms are facing back;
• Rotate the hands back to the original position. This is one repetition.

Reps

Perform 3-4 sets of 10-12 repetitions

Pro Tips

• Keep the arms fully extended to increase the tension and effectiveness;
• Add light weights as the exercise gets easier so that you can keep improving your strength and keep the exercise effective;
• Perform each movement slowly and controlled to prevent injuries;
• Keep the arms at shoulder level to help maintain a neutral posture.

6. Arm bicep curls

Technique

• Standing or sitting comfortably on a chair with your torso upright and a neutral spine;
• Grab a dumbbell in each hand; keep your head up and elbows tight to the sides;
• From there, bend your elbows to move the weights towards your shoulders;
• Extend the arms back out. This is one repetition.

Reps

Perform 3-4 sets of 10-12 repetitions

Pro Tips

• Move the weights slowly to increase muscle tension;
• Try to keep your arms as still as possible while only moving your elbows;
• When you extend the arms, hold the position for a couple of seconds to really work your triceps while doing bicep curls.

Curls are great for working your bicep. However, if you want that definition in your bicep area and those defined bicep peaks, focus on bicep long head exercises specifically.

7. Standing upright rows

Technique

• Standing with your torso upright and a neutral spine;
• Hold one dumbbell in each hand, with your hands down in front of your legs and the palms facing in;
• Lift the weights up towards your chin by raising your elbows out to the sides;
• Lower the weights back to the starting position. This is one repetition.

Reps

Perform 3-4 sets of 10-12 repetitions

Pro Tips

• Move the weights slowly to increase tension but also avoid hitting your chin with the weights;
• Maintain a neutral spine to avoid injuries;
• Make sure your elbows are pointing up as the weight moves upward.

Standing upright rows are also great for rounder and more defined shoulders. Try these front delt exercises if you want to focus on the shoulders as well.

Tips to help deal with bat wings faster

Although exercises for flabby arms are the best way to target and improve ‘bingo wings’, there are other lifestyle changes that can be applied routinely to further improve the efficacy of your workouts and help you get toned arms.

Keep active daily

There are plenty of low-impact activities that can help us get toned arms.

Some activities are performed in dedicated settings, such as golf, yoga for seniors, and swimming; however, there are also other daily activities that can help in toning our arms, such as gardening or deep cleaning.

Aim to exercise at least 150 minutes per week. For greater benefits, exercise more than 300 minutes per week. For simplicity, work out for at least 30 minutes per day. [4]

Focus on slow, sustained fat loss

If you have flabby arms due to excess body fat, you need to make sure you drop the extra pounds slowly to limit the amount of saggy skin in your triceps area once you achieve your ideal weight.

At the same time, ensure you are working on building your arm muscles through targeted exercises, such as the ones described in the previous sections of this article. This will help diminish the amount of excess skin as the growing muscle will fill in more space, and as a result, your arms will look more toned.

Follow targeted nutrition

Your diet also matters if you aim to get rid of sagging upper arms. If you want to shed body fat, you need to ensure you are on a calorie deficit (i.e., consuming fewer calories than you burn). However, if you need to gain weight, you should ensure you are eating either at maintenance or at a surplus (i.e., consuming the same or more calories than you burn).

If you’re on the older side, over 65 years of age, make sure you follow up with a registered dietitian because weight loss may not be recommended for you.

Try following easy tips to instantly make your nutrition better without extra effort and calorie counting.

Regardless of your goal, you should focus on eating a high-protein diet, as protein is essential for building muscle and, therefore, getting your arms more toned. Great sources of protein include chicken, fish, yogurt, eggs, and protein shakes. [5], [6]

It would help if you aimed for at least 1.2 to 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of weight per day, with a starting point of 1.62 grams of protein per kilogram of weight.

Your protein intake should be 20 to 40 grams every 3 to 4 hours. Supposing the aim is to lose weight under the supervision of a registered dietitian nutritionist and your doctor, in this instance, you may need to increase your protein intake to greater than 2.0 grams per kilogram of weight to retain a lean body mass.

The caveat is you may not be able to consume high amounts of protein if you have certain medical conditions such as chronic kidney disease or Parkinson’s disease. Again, double-check with a registered dietitian nutritionist and your doctor before proceeding with a high protein intake.

Boost your skin elasticity

Improving the quality of your skin may also contribute to the better contour of your arms.

The previous steps, like exercising and improving your diet, are core factors that improve skin elasticity. However, you can boost the process by prioritizing food high in antioxidants (like berries, broccoli, and green tea), limiting sun exposure (and wearing sunscreen!), and taking collagen supplements.

How long does it take to get rid of flabby arms over 60?

As a general rule, you should be able to start seeing visible results after at least 9-12 weeks of following a nutrition and exercise program with a minimum of 3 workouts a week.

To get your arms toned and get rid of flabby skin, you need to be consistent in your training and nutrition. Using an all-in-one weight loss app may help you track your meals and workouts and see your progress in one place. Having said that, the rate at which you are able to see progress depends on how much body fat you need to lose, the amount of excess skin you have, as well as the amount of muscle you are starting with.

Wrapping up

As you may have gathered from this article, flabby arms are definitely something you can work on if it is causing you to feel insecure. To get toned arms, you should be performing some targeted resistance exercises a minimum of 2 times a week and keeping active daily, while also following a diet that supplies you with the right amount of calories for your goal and that is high in protein.