| Pull-ups |
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Push ups
Burpees Assisted pull ups Tricep dips Shoulder flys (front, lateral) Back flys Shoulder press |
| Pushups and tricep dips are a great place to start, then add in some weights when you can. I like the peleton app for workouts but there are plenty of free workouts available on youtube. |
Gotcha! Okay don't focus on cardio, do mostly resistance training. Cardio works against you when looking to tone and build muscle. You need to really push it in the gym, you're at that age (like me) where you have to work doubly hard than someone 10 years younger just to get the same results. If you don't want to go the gym then do push ups, planks, tricep dips, lunges, and squats at home.
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| I do Bodypump classes twice a week and definitely look more toned than before. |
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Get a set of dumbbells and try Fitness Blender. It's a fantastic program and many of their videos are free. I prefer to buy one of their month long programs (They are usually around $15) that organize your workouts so you don't have to decide each day. Most workouts are a combination of strength training with HIIT or as supersets so your heartrate stays up while you lift.
Try Fitness Blender Strong under their program section. |
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Lots of downward dogs. Also forearm downward dogs.
Trust me. I have been teaching yoga for 26 years. |
Chaturanga yoga pose gets me there too. |
| +1 for the peloton app, but I don't find the light weights to be effective. I do the free weight classes with 15, 20, 25 lbs weights with great results. 3x per week. |
Can we please not call 50 year olds “old people”? |
| Call me old, I’m 49 this year. I have toned arms. Not bulky but very very toned. And my advice is this…. Start strength training regularly, at least 3-4 days a week. Keep progressing until you can use 12-15 pounds (maybe more depending on your size, I’m 5’4) for all your upper body workouts. You need to progress beyond the ‘fit and tone’ classes with 3-5 pound dumbbells. Those are sh%^# classes. You won’t actually start toning until you can lift heavy. |
You're not old, no one is going to call you "old". That said once you hit menopause your arms will look different. I have always had toned arms, always. And I have always worked out with weights. I'm 54. Once menopause hit, all bets were off. Arms took on a bumpy, flabby look. It takes 2-3x's the amount of effort to get and keep your arms toned once you hit menopause. hide and watch. |
This Also, swimming |
No one said that. Learn to spell |
| Strength training and eat more protein. Keep in mind where you carry fat will affect the visible muscle definition you see in any area and you cannot spot reduce fat. If you naturally carry your fat in your upper body, you may have a harder time building and showing muscle there. Whatever you do, plan to not see results for a minimum of 8 weeks. I say that so you don’t get discouraged and stop. 8-12 weeks is the earliest point you’ll be able to see any small difference |