All posts tagged: upperbody

A midlife coach loves this five-move upper-body workout for strong and toned arms

A midlife coach loves this five-move upper-body workout for strong and toned arms

Published by Jenni Sidey

Looking after your upper body is important throughout life, but especially as you get older to maintain your independence. That’s why midlife strength coach Kate Rowe-Ham created a five-move dumbbell upper-body routine to build strong arms. Rowe-Ham’s routine is less about aesthetics and more about building strength and confidence. You may like The trainer and author of The Longevity Solution, says this five-move workout is particularly important for women during menopause. “Declining estrogen accelerates muscle loss during menopause—but resistance training helps maintain and rebuild lean muscle, which is critical for strength, metabolism and long-term health,” says Rowe-Ham. Loading the arms and spine helps protect your bones against osteoporosis, while strength training generally offers mood-boosting benefits too. “It’s also associated with improved mood, reduced anxiety and better sleep quality, all of which can be disrupted during menopause,” says Rowe-Ham. Start your week with achievable workout ideas, health tips and wellbeing advice in your inbox. She recommends doing this workout twice a week with at least one rest day in between. How to do the dumbbell upper-body …

When this midlife personal trainer is asked how to get toned arms, she recommends this upper-body workout

When this midlife personal trainer is asked how to get toned arms, she recommends this upper-body workout

Published by Jenni Sidey

Ever wondered what the best exercises are for getting toned arms? You’re not alone. “It’s genuinely one of the most common requests I get,” says personal trainer Edwina Jenner. “Many women tell me they don’t like to show their arms and want to feel more confident.” The trainer and social media influencer who supports women in midlife to get fit and stay strong tells Fit&Well: “The good news is that women can build visible strength and definition through regular upper-body workouts and gradual, progressive overload.” You may like Having been asked so many times for a specific workout by her clients and social media followers, Jenner shared an eight-move upper body routine that targets the shoulders, chest, back, and arms while integrating core stability. But, it’s not all about looks. “By the time we reach our 40s and 50s, maintaining upper-body muscle mass is as much about functional strength as it is aesthetics,” says the trainer. “Upper-body workouts support posture, joint health, and everyday functions such as lifting, carrying and pushing—and resistance training also supports …

The Best Upper-Body Workout to Get Jacked

The Best Upper-Body Workout to Get Jacked

Published by Jenni Sidey

Adopting a good upper-body workout doesn’t have to mean endless hours spent toiling in the weight room. “We know from research that it actually makes much more sense to do fewer movements per workout, but at a higher frequency per week,” says Antony Brown, personal training leader at Life Time in Lake Zurich, Illinois. A 2016 study published in the journal Sports Medicine found that when subjects with the same total weekly training volume hit the weights once, twice, or three times per week, the higher-frequency groups ultimately walked away with the biggest muscle gains. “Rather than doing a full triceps workout or arm workout per week—which might be good for a professional bodybuilder who’s in there all day, every day, and has all day to recover—the recreational lifter is going to get a lot more benefit from just hitting the muscles more often over the course of a week,” says Brown. “I would go with four exercises,” says Matthew Accetta, MS, CSCS, exercise physiologist at HSS, who recommends doing two push exercises and two …

I’m a personal trainer who works with seniors—this is the one upper-body move everyone over 65 should be doing

I’m a personal trainer who works with seniors—this is the one upper-body move everyone over 65 should be doing

Published by Jenni Sidey

Strengthening your back is important at every age, but it’s especially vital for seniors. Whenever I work with clients over 65, I make sure to include banded rows in their regimen. This movement strengthens important muscle groups in the upper body, improves posture and stability, and can make everyday tasks easier. As you age, you’re more susceptible to bone and muscle loss. This can, in turn, negatively affect your posture, worsen your balance, and make tasks like lifting heavy items or reaching for things more difficult. Banded rows work the latissimus dorsi, middle and lower trapezius and rhomboids—muscles that are responsible for supporting your back, chest, and shoulders, maintaining proper postural alignment, and moving your upper body. It’s an exercise that’s easy on the joints, safe for most fitness levels, and helpful for maintaining independence. It can also combat bone loss by improving muscle tone and strength. However, you don’t have to be a senior to benefit from banded rows. If you’ve got a band, you can start incorporating this move into your regular upper-body …

Strengthen your entire upper-body in just 20 minutes—all you need is a single pair of dumbbells

Strengthen your entire upper-body in just 20 minutes—all you need is a single pair of dumbbells

Published by Jenni Sidey

While it’s fun to use all the machines and free-weights in a commercial gym, all most people really need to enjoy a comprehensive upper-body workout is a pair of dumbbells. A set of dumbbells will challenge your pushing and pulling strength, while helping even out imbalances on either side of your body. And, in my view, the simpler the routine, the better. You may like This 20-minute AMRAP workout is something I’ve come to rely on when training clients—or myself—due to its accessibility and overall effectiveness. What does AMRAP mean? AMRAP stands for as many reps (or rounds) as possible. Set a timer for how long you want to work out for (20 minutes in this case) and perform as many rounds of the circuit as you can before the clock hits zero, resting as required. Note your score, then try to beat it next time you perform the workout. Start your week with achievable workout ideas, health tips and wellbeing advice in your inbox. How to do this 20-minute upper-body dumbbell workout This push-pull …

I work with seniors who struggle to get down on the floor, so I use this standing routine to help them strengthen their upper-body muscles safely

I work with seniors who struggle to get down on the floor, so I use this standing routine to help them strengthen their upper-body muscles safely

Published by Jenni Sidey

I work with a lot of clients over 65 who are brand new to exercise. While I often start my beginners with moves like push-ups and overhead presses, seniors sometimes find these moves too challenging. So instead of getting on the floor or pulling out a pair of dumbbells, I introduce them to these three upper-body exercises instead. You may like They strengthen and condition important muscle groups in the arms, shoulders, and back using just a resistance band. You don’t have to be a senior to do them—they’re great for beginners of all ages. How to do the exercises You’ll need a moderately-strong resistance band for these exercises, along with a solid anchor point (like a stair railing). Remember to check in with your doctor before starting any new physical activity. Start your week with achievable workout ideas, health tips and wellbeing advice in your inbox. The exercises are: Banded row: 3 x 10-15 Banded pull-apart: 3 x 10-15 Shoulder external rotation: 3 x 10-15 each side 1. Banded row Sets: 3 Reps: 10-15 …

This is one of the best upper-body exercises to try if you sit at a desk all day

This is one of the best upper-body exercises to try if you sit at a desk all day

Published by Jenni Sidey

Movement—in any form—is the ultimate panacea for inactivity. A morning walk, a lunchtime stretch or a post-work workout will always help offset the restrictive, ache-inducing nature of being hunched over a desk for hours. But when time is short, there’s one simple stretch I always try to use at the start and end of my day to redress the balance. You may like It’s called the doorway stretch, and it’s especially effective at easing tightness that can build up in the pectoral muscles of the chest. Consisting of the pectoralis major and minor, these muscles can shorten and tighten over time when we’re constantly hunched over, This can lead to weakness in the muscles themselves and restrict the range of motion you can achieve in your thoracic, or mid, spine. Dysfunction and reduced ROM of the thoracic spine can even lead to breathing difficulties later in life, but regular counter movement can help keep this issue at bay. Start your week with achievable workout ideas, health tips and wellbeing advice in your inbox. I recommend …