How I traded my bingo wings for sculpted arms in my 40s with these seven very simple steps. Start now and I promise you'll be confidently wearing sleeveless dresses within weeks: ROSIE GREEN
‘What do you do to get such toned arms?’ is my most frequently asked question on Instagram. It’s also my favourite because I know there is a simple, achievable way to get definition there.A bit of backstory. I’ve always had OK arms. Relatively slim, yes, but with little to no definition. Just an amorphous blob of flesh, with bingo wings even when tensed.Which irked me because I was fit and exercised regularly.Until my mid-40s I was all about the cardio. Running, spinning, grapevining. All of which gave me toned legs but a spindly, shapeless top half. I was Flo-Jo from the waist down, Olive Oyl above the navel.Then, at 45, I started using weights. No, don’t click away! This doesn’t mean you need to join a fancy gym or invest in expensive equipment that will soon just be used as doorstops – all of my routine can be done solely by using your body weight and one set of dumbbells.What you will need to do, though, is the below exercises consistently. By which I mean three times a week minimum. Four would be even better.Do 15 repetitions of each exercise, have a rest for 30 seconds to a minute, and then do another two sets of 15. You magazine's Rosie Green started using weights at the age of 45I’ve described the exercises below, but a quick Google of the name will show you videos of what to do.As you get stronger you can increase the heft of the weights you lift.Tricep dipsIt's the OG arm exercise for a reason – you just need a chair. Sit on said chair. Grip the front of the chair with both hands and shuffle forwards till your bottom is off the seat. Lower your bottom slowly and steadily till it just kisses the floor, then push up again.Press-upsNo equipment needed for these. Beginners should start off doing them on their knees (I did this for years) then progress to doing them from the plank position. When you do your press-up make sure your chest goes low. Ideally your boobs should brush the floor.To really work the biceps, switch up your position slightly. Get into a plank with your hands under the shoulders, your fingers pointing forwards and your elbows tucked in at the waist. Lower slowly down and push up again. Killer. Rosie before. I’ve always had OK arms, she says. Relatively slim, yes, but with little to no definition. Just an amorphous blob of flesh, with bingo wings even when tensed Rosie uses 4kg dumbbells to do front raises, lateral raises, flys and standing chest presses To keep her body lean, Rosie tries to avoid processed foods, white bread, rice and pasta and eats lots of fruit, vegetables and pulsesPlank to pressThese are evil and exhausting but really do work. Start in a plank position, drop to your elbow on one side and then the other, before pushing back up into plank one arm at a time.Front raisesFor this you need two dumbbells (I use 4kg). Stand straight, feet hip-width apart with dumbbells in each hand, palms facing your body. Then, keeping your arms straight, slowly raise your arms up to shoulder height and drop them back down.Lateral raisesAlmost the same as the above but you have your hands by the side of your thighs, palms facing inwards and then raise your (straight) arms out to the side to shoulder height. Gradually lower the arms to starting position.Flys Start with your feet hip-width apart, put one leg slightly in front of the other and bend it while hingeing 45 degrees forward at the waist. With a dumbbell in each hand create a circle in front of you as if you were hugging a barrel then move your arms steadily outwards and backwards, feeling a squeeze in your shoulder blades. Bring the arms slowly back down.Standing chest pressHold your dumbbells in each hand so they are at shoulder height, with palms facing each other. Press one dumbbell up and overhead, extending the arm fully and then bringing it back to the original position. The other arm stays still. Repeat on the other side.You should see a real difference in a couple of months. It will help with muscle definition if you maintain a healthy weight. To keep my body lean I try to avoid processed foods, white bread, rice and pasta and I eat lots of fruit, vegetables and pulses. Then, when I’m getting my arms out I find a tinted body moisturiser like Vita Liberata Body Blur (£33) or Gatineau Golden Glow Blurring Body Bronze (£40) really makes muscles pop.
