4 Best Arm Exercises for Seniors - SilverSneakers (2024)

Keep your arms looking and feeling strong with these four exercises.

Bat wings, arm jiggle, hello Helens. There are plenty of not-so-nice terms to refer to the loose skin on our underarms. But behind those appearance-based gripes hides a much bigger issue: declining arm strength and function.

“While many older adults focus on how muscle deterioration makes their arms look, it’s also important to understand that this muscle loss impacts quality of life in a big way,” says Leython Williams, D.P.T., a physical therapist and facility manager at Athletico Physical Therapy in Lincolnshire, Illinois. “If we don’t address the issue, we risk feeling the effects throughout the day, whether we need to carry a laundry basket, run the vacuum, or simply grasp a dish or cup from an overhead shelf.”

To improve how your arms look—and, more importantly, work—Williams recommends the four exercises below. You’ll need a set of light dumbbells, a resistance band, and a bench or chair. You can do these exercises at home or at your local gym.

Ready to get started? Here’s how to perform each movement. As always, safety is key. The exercises here may be different or more advanced than those you’ll experience in a SilverSneakers class. If you have a chronic condition, an injury, or balance issues, talk to your doctor about how you can exercise safely.

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Exercise #1: Seated Row

Grab a resistance band, and sit tall in a chair with your legs extended, heels touching the floor and toes pointing up. Place the center of the band behind the soles of your feet. If you’re using a long exercise band, you may need to loop it around your feet once or twice.

Grab the ends of the band with both hands, arms extended and palms facing each other. Sitting nice and tall, bend at the elbows and pull the band toward your core, squeezing your shoulder blades together. Slowly return to the starting position. That’s one rep. Perform three sets of 10 to 12 reps.

If that’s too easy: Perform the rows from a standing position with knees slightly bent. Keep your core tight throughout the entire movement to keep your torso stationary.