Fighting flabby arms and “bat wings” can be quite the task after age 45. This area is quite prominent, especially when wearing sleeveless clothing for any season. Whether you’re attending a formal event in a sleeveless dress or jetting off to a warm winter getaway, now is the best time to firm up your triceps. We’ve gathered four standing exercises designed to sculpt your arms and banish those bat wings.

“To be frank, what’s happening here is that after 45, our muscle mass diminishes at around 3 to 8% per decade if we don’t actively combat it,” states Hayley Akradi, CPT, senior project manager for LT Digital Fitness at Life Time and creator of The Body Blueprint. “The triceps, located at the back of your upper arm, is typically where women first notice this reduction, as it’s not heavily used in everyday activities.”

Hormonal changes also majorly impact where your body stores fat and how productively you build muscle.

“As muscle mass diminishes, the skin that used to sit over firm muscle finds less support underneath. Combine this with hormonal changes that can result in additional fat storage and reduced muscle protein synthesis, and what you end up with are ‘bat wings,’” Akradi explains. “However, muscles can respond to stimulation at any age. I’ve observed women in their 50s, 60s, and beyond dramatically redefine their arms with consistent strength training. The secret lies in progressive overload—continuously pushing your muscles with more weight, repetitions, or longer time under tension.”

4 Standing Exercises That Sculpt Arms and Erase Bat Wings After 45

Overhead Press

“This builds the foundation strength that makes everything else possible,” Akradi points out.

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level, palms facing inward.
2. Press the weights overhead, extending your arms.
3. Use control as you lower the weights to shoulder height.
4. Perform 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps.

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Bent-Over Tricep Kickbacks

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1. Stand tall, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Hinge forward just a bit, keeping your back flat and core engaged.
3. Keep your upper arms parallel to the floor and extend the dumbbells back.
4. Squeeze your triceps at the top of the movement.
5. Return to the start position.
6. Complete 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps.

4 Simple Arm-Toning Moves That Tighten Flabby Arms in 30 Days After 45

Standing Bicep Curls

“The slow eccentric (lowering phase) is where muscle damage occurs – that’s what stimulates growth,” Akradi says

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides with a supinated grip.
2. Bend your elbows to curl the weights up toward your shoulders.
3. Squeeze your biceps at the top.
4. Use control to lower.
5. Perform 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps.

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Single-Arm Overhead Extension

“Working one arm at a time forces your core to work harder and prevents compensation patterns,” Akradi points out.

1. Stand tall, holding a dumbbell in one hand.
2. Extend that arm overhead.
3. Lower the dumbbell behind your head.
4. Press it back up.
5. Complete 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps per arm.

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Alexa Mellardo