Once you hit the age of 40, it is common to experience sarcopenia, which is the natural decline in lean muscle mass that comes with aging, particularly in the upper body. Factors like reduced physical activity, poor recovery practices, and hormonal changes can accelerate the loss of strength and muscle mass. According to Leon Veal, a level three certified personal trainer and the head of nutrition and innovation at Styrkr, the arms are often the first to show signs of this decline. To enhance your fitness regimen, Leon recommends two key exercises to quickly build arm strength after reaching 40.

Leon emphasizes the importance of selecting exercises that target not only the arms but also engage other muscle groups to promote overall strength. Unlike traditional bicep curls and triceps extensions, which focus on single joints, the recommended exercises are compound and multi-joint movements. This means they work the arms along with other muscle groups simultaneously, leading to increased muscle activation, enhanced efficiency, and a more favorable hormonal response. Additionally, these exercises replicate real-life movements such as pushing, pulling, and bracing, resulting in improved functional strength for daily activities beyond just aesthetic benefits at the gym.

2 Exercises That Build Arm Strength Faster Than Traditional Workouts After 40

Close-Grip Pushups

One of the recommended exercises is the close-grip pushup, which targets the chest, triceps, and front delts. By placing the hands closer together, this variation emphasizes arm extension strength. According to Leon, this exercise also activates the core and stabilizing muscles, providing support for aging shoulders and posture. The close-grip pushup is accessible, easy to modify based on individual fitness levels, and gentler on the joints compared to heavy triceps extensions.

Here’s how to do close-grip pushups:

1. Begin in a high plank with your hands placed under your chest, closer than shoulder-width.
2. Engage your core.
3. Bend your elbows to lower your chest toward the ground, keeping your elbows close to your sides.
4. Push through your palms to rise back up.

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Chin-Ups

“Chin-ups with an underhand grip are one of the best moves to target the biceps, lats, and upper back all in one,” Leon says. “They train arm flexion through a full range of motion under bodyweight load, making them more functional than isolated curls. Plus, the grip and forearm activation you get from chin-ups is great. For those who can’t do bodyweight reps yet, assisted band versions or machine-assisted sets work just as well.”

Here’s how to do chin-ups:

1. Stand tall and begin the exercise from a dead hang position.
2. Bend your elbows as you pull yourself up until your chin clears the bar.
3. Use control to lower.

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One of the biggest perks of incorporating these exercises into your regimen is how they aid aging joints.

“Close-grip push-ups allow natural wrist and elbow positioning, and the range can be modified to reduce stress,” Leon says. “Chin-ups (especially assisted) keep the shoulders in a more stable, neutral position compared to heavy curls or overhead triceps work, which can often irritate the elbows or rotator cuff.”

Alexa Mellardo