Exercises To Tone 40 Year Old Women's Arms

When your reach your 40th birthday, you may begin to notice changes in your body. As your body ages, your skin can lose elasticity, resulting in extra flab in areas like your arms. Women sometimes shy away from lifting weights for fear of looking bulky, but building muscle has many benefits. Building muscle increases your metabolism and aids in weight management, notes MayoClinic.com. Developing the muscles in your arms can burn fat and increase definition. Perform strength-training exercises to build your biceps, triceps and shoulders and reveal toned, shapely arms.

Biceps Curls

Biceps curls build the muscles in the front of the arms. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and arms at your sides. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing up. Exhale and curl the dumbbells up toward your shoulders. Squeeze your biceps at the top of the movement. Inhale and lower your arms back to the starting position. Repeat for three sets of 20 repetitions. Choose dumbbells that are moderately heavy. Completing 15 repetitions should be a challenge.

Triceps Dips

Triceps dips stimulate the muscles in the back of your arms. Begin seated on a flat bench with your legs extended straight in front of you. Place your hands by your hips with your palms facing forward. Lift your hips off the bench so your hands are supporting your body weight. Inhale and lower your hips toward the floor until your elbows are bent at 90 degrees. Exhale and press your hips back up until your arms are completely straight. Repeat for three sets of 20 repetitions.

Overhead Shoulder Presses

Performing overhead shoulder presses develops the muscles that cap off the top of your arms. Stand with a dumbbell in each hand and your feet shoulder-width apart. Raise the dumbbells up until your elbows are bent at 90 degrees. Face your palms forward. Exhale and press the dumbbells up and together above your head. Inhale and lower the weights until you return to the starting position. Repeat for three sets of 20 repetitions. Lift with dumbbells heavy enough to challenge your muscles. Finishing 15 repetitions should be difficult.