What Exercises Firm the Flab of Arms at 60?

As you age, your body naturally loses muscle mass. The good news is that you can tone your muscles and get rid of flab after 60, or at any other age. To get slender toned arms, you must engage in aerobic exercise to lose the fat, and strength training exercises to tone and build the muscles. Before you get started, see your doctor for health clearance.

Strength-training exercises alone aren't enough to help you lose excess flab on the arms. To achieve that goal, you must engage in cardio exercises that help you lose weight all over to reveal the toned muscles you're developing with strength-training exercises. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends participating in cardio exercises for 150 to 300 minutes per week. Go for a brisk walk, ride your bike or go swimming to burn 250 to 500 calories per hour. Aim for an hour of aerobic exercise each day to lose 1/2 to 1 pound per week by burning a weekly total of 1,750 to 3,500 calories.

Bicep curls help tone the muscles on the front of your upper arms while also giving you the benefit of muscle-toning for your forearms. Stand with your feet hip-width apart while holding a dumbbell in each hand. Position your arms in front of your hips with the insides of your arms facing forward. Raise your forearms toward your shoulders while keeping your elbows by your sides. Lower the weights with control to complete the repetition. Perform eight to 24 reps, three times per week. When the weight starts to feel lighter, switch to heavier dumbbells.

The backs of the arms are a trouble spot for many people, regardless of age. As muscle tone is lost and excess weight is gained, it can lead to jiggly, saggy upper arms. Lose the fat with cardio and tone your triceps -- the muscles along the backs of your arms -- with tricep kickbacks. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, and bend forward at the waist at about 45 degrees. Bring your upper arms up so they're level with your sides. Hold your upper arms close to your sides as you draw your forearms up above the level of your back. Lower the weights with control to complete one repetition. Do eight to 24 reps, three times per week.

Toned shoulders add to the shapeliness of your arms. Work the muscles of your arms and shoulders by performing eight to 24 arm and shoulder raises, three times per week. Stand with your feet hip-width apart while holding a dumbbell in each hand. Position your arms so they're in front of your body with the insides of your arms resting against you. Raise your arms until they're shoulder height, and then continue raising them about 1 to 2 feet more. Slowly lower the weights until your arms are resting against your body again. This completes one repetition.