The number one training request I get from women.
- Feb 5
- 2 min read
If you ask me what women request most when they come to me for training the answer is immediate.
Arms.
Not weight loss. Not abs. Arms!.
It’s genuinely one of the most common things women talk to me about. Even eight years ago, when I had my gym, women would tell me they were so frustrated with how their arms looked. Many would tell me they no longer feel comfortable showing their arms and feel like they need to cover them as the skin softens and muscle mass starts to decline.
For many women, the arms are among the first places ageing becomes visible. They’re exposed, they change quickly when muscle mass drops, and they tend to be undertrained for years. By the time women reach their 40s and 50s, those changes can feel sudden, even if they’ve been happening gradually in the background.
What’s Actually Going On
From our late 30s onward, muscle loss becomes more noticeable unless we actively take steps to preserve it. Hormonal changes around perimenopause and menopause can accelerate this, particularly in the upper body.
The arms often soften because:
Muscle mass is reducing
Strength work hasn’t been prioritised
Light weights are used without progression
This isn’t about “toning” in the way the fitness industry has traditionally sold it. It’s about rebuilding muscle through proper resistance training and progressive overload.
Why Upper-Body Strength Matters Beyond Aesthetics
By the time we reach midlife, building and maintaining upper-body strength is about far more than how our arms look.
Strong arms support:
Posture and shoulder health
Joint stability
Everyday tasks like lifting, carrying and pushing
Metabolic health
For many of the women I work with, strength training becomes a confidence shift as much as a physical one. They start to reconnect with their bodies as capable, strong, and reliable again.
That matters.
The Exercises I Recommend (And the Exact Workout)
As I know how important upper-body strength is, alongside how women want to know how to train their arms, I always share easy-to-follow workouts on my Instagram reels and posts. Recently, I was asked by the fitness site, Fit&Well, to contribute to one of their articles and to share my workout with their readers, which I was very happy to do and which I will link for you below.
The session targets:
Shoulders
Chest
Back
Arms
Core stability
Using simple, effective movements like rows, presses, lateral raises, curls and plank-based work, the workout is designed to build visible strength while supporting joint health and posture.
I also break down:
How many reps to do
How many rounds to complete
What weights to start with (and how to progress them safely over time)
The Takeaway
If your arms are the place where you feel ageing has shown up first, you’re not alone, and you’re not doing anything wrong.
This isn’t about hiding them or chasing quick fixes. It’s about training them properly, consistently, and with enough resistance to make a difference.
You can read the full article and follow my recommended upper body workout below:
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