{"id":643497,"date":"2026-08-18T12:01:26","date_gmt":"2026-08-18T12:01:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/643497\/"},"modified":"2026-08-18T12:01:26","modified_gmt":"2026-08-18T12:01:26","slug":"you-dont-have-to-lift-heavy-58-year-old-pt-theresa-moloney-relies-on-these-4-exercises-for-strong-arms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/643497\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018You don\u2019t have to lift heavy\u2019: 58-year-old PT Theresa Moloney relies on these 4 exercises for strong arms"},"content":{"rendered":"

Yes, lifting weights<\/a> is important to see results as you reach menopause and declining oestrogen levels accelerate muscle and bone loss, but thinking you have to lift as heavy as humanly possible every time you attempt to train can be counterproductive. It can put you off training at all, so etch this into your brain in black marker pen: you don\u2019t have to. <\/p>\n

As 58-year-old fitness coach and nutritionist Theresa Moloney says<\/a> on Instagram, regularly lifting enough to challenge yourself \u2013 not to your max, but with noticeable resistance<\/a> \u2013 is enough to see results. Especially if you want to build your arms. <\/p>\n

\u2018Want sculpted arms after 50? Stop thinking you have to lift heavy in every workout,\u2019 Moloney explains. \u2018The secret isn\u2019t lifting the heaviest weights you can lift. It\u2019s consistently training your muscles, using the right amount of resistance, and progressively challenging yourself<\/a> over time. Some workouts I lift heavier. Some workouts I focus on control, range of motion and really feeling the muscle work.\u2019<\/p>\n

As a Pilates<\/a> instructor, I can explain: control matters because it keeps your muscles under tension<\/a> for longer, without letting momentum take over, so your muscles are forced to work harder. A full range of motion also helps you maintain good form and challenges your muscles for longer as you perform each move for longer than if you only lowered the weight, say, half of the way down. Lifting as heavy as you can often means that you naturally let momentum take over and your form suffers, so you\u2019re essentially cheating the exercise. <\/p>\n

Then there\u2019s the fact that if you lift as heavy as possible in every session, you\u2019ll likely need longer recovery time and more frequent rest days<\/a> \u2013 doing less but more often can be more effective.<\/p>\n

With over 25 years of experience training women through perimenopause, menopause and midlife, Moloney has fine-tuned the best routine to build muscle without overdoing it. \u2018This is one of my favourite workout combinations,\u2019 she says, speaking of the four exercises she swears by. Find the moves below, along with why Moloney finds them so effective, how heavy to lift, and how many reps and sets to do.<\/p>\n

4 best arm exercises<\/p>\n

Weights to use<\/strong>: 2 x 2-3kg dumbbells<\/p>\n

Do<\/strong>: 6-12 reps of each exercise x 3 sets<\/p>\n

Bicep curl + overhead shoulder press \"Image<\/p>\n