Jennifer Aniston's 'mindful' workout for super toned arms at 55

October 13, 2024

Jennifer Aniston's 15-15-15 workout and her famous cobb salad eaten daily on the set of have become viral phenomena.

actress, 55, has also been a source of inspiration for many when it comes to maintaining a toned physique. It is no surprise that the star, who loves Pilates, as well as working out on the cross trainer and on a bike, has built such strong arms.

As many fans of Jennifer wonder how she maintains her strength and stamina at 55, HELLO! speaks to the head of fitness at Sports Direct's Everlast Gyms, Martyn Oakey, to break down the star's workout secrets.

How would someone of Jennifer Aniston's age achieve toned arms like hers?

Martyn has a key piece of advice that will reassure all those trying to get strong, toned arms modeled on Jennifer's.

"You don’t need to wake up at the crack of dawn and overexert yourself to achieve your body goals, especially as you get older," he says. "Jennifer recently revealed that she has turned towards low-intensity, more mindful workouts, partially to avoid injury but also to take the pressure and stress off her body."

What is the key to toned arms?

Martyn reminds us that simply focusing on your arms and not working out any other area of your body will not lead to the strength Jennifer has built, saying that the idea that you can target one area when it comes to fat loss is a myth.

"Resistance training will help you build muscle if done alongside progressive overload, slowly building up the weight you use when training. If you're not keen on the idea of weight training, Pilates and yoga are also options that can help you build strength," he explains.

"If fat loss is also a goal of yours, pair these workouts with cardiovascular workouts," Martyn adds. These don’t need to be intense like HIIT or running, it can be as simple as getting out on a daily walk."

Is arm day worth it?

So how do you decide how to factor arm workouts into your schedule, and is a dedicated weekly 'arm day' the solution? "If you can only make it to the gym three times a week, I would suggest doing three full-body workouts that cover all muscle groups," Martyn tells us. "To ensure you're not doing super long workouts though, try and incorporate compound movements that target multiple muscle groups at a time.

"Alternatively, you could split these exercises into isolated workouts, focusing one day on the upper body, one day on the lower body, and then finish the week with a full-body workout," he says. "If you’re looking at Pilates and yoga, you can do specific workouts targeting certain areas, but many online workouts within these generally cover all muscle groups."

What are some recommended upper-body workouts?

Many are at a loss when it comes to where to start - but Martyn is on hand to help. "If you are looking to build an upper body-focused routine, or want to add more arm-focus moves to your full body routine, look at combining resistance training movements such as tricep dips or tricep extensions, bicep or hammer curls, overhead or shoulder presses, planks with shoulder taps, lateral raises, front raises and push-ups," he says.

"All of these workouts can be done without weights if you're just starting out, but as you gain strength, be sure to add weights slowly to ensure you’re building muscle effectively. It's a common misconception that you need to do as many moves as possible in your workouts, five to six movements per workout is enough."

What other lifestyle choices can contribute towards toned arms?

It won't come as a surprise that building a toned physique like Jennifer's is not down to exercise alone. Martyn recommends a protein-rich diet and reducing the amount of processed and sugary foods. However, he does remind us not to fall into the trap of removing food groups unless advised to do so by a medical professional as restricted diets generally aren't effective as they're not sustainable.

What equipment is needed for a beginner looking for toned arms?

You may worry that you don't have the same budget as a Hollywood A-lister when it comes to investing in exercise equipment but fret not - you don't have to part with too many pennies. Jennifer's go-to workouts can even be done at home with just a few key pieces of equipment.

"Start off by incorporating bodyweight exercises into your schedule three times a week," Martyn says, adding that a decent pair of supportive trainers can help to ensure proper form and prevent injury.

"As you progress, then you can look at incorporating weights and resistance to your exercises and introduce this with dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells or resistance bands."

After how long should you expect to see results from arm workouts?

Like any health journey, results are individualised. But Martyn does say that if you are consistent with your workouts and nutrition you should expect to start feeling a change within four to six weeks, with bigger changes being felt within eight to twelve.

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