Are you tired of your T-shirt sleeves blowing around in the wind? Clicking on this article will get you started on building larger triceps, biceps, and forearms. These arm exercises target maximum muscle fibers to stimulate growth. They also prove that any piece of equipment, when used correctly and with right arm workouts, can be gun-toting to build larger, thicker arms.
If you are wondering why you should know 18 arm exercises, it is because you will need to hit your arms from different angles if you want to build strong arms. This muscle-building theory has been supported by research by the Department of Health Science and Human Performance, University of Tampa.
We have provided a detailed “how to” that will ensure that you do each rep correctly and detail the benefits of each exercise. This will help you choose the right combination for your goals. You will need to work on your triceps, biceps, and forearms if you want big arms. We have chosen exercises that target all three of these muscle groups.
These Are the 8 Best Bicep Exercises
#1 Incline Bicep Curl
How to: Place a dumbbell in each of your hands at arm’s reach. To curl the dumbbell to reach your shoulder, use your biceps. Then lower it to your side.
Why? This position can isolate the biceps, and make it difficult for other muscles to share the load. The entire muscle can be worked by extending your arms slightly and keeping your elbows pointing toward the ground. This allows for a greater range of motion than other arm exercises.
#2 Arm Flexors
How to: Place your right arm on a bench, and let the weight hang. Then, lower the weight by lowering it. Continue with the other arm.
Why? This is a great way to isolate the arm flexors and hit the lateral head of the biceps for maximum performance (and appearance).
#3 Twisting Dumbbell Curl
How to: With your palms facing one another, hold a dumbbell in each of your hands. Your bicep should be used to lift the dumbbells upwards. As you do so, rotate your palms towards your chest and turn your hands to lift them. Slowly lower your dumbbells to your side.
Why? Because the twist activates your forearm. Although it won’t impact your biceps as much as other arm exercises, this move will make your arm stronger.
#4 Row of Underhand Seated
How to: Bend your knees and hold the bar with an underneath grip, shoulder-width apart. Keep your back straight while leaning back. Next, use your back muscles to push the bar toward your belly button. Restore the bar to its original position, and then repeat.
Why? This is not a bodyweight move, but a way to get bigger biceps.
#5 Straight bar for Reverse Curl
How to: Hold the barbell at shoulder-width with an overhand grip. You can bend your elbows to rotate the barbell upwards. Only use your forearms. Slowly return it to its original position and continue the process.
Why? Because it works the brachialis (an invisible muscle lower than your upper arm), which is often overlooked. However, this brachialis is essential for larger biceps. It is a great exercise that will give you a bigger flex and better-looking arms if you train it properly.
#6 Leant-forward EZ Bar Curl
How to: With your shoulder-width grip, hold the EZ bar in front of your thighs. Your torso should be about 30 degrees from your hips. Breathe in and curl the bar to your shoulders. Next, squeeze your biceps and then reduce the bar under control.
Why? Because you’re strengthening the main flexor muscle that is responsible for finger strength. This will give you a vice grip for larger lifts and a bone-crushing shake. You can’t use your hips to lift the last few reps because of your forward tilt. For perfect gain, you need to be in the right form.
#7 Curl Reverse-grip EZ Bar
How to: With your shoulders wide, hold the EZ bar straight up in front of your thighs. Breathe in and curl the bar to your shoulders. Next, squeeze your biceps and then reduce the bar under control.
Why? Because weaknesses in your elbows or forearms can severely limit your biceps growth, no matter how many exercises you do and how many curls you do. To correct this, this move targets your brachioradialis (forearm muscles).
#8 Prone Dumbbell Spider Curl
How to: Place a dumbbell in each of your hands on an inclined bench. Let them hang below your shoulders. To curl the dumbbells towards you, use your biceps. Slowly return to the starting position, and then repeat.
Why? Because lying against the bench will help you master curling techniques that are useful for many arm exercises. You can cheat if your chest lifts, but if your chest stays flat, you will have another set of biceps.
These Are the 8 Best Tricep Exercises
#9 Diamond Press-up
How to: Lay on your back straight on the ground and make a diamond shape using your hands. Your chest should be almost touching the ground. Your body should be in its original position. You can squeeze your chest and triceps while simultaneously pressing your body back down.
Why? To create an eye-catching definition, narrowing your grip will work on all three of your triceps as well as your chest.
#10 Javelin Press
How to: Just above your shoulder, hold an EZ bar in your right hand. Continue to extend your arm, drive the bar up above your head, and then lower it down to your shoulder.
Why? This will work your triceps unilaterally (one hand at a time), while the instability of ungainly equipment activates smaller shoulder muscles, which help to injury-proof the joint. You’ll be a pro in comparison to guys who carry dumbbells.
#11 One-Arm Tricep Extension
How to: With your elbow bent towards the ceiling, hold a dumbbell in your left hand. Reach your elbow out and extend your arm straight up so that the dumbbell is directly in front of you. Return your arm to its original position.
Why? This move builds arm strength, stability in your shoulders, and elbows. Working unilaterally will eliminate muscle imbalances.
#12 Decline Close-grip EZ Bar Skullcrusher
How to: Lay back on the bench with a 30-degree slope. Grab the EZ bar in your innermost grips. Now, extend your arms straight up with your palms facing your feet. Keep your elbows straight and your fingers tucked in. Slowly return your arms to their original position, but don’t lock your elbows.
Why? The bench should be set to fall so that you can increase muscle activation.
#13 Tate Press
How to: Lay on your back and raise two dumbbells above your shoulders. Slowly bend your elbows so that the dumbbells are at your chest. Repeat the process until you return the dumbbells to their original position.
Why? This angle is important because it places more emphasis on the long head of your triceps, which allows for greater muscle separation at your back. It is against the rules to wear a vest at work in order to show off your triceps.
#14 Standing Overhead Barbell Triceps Extension
How to: Hold a barbell over your head with both hands. Your palm face forwards. Keep your arms straight and bend your elbows as you lower the bar towards your head. Once your elbows reach 90 degrees, stop and flex your triceps.
Why? A barbell placed overhead gives you a better gripping advantage. You can use your strength to snap the barbell at the top of the rep. This will activate maximum muscle fibers.
#15 Close-grip Bench Press
How to: Grab a barbell in your overhand grip so it’s about shoulder-width apart. Then, hold it straight above your sternum. Then lower the bar straight down and pause. Next, press the bar up to its original position.
Why? This is a great exercise for your core and chest. Your triceps will work harder if you place your hands closer together, leading to more strength and growth.
#16 Tricep Dips (Advanced)
How to: Stand on parallel bars and place your torso parallel to the ground. Slowly lower your body so that your shoulders are below your elbows. Keep your elbows straight, but not locked. Skip this move if you have shoulder problems.
Why? Because lifting your entire body weight means that your triceps must work against a heavier load than if they were only lifting your tri’s.
Best Forearm and Wrist Exercises
#17 Straight Barbell Palms-Up Wrist Curl
How to: Sit down on a bench with your palms facing upward and hold a barbell. Place your forearms on the ground and lower the bar as far as you can. Slowly lower your wrist by extending your wrist up.
Why? Because your forearms will still be visible long after you have gone to bed. You will notice a significant improvement in your grip strength on deadlift day.
#18 Straight Barbell Palms-down Wrist Curl
How to: Place your palms down on the barbell and sit on a bench. Place your forearms on the ground and lower the bar as far as you can. Slowly lower your wrist by extending it up.
Why? Although this subtle move is not one to be savaged, it’s worth learning. This move targets the extensor muscles in order to minimize wrist and elbow injuries during other moves.
Tips for Building Your Arms from J.Inzani
- Use Heavy Dropsets: Inzani recommends that you load up a bar with a weight that you can bear for five strict reps before dropping to a rep out the weight. You should do 8-10 reps per arm using strict unilateral movements (one arm at a stretch). Keep your elbows close to your body and keep your back straight. The form is key – you shouldn’t move the resting leg until the other arm has completed its rep.
- Multi-grip Dropsets: Inzani overloads his muscles, switching between stronger and weaker grips, single-arm and double-arm movements, and strong to dual-arm grips. Why? Why? You can do 8 reps using both your arms if you have a manageable weight and switch between normal, reverse, cross-body, and normal grips. Then, perform the same for each arm individually.
- Use the Zottman Curl: It’s not just about building a thick upper arm. This exercise also works the often-forgotten elbow flexors. Begin by grasping a few dumbbells. Next, extend your arms outward and place your palms forward on a flat bench. Keep your palms facing forward, and curl as usual. If necessary, bend your wrists backward to avoid recruiting forearm flexors. Rotate your palms downwards at the top. Next, perform the “eccentric” (downwards) portion of a reverse dumbbell roll. Your elbows should be pinned to your sides. If your elbows tend to flail, you can use less weight. For 3 sets, do 8-10 reps.
- Chin-ups: The correct form is key to making this staple of the gym into an effective weapon in your arm-building arsenal. The proper chin-up involves straight arms lifting the chin above the bar. To get started, place your hands about 6-inches apart on the bar. Next, engage your lats and move to the next step. To hold the contraction at the peak, use your biceps and count for two seconds. Inzani advises that you use your muscles’ natural elastic potential by jumping up at the bottom instead of dithering. Results? This will allow you to do more reps and increase your bicep size.
