Arm muscles play a major part in everything you do, allowing you to move freely and keeping your body strong. From wiggling your fingers to doing push-ups, they give you fine motor movements. The biceps, triceps, and forearms also take a central role in all this.
The biceps help in lifting and pulling motions while pushing for the triceps. Strong forearms are essential for gripping and holding objects. Altogether, they contribute to a balanced workout and an equal emphasis on your body.
So when training your upper body, it only makes sense to have a routine focused on these three. Otherwise, you may have to deal with muscular imbalances at some point.
To help you achieve the ‘killer arms’, incorporate these exercises into your regimen. These are proven to provide significant results for muscle growth and strength. Ready?
Biceps Exercises
The biceps are small muscles, but they serve a real big function. They’re responsible for flexing the elbow joint and rotating the forearm. The next time you head to the pull-up bar and perfect the exercise, that’s your biceps at work. These workouts explicitly target the biceps muscles in the upper arm:
Pull-ups
(A pull-up is an upper body strength exercise that involves hanging from a pull up bar by hand. The movement focuses on lifting the entire body until the chest touches the bar. To do so, use your arms and shoulder muscles, and avoid shrugging your shoulders.
- Start by standing directly below the pull-up bar. Place your hands in an overhand grip and slightly further than shoulder-width apart. You’re in your starting position once you hold onto the bar.
- Engage your shoulder blades and pull up towards the bar until your chin is above it.
- Lower yourself back down gently, and then repeat. It’s important to keep your core tight and your elbows close to your body during the exercise.
If you are struggling, use resistance bands to assist you until you build up enough strength to do a full pull-up. Aim for 25 if you’re a beginner, and then gradually increase up to 50 in total.
Hammer curls with dumbbells
(The hammer curl is a classic weightlifting exercise that uses dumbbells. It’s a good training for building strength. To get started, you need a pair of dumbbells with a neutral grip where your palms face inwards.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
- Keep your elbows close to your body and slowly lift the dumbbells towards your shoulders. Ensure your palms are facing each other throughout the movement.
- Squeeze your biceps at the top of the movement, then lower the weights to the starting position.
Begin with a light weight and complete 3-4 sets of 10-15 reps. You may shift to heavier dumbbells once you get comfortable and stick to the 3-4 sets of 6-8 reps range.
Triceps Exercises
Your triceps are often the heavy lifters; anytime you push something, that’s them getting the job done. Putting together a workout that covers this muscle can give you functional movement.
Diamond push-ups
(Diamond push-ups are an advanced variation of regular push-ups. It requires tremendous upper body strength. If you’re a beginner, start with the basics and gradually work your way up.
- Begin by getting into a plank position with your hands close together. This should help you achieve a diamond shape with your thumbs and index fingers.
- Lower your position towards the ground while keeping your elbows close to your body.
- Push back up to the starting position. Keep your core engaged and maintain a straight line from your head to your heels.
Repeat this exercise for several sets. Increase the number of repetitions as your strength improves. Take breaks when needed and listen to your body to avoid injury.
Triceps extensions
(This exercise is a great way to strengthen and tone the muscles in the back of the arms. To start, choose a weight that’s comfortable but challenging for you.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the weight.
- Slowly lower the weight behind your head, keeping your elbows stationary.
- Lift the weight back up to the starting position. Make sure to engage your triceps throughout the movement.
Repeat for 10-15 reps, and aim for 2-3 sets. As you become more comfortable, you can increase the weight. Or try different variations, such as using an overhead triceps extension.
Forearms Exercises
The forearms are the gateway to strength. And aside from a strong grip, forearm muscles play a vital role in your overall appearance. It can say a lot about you as a gym junkie as well.
Dumbbell wrists
(The dumbbell wrist flexion is a huge addition to any forearm workout. The motion helps target and strengthen your wrist flexors, building grip strength.
- To start, sit on a bench or chair with your feet flat on the ground and your back straight.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing up and your elbows resting on your thighs.
- Curl your wrists, squeezing your forearm muscles at the movement’s top.
- Then, lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
Repeat this movement for three sets of 12-15 reps. Start with a lighter weight and intensify as you become stronger – little by little.
Reverse curls
(The reverse curl is one of the keys to stronger and more muscular forearms. The exercise helps increase blood flow and build strength. But try not to let your ego get the better of you, as it pays to go to light on this one.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding the dumbbell in each hand.
- Slowly curl the weights up towards your shoulders, keeping your elbows close to your body.
- Once you reach the top of the curl, lower the weights back down to the starting position.
Repeat this exercise for several repetitions, maintaining proper form throughout.
Round-up
These muscles are essential for everyday activities. Strong biceps and triceps improve your overall upper body strength. This, in return, can help you perform other exercises more effectively. Developing your forearm muscles can also help prevent injuries and improve grip strength. Adding these exercises to your workout routine will work wonders for your figure.