Great Arm Exercises

By Richard Daniels


Many novice bodybuilders think that if they are doing bicep curls they are basically doing all that needs to be done for the arms. When training your triceps and arms effectively, you need to train the muscle fibers in quite a range of different movements. We talked to some leading bodybuilders and put together a variety of exercises that can actually increase the thickness to your arms.

Straight bar bicep curl

This is a traditional exercise and is good for warm ups and also for thickening the arms. You can utilize and EZ bar if you choose for much better wrist comfort. Your feet should be shoulder width apart and you knees slightly bent. Elbows and hands need to be lined up at shoulder width. Grab the bar with your palms facing up and curl your arms to your chest. You can use a lightweight for warm-up and a heavier weight for workout. Try doing a couple of sets with your hands a bit closer together for an improved bicep squeeze.

Hammer curl warm-up

A hammer curl is different to a bicep curl since the palms of your hands will be facing your body and not be facing up. Get your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand. You can also do a variation which is nearly a curl by bringing your hands to the middle of your chest rather than to your shoulders.

Rope push down

This benefits warming up the elbow joints and getting blood to circulate to the triceps. Stand rather near to the machine. Your feet need to be slightly apart and your knees a little flexed. Keep your elbows near you sides and your hands close together as you grab the rope. Pull the rope down, straightening your arms and at the end of the motion straighten your wrists so that your knuckles point to the floor. Do the reverse movement starting from the wrists and bring your arms all the way up to chest level. Towards the end of the movement it is normal that your elbows will be somewhat raised. Keep the weights light for warm up and heavier later on in the routine.

Barbell overheads

These cannot be lacking on any bodybuilding program. Lie on your bench and raise the barbell up so that your arms are facing straight in front of you. Flex your elbows and bring the barbell close to your chest. Bring it back up. This workout works your arms without putting unnecessary strain on your shoulders. A good variation can be had putting you bench in a decline and doing numerous sets in that position.

Alternate curls

For your alternating bicep curls, take a dumbbell in each hand and have your palms facing up. It is great to do sets at varying rates of speed with varying weights so that you train both your fast twitch and your slow twitch muscle fibers. Curl your arm up till the dumbbell is shoulder height, keeping your elbow tucked close to the side of your body. Bring it back down in a slow, controlled way. Avoid swinging your whilst raising the weight.

Preacher curl

For this workout you will need a preacher curl bench and free weights or a barbell. Dumbbells are a little easier to make use of since you can take them in your hands before you sit at the bench.

If you make these exercises a routine component of your daily workout, you will be able to determine the outcome in bicep thickness in just 6 weeks!




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