Exercises and arm training for girls in the gym. The best exercises for the arm muscles Exercises focusing on the arms

Is there a better exercise for the arms? If you ask gym goers, the answers will be different. Exercises that cause muscle growth for one person may be completely useless for another. (This is another reason why we must constantly change the training program, the sequence of exercises, the number of repetitions and the rest time in order to create stress on the muscles for active muscle building.)

Arm exercises in the gym and at home

We offer a list of the best arm exercises. The exercises presented are the most effective for training your arms.

If you want to pump up big arms, then remember that the volume of the biceps in the total volume of the arm is only 1/3. Another 2/3 of the arm size is contributed by the triceps. That is, you need to use movements that effectively load the biceps and triceps.

Another important nuance is that the body will not endlessly build muscle in one place if there is no growth in others. That is, you will never build up huge arms if you have skinny legs and a weak back. Therefore, we included in this list movements that will indirectly load the arms and pump up other muscle groups.

Standing standard barbell curls are great for adding meat to your arms. Why? Barbell curls are a heavy basic exercise that loads the entire length of the biceps, stretches it well, which gives it a stimulus for growth.

For the exercise to be effective, it is necessary to follow the movement technique, smoothly lower your arms with the barbell down until the muscle is fully stretched and contract the biceps in one explosive movement without jerking. To recruit more fibers, you need to tense the muscle at the beginning of the exercise and keep it tense throughout the entire approach. And also shorten (even squeeze) the biceps as much as possible at the top point of the amplitude.

If the muscles no longer respond to this exercise (volume and strength do not increase), you can change the grip width of the barbell to surprise the muscles.

Dumbbell concentrated bicep curls are a great exercise to add extra stress to your muscles after doing barbell lifts. It allows you to pump your biceps in isolation and pump additional blood into it for better growth. Do the movement smoothly with maximum stretch at the bottom of the range and peak contraction at the top of the range.

#3 Standing Dumbbell Curls

The next exercise for training your arms is curling your arms with dumbbells. It also allows you to pump your biceps in isolation. Start with a small warm-up weight of 5 kg for each arm. You can do it both together and alternately. It’s better to stick to a rep range of 10-12 for each arm in 3-4 sets. This exercise will help increase the size of your biceps and forearms.

#4 Lifting dumbbells for biceps with emphasis on an inclined bench

This exercise is aimed at more than just biceps training. It allows you to additionally use the brachialis (shoulder muscle), which is located under the biceps and, as it were, pushes it outward, which allows you to add additional volume to the arm.

Lie face down on a bench at a 45° angle and hold dumbbells or a barbell in your hands. Without moving your shoulders forward/backward, contract your biceps powerfully and lift the dumbbells up. Hold the muscle contraction for 1 second and then return to the starting position, stretching the muscle as much as possible. With this exercise you will feel a burning sensation in your muscles.

#5 Incline Dumbbell Curl

This version of the dumbbell curl is good because it allows you to turn off the auxiliary muscles from the movement and maximally load the biceps.

Set your bench to a 60º incline. Take dumbbells with an overhand grip and alternately bend your arms to chest level. When lifting the dumbbells up, twist the dumbbells by turning your hands inward. This will allow you to make a peak contraction at the highest point of the amplitude. Keep your elbows close to your body as you perform the movement. This exercise will perfectly load the long head of the biceps brachii muscle (biceps).

#6 Dips for triceps

Triceps push-ups are a great exercise for increasing arm size that don't require any special equipment. It can be done anywhere, but it is not as easy as it seems. With each repetition, you lift your weight and hold it entirely through the strength of your arms. This allows you to create training stress and stimulate muscle growth.

You can also perform this exercise with additional weight.

#7 French bench press

The French bench press with a barbell allows you to maximally stretch all 3 heads of the triceps and pump it up efficiently. You need to start with small weights and gradually increase the load so as not to get injured. You can perform it with a straight bar or use an EZ barbell, which allows you to lighten the load on your hands. The movement must be performed smoothly and under control, lowering the barbell to the forehead or even behind the head, to maximize the stretch of the triceps.

Focus on the muscle at the bottom of the range of motion and pause for a second, then slowly contract your triceps while straightening your arms. This will maximize the load on the triceps and make it grow.

Another tip: keep your arms at a 45-degree angle to the floor; this will help the muscles stretch better and remain under more tension during each repetition.

#8 Seated dumbbell bench press for triceps

Another great exercise for working your triceps is the seated dumbbell overhead press. Hold the dumbbell with both hands, palms up. Keeping your shoulders still, bend your elbows and slowly lower the weight behind your head until your forearms are below parallel. Keep your elbows as close to your head as possible. In this exercise, you need to achieve a burning sensation in the triceps.

Lie down on a bench and hold dumbbells directly above your pecs. Your palms should be facing inward. Without moving your shoulders forward or backward, bend your elbows and slowly lower the dumbbells down toward your head. Stop when your forearms are below parallel, contracting your triceps and lifting the dumbbells to the starting position.

#10 Biceps Pull-Ups

Pull-ups are an excellent basic biceps exercise (working two joints) that allow you to pump up the biceps brachii muscle using your body weight. Most guys don't realize that the best way to actually increase arm size and get stronger is through simple exercises and your body weight.

Push-ups allow us to engage our triceps, and will also allow us to pump up our pectoral muscles and deltoids. But if you want to focus on the triceps, use the so-called diamond push-ups (palms rest on the floor next to each other, forming a diamond).

Diamond push-ups are a great exercise to tone your triceps muscles. Keeping your palms close together - like a diamond shape - will put maximum stress on your triceps.

Once again, being able to lift your own body weight will load the triceps very effectively to begin building muscle mass and increasing strength. If you're just starting to work on increasing your arm size, this is also the best way to avoid injury and increase your endurance.

A few more exercises for arms and other muscles

#12 One-arm dumbbell row to the waist

To perform this exercise, place your left knee and left hand and firmly secure them on a horizontal bench. Your left arm should serve as support for your body. Squeeze the dumbbell and slowly lift it up, straining your biceps, back muscles and rear deltoids, lift the dumbbell up until it is higher than your torso; then slowly lower the dumbbells until the muscles are fully stretched. You should feel a burning sensation in your back, triceps, biceps and forearms when performing this exercise.

#13 Bent-over barbell row

Hold the barbell at the front of your body with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, keep the barbell close to your feet, straighten your back, and lower your torso down to a 60-degree angle. Next, using your back and biceps muscles, pull the barbell up toward your stomach. Hold for 1 second and return to the starting position. The exercises will work your biceps and back.

Take two dumbbells, palms facing you, and pull them toward your chin using your biceps and shoulders. This exercise will work your biceps, forearms, shoulders, and chest well. It is one of the most effective for training to build muscle mass in your arms and upper shoulder girdle.

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Everyone dreams of toned and beautiful arms. Exercises with dumbbells will help you achieve this goal.

You can have a slim figure without going to the gym, by exercising regularly and purposefully.

It is necessary to practice increasing loads gradually: ignoring this principle can lead to injury. Make a training plan and don’t put it off - the sooner you start implementing it, the faster you will notice the results!

A little anatomy

The target arm muscles that require loads are the biceps and triceps. These muscles are not much used in everyday life. Without receiving load, they acquire a jelly-like consistency. This applies to both men. If you work them out with the help of effective strength exercises, you can increase the volume of muscle mass, form relief and get rid of both thick and too thin limbs. If you want to make your limbs smaller and thinner, you need to stick to.

Strength training is at the forefront of effectiveness for the arms and shoulders. It must be remembered that in these exercises The shoulder joint is subjected to heavy load, which can be easily injured. Therefore, you need to strictly follow the recommendations for execution technique and work through each movement before using even a small weight.

A training set of 10 exercises

The presented complex will help to work out and strengthen as effectively as possible. It is popular and chosen by a large number of people for its simplicity and accessibility. It can be performed at home and outdoors. Exercising outdoors will provide double the benefits!

1. Swing your arms

This exercise is also for the shoulders. You should definitely start with this complex to strengthen your limbs.

We stand straight and alternately make vigorous swings with our arms up.

We perform ten exercises with three approaches.

2. Various types of push-ups

They are in first place among. They work out muscle groups harmoniously, making your shoulders and arms beautiful and lean. Variations of this movement with your own weight allow you to increase and decrease the load, as well as shift its emphasis to different areas of the muscles.

practiced most often to warm up target muscles before training. Taking a step away from the wall, we do push-ups with our hands located at chest level as many times as possible.

1. We hold dumbbells with a straight grip, feet shoulder-width apart, and tilt the body forward. The body position should be comfortable and stable.
2. Bend your elbows and pull the dumbbells up along the side of your thigh.

Repeat as many times as possible.

4. Dumbbell Curls

Simple, but one of the... The biceps receive most of the load.

1. We perform it while standing, stretching our arms with dumbbells in front of our chests.
2. We make movements in the elbow, bending and unbending it.
3. We keep our hands parallel to the floor - Only the elbow works.

To begin, do as many repetitions as possible. This movement helps a lot.

5. Standing Dumbbell Press

Perfectly works the entire shoulder girdle.

We stand straight, press the dumbbells up, while the body maintains a straight line, and the arms should be parallel at the maximum point.

We perform the maximum possible number of repetitions.

6. Plank

The best exercise to perform at home, popular among beginners and professionals. By holding isometric and static poses, it burns calories and strengthens your abs.

Works the muscles with an emphasis on the arms. Strengthens the forearm. Many people perform this exact exercise at home to prevent the accumulation of fat deposits.

1. We lie down on the floor and rest on our toes and palms.
2. The body, extended in a line, forms a bar. We breathe freely and measuredly. Hold this position for a minute.

We repeat three times. This is great.

7. Curls behind your head with one dumbbell

Works the triceps. The muscles in this area are usually affected by those who do little physical exercise. This exercise also gives strength to the muscles.

1. Holding one dumbbell in both hands, lift it as high as possible.
2. Let's start by the head. Movement occurs at the elbow joint, the remaining parts and bodies are static.
3. We focus on how the thoracic region and the inner surface of the forearm are stretched.

8. Bent-over dumbbell raises

We work the forearms and back. The load also goes to the extensor muscles and latissimus dorsi. Helps.

1. We hold the dumbbells with our palms facing inward.
2. Bend your torso, bend your knees slightly for stability. We maintain the natural anatomical curve in the lower back!
3. We lower our arms with dumbbells freely.
4. Using the shoulder joints, we move our arms apart and bring them together. The body is motionless, only the shoulders work.

We repeat eight times.

Attention! No sudden movements should be made. This may result in sprain or injury!

9. Jumping rope

This is a universal exercise for the main muscle groups. Jumping puts a good load on the inner side of the forearm: it is usually not easy to work out!

We jump at a fast pace for ten minutes.

The exercise is in great demand and is included in many gymnastics complexes with an emphasis on the arms. It is this kind of intense cardio exercise that will help.

10. Arm rotation

You can complete the complex with this exercise, removing the load from your arms and relaxing your muscles. Such a hitch will allow you to avoid it the next day. Also used for stretching and developing flexibility.

1. We stand straight.
2. Slowly and smoothly rotate your hands clockwise.
3. We tilt the body and do small shaking with our hands.

How to train your hands and fingers?

Many novice athletes, when training their arms, underestimate the role of hand and finger strength. However, by working the extensor muscles, overall arm strength can be achieved.

It is generally customary to focus on the shoulders and forearms. But if you pay attention to training your hand, the strength of your forearm will increase.

Experienced trainers pay attention to the fact that the wrists also help to properly hold the weights and increase the impact of strength exercises on the shoulders and forearms. Classes are conducted in several areas.

Compressive force is developed using expander and tennis ball. By squeezing and unclenching them, as well as twisting the expander in the form of a figure eight, you can achieve good results in strengthening the hand. You can train anywhere several times a day.

On a note! A thick barbell or bodybar will help improve your holding power. Pinching power in your fingers can be developed by holding the plate away from the barbell with your fingertips.

• Number of exercises. For beginners, the number of exercises performed should be minimal. You need to focus on your feelings. Muscles cannot be overloaded; loads must be added gradually.
• Training mode. Only strengthened muscles can be trained in a regimen of twelve to fifteen exercises with three repetitions! This figure is average - it can be increased and decreased depending on your physical fitness, age, weight and other individual characteristics.
• Time mode. To avoid overloading your muscles, you need to exercise every other day. Muscle tissue must be restored, so daily training cannot be practiced.
• Proper diet- your first assistant. The presence of protein products and slow carbohydrates will help build a slim figure and a manly silhouette.

Attention! Remember that all advice is advisory in nature. When performing exercises, focus on your individual sensations. If an exercise clearly doesn’t suit you, eliminate it.

In order to have toned and defined muscles, you need to create a training plan and constantly follow it. You can use the arm-focused routine described above, and also consult with a sports doctor or trainer and develop individual workouts for yourself. It is important to remember that missed classes bring you back and force you to start all over again. Regular and targeted training will help you notice positive results quite quickly and achieve your goal!

Riddle: what is the first thing people notice about your physique? What is the first thing that tells the world whether you are strong or a complete weakling? If you're still guessing, here's the answer: it's your hands. Let's face it. The size and shape of your hands are visible under all but the bulkiest winter coats. Small arms cannot be seen from a kilometer away, but large, muscular arm muscles are what separates men from boys.

• The truth about skinny arms
• Arm training program
• Fake arm workout
• Anatomy of hands
• Biceps workout
• Triceps muscle training
• Curve force
• The best exercises for hands
• Nutrition for building muscle mass
• 12 week arm workout
• Training principles

The painful truth about hands

• Flabby arms make you look fat and shapeless
• Skinny arms make you look like a total wimp.
• Only big, muscular arms make you strong

Don't believe me?

Go outside on a warm day. Find someone in short sleeves. Do you notice their belly or neck? Hardly. In fact, you probably noticed their hands first and foremost, and in a split second, appreciated their strength, health, athleticism. What you are about to learn in this cutting-edge arm training program will change the very way you train your arms once and for all, and will equip you with the knowledge to finally develop the strongest arms your genetics will allow. This guide provides information that will not only tell you what to do, but why you are doing it. Knowing what's going on under the skin takes your training to a whole new level. As mentioned above, your arms are a very noticeable part of your body and are usually the first thing someone will look at to judge how strong and muscular you are. Let's face it, most guys want three things in life - impressive bench press strength, well-defined abs and big arms. Unfortunately, you can’t solve all three problems today, but you can take care of your skinny arms.

Chances are you've heard someone ask or asked someone yourself:

“Show me your muscles?”

What's the first thing someone usually does when asked this question?

They don't strip and flex their pecs like bodybuilders, no. They flex their biceps, raise their arms, and get into a classic stance. The desire for guys to want big, impressive arms is understandable, but height can be a real sticking point for some people in this area. Maybe you're just starting weight training for the first time and want to start with arm development. Or maybe you've been working out for some time and have built an overall muscular physique, but your arms are lagging in growth. Or maybe you just want to fill a gap in your sleeve and look good in a T-shirt.

No matter what your reason for wanting bigger arms, the information in this guide and workout program will give you jaw-dropping tips for getting bigger arms. This is the biggest, baddest (in a good way) arm workout in the history of mankind... it is one of the most effective programs that causes muscle growth.

Why is this arm training program so effective?

There are many poorly designed and ineffective hand development programs that played a role in the motivation to write this article and training program. Some of the arm building programs you've seen will force you to train only your arms for a certain number of weeks, completely neglecting all other muscle groups. This is a terrible way to structure any workout. Not only will this lead to an unbalanced physique (arm muscles becoming disproportionately larger than other muscle groups), but you will also miss out on the synergistic effect that training larger muscle groups has on arm development. For example, all upper body pressing exercises such as the chest press and shoulder press work the triceps. All upper body pulling exercises such as deadlifts and pull-ups target the back muscles and engage the biceps. Performing compound exercises that target large muscle groups in your targeted arm workout is highly beneficial for development.

There is no point eliminating other muscle groups when starting an arm-focused training program, as training other large muscle groups will also activate and stimulate arm muscle growth. Training your back, chest and shoulders will indirectly help develop arm muscles and strength. Also, your shoulders are part of your arms, so it's important to include this muscle group as part of your overall arm development program.

Beware of Fake Arm Training Programs

Another thing to consider with arm training programs is the ridiculous size gains claims they can make. Not only are some of these claims untrue, but they actually charge you for the information, usually in the form of some kind of downloadable digital document. Statements such as “add 5 centimeters to your arms within 7 days.” These things piss everyone off because they are scammers. There is no way anyone on this Earth could add 2 inches of muscle tissue to their arms in a week, period! Of course, you can temporarily increase your hand size by an inch or two per week. But that extra size is not pure muscle, it is inflammation and fluid retention. There are people who add 2 centimeters to their arms in one 30-minute workout from creating a huge pump.

A muscle “pump” is caused by plasma trapped inside the muscle. Repeated and intense muscle contractions increase blood flow in the muscles, which causes plasma to move from the capillaries into the interstitial spaces in the muscle cells, creating the appearance of a large muscle. Bodybuilders typically perform exercises to “puff up” their muscles before appearing on stage, to make their muscles appear larger and fuller. But this is just a temporary “fake” size. Within a few hours the blood drains, the pump effect goes away and the muscle returns to its normal size. This arm workout is definitely not your typical muscle-building program. It is designed to achieve maximum muscle growth. Of course, you may experience a big pump effect from this training regimen, but that's just a side effect. The information, exercises, and workout structure in this guide will give you the tools you need to build real muscular arms, not some temporary “pump.”

Anatomy of the hand

Before we get into the actual training program and training variables, we'll look at the functional anatomy of the major muscles of the arm. This will help you know what's going on behind the scenes and understand exactly what muscles you'll be working to grow.

Biceps

The biceps is the muscle on the front (facial) part of the upper arm. I hope this isn't a shocking surprise to anyone. On the front of your arm are the three main muscles that you are most interested in.

Biceps brachii

The biceps has two heads: a long one, which is located on the outer part of the arm, and a short one, which is located on the inner part of the arm. The main function of the biceps is to flex the elbow and rotate (supinate) the forearm. Many people do not realize that when rotating the wrist from palm down (pronation) to palm up (supination), the biceps brachii muscle controls this movement. Try it yourself, with your right upper arm perpendicular to the floor, raise your forearm with your palm facing down. Squeeze your right bicep with your left hand. Now rotate your right hand to raise your palm upward. You can feel the biceps working even with this small twisting motion.

Brachialis muscle

It's also important to know that the biceps don't work alone. There are two more supporting muscles. The first is called the brachialis, which is located under the biceps and acts as a second biceps. It does not participate in pronation or supination. The main role of this muscle is to help flex the elbow joint. The brachialis muscle has great potential for growth, but is often underdeveloped. Targeting this muscle with some specific techniques is a surefire way to add extra size to your arms.

Brachioradialis muscle

Another muscle that is briefly mentioned above is the brachioradialis, which is actually more of a forearm muscle but plays a supporting role in biceps movements and makes up a good portion of the thickness of the arms. Usually people train the upper arm and completely neglect this muscle. But if you really want impressive arms, then you must train this muscle in harmony with your upper arm. Large muscular biceps and thin weak forearms will look less impressive. This means that it would look like a well-toned upper body standing on skinny legs. It would be very inappropriate.

Biceps muscle training

To build biceps, the workout includes exercises for both flexion and supination. By manipulating the position of the shoulder, you can increase the involvement of the long or short head of the biceps. Biceps exercises performed with your elbow at midsection will better work the long head of the biceps. The dumbbell curl, performed on an incline bench, is a good example of an exercise that puts more stress on the long head of the biceps. Biceps exercises where the elbow is in front of the midline of the body better train the short head of the biceps. Scott curls are a good example of an exercise that places a little more stress on the short head of the biceps muscle.

The workout includes effective exercises to develop the supporting muscles of the biceps (brachialis and brachioradialis). All the best exercises for developing arms will also be discussed in detail later. But first, let's take a look at the anatomy and function of the triceps.

Triceps

If you want bigger arms, then you need to give your triceps the same attention and exercise as your biceps. When it comes to arm muscles, most people pay a lot of attention to training their biceps and neglect their triceps. Building bigger arms is more than just training your biceps. If you really want to have sleeve-ripping arms, then you need to do more than just biceps curls, because the triceps make up about 75% of the entire arm. The triceps brachii is a muscle made up of three heads (hence the name triceps) and is located at the back of the upper arm. All three heads of the triceps brachii muscle converge and insert into the elbow.

Side head

Located on the outside of the arm and is the most visible part of the triceps. This part of the triceps muscle originates in the upper humerus and attaches to the elbow.

Medial head

Located close to the elbow and is the smallest part of the triceps

Long head

Located on the inside/back of the arm and connects to the shoulder blade. This part of the triceps muscle is slightly different from the lateral and medial capitis because it connects to the scapula bone at the back and elbow. The triceps work as a whole with the primary function of extending the elbow joint (erector arm).

Triceps muscle training

As mentioned above, the triceps consists of three heads. All three heads work together when performing any triceps exercise. It is impossible to reduce one head without involving others. However, with certain exercises and training techniques, we can apply more tension to the selected triceps head. For example, placing your arms overhead isolates the long head of the triceps. When performing overhead triceps exercises such as dumbbell presses or cable rows, you stretch and isolate the long head of the triceps. This arm workout program includes a variety of exercises structured to target all of the major arm muscles for maximum development.

Force curve

This training program is structured so that you train the muscle optimally at different points on the strength curve. This means that you will develop strength through a full range of motion. Most people start maxing out their strength in the middle of the range. For example, in barbell curls, the point at which the bar reaches the middle of the movement is where the muscle is placed under the most stress and tension. Therefore, the muscle will develop more force in the middle of the range of motion. When the barbell rests at the top of the thigh in the biceps starting position, there is no tension on the biceps. As you lift the barbell upward, the tension increases and peaks in the middle of the movement and then decreases at the top. If you have always simply trained your biceps with exercises that maximize tension in the middle of the range of motion, then you will become strong at this point of the strength curve, but weak at the beginning and end of the muscle's range of motion. Adding an exercise such as low cable curls will create maximum tension at the bottom of the range where dumbbell and barbell curls will not. You can create greater overall muscle stimulation by applying force at all points of the force curve. Receiving a strong load at the beginning, middle and end of a muscle's range of motion will result in better development of that muscle.

The most effective exercises for arms

In this section we will look at the best exercises for growing arms.

Selected muscle building exercises are based on the physiological response caused by a specific movement. Although science has classified resistance training exercises in many ways, one of the most reliable and comprehensive classifications involves the use of EMG - Electromyography. EMG is a technique that records and evaluates the electrical activity produced in specific muscle groups. Any movement produces electrical activity, and EMG allows researchers to determine which exercises produce the most activity. Knowing this, an objective measurement can be obtained.

In serious strength training, Dr. Tudor Bompa, Professor Emeritus of York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, obtained results from applying EMG to various muscle groups and found that some exercises created more muscle-building stimulation than others. Your arm workout will start with big exercises. This will ensure that your muscles are fresh and ready to move a lot of weight. Starting with large, heavy exercises such as barbell curls or close-grip bench presses will allow you to overload your muscles with weight in order to create a lot of tension within the muscles. The heavy lifts are accompanied by specific isolation exercises that really focus on different areas of the arms to maximize development.

Descriptions of biceps exercises

Exercise 1: EZ Bar or Barbell Curls

Barbell curls should be the main exercise in your biceps training program. This is a good isolation exercise that works the biceps brachii, brachialis, and to a lesser extent the forearms. This exercise can be performed using an EZ bar or barbell. It is recommended to use an EZ bar if you see one available at the gym because it is light on the wrists and elbow joints and comfortable to use. Remember to keep your upper arm still to minimize any involvement of the shoulder muscles. Keep your top arm straight and don't swing the bar. Concentrate on contracting your biceps and move only your elbow joints.

Exercise 2: Dumbbell Curls

Chances are, the first time you started weight training, you picked up the right dumbbells and did a few curls. This is a very popular and excellent isolation exercise that works the biceps, as well as the brachialis and brachioradialis muscles to some extent. The great thing about dumbbell curls is the ability to rotate your wrist as you lift the weight up. Remember that the biceps not only create flexion (bending the arm at the elbow), but also supination (rotation of the forearm). As you lift the weight up, twist your wrist as much as possible clockwise at the top of the movement. Squeeze your biceps tightly and then slowly release the weight for 3-4 seconds under controlled tension. Dumbbell curls take the biceps through their natural range of motion (flexion, pause, and supination) and allow you to twist, squeeze, and fully contract the biceps at the top of the movement.

Most people will do dumbbell curls by alternating each arm after each rep, which is fine. But it is better to prefer to train one arm at a time. For example, do 8 reps using your right arm, then switch and do 8 reps using your left arm. This is the best way to train your biceps because you get a better muscle-brain connection. You will be able to fully focus on one muscle at a time. The biceps are also under constant tension because you are not allowing them to rest like you would when alternating arms after each rep.

Exercise 3: Incline Dumbbell Curls

Performing incline dumbbell curls brings your elbows behind your body. Since your elbows are behind your torso during this exercise, it will dramatically change how you engage your biceps, giving a better stretch to the biceps and more emphasis on the long head. Set up an incline bench so that your arms extend behind your torso in the starting position. If you set the incline too low, you can strain your biceps and create unnecessary friction in your tendons.

Exercise 4: Scott Bench Curl

Remember how most people show their biceps when asked to show off their muscles? Well, this exercise helps develop the inner short head of the biceps, the muscle most visible when you show off your anterior biceps. Because your arms are in front of your torso during this exercise, the tension on the long head of the biceps is reduced slightly, putting more stress on the short head. This is one of the best isolation exercises for working the biceps, with a heavy emphasis on the short head of the biceps and brachialis muscles. This is a very serious movement that allows you to focus on a muscle with a strong contraction. It is impossible to use other muscles and “cheat” with this exercise because your hands are fixed on the support platform. EMG testing has shown that this is one of the best stimulating exercises for the biceps.

Exercise 5: Hammers (dumbbells or cable machine)

This is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the brachialis, brachioradialis, and to a lesser extent the biceps. It can be performed using dumbbells or a cable trainer. This exercise is performed using a neutral grip (thumbs facing up), which places the brachialis muscle in a straighter line of pull, increasing muscle recruitment and development.

Exercise 6: Reverse Curls

This is an isolation exercise that targets the radialis brachialis, and to a lesser extent the biceps. Performing curls with a reverse grip (palms facing down) with an EZ bar or barbell covers the biceps attachment point. This means that the biceps lose mechanical advantage, transferring a strong line to the shoulder of the radialis muscle. When flexing with a pronating grip, the radialis muscle does most of the work. Because the radialis minor does most of the work, you don't need to use a lot of weight in this exercise.

Exercise 7: Cable Pull Down

Remember how it was said above that there is no tension at the bottom of the biceps curl when using a dumbbell? Well, this exercise is a great way to create a lot of tension in the lower biceps curl. This is an ideal addition to a biceps workout as it puts the biceps in a lengthened position and builds strength at the lower end of the range. Perform the exercise one arm at a time, using the handle mount on a low cable (you need to stand with your back to the machine).

Descriptions of triceps exercises

Exercise 1: Close Grip Bench Press

This is a large compound exercise that gives you the ability to move a lot of weight, putting a lot of tension on your triceps. It works all heads of the triceps, but works best on the medial and lateral heads. When most people think of the bench press they think of chest training. It's true that the bench press is primarily a chest exercise, but you also get a lot of stretch on the elbow, which works the triceps. And with some changes in arm position, you can force the triceps to do most of the work. This is a great exercise for gaining muscle mass for the triceps muscles.

People make the mistake of keeping their hands too close to the bar when doing this exercise. This can cause a lot of tension in the wrists at the bottom of the movement. You need to hold the barbell shoulder-width apart with your arms perpendicular to the floor. Another common mistake when performing this exercise is that people tend to pull their elbows out to the side. Don't do this - keep your elbows close to your body throughout the entire movement.

Exercise 2: Bars

Bars are another great compound exercise that works all three heads of the triceps muscles at once. It has been called the "upper body squat" but you must take great care to perform this exercise with perfect form. It can cause stress and pain in the shoulder joint in some people. If you find this exercise very uncomfortable or painful in the shoulder area, stop immediately. Some people don't do well with parallel bars, even if their shape is good enough. If this exercise is not for you, then replace it with a close-grip bench press.

Exercise 3: Lying Triceps Flyes

Lying triceps flyes are a very popular triceps isolation exercise. Some people find this exercise quite uncomfortable and sometimes cause pain in their elbows. To make this exercise as comfortable as possible for your elbows and overall, use an EZ bar. If your gym doesn't have an EZ bar or you still feel uncomfortable, use dumbbells with a neutral grip (palms facing each other). There are several exercise variations. Some lower the bar to the chin, others to the head. But the second name of the exercise, “skull crusher,” suggests that it is usually performed by lowering the weight to the forehead.

Exercise 4: French Press

This is a very effective isolation exercise for the triceps. Because this exercise is performed with the arms overhead, it provides a greater stretch and better activation of the long head of the triceps. This exercise can be performed using dumbbells or a cable machine.

Exercise 5: Triceps Cable Row

A great exercise using a cable in a machine engages all three heads of the triceps and engages the lateral heads of the triceps more than using a barbell.

Exercise 6: Standing Arm Extension

This is an absolute must-have exercise for maximizing triceps development. It places a lot of stress through the full range of motion and MRI studies have shown that the greatest emphasis is placed on the lateral and long heads of the triceps and moderate on the medial head. EMG testing has shown this to be one of the best triceps stimulating exercises.

Exercise 7: Reverse Grip Arm Extension

This is an isolation exercise that primarily works the medial and lateral heads of the triceps muscle.

Important Workout Components

Knowing which exercises are best for building big, muscular arms is good, but there are some important training components that are necessary to make any muscle-building program successful. In order for this program to work, you must understand and apply these components to your training.

Ascent rate

The term "tempo" is used to define the rate at which the weight is lifted and released during a repetition. This is usually expressed as a combination of four numbers:

1. This is the starting position of the movement
2. This is the concentric part of the movement (lifting)
3. This is the final position of the movement
4. This is the eccentric part of the movement (lowering)

One biceps curl rep would look like 0/2/1/3:

• 0 seconds in starting position
• 2 seconds to lift the weight (concentric)
• 1 second for pause at the end
• 3 seconds to lower the weight to the starting position (eccentric)

... and then repeat.

Why is repetition rate so important?

To truly maximize growth from each rep, science tells us that performing a fast, explosive concentric contraction will be optimal. During muscle contraction, motor units and muscle fibers are recruited to the force generated by the muscle. The more motor units and muscle fibers activated during a repetition, the greater the muscle growth response. So, when you lift the weight, it should be quick, with a strong contraction, and last between 1 and 2 seconds.

What about lowering the weight?

A lot of people make the mistake of letting gravity do all the work. This significantly reduces the time that the muscle is under tension and will lead to a decrease in the rate of mass growth. The muscles must be under constant tension while lifting and lowering the weight to increase the time under tension. Below are examples of how lifting speed affects time under tension:

Example 1: You do 8 reps of barbell curls. It takes you 2 seconds to lift the bar, then you slowly lower the weight under tension for 3 seconds. Muscles are in a tense state for about 40 seconds per approach.

Example 2: You do 8 reps of barbell curls without controlling the weight as you lower. It takes you 2 seconds to lift the barbell. Then you relax your muscles and let gravity do most of the work in losing weight. The muscle is under tension for about 16 seconds in one set.

Do you see how important it is to lose weight in a controlled manner?

Research shows that negatives have a greater impact on muscle hypertrophy than concentric training, and there is evidence that maximum growth is not achieved unless eccentric muscle actions are performed - Brad Schoenfeld

Research tells us that the eccentric (lowering) part of each repetition causes muscle growth and is just as important as the concentric (lifting) part. But you must lower the weight in a controlled movement, keeping the target muscle under tension. It will take you 3 – 4 seconds to return the weight to the starting position. Some people are very conscious about the tempo of the lift, counting every second of every part of the rep. This is stupid and completely unnecessary. You don't have to obsess over every second - trying to make sure every part of the climb hits right at the prescribed tempo of the climb. You don't have to count the rising tempo in your head as you perform each rep. It's just a distraction. All you need to do is keep two things in mind:

1. Fast, explosive rise (1 – 2 seconds)
2. Slow, controlled descent (3 – 4 seconds)

Number of repetitions per set

Scientific studies have classified repeats into 3 main ranges:

• 1 – 5 mostly strength/muscle growth
• 6 – 12 mostly muscle growth/strength
• 15+ mostly muscular endurance

As you can see from the list above, a moderate number of repetitions in the range of 6 – 12 is optimal for muscle growth. Now the most important thing is the weight you use. Simply picking up any light weight and counting out 10 reps will not produce growth. Muscles don't react to numbers, they react to tension. You should choose a weight that pushes you to failure (the point at which you cannot perform another repetition). Approximately between 6 – 12 repetitions. This ensures that the muscle you are training receives enough tension and time under tension to increase growth. In an arm training program, it is best to narrow the range to 8 repetitions per set. It may take several “rehearsal sets” to find the appropriate weight so that you reach failure around the 8th rep. If you can easily do more than 10 reps during a set, then the weight is too light. Increase the weight a little on your next set. If you struggle to reach 8 reps during a set, then the weight is too heavy. Lighten the weight a little on your next set.

Rest and recovery

The whole point of a training program is to increase the level of protein synthesis of a specific muscle group. Protein synthesis is the method by which muscle is built. In this program, you focus on maximizing arm growth, which means increasing protein synthesis in those muscles as often as possible. Right now, your muscles are performing a balancing act known as protein turnover. Protein turnover is the balance between protein synthesis and protein breakdown. More synthesis than destruction is indicated by the anabolic position that builds muscle tissue. More nervous breakdown than synthesis means a catabolic state that burns muscle tissue. Balance of muscle protein synthesis and degradation:

• Synthesis = degradation = stable muscle mass (no change)
• Synthesis > degradation = muscle hypertrophy (growth)
• Synthesis< деградация = атрофия мышц (сокращение)

There are a number of different stimuli that affect protein turnover, but the two that are most interesting to you are exercise and nutrition. So what does all this have to do with rest and recovery?

After intense training, our muscles go through a period when protein synthesis levels increase. Depending on the intensity and volume of training, post-workout protein synthesis levels increase within 24 to 72 hours. This means that the process of protein synthesis to build muscle tissue takes time and requires rest. This is why training programs include rest days and muscle groups have a set number of rest days between workouts. The time between training for the same muscle group is a rest period. Your main focus during this period should be to give sufficient rest to your trained muscles and provide them with nutrients. After training, the level of protein synthesis only increases, provided that there is a sufficient amount of amino acids from protein products. If you don't give your body enough protein during rest and recovery, you won't see muscle gains from your workout. Which brings me to my next point... nutrition for bulking!

A few words about nutrition

An arm weight training program will lead you nowhere without a solid nutrition plan. It is physiologically impossible to build muscle tissue without sufficient nutrients. In order to build any amount of muscle you have to eat! You should eat more calories every day than you burn. This condition is usually called calorie excess. And this is a necessary requirement for muscle growth. The very first thing you need to do is figure out how many calories you need to consume in order to gain weight. There are many different calculations and formulas for counting calories. Poor nutrition is the number one reason why people fail to gain significant amounts of muscle. Going to the gym is the easy part. Sticking to your diet from the moment you wake up until you go to bed is where people have problems. Don't limit your results by being inconsistent with your nutrition.

What have you learned:

• Anatomy and biomechanics of the main muscles of the arms.
• The best exercises for building muscles and developing arms.
• The optimal lifting rate for muscle growth.
• Optimal rep range for muscle growth.
• Why rest and recovery are important for success.

Now it's time to take this information and start a 12-week arm workout. In the next section, you'll get your new workout program, which is designed to not only maximize arm growth, but also build muscle throughout your entire body.

12 week workout program

You're excited to hit the gym and get started with this arm workout program. But before you do that, you need to understand how this program was developed and why it is so effective. Over the next 12 weeks, you will rotate between two different workout routines. Each workout has been intelligently designed to stimulate as much growth as possible in your arm muscles. Real muscles... not some temporary “pump” that most other muscle building programs provide.

The workout is a modified version of the classic bench press, deadlift, and leg split. A push/pull/legs split is a workout schedule that divides the body into 3 groups: upper body pushers, upper body pullers, and legs. Each group then trains separately on their own training day.

• Push Day – Train all upper body muscle groups involved in pushing exercises. (Chest, shoulders and triceps)
• Deadlift Day – Train all upper body muscle groups involved in deadlifting exercises. (Back and biceps)
• Leg day - train the whole body. (Quads, hamstrings and calves)

The Push/Push/Legs workout is a highly effective mass-gaining program. The main addition to this program is Hand Day. Including this arm day, you will have two arm workouts per week. Small muscle groups such as the biceps and triceps recover faster than larger muscle groups, so smaller muscle groups can be worked at a higher training frequency. By training your arm muscles twice a week, you will receive more growth stimulation training over the next 12 weeks. This program includes large compound exercises for large muscle groups. Many other arm development programs will severely neglect other muscle groups in the body. As mentioned earlier, large compound exercises for large muscle groups such as the chest, shoulders and back also stimulate arm growth. By incorporating these exercises, you can really overload your arms with heavy weights while training large muscle groups.

Here is how the training program is structured for 1 week:

You will train your biceps on the first day (arm day), then again 4 days later when you train all the “pulling” muscle groups. The triceps will also be trained on day 1 and then again 3 days later as you train all the "pushing" muscle groups.

Arms / Legs / Presses / Rows:

Monday: Hands
Tuesday: Legs
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: Presses
Friday: Deadlifts
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Rest

This structure is designed so that you train 4 days a week on a fixed schedule. So you work the same days every week, resting and recovering on the weekends. If you prefer to train on the weekends, simply move your training days around so they look like this:

Weekend training:

Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: Hands
Thursday: Legs
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Presses
Sunday: Deadlifts

Your weekly workouts for 12 weeks will look like this:

Week 1: Workout 1
Week 2: Workout 2
Week 3: Workout 1
Week 4: Workout 2
Week 5: Workout 1
Week 6: Workout 2

The two rotating workouts were created to take all of the most effective arm training exercises, thoroughly work them from different angles, and stimulate muscle fibers across all points of the strength curve. Nothing potentially important for growth was left unattended. Another benefit of varying workouts is that it allows you to hit each muscle group at maximum intensity. For example, the workout in week 1 starts with the biceps and then works the triceps. When switching from 2 workouts to 2 weeks, you'll start by training your triceps and then your biceps. This makes it possible to train each muscle group at maximum intensity when you are fresh and full of energy. If you were to always start with a biceps workout, your intensity may drop a bit when you move on to the triceps. This means that your triceps will always be getting a workout when your energy levels start to drop. Constantly rotating between workouts 1 and 2 each week eliminates this potential problem and gives you one day each week where you can actually focus on each muscle group at maximum intensity.

Training principles

Note: Do not use the program all year round. This is a slightly unbalanced program with an emphasis on maximizing arm growth. This means that other muscle groups such as the chest, back, shoulders and legs will be trained less frequently. Therefore, the growth of these muscles will be less than that of the arms. The program is designed to be completed over a period of 12 weeks (or up to 16 weeks).

Warm-up

Each muscle requires a sequence of warm-up sets. This will activate and prepare the muscles and central nervous system for heavy work sets. A few warm-up sets can go a long way toward improving performance and reducing the risk of injury. Some of the main benefits of a series of warm-up sets are:

• Increased synovial fluid in joints.
• Increased body temperature.
• Nervous awakening of the central nervous system.
• Opening of capillaries in muscles.
• Metabolic attitude towards heavy loads.

Warm up before working each muscle group. You don't need to do this before every exercise, just once before you start training a specific muscle group. For example, if you start with Workout 1 on Day 1, then your first work exercise is barbell curls. It is necessary to perform the following series of warm-up approaches:

1. Warm-up Set 1: (barbell curls) 12 reps with empty bar
2. Warm-up Set 2: (barbell curls) 8 reps using light weights
3. Warm-up Set 3: (barbell curls) 5 reps with moderate weight
4. Warm-up Set 4: (Barbell Curls) 1 rep using weight

Each set gets heavier as you add more weight, gradually increasing the weight with each set, with the final set at your working weight. Now you're ready to start training your biceps with your first working set of barbell curls. Now every set is a work set that must be performed with maximum focus and intensity.

Rest between sets

Don't be obsessed with long rest times between sets. Rest 1 to 2 minutes between sets for small muscle groups (biceps, triceps, shoulders) and up to 3 minutes for larger compound exercises such as squats or deadlifts.

Exercise technique

It is important that you know how to perform each exercise correctly to maximize target muscle growth and reduce the risk of injury. If you are not sure how to perform any exercise, then take some time to watch the instructional video and become more familiar with the exercise.

Workout 1

Arms (biceps, triceps)

Presses (chest, shoulders, triceps)

Rows (back, biceps)

Workout 2

Arms (biceps, triceps)

Legs (quadriceps, thighs, calves)

Presses (chest, shoulders, triceps)

Rows (back, biceps)

Answers to frequently asked questions

How should I follow this program?

This arm training program consists of two workouts (1 and 2) that you should alternate week after week. The first week you will do workout 1, and the second you will switch to workout 2, then again, and so on for twelve weeks. Here's how you'll see alternating between workouts 1 and 2 each week:

Week 1: Workout 1
Week 2: Workout 2
Week 3: Workout 1
Week 4: Workout 2
Week 5: Workout 1
Week 6: Workout 2
...and so on for 12 weeks.

For example, Workout 1 would train your arms on Monday, your legs on Tuesday, and rest on Wednesday. Follow the program as shown above. Let's summarize what you need to do. In the first week you'll start with workout 1, then switch to workout 2, then workout 1 in the third week, then workout 2 in the fourth week. You need to continue by alternating workouts 1 and 2 every week for 12 weeks.

What is the logic behind this curriculum?

The program is designed to recruit and stimulate as many muscle fibers as possible in your arm muscles over 12 weeks. Each exercise is research-proven for muscle growth, and the program is structured to maximize muscle tension across all points of the strength curve.

When is the best time to use this program?

This training program is the ideal solution for those who want to accelerate muscle growth in their arms. It is ideal for both beginners and experienced athletes.

Beginning:

You can use this program if you are a complete newbie to weight training and want to start increasing the height of your arms. Maybe you just have really skinny arms and want to fill a gap in your T-shirt sleeve, or maybe you just want big guns to show off.

This is an ideal program if you've been training for a while but find that your arms are a stubborn muscle group that doesn't grow in proportion to other muscle groups. Follow this program for 12 weeks and then return to your standard routine.

Remember, this is a slightly unbalanced program that is designed to increase arm muscle growth faster than other muscle groups. You should use this program for 12 weeks, then move on to a more balanced program for 6 to 12 weeks before using it again.

Should you train to failure on every set?

The term “refusal” is thrown around lightly and is not well understood by most people. There are 2 types of failure in the bodybuilding world:

• the point in a set where you can no longer perform another full positive rep without assistance and with good form.
• the point at which you scream, spit, rip your pants, rupture blood vessels in your eyes (I've seen this happen) and the form breaks to the point where every muscle in the body is used to shift the weight.

It would be impossible to complete every set if you trained to true failure as described in point two, you would burn yourself out before the workout even started...and need a change of pants. You should be working with a weight that is 75 – 80% of your 1RM (repetition maximum). This means that the weight that causes you to reach failure is around 8-10 reps. Your last two or three reps should be very difficult and require a lot of effort. But you should be able to maintain good form until your last rep, when you can no longer lift the weight to complete the next rep.

What does rep range mean?

Approximately 8 – 10 repetitions are prescribed for each set for maximum muscle hypertrophy (muscle growth). If you reach the point of muscle failure on the 6th rep, is that still considered a working set? Yes, absolutely, but reduce the weight slightly on the next set so that you are able to perform a couple of extra reps. If you go beyond 10 reps and reach muscle failure on the 13th rep, is that considered a working set? Yes, this will also still count as a working set for building muscle, but increase the weight slightly on the next set so that you feel failure in the prescribed 8-10 rep range.

If you're a beginner, it will take a little trial and adjustment to find your working weight. Most experienced lifters know how much weight they can bench press or lift for 10 reps. Remember that the working weight will change over time as you get stronger. You should always push as hard as you can in order to increase your lifting weight in small increments over time. When 10 reps of a certain weight feel very light, it's time to increase the weight so that those 10 reps always feel heavy.

Should you exercise a muscle if it is still sore from a previous workout?

Muscle pain that occurs after exercise is called sore throat, and it feels as if the muscles are bruised. The pain usually lingers, usually 24 to 72 hours (can be up to 7 days for beginners); it also takes longer to subside than short-term muscle pain. Think about how your legs will feel a day or two after doing a lot of heavy squats and climbing stairs. This is an example of sore throat. This type of delayed-onset soreness, depending on its severity and duration, has the adverse effect of inhibiting muscle activity until it subsides to a tolerable level. Some muscle soreness is great for lifting weights. If it's very painful, you may need to tone it down a bit (fewer sets, lighter weight) or take a day off altogether. Beginners are very prone to sore throat. But your muscles will adapt to the stress of training and the soreness will become less frequent over time. Muscle soreness is not an indicator or necessity for muscle growth. You will adapt to the training and the soreness should subside. If you experience any persistent pain around your joints, stop all exercise and consult a doctor. The most common places where people develop injuries are the tendons around the elbows and shoulders, so be wary of any pain developing around these areas. The main reasons why people develop tendon or joint pain is poor exercise form. Therefore, it is very important to learn how to perform each exercise in perfect form.

MustDo you exercise with cardio equipment?

This is a muscle building program. This is not an endurance or fat loss program. Cardiovascular exercise is not required as part of this program. However, everyone should add some kind of cardio exercise to their workout routine. At least one day a week to improve your health. Regular cardio exercise keeps your heart healthy. Choose one of your rest days (not after leg day) to do some cardio exercise for cardiovascular health.

Why are there no abdominal exercises in the program?

Most of the exercises in the program will help build a strong core, so there is no real need to do any isolation exercises on the abdominal muscles. This is an arm focused program that also provides a good level of stimulation to all other muscle groups in the body. If you want to include abdominal exercises in the program, that's fine, you can add them to your leg day. But if you have more than 10% body fat, you won't be able to see your abs, and ab workouts won't burn belly fat. This is a muscle building program that focuses on your arms. Developing 6 well-defined abs requires a completely different training and nutrition program.

What you need

Basic arm exercises are one of the most effective tools for training large, well-developed arms. After all, as you know, isolated exercises are good only as additions to the basic ones. Let's figure out how to pump up big arms, including at home, with the help of basic exercises for the arm muscles.

What does it take for muscles to grow?

Firstly, you need to train the muscle regularly, and secondly, let it recover. And if there are no problems with arm training: we pump it up every workout, or we pump it up on a separate day, then recovery, as a rule, is a problem, and precisely because we use our arm muscles so earnestly. What's the point? The biceps and triceps, themselves, are fairly small muscle groups, but with very important functions in terms of helping large muscle masses. Thus, biceps is a traction muscle group that actively assists the back in the same movements, triceps is a pushing muscle group that “helps” the deltoids and pectorals. Accordingly, by loading large muscle groups, you simultaneously train your arms, therefore, without using specialized exercises for the biceps and triceps at all, you can add solid muscle volume to the latter. But there are several conditions:

• you must work with very substantial weights;
• you should feel very well the work of the “target muscles” (lats, pectoralis or deltoids);
• for a certain time, abandon the “spot” pumping of the arm muscles;
• Be sure to train your leg muscles hard - do deadlifts and squats - it is exercises for the lower body that lead to the strongest activation of your hormonal system and lead to a powerful natural release of testosterone.

Following all of the above tips on how to pump up big arms will lead to an increase in overall muscle mass, that is, all your muscles will increase in volume, including the arm muscles. At the same time, they will become much stronger - this will definitely be useful to us, but more on that below. So, we have created a certain muscle mass in our arms, but we want more.

We have divided our material into 2 conditional blocks of basic exercises for the arms: 1 are exercises for triceps, 2 are, respectively, exercises for biceps. Let's start with 1st.




© dissoid - stock.adobe.com

Specialized triceps training

It is from this moment that we begin to do specialized exercises for the arm muscles, while remembering that 2/3 of the volume of the arms is determined by the triceps and only one third by the biceps. Accordingly, the triceps brachii muscle becomes a priority for us. Despite the fact that the triceps consists of three heads, it has one tendon; accordingly, when we extend the arm at the elbow joint, the entire muscle contracts, not just any separate bundle. However, depending on the position of the humerus relative to the upper limb girdle, it is possible to change the involvement of the muscle in the movement.




© bilderzwerg - stock.adobe.com

Our goal is a large triceps, accordingly, our task is to include, first of all, “the largest head of the triceps.” This is the middle one, its proximal end is attached to the scapula. To turn on the middle head “to the fullest,” we must raise our arm above our head and, bending it at the elbow, place our forearm behind our head, followed by straightening the arm. The second option is to straighten the arm at the elbow joint while simultaneously changing the position of the shoulder relative to the body. Basic exercises for training your arms and, accordingly, triceps are given below.

French press




Dips with emphasis on triceps

1. Starting position – hanging on the uneven bars, body straight, fixed on straightened arms perpendicular to the surface of the earth.
2. With a fixed position of the body, or with a slight tilt of the body forward, bend the arms at the elbow joints to an angle of 90-100 degrees, without spreading the elbows to the sides - this will shift part of the load to the pectoral muscles. Deeper push-ups in this version are highly not recommended due to the increased risk of injury to the shoulder joint.
3. Straighten your arms under control, trying to create maximum pressure with your palms on the bars.

1. We sit on the edge of the bench and grab the edge with our hands. The grip is shoulder-width apart, maybe a little narrower, here you need to choose a comfortable position for the wrist joint.
2. Bring your buttocks forward and transfer your body weight to your arms. The legs are straightened at the knee joints and brought forward. The heels are on the floor, or you can use a second bench as a support (the main condition: the same height with support under your arms).
3. We smoothly bend our arms at the elbow joints, trying not to spread our elbows to the sides. The buttocks and back are lowered to the floor, parallel to the bench. The elbows are bent to an angle of 90 degrees, we fix the position with the stretched position of the triceps brachii muscle.
4. Next, we straighten our elbows, trying to focus on the sensations in the triceps. We fix the tension in the target muscles. To complicate this exercise, you can use weights; in this case, it should be located on the hips, as close to the pelvis as possible.

Biceps workout

As for the biceps, for its maximum hypertrophy it is advisable to use alternating arm curls from two main positions: when the shoulder is in line with the body and when the shoulder is retracted posteriorly relative to the body. I’ll explain why this is so: alternating curls give clearer mental control over the muscle being worked and allow you to concentrate 100% on working the biceps on both sides. Changing the position of the shoulder relative to the body ensures a shift in emphasis from the short head of the biceps (shoulders pressed to the body) to the long head (shoulder retracted posteriorly). It is important to understand that in each variant the entire muscle contracts, as a whole, only the degree of involvement of the muscle bundles in the movement changes.

© reneg - stock.adobe.com

Standing dumbbell curls

1. The starting position is standing, the best option is to press your back and elbows against a fixed support, eliminating rocking movements of the body. Forearms supinated, dumbbells in hands. The forearm is located in line with the wrist.
2. The arm is bent at the elbow joint to an angle of 100 degrees, that is, not completely (ideally, you should bend your arm until you feel maximum tension in the biceps). If you bring the dumbbell to the shoulder joint, you will thereby remove some of the load from the working muscle and lose a bit of the efficiency of the movement.

The most effective mode of performing the exercise: under control and slowly extend the working arm at the elbow, without allowing the biceps to completely relax, perform the specified number of repetitions with the working limb, then move on to working the second arm.

© blackday - stock.adobe.com

Alternate bending with dumbbells while sitting at an angle of 45 degrees

Optimal IP - sitting on a bench, back at an angle of 45 degrees. Hands with dumbbells hang freely at the sides of the body. The position of the hands coincides with that described above in paragraph 1. The essence of the exercise is to bend the arm at the elbow joint, without additional movement of the shoulder. The technique of the movement itself is the same as described above.

© blackday - stock.adobe.com

Simultaneous barbell curl

1. I.P. corresponds to what is described in paragraph 1. The barbell is fixed with lowered hands, at hip level, grip shoulder-width apart. The bar can be used either curved or Olympic; EZ, of course, is preferable, as it allows you to work more comfortably and, accordingly, better concentrate on the work of the target muscles.
2. We bend our arms at the elbow joints under control to an angle of approximately 100 degrees, fix ourselves at the point of maximum tension of the biceps, and under control return the barbell to its original position.

How to combine arm training with training other muscle groups

For effective growth of arm muscles, 4 conditions are important (according to V.N. Seluyanov - source “” (read from page 126)):

• pool of free amino acids;
• free creatine;
• anabolic hormones;
• hydrogen ions.

The first two conditions depend on your diet, but the last ones depend solely on your training. Muscles become acidified during work in the 12-15 repetition mode, that is, when working with weights 65-70% of your maximum. A burning sensation in the muscle indicates good acidification.

Anabolic hormones are released in response to training large muscle groups, in the greatest quantities when training the legs. Accordingly, it makes sense to train biceps and triceps on leg day, after the latter. Or tie the biceps training to the day when you work your back, and do the triceps after the chest. In the latter option, you should not perform more than 2 exercises in 3 sets each. In the variant of combining arms with legs, it is optimal to do 2-3 exercises for triceps in 3 sets and 1-2 exercises for biceps in 3-4 sets each.

In conclusion, a useful video about warm-up/cool-down massage for active recovery of biceps and triceps:

Most athletes spend a lot of time training their arms for mass. This is not at all surprising, because every athlete wants his voluminous muscles to attract the attention of others. At the same time, they know all the nuances of such training, which are not available to people who have just started playing sports or are training at home. Especially for such athletes, the article describes the features and ways to increase the effectiveness of arm training for mass. A set of exercises will help you pump up your muscles to the desired size without using exercise equipment that is only available in gyms.

Hand training

Training arms for mass is considered an important part of the entire bodybuilding training system, but at the same time it is not key or primary. But still, to achieve the desired result, you need to know the main principles of the technique of performing various exercises, the place of arm training in the training split, as well as the secrets of working out individual triceps and biceps bundles.

Training for strength and mass of the arms can be performed both by professional athletes who do not have problems with lagging arm muscles, and by beginners who spent more time pumping up their legs or abs. The only difference in training for athletes of different levels is the weight used and the number of repetitions.

Key points

The arm muscles are subject to the same biological laws as other muscle groups, so in the case of training the arms for mass, it is also necessary to devote time to recovery. If you do regular isolation exercises every day without increasing the load, your muscles will not grow.

Muscle growth is a complex process of adaptation of the human body to regularly increasing load. When training arms for weight at home or in the gym, priority should be given to technique. Many experienced athletes can attest that, due to improper exercise execution, the arms can be weaker than the back, chest, legs and deltoids, even if trained several times a week.

The training should not be too long, but you need to exercise your arms more often, as they recover quite quickly. As a rule, the arms are trained more than once a week, and the remaining muscle groups are less stressed, but are always kept in shape.

Anatomy

In terms of arm mass training, the arm is divided into flexors and extensors. These muscles perform their work efficiently only if the athlete himself follows the technique.

The flexors are the biceps and radialis muscles. The biceps consists of only two bundles that need to be worked out equally well: internal (large) and lateral (small). It is recommended to pump them up with different exercises alternately. The radial muscle functions during flexion of the arm, but is more involved in the work at those moments when the hand is turned with the palm towards the floor or is in a neutral position.

The extensor muscle is a triceps muscle consisting of three heads, each of which differs in size and strength. The strongest head of the triceps is considered to be the medial one, the weakest is the inner one. Professionals strongly recommend spending more time on the inner part, because two muscles always have more strength than one.

Why are my hands lagging behind?

In some cases, even if the athlete knows the basics of the workout and practices them, the arms still lag behind. It’s all a matter of genetics, and almost none of the best arm workouts for mass will help solve the problem. In different people, the same muscle group can vary greatly in structure. Some athletes have long biceps, others have short ones. The same goes for the triceps. If the muscle is short, the tendon will be long, making it more difficult to engage the muscle. The body tries to do the work at the expense of other muscle groups, as it is easier to do. Therefore, the hands are not loaded to the maximum.

Following from the above, owners of short biceps/triceps need to properly isolate them. In the end, you will still be able to create beautiful muscles by gaining mass.

The second factor behind arm lag is muscle composition. Fibers are divided according to the criteria of ATPase myofibrils, as well as the number of mitochondria. Therefore, someone may have more slow fibers, and pumping will be more suitable for him, while someone will have a predominance of fast fibers, so he should pay attention to strength varieties of exercises.

The arm training program for mass must be selected individually. Experienced athletes recommend that beginners keep a training diary to better track progress.

Many novice athletes make mistakes when performing exercises. Because of this, of course, the desired effect is not achieved, and in this case, genetics or the individual characteristics of the body have nothing to do with it. The most common mistake is an incorrectly constructed split and further training. Training should stimulate protein synthesis and help progress, and not exhaust the body. If the muscle is overloaded, there can be no talk of its growth.

Both biceps and triceps must be adequately loaded and given the opportunity to recover normally. Before you start training, you need to consult with a trainer who will tell you how not to make mistakes when performing a particular exercise and how you can quickly achieve your main goal.

The best exercises for biceps and triceps

In bodybuilding, training your arms for mass does not guarantee quick results. A beginning athlete should immediately realize that he will not be able to get everything at once. To increase the size of your biceps, which is the dream of all men and even some women, you need to not only train regularly and not make mistakes, but also learn to wait. Only in this case, after a certain time, will you be able to be proud of yourself and your achievements.

Below is an ideal set of exercises that can be performed both in the gym and at home, provided you have the necessary equipment. It is perfect for men and women. The only thing you need to remember is that you need to start with small weights. This will help you understand how ready your muscles are for loads and exercises of this type.

Standing barbell lift

A basic exercise successfully used by all athletes, it perfectly pumps up the arm muscles. To perform it, you only need a barbell and a little free space around.

Standing straight, you should take the projectile with a normal grip, placing your hands shoulder-width apart. Initially, the bar should be near the hip - this is the starting position. While inhaling, you simultaneously need to lift the projectile up, bending your elbows. When the bar reaches shoulder level, you need to stay in this position for a couple of seconds, then exhale and slowly return to the starting position.

Lifting dumbbells with supination

Many people like exercises with dumbbells, because they can be easily performed at home, replacing the equipment with bottles of sand or some other weight. Lifting dumbbells with supination can be performed either with alternating or with simultaneous lifting of projectiles.

Sitting on a bench, you need to take dumbbells in your hands with your palms turned inward. As you inhale, you need to bend your arm at the elbow, lifting the weight. As soon as the forearm is parallel to the floor, it is necessary to begin to supinate, that is, turn the hand outward. When the dumbbell reaches the top point, it must be held there for a couple of seconds and returned to the starting position.

Barbell bench press

This exercise is basic for training the triceps. During its execution, you must definitely focus on this particular muscle.

Lying on a bench, placing your feet shoulder-width apart and resting them on the floor, you should grab the barbell with a medium grip from below. In the starting position, the arms should be extended upward so that the projectile is located clearly at shoulder level. As you inhale, you need to slowly lower the barbell down, touching your chest, and then immediately return to the starting position, but without making jerks. When lowering the projectile, the elbow joints should be spread apart, forming an angle of 45 degrees with the body.

This exercise should be performed 8-12 times. If you wish, you can perform 2-3 approaches, but do not forget about technique. If you can no longer squeeze the barbell correctly, then you need to give your hands time to rest.

We train our arms for mass with push-ups on parallel bars

A fairly effective and favorite exercise for all outdoor athletes. It will only require an apparatus that is present at all sports grounds in the city - uneven bars.

Having climbed onto the apparatus with straightened arms, you need to slowly lower yourself down, minimally tilting your body forward and pressing your hands to your body, and then smoothly rise to the starting position. There is no need to linger at the bottom point. The number of push-ups depends on the athlete’s capabilities - you should start with 5-8, and then gradually increase.