This article is all about bigger arms. Looking at the top 5 exercises for bigger biceps and triceps, while looking at overall popularity and longevity.
Biceps
- Barbell Curls
This movement is awesome because it does not take much weight to feel it working. It also is great because it gives the arm width when looking at it from the front. Proper range of motion and tempo, your biceps will be big in no time
- Incline Dumbbell Curls
Another movement that does not take much weight to be effective. Simply find some moderate or even light weighted dumbbells, set your bench to a 60-degree incline, and feel your arms fill with blood. You can keep the hands supinated (palms facing forward and out) throughout the rep or to get some extra forearm work in, rotate the wrists as you bring the weight up and rotate them on the way back down to bring the palms facing inward.
- Isolated Curls
You have options with this. The main thing that makes this isolated is there is no rocking movements allowed and the upper arm is in a fixed position, putting all the workload on the biceps. Single armed or barbell, keep the weight manageable so form is on point and in no time your biceps will feel like they are going to explode.
- Underhand Pull-Ups
- Alternating Dumbbell Curls
An oldie but a goodie. Maybe the most popular bicep movement, but for good reason. Simply find some dumbbells where your form is good and can do a good amount of reps. With dumbbells in hand and palms facing in, simply bring the weight up in a curl motion, rotating the wrist so the palm is facing out. Lowering the weight simply repeat with the other hand. This hits the forearms too.
Triceps
- Dips
Not the easiest move to perform the conventional way, but there are options. This movement not only hits the triceps but also the lower chest. Find a bench if doing it the conventional way is to difficult but focus on range of motion and getting deep in the rep!
- Extensions
Stretching and squeezing any muscle is key to getting it to respond and grow. The better range of motion one can get, the better in the long run. Nothing stretches the triceps like extensions. Using a dumbbell or barbell, focus on getting that weight deep back behind your head, stretching out those triceps and come up and squeeze.
- Rope Pulldowns
Maybe a movement that is done more times wrong than right, the rope pulldown is vital for hitting that difficult outer side head of the triceps. Range of motion once again is imperative but making sure at the bottom of the rope that the rope is opened up and squeezing the triceps will cause your arms to look massive. Finding a weight that is manageable is important.
- Skull Crushers
Maybe one of the coolest names for an exercise, skull crushers hit another difficult head of the triceps. The long head that runs along the back of the arm is targeted with this, with some slight emphasis on the side head as well. Be mindful though, too much weight or gong to exhaustion can lead to a weight being thumbed on your head.
- Close Grip Bench Press
It is always nice to hit more than one muscle group at the same time. This exercise allows you to do that. Of course, the chest is targeted, but with a closer grip, the shoulders are taken out of the press and triceps are engaged more. So, the weight will have to decrease but range of motion is increased which allowed for that extra “burn” in the chest and triceps.