Big arms are something everyone covets, but not everyone executes in a way that will properly develop them. I’ve pulled together my top five faves for the ultimate gun show.
Building muscle in your arms isn’t any different than it is with bigger muscle groups, like your quads and chest. Similar to those muscles, your arms will respond to high volume, different rep ranges and heavy exercises. But they also need time to recover. It’s still important to warm up your arms just like any other body part. You can’t jump into a workout and start lifting for repetitions. Try a reverse grip barbell curl to warm up your biceps. This will allow the blood to fill the muscle. Following this, try a reverse-grip cable pushdown to warm up your triceps.
Now the workout begins.
Exercise #1
Strict Form Barbell Curls, 4 sets x 10 reps
Once the muscle is shortened, do a 2-second hold before lengthening the muscle.
Exercise #2
Close-Grip Bench Press, 4 sets x 10 reps
Flare out your elbows to allow maximum tension at your triceps, but make sure your elbows are just short of lockout during the pressing portion of the exercise. This exercise is great for hitting the medial and lateral heads of the triceps.
Exercise #3
Incline Dumbbell Alternating Curls, 4 sets x 10 reps
Make sure you supinate the biceps completely during the exercise and hold for 2 seconds.
Exercise #4
Bodyweight Dips, 4 sets x 10 reps
(Try to remain as upright as possible without leaning forward.)
When performing negatives, lower your body as far as you can between the bars. It’s still very important to get a full stretch of your triceps.
Exercise #5
Triceps Pushdowns, 4 sets x 10 reps
This exercise is tried and tested. Bodybuilders have been doing it for years because it works. One tip: try not letting your elbows fall forward. This will stop you from not controlling the weight during the negative portion of the exercise. Keep your elbows tucked against your torso throughout the whole exercise.
The routine itself is set up fairly simple. Do this workout at least two days before or after your chest workout. You want to make sure you’re properly rested before you try this routine.
BY: KEVIN ROY
