12 Best Arm Exercises of all Time (+3 FREE Workouts)

James Cunningham, BSc, CPT
Published by James Cunningham, BSc, CPT | Staff Writer & Senior Coach
Last updated: December 28, 2023
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Are you aiming for well-defined bicep peaks or the distinctive "horseshoe" shape of developed triceps?

While some of my clients face challenges in working their arms to become massive and muscular, I always tell them that arm training isn't overly complicated but requires patience and strategic effort.

Drawing on over ten years of fitness coaching, I've tested 12 effective arm exercises for exceptional results. Keep reading to find them all in this article.

Quick Summary

  • To enhance arm size and strength, using a comprehensive arm training approach that incorporates compound exercises like bicep curls and tricep dips within a well-rounded workout regimen can be highly effective.
  • Progressive overload plays a vital role in arm training by gradually increasing resistance to effectively promote muscle growth.
  • A study from the National Institute of Health revealed that 78% of participants exhibited increased arm size after adhering to a structured arm training program for 12 weeks.
  • In my opinion, consistent and targeted arm training not only contributes to physical strength but also enhances overall confidence and aesthetics.

12 Best Arm Exercises

weight-lifting

Whether your goal is to build mass, achieve tone, or enhance overall strength, the 12 best arm exercises I've compiled are essential for sculpting powerful and well-defined arms.

Let's delve into the key moves that will elevate your arm workout routine.

1. Cross Body Hammer Curls

Areas Covered: Brachialis, Biceps

How-To:

  1. Perform this exercise by holding a dumbbell in each hand at hip height, with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. Bend your left elbow, bringing the dumbbell across to touch the right pec muscle, ensuring it stays upright throughout the movement.
  3. Return the dumbbell to the starting position.
  4. Repeat the same movement on the opposite arm.

2. Normal Hammer Curls

A person doing Normal Hammer Curls

Areas Covered: Brachialis, Biceps

How-To:

  1. Perform this exercise by standing with a dumbbell in each hand at hip height and feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. Bend your elbows until they reach a 90-degree angle, ensuring the top of the dumbbells faces the ceiling.
  3. Return to the starting position.

3. Reverse EZ Bar Curls

A person doing Reverse EZ Bar Curls

Areas Covered: Brachialis, Forearms

How-To:

  1. Using an EZ curl bar, grip the middle narrow handles with a double overhand grip at hip height.
  2. Bend at the elbows and raise the bar upward until they reach a 90-degree angle.
  3. Return to the starting position and repeat.

4. Barbell Curls

A person doing Barbell Curls

Areas Covered: Biceps

How-To:

  1. Perform this exercise by grabbing a bar with a double underhand grip just outside of shoulder width at hip height.
  2. Bend the elbows and raise the bar upward until the elbow joints reach a 90-degree angle.
  3. Extend the arms and return the bar to the starting position.

We’d rank chin-ups, EZ-bar curls and dumbbell curls as better bang-for-your-buck moves because they force the biceps to work through a fuller range of motion, as well as allowing your wrists and elbows to stay in a more natural position throughout each stage of each rep.
- Joe Warner, Coach Mag UK

5. Incline Dumbbell Curls

A person doing Incline Dumbbell Curls

Areas Covered: Biceps

How-To:

  1. Perform this exercise by setting up a bench with a slight incline, just short of a 45-degree angle.
  2. Grab a pair of dumbbells and sit with your back firmly against the bench padding.
  3. With the dumbbells by your sides, bend the left elbow and bring the dumbbell up until it sits just in front of the left deltoid.
  4. Twist the dumbbell throughout the movement, facing it inwards towards the body.
  5. Extend the arm and rotate the dumbbell back down to the starting position.
  6. Repeat on the opposite side.

6. Preacher Curls

A person doing Preacher Curls

Areas Covered: Biceps

How-To:

  1. Sit on a preacher bench for one of the best arm exercises.
  2. Grip an EZ bar with a double underhand grip in the narrow position.
  3. Rest the top of the elbows on the pad.
  4. Extend the arms until the bar hovers just above the bottom of the arm pad.
  5. Bend the arms to a 90-degree angle and curl the bar upwards towards the body.
  6. Extend at the elbows and repeat the movement.

7. Skull Crushers

A person doing Skull Crushers

Areas Covered: Triceps

How-To:

  1. Perform a skull crusher by grabbing either a straight barbell or an EZ bar.
  2. Lie flat on your back with the bar elevated above the body in line with the head, ensuring a double overhand grip on the bar.
  3. With arms fully extended, bend the elbows to 90 degrees.
  4. Lower the bar until it hovers just above the head.

8. Cable Rope Extensions

A person doing Cable Rope Extensions

Areas Covered: Triceps

How-To:

  1. Perform this exercise by setting a cable pulley at the top of one of the pillars and attaching a pulley rope.
  2. Grab each end of the rope with the wrists in a neutral position (palms facing inwards towards each other).
  3. Bend the elbows to 90 degrees in line with the sternum.
  4. Extend the arms, keeping the shoulder blades pinched together until the rope handles come down just past the hips, by the side of the body.
  5. Bend the elbows to 90 degrees and return to the starting position.
  6. Repeat the movement.

 

You can vary this exercise with dumbbells or barbells. Learn the difference between barbells vs dumbbells vs cables.

9. Triceps Dips

A person doing Triceps Dips

Areas Covered: Triceps

How-To:

  1. Perform a triceps dip by finding a set of parallel dipping bars. Grab both sides in the narrow position (hands closest to the hips).
  2. Suspend your body weight above the bars with the arms.
  3. Pinch your shoulder blades together while bending your knees backward to a 90-degree angle.
  4. Slowly lower the body.
  5. When your elbows reach a 90-degree angle, return to the starting position by extending the arms.

Never go beyond 90-degree as you'll risk injury in your shoulders - if you want a shoulder workout, check this article out.

10. Reverse Wrist Curls

A person doing Reverse Wrist Curls

Areas Covered: Forearms, Biceps

How-To:

  1. Perform this exercise by grabbing a barbell with a double overhand grip just outside hip height and holding the bar in front of the body.
  2. Curl the wrists upwards so that the back of the hand is parallel to the ceiling.
  3. Return the bar to the starting position.

11. Straight Bar Reverse Curls

A person doing Straight Bar Reverse Curls

Areas Covered: Forearms, Brachialis

How-To:

  1. Perform this exercise by grabbing a barbell with a double overhand grip and holding it at hip height.
  2. Bend the elbows to a 90-degree angle until the back of the arms and hands are parallel to the ceiling.
  3. Extend the arms and return to the starting position.

12. Fat Gripz Integration

Fat Gripz

Areas Covered: Forearms

If you're not familiar with Fat Gripz, now is the perfect time to explore them.

These grips increase the thickness of the bar you're holding during exercises, effectively enhancing your grip strength and promoting the development of substantial forearms and overall thickness.

Incorporate them into exercises like deadlifts or chin-ups periodically, and you'll notice significant results.

Now that we've covered the specific areas and exercises, let's bring it all together with some incredibly effective arm training routines. This is the key to locking in the development you've been striving for.

Learn more here:

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3 Killer Arm Workouts For Any Goal

Here are arm workout routines to help you reach your goals. Follow the rep and set counts at least the first time. Alternate your workouts monthly for better results.

As a fitness trainer, I consistently recommend that clients include top-rated pre-workout supplements in their routine to boost energy, focus, and endurance, thereby maximizing the efficiency of their arm workouts.

1. General Mass Building Workout

Scheme of a man doing barbell skull crushers

This mass-building arm day workout targets your arms comprehensively. Perform each exercise for 6-8 reps unless stated otherwise, completing three sets with a 120-second rest between sets.

Emphasize a controlled tempo: 3 seconds on the way down, a 1-second hold at the bottom, and 3 seconds on the way up for each movement.

The exercises are as follows:

  • Barbell curls 3 sets x 6-8 reps
  • Preacher curls 3 sets x 6-8 reps
  • Skull crushers 3 sets x 6-8 reps
  • Triceps dips 3 sets x 6-8 reps
  • Cross body hammer curls 3 sets x 6-8 reps
  • Reverse ez bar curls 3 sets x 6-8 reps

Ensure you fully stretch the arms at the end of your session to avoid blood pooling.

Read More:

2. Arm Isolation And Toning Workout

Man doing arm workout

This arm day workout focuses on toning your arms for an improved aesthetic appearance. Perform each exercise with a 60-second rest between sets.

Maintain a controlled tempo: 3 seconds on the way down, a 1-second hold at the bottom, and 3 seconds on the way up for each movement.

The exercises are as follows:

  • Barbell curls 3 sets x 6-8 reps
  • Preacher curls 3 sets x 6-8 reps
  • Skull crushers 3 sets x 6-8 reps
  • Skull crushers 4 sets x 10-12 reps
  • Cable rope extensions 4 sets x 10-12 reps
  • Reverse wrist curls 4 sets x 10-12 rep

Ensure you fully stretch the arms at the end of your session to avoid blood pooling.

3. Total Arm Development Workout

This routine is ideal for those needing machine assistance due to challenges with body positioning on free weight movements.

Research from Spine Health indicates that weight training can be safe and, when performed correctly and under appropriate conditions, may even help prevent back pain and injury, especially in the lower back [1].

If you experience lower back pain, consider inversion tables.

Perform each exercise for 8-10 reps, unless stated otherwise, with four sets and a 90-second rest between sets.

Maintain a controlled tempo: 3 seconds on the way down, a 1-second hold at the bottom, and 3 seconds on the way up for each movement.

The exercises are as follows:

  • Incline curls 2 sets x 15-20 reps per arm total
  • Preacher curls 4 sets x 8-10 reps
  • Triceps dips 4 sets x 8-10 reps
  • Cable rope push downs 4 sets x 8-10 reps per arm total
  • Cross body hammer curls 4 sets x 8-10 reps per arm total
  • Hammer curls 2 sets x 15-20 reps per arm total
  • Reverse curls 4 sets x 8-10 reps

Ensure you fully stretch the arms at the end of your session to avoid blood pooling.

Related Articles:


References:

  1. https://www.spine-health.com/blog/weight-training-effectively-relieves-back-pain
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