Basic arm exercises for men. Arm exercises in the gym for men

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To achieve the best results, it is not enough just to do hand exercises; you also need to combine the work of the muscles with the work of the brain. Fitness enthusiasts of any gender want to have beautiful, elastic, strong arms. After all, this is the most visible part of our body. Therefore, it is impossible to enter the gym and not immediately see at least one visitor who trains them.

90 percent of beginners, having barely crossed the threshold of the gym, begin to do exercises on the arm muscles, without particularly thinking about the correct technique for doing them. Meanwhile, it is crucial for the result. You need to have basic knowledge about the structure of muscles, different types of grips, the pace of repetitions and the proper construction of a complex for the arms. And regularly apply this knowledge in practice. Then there will be a result. However, more than half of beginning athletes begin to wonder after a few months: why are there no good results? After all, many arm exercises in the gym have been tried. The arm muscles may have become stronger, stronger, but they are not growing! Let's figure this out.

Arm muscle anatomy

The arms have rather short and less massive muscles compared to the lower part of the body, so exercises for the arm muscles do not require a large number of approaches. The main muscles of the arm are the biceps, its flexor, and the triceps, its extensor. They do the opposite job and are called antagonists. Associated with them, performing a supporting function during all movements, are the muscles of the forearm: brachialis, brachyradialis, flexor carpi radialis longus and coracoid muscle.

For a modern city dweller, all these muscles are not much involved in everyday life and do not receive serious loads. Therefore, for those who do not regularly engage in sports or heavy physical labor, they retain a soft and pliable structure even under stress.

The biceps is a thick biceps muscle, both heads of which are attached to the upper arm at the top, to the forearm bone at the bottom, and unite in the middle. The triceps, a more massive triceps muscle than the biceps, also has two heads that begin on the shoulder, and the third on the shoulder blade. And they merge on the process of the ulna. The muscles of the forearm create supporting platforms for the biceps and triceps and, as it were, “push” them out when working.

In sports practice, when compiling a set of exercises for the arms, it is necessary to take into account such anatomical features. The development of the inner part of the biceps gives it height, and the outer part gives it width. The outer head is worked through exercises with a large amplitude and bending the arm to the shoulder. Internal - isolated exercises with a small amplitude and bends slightly across the body (as if the right arm is trying to bend towards the left shoulder).

In order to harmoniously develop the triceps, you also need to influence its three heads evenly and anatomically correctly. When working the middle head, you need to make sure that your elbows do not move apart when doing the exercises. The long head is activated when the hand with the load is placed behind the head. Medium – when the arms are along the body during the exercise, the elbows are close to the sides.

There are persistent misconceptions about training arm muscles. One of them is related to the point of view of how many times a week you need to pump your biceps and triceps - at every workout, or will once a week be enough? When you look at an experienced athlete with developed, massive arms, you might think that he pays special attention to them and pumps them up almost every day.

This is wrong. After all, the arm muscles are involved and receive load when performing many other exercises on other muscle groups. In all basic athletic exercises - deadlifts, presses - both biceps and triceps are involved in one way or another, receiving their portion of the load there too. Therefore, without messing with the basics, we can rightfully assume that the body performs physical exercises for the arms at every workout. The arm muscles are short, susceptible to stress and take a long time to recover. And, if you pump your arms often, they will really become stronger. But they won’t increase the volume.

Another misconception: “big hands require big weights.”

In fact, heavy weights for the arms are self-deception. In these cases, the technique of performing the exercise inevitably begins to “limp” and other, “helping” muscles become involved. The weight should be such that it will allow us to do repetitions without compromising the correct technique, without cheating, “swaying”, etc. of things.

Another false belief: “an effective set of exercises for arm muscles can only be performed in the gym and only with a variety of equipment.”

There are a huge number of people with perfectly sculpted arms who did not use anything for this except their own weight, a horizontal bar with parallel bars and a pair of dumbbells.

If you turn to a “pro” for help, you will most often hear that you need:

Find the right load balance - without slacking, on the one hand, and without overwork, on the other. This is related to the already discussed question of how many times a week you can pump your biceps. In pursuit of massive arms, you shouldn’t regularly force your biceps and triceps to “work overtime”: there will be no progress in mass! And on arm training days, you don’t need to bring your muscles to exhaustion - this way you train their strength and endurance, but not mass and volume;
Return to the starting position slowly and under control. Get rid of jerking movements, “throwing weights” and the rocking effect. As you move down, you need to count to at least 3. This adds time under tension and work done by the muscles. And ultimately, it helps volume growth;
Maintain the following rhythm: lift the barbell or dumbbells twice as fast as lowering it. Each movement must be slow, controlled, with stable muscle tension and strict adherence to execution technique;
Arm training in the gym should be modified periodically. Both the exercises themselves and the order in which they are performed within the complex must change. In order for muscles to work at full strength, the body should not get used to the same movements and similar load. He needs to be “surprised” periodically;
Use supersets in arm training. Biceps and triceps are antagonistic muscles, and any exercises for developing arm muscle strength directly “ask” for their inclusion in a superset. Perform alternate sets of biceps and triceps, taking a short rest break not after each set, but after two sets of each of these antagonist muscles.

What are the best exercises for arm strength? Do they even exist? After all, if you ask different athletes, the answers to this question will be different. Exercises that make one athlete grow muscles and strength may be completely useless for another. Therefore, it is necessary not so much to identify the most effective exercises for the arms, but to regularly change your training program and sequence of exercises. For active progress, you need to create stress on the muscles.

The best exercises for the arms will be those that stretch the muscles more and make them tense more. That is why the list of arm exercises in the gym should be headed by those exercises that create greater stress on the muscles and bring maximum microtrauma to the muscle fibers. This means - in the gym for men, of course: we’ll talk about what arm exercises are good in the gym for women a little later. The list below is the basis of arm exercises from which you should start when creating your own complex.

Biceps

The biceps is a superficial muscle, clearly visible. The entire general appearance of the muscles largely depends on its development. We must understand that the shape of the biceps is genetically embedded in us. This muscle can be long, with short ligaments, or short, with long ends of the ligaments (like Arnold). In the second case, the volume and “peak” will, of course, look more profitable and impressive.

The best arm exercises are based on the fact that the movements in which the biceps are involved are lifting weights from the bottom up, bringing them to the chest. However, in general, the biceps makes up no more than a third of the muscle mass of the arms, making only a partial contribution to their appearance. Equally important is pumping the triceps and forearms (including in exercises for women).

Among the arm exercises included in the complex for performing in the gym, work on the Scott bench occupies a special place. It can be performed with both a straight and curved barbell, as well as dumbbells. The seat should be adjusted so that the armpits touch the top of the bench.

Use a shoulder-width grip. The arms should be extended and the elbow joints should be slightly bent. We perform the fold while pressing against the bench. Don’t rush to lower the barbell or dumbbells to the starting position! This movement should take at least 3 seconds.

The barbell curl is a bodybuilding classic regularly used by both amateurs and professionals. This is a core exercise that provides a great range of motion and works the entire biceps well.

Thus, you can and should train your arms regardless of how many times a week you load your biceps.

The grip on the barbell from below should be slightly wider than shoulder width. Legs slightly bent at the knees; the shoulders do not slide forward or backward. If, when lifting the barbell upward, you have to swing or use the inertia of movement, it means that the weight taken is too heavy. It is necessary to reduce it so that the movements are performed only by the biceps, without outside help and with full amplitude.

This is also one of the best exercises for pumping up your biceps. When performing this elbow exercise, the arms with dumbbells should not move apart. You need to make sure that your elbows are close to your body. In the upper phases of the movement you need to linger, but literally for one second. After which the weight should be lowered, strictly observing the range of motion.

Among the guaranteed ways to pump up your arms in the gym, there is one that is also suitable for pumping up your biceps “in the fresh air”. These are pull-ups on a bar performed with a narrow reverse grip. During this exercise, you need to grab the bar with a grip slightly narrower than shoulder width and, straining your abs, pull yourself up so that your chin is above the level of the bar. Avoid swinging when climbing!

This exercise makes it possible to pump up the inner part of the arm, which is very important for anyone who wants to build voluminous and massive biceps. The bench should be set at an angle of 60 degrees. The dumbbells should be held in the starting position so that the palms “look at each other.” As you raise your arm, the dumbbell gradually rotates so that your palm faces your torso. It is important to keep your shoulders still: they should not move forward. The dumbbell is lowered until the arm is fully extended, after which the other arm begins the movement.

When using a block exercise machine, muscle groups are used that may remain somewhat “in the shadow” during arm training with conventional exercises. So, arm curls on a block are an isolating exercise that allows you to thoroughly stretch your biceps and thoroughly work out each of their bundles.

It is used not for building mass, but for working out muscles during relief work. This means it is intended for experienced athletes, not beginners.

Every arm workout should include space for both arm lifts with dumbbells and barbell exercises. Blocks and simulators are of secondary importance. Any arm training program includes lifting the barbell with a reverse biceps grip, performed with full amplitude.

In practice, this exercise is considered basic, although, strictly speaking, it is isolating. The main thing is to monitor the lowering of the barbell from the top position: do not throw it (this will turn off the tension in the biceps), but lower it slowly and under control.

The best exercise for working the inner side of the biceps (and therefore forming its high “peak”) is the “hammer” with dumbbells (by the way, this exercise for the arms, with the appropriate weight, is also suitable for women). It can be performed at home. Arms in In this exercise, palms are turned towards the body and extended down.You need to lift the dumbbells by pressing your elbows to your body and minimizing the swaying of the body.

The fashion for this exercise was once introduced by Arnold, who loved it and often used it. With his help, almost everyone has been rocking this way for half a century, and no matter what arm exercises are used in the rocking chair, this definitely has a place on their list. There is no doubt that it does not add mass to the biceps, and is aimed at working out its relief, the “peak”. In this regard, it makes sense to put it as the final one in the complex.

Technique tips: do not round your back, place your free hand on your free thigh, bend your arm in a smooth motion, with a pause and maximum tension on the biceps at the top point.

Triceps

The triceps are designed to extend the arm and are located on both sides of the shoulder: along the back and the outer part of the arm. When the arms are bent, the triceps form "horseshoes" at the back of the shoulders. Many athletes, when choosing exercises for the arm muscles, take effective exercises for the biceps, but almost ignore the triceps. For the reason that this muscle “is also involved in exercises for other muscles,” or “it is not as effective and important as the biceps.” This is not true: without a well-developed triceps, there will be no spectacular “bank” of biceps.

Any strength exercise for the arms should not be complete without this version of the press. It perfectly tightens the back surface of the arms, removing the notorious “jelly” from there (which makes it a valuable exercise for women too).

The grip should be such that the distance between the hands does not exceed 30 cm. When lowering the barbell, the triceps should “slide” along the body. The lowest point is a light touch of the hands with the chest bar. Here you need to tense your triceps and chest, and after a second, energetically “push” the load up. At the top point, pause too.

Another useful exercise for the back of the arms, suitable for women. Starting position: arms straightened, legs and torso strictly perpendicular to the floor.
When performing dips, lower yourself until your arms and shoulders are parallel to the floor, but not lower. Without jerking, but energetically return to the starting position.

If there is an exercise that is ideal for working certain muscle groups in the arms, it is the French press. Moreover, it is not so important in what position it is performed: standing, sitting or lying down: the triceps are always fully involved.

You need to take the barbell with an overhand grip, placing your hands narrower than your shoulders. Do not overdo the weight: otherwise the exercise will not only be beneficial for the triceps, but also harmful to the elbow joints. The main thing in the technique is that the elbows remain motionless when bending/extending the arms, without moving to the sides or “sliding” back and forth.

Among the most effective physical exercises for developing arm strength and volume, arm extension on a block also takes pride of place. This exercise is for use specifically in the gym. It makes sense to perform it with a cable in one workout, and with a “stick” in another. It is important to maintain a constant body position when moving, and your elbows should be close to your sides.

When asked how to properly perform arm exercises, many people make a mistake in this exercise. This exercise is not basic, for the lower arms. It is better to do it towards the end of the training, to “finish off” the triceps. A common mistake is “floating” elbows. It is necessary to ensure that they maintain a constant position during extension.

An isolated exercise for “warming up” at the beginning of a workout, or for “finishing off” the triceps at the end of it. When pumping up your arms and wondering how often you need to pump up your biceps, you must not forget that the triceps should also be thoroughly worked out in each such workout. When extending your arms, place them with your palms facing up. Your shoulders should be kept motionless and your back straight. Starting position – the right hand with a dumbbell is raised above the head. Keeping your shoulders still and your elbows as close to your head as possible, begin to bend your right arm. Having fixed for a second at the bottom point, extend your arm to the top point, where you also take a short pause.

Bench extensions are a simpler version of dips. But no less effective. The body should be a smooth and flat “bridge”. When the arms are bent at the elbow joints, the arms and shoulders should eventually assume a position parallel to the floor. In this position it is important for 1-2 seconds. fixate, feeling the tension in the triceps.

Differences in training between men and women

The difference in men's and women's arm training is determined by the goals that athletes set for themselves. For men, it is important to build muscle mass, increase muscle strength and volume. For women, exercises for training the arm muscles serve as a means to tone them, get rid of looseness, and make the arms elastic. But a girl doesn’t need pumped up “cans”: it’s ugly and unnatural. But the answer to the question of how many times a week to pump biceps for women will be the same as for men.

Another significant difference is that for men, most of the arm exercises are performed with a barbell, while for women it is better to limit themselves to dumbbells and machines. Using only dumbbells, in just two months you can get rid of the “jelly” and give your arms excellent tone.

When creating your own complex, be it exercises to tighten your arms, or to develop strength and volume, you must keep in mind that it should be based on basic exercises - you can’t pump up your arms only by isolated ones. For a man wondering how to pump up his arms in the gym, it is important not to get hung up on one complex. And every 1.5 months. change it, and do not forget to rearrange the exercises within the complex. The correct answer to how to pump up your arms in the gym also lies in a conscientious attitude towards training, in the ability to train with dedication, “not to shirk.”

Warm-up

Start warming up before training your biceps and triceps with vigorous exercises for your hands: before each strength training session in the gym, you should definitely warm up. Including if your goal is simply toned arms, and you have to do exercises to tighten your arms with light weights.

As you rise higher, stretch your elbows and then your shoulder joints (required!). These joints are real risk areas, more susceptible to injuries and sprains than other places in the body.

For newbies

Beginners need to train their arms 1-2 times a week (the question of whether it is possible to train biceps daily can be answered in the affirmative; it’s just that the benefits of frequent training are questionable). The complex should be composed of basic exercises for arm mass; and isolated exercises for working out the relief in the gym for men are better left for later. Compound exercises recruit more muscle fibers and place more stress on the muscles, stimulating them to grow.

After doing the first approach with a small warm-up weight, and making sure that you can stick to the correct technique, repeat the exercise for another 2-3 approaches with the working weight. The number of exercises should initially be 2 for each muscle group; then - 3, and no more. The main thing in these exercises is strict adherence to technique, controlled movements with constant muscle tension.

After completing the third approach, the exercise should be completed and, after a minute's rest, begin the exercise on the antagonist muscle. In total, the arm workout should last about 40 minutes.

A sample training plan for a beginner should look like this:

Standing biceps curls with W-shaped bar: 3x10-12;
French press with W-shaped bar from behind the head: 3x10-12;
Biceps curls on a Scott bench: 3x10-12;
Reverse push-ups from the bench: 3x8-10.

For advanced

Experienced athletes already know from their own experience how many times a week they need to pump their biceps, and they approach this without excessive fanaticism. For those who have already built up a certain muscle mass and are working on relief, it makes sense to perform exercises for the inner part of the arms for 12-15 repetitions without losing intensity. Some people also begin to additionally pump up their forearms - separately, using isolated exercises for these muscles, sometimes included in complexes for women. When performing arm strength exercises, you should remember the importance of the last 2 repetitions. That is, after you have already mentally said to yourself “enough,” you need to do it 2 more times, which is where the main benefit lies.

In training for advanced exercisers, exercises with dumbbells for the biceps and triceps are more widely used - for detailed study of the internal bundles of the biceps and triceps and polishing their relief. The following rules are also relevant: watch your breathing: it should be uniform, with an effortful exhalation; slowly lift the weight and lower it even more slowly, with brief fixation at the extreme points; When pumping arm muscles while standing, bend your knees slightly - for stability and to prevent cheating. Be sure to use supersets.

A sample training plan for advanced ones would look like this:

Reverse grip pull-ups: 2x8-10.
Concentrated raises on a Scott bench: 4x12-15;
French press with a dumbbell standing behind the head: 4x12-15;
Triceps extensions in a crossover with a rope: 4x15-20;
“Hammer” with gateel: 4x12-15;
Reverse push-ups from the bench: 4x12-15.

For girls

Sets of arm exercises for women have a different purpose. This is not about increasing muscle size. The goal is relief, fit and overall tone. Therefore, girls need to select a set of exercises for arms in the gym in such a way as to avoid exercises on mass.

The best exercises for strengthening women are exercises with dumbbells for the biceps, triceps and forearm muscles. When using dumbbells, in addition to the target muscles, stabilizer muscles also come into play. Part of the load is removed from the main muscle, but the arms are worked out comprehensively and harmoniously. In this way, you can give your muscles a consistently vigorous tone and get rid of both overly round and overly thin limbs.

A sample plan for girls would look like this:

Standing biceps curls with dumbbells: 4x12-15;
Triceps crossover extensions with a rope: 4x12-15;
Biceps crossover curls with V-shaped handle: 4x12-15;
Reverse push-ups from the bench: 4x8-10.

BONUS for advanced athletes! Arm workout from the Fit Magazine team!

Stretching

By distributing the load, arm training can and should end with a small set of stretching exercises. It makes sense to start not only this, but most workouts with warm-up exercises and end with stretching. Then each movement of the main exercises will be performed with greater amplitude and more under control. Particular attention should be paid to stretching the muscle groups of the shoulder girdle.

The hand stretch can be seen in the picture below:

At home

Many believe that the main problem with training at home, including when performing biceps, triceps and forearm exercises for women, is the lack of equipment. In fact, the only problem with organizing homework is a lack of self-discipline.

Even the absence of dumbbells can be perfectly replaced with bottles of water or sand, performing the same exercises for the arms with them. It should be remembered when training arm strength that this indicator can generally be developed only using your own weight, without resorting to training in the gym. All types of push-ups and parallel bars will help; pull-ups on the bar.

You can also train your arms at home without weights. It is enough to do:

Push-ups with narrow arms (for triceps development);
Reverse push-ups (for triceps development);
Reverse grip pull-ups (for biceps development).

How to improve results with sports nutrition?

A healthy diet and a balanced diet are true allies in the development of arm muscles. An abundance of protein foods, slow carbohydrates, avoidance of sweets, fatty and fried foods - this is what you should focus on. An even more effective way to get the most out of effective arm exercises is through the proper use of sports nutrition.

The most difficult thing in doing arm exercises is maintaining high motivation and constant energy for quality training. You must always remember that missed workouts bring you back and force you to start all over again. And regular and targeted training will definitely give noticeable results and help you achieve your goal!

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.

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.

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

Starting position – hanging on the uneven bars, body straight, fixed on straightened arms perpendicular to the surface of the earth.
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.
Straighten your arms under control, trying to create maximum pressure with your palms on the bars.

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.
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).
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.
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 as possible to the pelvis.

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.

Standing dumbbell curls

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.
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.

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.

Simultaneous barbell curl

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.
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:

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 into the work, 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.

Beautiful and graceful hands are not only a thin wrist, but also the absence of loose skin and fullness along the entire length or in the area from the elbow to the shoulders. Unfortunately, even fairly slender people with a good figure have full arms, which looks quite unattractive. It is possible to remove excess fat from the problem area with the help of special exercises, which can be performed at home without the use of special sports equipment, and a clear understanding of the reasons why it occurs will help prevent its reappearance and development.

Fat arms occur not only with excess weight, but also with people with a fairly good figure and normal weight. The fat layer most often appears in the area above and less often below the elbow, and the reason for this is a general excess of fat in the body. Physical activity and changes in exercise can quickly get rid of it in almost all areas, but not on the hands. And if you ignore the problem for a long time, then your hands begin to look not very well-groomed and spoil your figure.

Often the problem manifests itself with age. After the age of twenty, muscle tissue decreases and the body begins to accumulate more fat. This is the main reason why arms become flabby. An important contribution to the process is also made by a decrease in metabolic rate, when calories are burned in much smaller quantities. Slower metabolism is also an inevitable manifestation of age. General excess weight plays an important role, so it needs to be kept under control.

Sports and active daily physical activity, as well as exercises that eliminate fat in this area, help eliminate or avoid sagging arms. It is not recommended to limit yourself exclusively to them. You need to increase the number of calories you burn by running or walking more often in the fresh air.

A set of exercises for slender and beautiful arms

Full arms do not allow you to wear clothes with short sleeves or a light top. You don't have to put up with this situation. It is enough to change some exercise habits and master simple exercises that will make your arms thin and slender.

Aimed at getting rid of fat on the back and triceps. This area is most susceptible to the accumulation of fat mass. The advantage of such push-ups is that not only the fat layer disappears, but also the arms become sculpted and the skin becomes toned. The exercise can be performed on the floor or using a regular chair with or without a backrest.

Performance:

sit on the floor, keep your feet together;
hands are placed shoulder-width apart so that the fingers point at the hips, feet are located in front of the hips;
legs are bent at the knee joints, legs are not lifted off the floor;
arms are straightened, hips are raised so that the weight is supported by the arms;
bending your left elbow, helping with your right straight hand, lower your hips, but without touching the floor;
repeat the same actions, but with the other working hand.

If a chair is used, it serves as a support.

Used by athletes during the drying period, this exercise allows you to work the triceps and give elasticity to your arms. It can be done using a table or chair approximately 2 meters high. The weight of your own body, transferred to the triceps, will increase the tone of this muscle.

Performance:

the chair or table is placed in the most stable position;
stand opposite the table (chair) at a distance of three meters, but not closer;
turn their backs to the fulcrum (table/chair);
hands are held shoulder width apart;
take three or four steps forward;
straighten the body and bend the legs so that they form one line with the surface of the table or chair from the knees;
bend your elbows and lower yourself as low as possible;
return to their original position.

If you do three approaches daily with twenty repetitions each, your arms will very quickly gain the desired slimness.

Similar to reverse push-ups, it perfectly burns accumulated fat deposits and tones the muscles.

Performance:

take the position of a longitudinal plank, lying on your stomach on the floor, holding your hands shoulder-width apart;
press your feet and legs together;
the whole body should be positioned in one straight line, fingers pointing forward;
both the right arm and the left leg are moved to the left side and held in the accepted position;
repeat the same thing, but with the left arm and right leg;
return to the starting position;
the stomach is pulled towards the spine and pelvis;
change position again and take three steps to the side.

They help not only to work the triceps and pectoral muscle groups, but also to tone the arms. No additional equipment is required for push-ups. Problematic fat deposits disappear due to the involvement of your own body weight. Thanks to this exercise, your arms become slender and toned.

Performance:

take a lying position on the floor;
get into a push-up position - keep your legs together, arms wider than shoulder-width apart, elbows should be straight;
bend the elbow joints and lower the body towards the floor, making sure that the stomach does not touch the surface of the ground;

To make your arms toned and elastic, do the exercise three times, ten times each. If your hands are placed close, then such push-ups are closed, and if they are wider than your shoulders, then they are open.

Important: Without preparation, doing push-ups can be quite difficult. Doing the exercise from your knees will help make the task easier during the first lessons. Thus, the body weight will not fall on the toes, as in the classic position, but will move to the knees, which will greatly facilitate the performance of push-ups.

They work perfectly on the triceps and are very effective for making your arms slim and elegant.

Performance:

lie on the stomach;
stand in the usual position for push-ups, legs pressed against each other, arms spread wider than shoulder level so that the fingers are directed not forward, but to the sides;
bend the left elbow and lean the body to the left;
return to the starting position, repeat a similar movement, but with the right hand.

Important: This exercise is very effective, but quite difficult. And if it is difficult, then it is better to do push-ups from your knees first.

Similar to classic push-ups. The only difference is that they are performed either from the table or from the platform.

Performance:

take a standing position, place your hands on the platform;
keep your legs together, your arms are wider than your shoulders;
the back should not bend, and the shoulders should always be straight, which allows you to use the arm muscles to the maximum;
doing push-ups.

When the exercise is easy, you need to do three sets of twenty repetitions.

Wrist rotation

The simplest and most effective exercise that allows you to achieve excellent results in losing weight in your arms. The goal is achieved only with regular implementation. You need to do rotations with dumbbells of 500 g each or with 500 ml bottles filled with water.

Performance:

stand up straight, take weights in your hands - bottles or dumbbells;
palms, holding bottles (dumbbells), turn first in the direction and then counterclockwise;
Rotations on each side are performed for at least one minute.

Thanks to rotations, not only your arms lose weight, but also your shoulders, from which all excess fat disappears.

A very effective cardio exercise. It perfectly tightens and strengthens the arm muscles both internally and externally.

Performance:

stand straight, hold your hands in front of you at shoulder level;
hands are spread to the sides, and then brought together in front of you, “overlapping” so that a semblance of scissors is formed;
return to the starting position, repeat the action at least twenty times.

To get the desired result in the shortest possible time, you need to scissor every day for 15 to 20 minutes.

The most effective way to eliminate fat deposits in the arms, which will make them not just fit, but also strong. They will look sculpted and slender.

Performance:

pick up a 2.5 liter bottle filled with water, which is used as free weight;
sit on a chair, keep your back straight, and raise your hands with a bottle straight above your head;
hands with a bottle should be straight;
put the bottle behind your back, bending your elbows;
you need to lower the free weight as low as possible;
lift the bottle back over your head without sudden movements, but slowly.

The more carefully and technically the flexion and extension are performed, the more the arm muscles are worked out and used. You need to do the exercise every day, performing three approaches with twenty repetitions in each.

Important: Each set should be followed by a minute's rest before starting the next one. This will make you more productive. Gradually increasing weight allows you to get results faster.

It is a complex exercise that helps not only strengthen and tone the muscles of the shoulders and arms, but also the legs, and also perfectly stretch the back. Those who dream of excellent posture must do it regularly.

Performance:

get on all fours;
knees are placed under the hips, hands under the shoulders;
raise the right hand so that the fingers look only forward, straighten it at the elbow;
simultaneously with the hand, raise and straighten the left leg, stretching back;
stay in the accepted position for some time, return to their original position;
repeat the same procedure, but on the right leg and left arm.

Do the exercise from fifteen to twenty times.

Exercise for slender and beautiful shoulders and arms

It is an effective complex that helps get rid of fat deposits and sagging skin on the hands. It is quite easy to learn and does not require a visit to the gym. It can be performed in the most comfortable conditions at home. This exercise is guaranteed to slim your arms and tighten sagging skin. It is aimed at working on the most vulnerable part of the arms - the upper part, where fat deposits most often form. The main condition for achieving a guaranteed good result is regular execution.

Execution of the complex:

stand straight;
feet are placed shoulder width apart;
hands are raised to shoulder level, fingers pointing upward;
make forward circular movements with your hands for about half a minute;
change direction, making circular movements for the same amount of time, but backwards;
elbows bent, fingers pointing upward;
move your elbows back and forth for at least 30 seconds, which allows you to perfectly work and tighten your biceps;
then the elbows are joined together, the fingers are again directed towards the ceiling;
move the elbows together upward towards the jaw, return back, and repeat the exercise for half a minute.

By finding a few minutes in your schedule for such exercises every day, very soon you can admire your slender and toned arms and shoulders.

Recommendations for losing weight on your arms and preventing the appearance of fatty deposits

It is not recommended to limit yourself solely to exercise. So that by the next summer season you don’t have to worry about finding a sleeveless outfit or feel embarrassed about having full arms when going to the beach, you should make some adjustments to your usual routine:

The main “friend” of full arms is an incorrectly composed daily diet. And even if fat deposits appear only in this area, it means that the menu contains harmful foods that promote fat accumulation and no healthy ones.

You should definitely include more vegetables and fruits in your daily menu. They make you feel full faster and replace foods that are harmful to your figure, which causes an overall reduction in calories consumed.

Food rich in fiber allows you to increase the speed of metabolic processes, and, therefore, burn more calories. It helps get rid of fat deposits and saturates for a long time. Any protein food with low fat content, containing slow carbohydrates, will be an excellent addition to a proper diet.

Reduce portions

You need to eat small amounts of food, but only at regular intervals. This routine allows you to avoid feeling too hungry and reduce the number of calories you consume.

Be sure to have breakfast

Don't skip this important meal. It is the very first and allows you not to overeat during the day, since you already have a certain feeling of fullness in the morning.

Drinking fluids helps speed up your metabolic rate. If you drink water before eating, the feeling of fullness comes much faster, that is, the number of calories you eat decreases.

Give preference to green tea

This drink helps burn calories. And if you drink a cup of this tea for breakfast, and two or three more thereafter, this will speed up metabolic processes and burn more fat.

Daily physical activity helps you get rid of excess calories that come from food. Swimming, rowing, rock climbing, jumping rope, or other forms of cardio can help prevent new fat from being deposited and help remove existing fat. After some time, you will notice how the deposits simply begin to disappear.

Walk more

You should abandon the elevator in favor of the stairs and give preference to walking when you can avoid using personal and public transport.

Exercises for losing weight on your arms and shoulders, changing your own eating and drinking habits will allow you to quickly achieve the desired result. The main thing is to maintain regularity. You can do one or several exercises at once. If you make a little effort, you can forever forget about flabby, unkempt, plump and unattractive hands.

Based on materials from: myhealthtips.in

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One of the main goals of young people new to the gym is to pump up their arms and chest. It is these two areas of our body that, when properly developed, are associated with aesthetics, beauty and strength. The topic has already been covered on the blog, we even talked about how to train and (separate complexes), and today we will put everything together into a single training process. Arm training for mass is a whole dedicated day that you will devote to building strong and strong arms.

Information on building a training process for arm muscles

Features of hand training

Why is it worth setting aside a whole day to train your arms? “Our hands are not for boredom,” one song says. It just so happens that the hands are occupied in almost all exercises, including working out (for example,). The load they have to bear is sometimes colossal. And at the end of such a workout, you are going to purposefully work on your arm muscles.

But after a series of heavy approaches, the arm muscles are significantly tired. You simply won’t be able to give them enough stress to make them grow; you will underperform. It is the allocation of an entire training day for working out the arms that is the best alternative in this matter. And the muscles are fresh and there is no need to rush anywhere, the only drawback is that you will have to set aside a separate day for such training.

The secret to arm growth is no different from the growth of other muscles. The formula is simple:

You apply stress that the body has not previously experienced and allow the muscles to fully recover so that they become a little stronger and a little bigger.

We’ll talk about how to apply stress a little lower, but I’d like to say a few words about it. Do you know why many people’s arm muscles don’t grow? They simply do not have time to recover. The hands are busy in many movements and are additionally tired with special training. The only way out here can be through choosing the optimal training regimen for yourself:

Long pauses between training one muscle group, separate days of training for large muscles. Separately the back, separately the arms, separately the chest. As a result, the cycle of working out the whole body can last 10-15 days. Suitable for higher level athletes with at least 1.5-2 years of experience.
Train all pulling or pushing muscles in one day. Together with your back you will train your biceps, with your chest triceps.
Training on the principle of antagonistic muscles. The triceps will go with the back, the biceps with the chest.

The advice is very conditional and gives only a general understanding of how to combine different muscle groups. The fact is that each person will have their own recovery time, so you will have to choose the required duration of rest and the optimal layout of muscle groups, based on your own characteristics.

Training priorities

There is a remark: the lower a person’s level of fitness, the more concerned he is with the issue of arm training. Your workouts should be balanced and include working all muscle groups. Have you ever seen a man with thin arms and a powerful chest and back? I didn’t see it either!

A natural athlete should devote a little time to arm training and use it as usefully as possible, i.e. focus on basic movements and heavy weights, isolation should be very small, i.e. priorities:

Lifting the barbell for biceps instead of concentrated lifting dumbbells on the bench.
Close-grip presses instead of cable extensions, etc.

When working with basic exercises, you lift weights that you would never be able to handle in isolated movements. Heavy weight is the stress that you need; doing light arm extensions on a block or dumbbell curls for biceps will not build powerful arms!!!

A few words about the forearms. The brachioradialis muscle is responsible for the mass of the forearms. It makes no sense to train it specifically for beginners.

You won't grow small muscles until big muscles grow!

Think about this sentence and then you will understand how futile it is to try to pump up your biceps by lifting dumbbells. , and will give you mass and strength, because huge layers of muscles are involved. Instead of the total weight of the body, the arms will also increase in volume - they will tighten up, because our body is harmonious!

Thus, training the forearms makes sense for experienced athletes with existing muscle volume. The main exercises can be lifting the barbell for the biceps with a reverse grip, all kinds of pronation and supination, as well as squeezing the expander.

Secrets of hand training success

Well, now about the most delicious thing. How to build an effective arm workout. What should you pay attention to?

Exercise technique. Must be at the forefront of the training. Learn the mechanics of movement to perfection over 3-4 workouts with light weights, slowly approaching the work (basic exercises help).
Know how to feel the working muscles and turn off the auxiliary ones. In all arm exercises, there is a temptation to help yourself with body strength or inertia. Perform flexion or extension only in the working joints with a fixed body position, feeling that the work is being done by the muscle that you are training.
Don't put too much stress on your hands. It is not advisable to do 10 approaches to biceps - it will not grow, it will most likely think about how not to die - growth will stop, a plateau state is guaranteed for you (when there is no growth or progress on the scales).
Ignoring load progression. It was said above that the muscles of the arms are the same muscles of our body and they grow according to the same principles as the rest. I am sending you to study the article about.

What techniques to train your hands

You should be familiar with concepts such as drop sets, forced reps, negatives, etc. These lovely things will simply destroy your arm muscles, and you will have to forget about training them for at least a week and a half to two weeks until they are completely restored (with the exception of all exercises that involve your arms during this period). The strategy is so-so, although it works.

Well, now to something that is closer to reality. A super series is when you perform two exercises, one after the other without stopping. In training arms for mass, we will slightly modify this principle. We will perform one biceps exercise, do a standard rest pause, then do a triceps exercise, pause again and return to the biceps.

Why will this work:

You increase the rest time for one muscle group. This is a prerequisite for better recovery and the ability to do more work (more stress).
Biceps-triceps are antagonist muscles. By training your triceps, you actively restore your biceps, and vice versa. Blood flow in the biceps improves, recovery occurs better and faster. The muscles don't cool down.

How to work

Work rotation may vary. For example, a set for biceps, a rest pause, a set for triceps, etc. Or so, the first exercise is for biceps, the first exercise is for triceps, the second exercise is for biceps, the second exercise is for triceps.

There is no 100% valid scheme in bodybuilding. You will have to choose the best option for yourself experimentally. There is also no specific answer as to where to start working with biceps or triceps. Usually beginners start with the biceps and continue with the triceps, but this should not be an axiom. You may find that working your triceps first is a good warm-up for your biceps, so watch your body's response.

Arm training program for mass

Always start your workout with basic movements. For biceps this is “conditional”.

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