Having bigger, stronger arms not only looks good but also has important and practical benefits as well! Anything that requires upper body effort — from picking up your kids to bringing in the groceries — can be done more easily with stronger arms. In addition to boosting your daily functional fitness, having more muscles mass also:
- Increases metabolism
- Increases muscle endurance, strength, and tone
- Lowers chance of injury
The two main muscles in your upper arm are the biceps in the front and the triceps in the back. They’re opposite functioning muscle groups, so they require different types of exercises for strength training. Try out this full arm workout below to tone and strengthen both muscle groups!
TRICEPS
Your triceps are a group of three muscles that are located at the back of your upper arm. These muscles run between your shoulder and elbow. They help to strengthen your arm and stabilize your shoulder. To do the below exercises, chose a weight that will allow you to do 8-12 repetitions. It's okay to start with a smaller weight, the important part is to make sure you are doing each exercise with correct form.
Warm up: 2 sets of press downs, 20-25 reps
- 4 sets wide grip bar press down, 8-12 reps
- 4 sets of dumbbell lying extensions, 8-10 reps
- 4 seated overhead dumbbell extensions, 8-10 reps
- 4 sets of single arm reverse extensions, 8-12 reps
BICEPS
Your biceps are a double-headed muscle that runs from your shoulder to your elbow. It’s the key muscle involved in lifting and pulling with your arms. Again, choose a weight that allows you to do 8 to 12 repetitions of each exercise with correct form.
Warm up: 2 sets of curls, 20-25 reps
- 4 sets of seated dumbbell curls, 8-12 reps
- 4 sets of seated dumbbell curls, 8-12 reps
- 4 sets of barbell curls - 7 reps half way up, 7 reps half way down, 7 full reps
- 4 sets of dumbbell hammer curls, 8-12 reps
Exercises that focus on your biceps and triceps are essential for building stronger arms. Try to work these muscles at least two to three times a week by including arm exercises into your weekly workout routine.
