Arm Exercises

Biceps Exercises

Standing Barbell Biceps Curl

1. Pick up a barbell or an E-Z curl bar (a barbell that’s bent for easier gripping) with palms forward. Your hands should be shoulder-width apart and your wrists straight.
2. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your knees bent slightly.
3. Bring your hands toward your chest while exhaling. Keep your wrists straight, and don’t let your elbows move forward.
4. Lower the bar to the starting position while inhaling. Make sure your elbows don’t move backward. Repeat.

Concentration Curl

1. Pick up a dumbbell with your right hand.
2. Sit on the edge of a bench. Lean forward, with your back flat.
3. Rest your right elbow against your inner thigh behind your right knee. Let your arm hang straight with the weight.
4. Bend your elbow, lifting the weight in an arc almost to your shoulder while exhaling.
5. Lower the weight slowly to its original position while inhaling. Repeat.

Hammer Curl

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Let your arms hang by your sides with your palms facing toward your body.
2. Bend one elbow, lifting your arm until your forearm is parallel to the floor. Stand tall, rather than swaying back in order to help yourself lift the weight.
3. Slowly lower your arm back to your side. Throughout the motion, don’t let your elbow move forward or backward.
4. Switch sides and repeat, alternating arms until you finsh the set.

Preacher Curl

1. Sit at a preacher bench with your feet flat on the floor and the back of your arms against the pad. If your armpit is not at the tip of the pad, adjust the seat.
2. Grasp an E-Z curl bar underhand, hands shoulder width apart.
3. Lift the bar slowly in an arc toward your head until your forearms are vertical. Don’t lift your arms off the pad or roll your shoulders as you lift the bar.
4. Lower the bar slowly until your arms are fully straight (though not locked). Repeat.

Triceps Exercises

Triceps Kickback

1. Pick up a dumbbell with your right hand.
2. Lean forward, keeping your back flat, and rest your left hand on a bench.
3. With your palm facing in toward your side, bend your right elbow until your upper arm is parallel to the floor.
4. Extend your arm behind you, keeping your upper arm and shoulder immobile, your elbow close to your body, and your abs engaged.
5. Return your arm to its bent position.
6. Repeat. When you’ve done a set, switch to the other arm.

Triceps Dip

1. Sit on the edge of a bench with your heels together and your legs straight.
2. Grip the bench. With your torso upright and your abs engaged, slide your body forward off the bench.
3. Bending your elbows, lower yourself until your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Keep your wrists straight and your back close to the bench.
4. Push yourself up until your arms are fully straight. Focus the motion on your triceps rather than just swinging your butt up and down. Repeat.

Triceps Pushdown (Machine)

1. Stand facing the machine. Grasp a T- or V-shaped pushdown bar with an overhand grip (palms facing the floor) and your hands close together.
2. Bend your elbows so your forearms are parallel to the floor. Start in this position.
3. While exhaling, push the bar straight toward the floor, keeping your elbows still, your abs engaged, and your torso tall and firm. Don’t hunch your shoulders or lean forward or onto the bar.
4. While inhaling, raise your hands slowly back up to the starting position in step 2. Repeat.

Triceps Pushup

1. Position yourself on your hands and the balls of your feet, with your hands underneath your shoulders and your arms straight.
2. Lower your chest toward the floor, keeping your elbows tucked close to your body. Imagine that your body is forming a straight line from your heels to the top of your head. Don’t dip your head toward the floor, and keep your abs tight.
3. Push slowly back up to the starting position. Exhale on the way up. Repeat.

Triceps Extension

1. Lie on a bench with your knees bent and your feet on the floor or up on the bench.
2. Using an overhand grip (palms forward), hold the barbell or E-Z curl bar above your chest. Keep your arms straight and your hands slightly less than shoulder-width apart.
3. Bring your arms slightly behind your head—this position will work your triceps harder.
4. Without moving your upper arms, bend your elbows and lower the bar back toward the bench until it almost touches your forehead. Keep your elbows in throughout the motion; do not let them splay out to the sides.
5. Straighten your arms, pushing the bar back up. Repeat.

Wrist and Forearm Exercises

Reverse Barbell Curl

1. Grasp a barbell or an E-Z curl bar with an overhand grip and your hands shoulder-width apart. Let your arms hang straight. The bar should rest against your upper thigh.
2. Lift the bar toward your chest. Don’t lean back or use momentum. Keep your elbows immobile and close to your sides, and keep your wrists straight throughout.
3. Slowly lower the bar until your arms are once again fully straightened. Repeat.

Wrist Curl

1. Sit on the edge of a bench. Hold a barbell in both hands with your palms facing up.
2. Rest your forearms on your thighs with your wrists extending past your knees.
3. Curl your hands up by bending at the wrist. Don’t move your forearms or upper arms. Curl straight up and down rather than allow the weight to move to the sides.
4. Lower your hands slowly. Repeat.

Reverse Wrist Curl

1. Sit on the edge of a bench. Hold a barbell in both hands with an overhand grip (palms facing down).
2. Lean forward and rest your forearms on the top of your thighs so that your wrists extend past your knee.
3. Curl your hand up by bending at the wrist. Move the weight only up and down, not side to side. Don’t move your forearm or upper arm.
4. Slowly lower your hand down. Repeat.