Best Arms Exercise

It is Not as Simple as just Biceps and Triceps

There are many muscles which act on the wrist and elbow joints.  Some muscles also act on multiple joints.  To simplify, the muscles you care about can be categorized into categories of extensors, and flexors.

There are 4 muscles which extend your wrist and 4 muscles which flex your wrist.  These muscles play a key role in all exercises in which you have to hold a weight.  They are responsible for your grip strength and wrist stabilization.

Your wrist extensors extend your hands in the direction of your knuckles.  Your wrist flexors flex your hand in the direction of your computer mouse.

The Triceps Extend your Arms

The triceps are a muscle with 3 heads.  This is why the muscle is called the triceps.  Each head has a different origin and attachment.  The origin is the part of the muscle which is closest to the center of your body.

In the case of the triceps, the origin of the lateral and medial head are both on on the humerus (upper arm bone) while the origin of the long head is on the scapula (shoulder blade.)

This has implications on exercise choice for the best arms exercise for the triceps.

The Biceps Flex and Supinate your Arms

Arm flexion is the motion you would use to bring a can of beer up towards your mouth.  This is not the best arms exercise!  The biceps brachii or biceps is only 1 of the 3 muscles which help to flex your arm.

The brachialis and brachioradialis are muscles which also help flex your arm. These muscles are recruited in certain arm positions but contribute significantly to the size of the upper arms.  If you want to increase the size of your arms, then you should use the best arms exercises which work these muscles as well as the biceps.

Even though the biceps has muscles which assist flexion, the biceps is the main muscle responsible for supination.  Supination is the motion of externally rotating your wrists away from your body, such as you were going to drink soup out of your palm.  This is very important to know if you want to know the best arm exercises for the biceps.

The biceps is made up of 2 heads hence the name biceps.  The upper biceps is the origin and the lower biceps is the insertion.  The best arms exercises for the biceps attempt to target the upper, lower and mid biceps.

The best arms exercises can do very little for weight loss goals.  If you have excess body fat you must do a full body routine for weight training to help you lose fat in the arms.

Your Arm Muscles are Exercised during Chest and Back Exercises

Arms only Account for a Small Percentage of your Total Body Mass

If you want to lose weight or tone up, in the arms or any part of your body, the best arms exercise will not do the job.  In order for your body to lose weight and/or tone up in your arm area, you must perform exercises from large muscle groups.

Chest exercises and back exercises, which also work your arms.  They will have greater effects on your metabolism than the best arms exercise.  Even if your goal is toning triceps, the best leg exercises will help you tone them more than the best arms exercise.

If You are Not Overweight and Want Better Looking Arms

Each best arms exercises will help you tremendously.  Use these exercises to hit the arm muscle fibers at every angle.  You will benefit with stronger, and better looking arms.

The best arms exercise for the biceps is pretty straight forward.  In order to get a complete biceps workout you need to include 3 different things.

First and foremost, the best biceps exercise must include supination and flexion under resistance, as these are the main actions of the biceps.

Secondly you should include exercises which attempt to target the upper biceps (origin), lower biceps (insertion).

Supinating Dumbbell Biceps Curls

There is no secret to this one.  This is the best overall biceps exercise because it utilizes the biceps 2 main actions.

Start:  Stand or sit on a bench with a pair of dumbbells at your side.  Your palms should face the side of your body.  Keep your elbows in against your sides for the duration of the movement.

Begin the motion:  Begin to curl the weight up.  As the dumbbells pass your legs begin to supinate (rotate away from your body) your hands.  At the top of the motion the your hands should be fully supinated.  Lower the weight slowly the exact reverse way in which you raised it.

It is best to perform this best arms exercise for your biceps from a seated position.  A seated position helps you isolate your biceps and takes away your ability to use momentum and cheat.  You can lift both dumbbells at the same time, which saves time or you can perform one side at a time.

Preacher Biceps Curls

Preacher Curls Attempt to Target the Lower Biceps (insertion)

Start:  Position yourself with your arm over the preacher bench.  Your upper arms close to your armpits should be in contact to the bench.  Hold a dumbbell or whichever form of resistance you chose in your hand with your arm at a 90 degree angle.  Have your palm face toward the ceiling.

Begin the motion:  Slowly lower the dumbbell until your touch the back of your arm to the bench.  Keep your wrist straight, do not flex it and lift the weight back to the position you began from.  If you are using dumbbells, you should always stop at 90 degrees because anything above that, your biceps will not be under tension.

Modifications:  Preacher biceps curls can be performed from a preacher bench if you have access to one, a stability ball, a couch, weight bench or whatever you have available.  

You can use a straight barbell, EZ curl bar, dumbbells, cables, tubing, or whatever resistance you have available.  Cables actually have an advantage, because throughout the range of motion, there will be constant resistance.  This will allow you to work the biceps more because at the top of the range of motion the biceps will still be under tension.

Bungee cords and surgical tubes are even more challenging because they offer increased resistance at the easiest part of the range of motion.  This could consider this exercise the best arms exercise for the biceps.

Incline Dumbbell Biceps Curls

Incline Biceps curls attempt to target the upper biceps (insertion.)  They are called incline, because they are performed on an incline bench.  You can also perform them on a cable machine if you can position your arms the same as the incline.

Start:  Set the bench up to be at an incline from approximately 60-80 degrees.  Sit with your back against the bench.  Let the dumbbells hang down straight towards the floor with your palms facing away from your body.  Keep your elbows in this exact position for the duration of the movement.

Begin the motion:  Keep your wrists in a neutral position.  Curl the weight up as high as you can without having your elbow move at all.  Lower slowly and repeat.  Make sure your lower arm is in line with your upper arm the entire range of motion.

Modifications:  You can perform this best arms exercise with one arm at a time, or both arms at the same time.  You can also perform the motion on a free motion or other cable machine.

Position yourself with the machine behind you.  Walk forward slightly until your elbows are both behind your body.  Curl the weights as far as you can without moving your elbows.

If you are looking for more than just the best arms exercise and would like more exercises and in-depth information about how to build bigger biceps check out the best biceps workout.

The triceps are slightly more complex than the biceps in regards to the best arms exercises.  This is because the long head of the triceps originates from the scapula (shoulder blade) and the the medial head and lateral head originate from part of the humerus (upper arm bone). 

Some pushing chest exercises, and pulling back exercises also work the long head of the triceps.  As you learn how to control certain muscles, you can focus and use your triceps more during certain chest and back exercises and make them the best arm exercises.

Reverse Grip Bench Press

The reverse grip bench press is a multi joint movement.  Your triceps are one of many muscles lifting the weight.

The reverse grip bench press is natural and the weight which can be used is significant.  This is an exercise which you must feel and control your triceps throughout the range of motion.

Some people use the close grip bench press as a multi-joint movement for the triceps, but it is a poor choice because it can be hard on the wrists and possibly cause injury.

Start:  It is very helpful and recommended to have a spotter to rack and unrack the bar for this exercise.  Position yourself on a bench press with your upper chest under the bar.  Grab a shoulder width reverse grip on the bar.  Your palms should be facing towards you.  Let the weight rest comfortably on your wrists with your hands extended.  Hold the barbell above your lower chest with your arms fully extended.

Begin the motion:  Lower the weight slowly to a position slightly below your chest.  Keep your elbows tightly squeezed to your side.  When the bar reaches your chest, push it straight up to the starting position.  The bar should never be above your chest for any part of this motion.

Modifications:  You can perform the reverse grip triceps bench press on any angle bench.  You can also perform a similar movement with dumbbells.  As long as you keep your elbows close to your sides, a 90 degree angle with your arms and push the weight straight up.

You should control the weight down with your triceps.  It may be difficult if you are a beginner but with practice you will be able to make this multi-joint exercise your best arms exercise for your triceps.

Lying French Press "21s"

The lying French press is a favorite triceps exercise and best arms exercise for many people.  Sometimes you will hear people refer to the lying French press which is a triceps isolation exercise as "skull crushers."

There are many different ways to perform the lying French press, but "21s" are the most common.  "21s" are actually 3 different motions.

Start:  Have a straight or preferably an EZ curl bar and lay on a flat or low incline bench.  Push the weight straight up to the ceiling.  Try to keep your elbows in this position for the first 7 repetitions.  It may feel more comfortable if you put your thumbs on the same side of the bar as your fingers as it will take strain off your wrists.

Begin the motion:  For the first 7 reps lower the weight slowly to your eyebrows or forehead.  Try to keep your elbows pointing straight up to the ceiling and raise the bar back up to the original position.

For the second 7 reps you can rock your elbows slightly backwards towards your head, and lower the bar behind your head.  Try to fully flex your arms before you extend your arms to raise the bar to its original position.

The final 7 reps are close grip bench press.  From the original position, lower the weight to your lower chest.  Make sure to keep your elbows in towards your sides.  Push the weight straight up and lower it straight down to make this the best arms exercise for the triceps.  You may be able to perform more than 7 reps of this motion and may do so, but try to squeeze your triceps so much to only do 7.

Modifications:  You do not have to perform 21 reps.  You can do whatever combination of reps you wish.  You can also use dumbbells.  To perform with dumbbells have the dumbbells to the side of your body.  The first 7 reps you will lower the dumbbells to your ears.  The second 7 reps you will lower behind your head.  The final 7 reps you will lower straight down next to your ribs.

Cable Rope Triceps Extensions

The high cable triceps extension is one of the most common triceps exercises you see people do in the gym.  It is common because it is one of the best arms exercises.  The problem is, many people do not perform it properly, especially with the rope.

Start:  Set a cable crossover or free motion machine to a level above your head.  Stand up tall, keep your core tight, and retract your shoulder blades.  Grab the rope tightly and pull it down with your arms fully bent.  Your hands should be touching your chest while you grasp the rope.  Do not lean forward or let your shoulders fall forward at all during this movement.

Begin the motion: Extend your arms downwards as close to your body as you can.  Make sure your elbows are close to your side and spread the ropes apart when reach full extension of your arms.  Slowly lower the weight stack and bring your arms all the way back to your chest with your elbows at your side.

Modifications:  The different modifications you can do with the rope triceps extension is what may make it the best arms exercise.  You can also turn away from the cable and perform overhead triceps extensions.  These work your long head of your triceps.  One of the best modifications to this exercise is if you perform consecutive sets of overhead and regular rope cable triceps extensions with no rest.  You can learn more triceps exercises and all about Toning Triceps Exercises

The forearm muscles are used for grip not only during the best arms exercises but all exercises.  Certain sports require and benefit from a strong grip.  Your weight lifting can only be better with a strong grip.

Dumbbell Hammer Curl

The dumbbell hammer curl is one of the best arms exercises because it works multiple muscles.

It works the forearms, specifically the brachioradialis, as well as the biceps and the little known muscle of the upper arm, the brachialis.

Start:  Either stand or sit with a pair of dumbbells at your side.  Your palms should face towards your body.  Keep your elbows at your side for the duration of this movement.

Begin the motion:  Curl your arms until your thumbs approach your shoulders.  Lower them slowly until they are in the original position.

You can curl one arm at a time or both arms at the same time.  Keep a tight core and do not jerk your body around to swing the weights up.

Forearm Exercises

Find which forearms exercises are best for improving your grip strength as well as making your forearms bigger.  Learn how some forearms exercises may make your biceps look bigger and actually be the best arms exercise.

Best Biceps Workout

The best arms exercise has you wanting more?  Find the hardcore and expert ways to go the extra mile to try to increase the size of your biceps.  Learn new and more challenging exercises and training methods to help your arms grow.  Whether you want biceps peaks, or just stronger arms, it's all covered here.

Toning Triceps

If you do not need to lose weight and simply want to tone the back of your arms find the best arms exercise for toning your triceps.

Learn how to perform multiple exercises from different angles to maximize results.  Learn which compound or multi-joint exercises you should include in your workout regimen for maximum toning of your triceps.

Best Chest Exercises

Remember when you perform exercises from the chest muscle group you not only work your triceps which are a synergist for the multi-joint movements, you work your biceps which stabilize for isolation movements for your chest.

Best Back Exercise

Most of the best back exercises use your biceps as a synergist.  Learn why you may not have to perform too many sets of the best arms exercises to get defined, and strong arms.