The 9 best arm exercises for muscle definition and strength (2023)

Are you looking for stronger, more defined arms - the kind of arms you can show off?

If you're looking for toned, sculpted arms, try these strength training exercises.arm exercises.

If you really enjoy the thrill of arm sculpting, consider teaching others through the lens of exercise science with NASM.Become an online personal trainer today!

Index

• Anatomy Review
• arm workout tips
• Barbell biceps curl
• triceps extension cable
• hammer thread
• Triceps extensions with dumbbells on the bench
• Cable biceps curl with flexed shoulder
• Flexed Shoulder Cable Triceps Extensions
• wrist flexion
• wrist extension
• Wrist Supination/Pronation

Review of the Anatomy of the Arm Muscles

But before we get started with the exercises, let's do a brief review of the anatomy of the arm. It is important for us to understand the muscles being worked during each exercise. The review below is not an exhaustive list of all the arm muscles, but rather some of the major arm muscles and their functions.

brachial biceps

• Location:The biceps brachii (or biceps for short) is located on the anterior (front) part of the arm, between the elbow and the shoulder. Your biceps contain two different “heads” or muscle bellies; a short head and a long head - each with different attachment locations.
• Function: Your biceps accelerates elbow flexion (bending your arm at the elbow), supination (moving from palm-down to palm-up position), and assisting shoulder flexion (raising your arm in front of your body).
• Examples of Exercises: Dumbbell/barbell biceps curl, hammer curl, preacher curl

triceps brachii

• Location:The triceps brachii (or triceps for short) is located at the back (back) of the upper arm between the elbow and shoulder. Your triceps contains three different “heads”; a short head, a medial head and a long head - each with different attachment locations.
• Function: Your triceps accelerates elbow extension (straightening the arm at the elbow) and shoulder extension (moving the arm toward the back - the exact opposite of shoulder flexion).
• Examples of Exercises: Triceps push-ups,narrow grip bench press, narrow-grip push-ups, triceps kickbacks, bench press triceps extensions (skull crushers)

braquiorradial

• Location:Your brachioradialis is a primary muscle of the lateral forearm (thumb side). It inserts just above the elbow into the humerus (upper arm bone) and close to the wrist.
• Function: Your brachioradialis accelerates elbow flexion and assists in forearm supination and pronation (moving from palm-down to palm-up position and vice versa).
• Examples of Exercises: Hammer curls, reverse curls, preacher curls

brachial

• Location:Your brachialis sits underneath the biceps brachii on the front of your upper arm. It inserts just above the elbow into the humerus and just below the elbow into the ulna (one of the two bones in the forearm).
• Function: Your brachioradialis accelerates elbow flexion.
• Examples of Exercises: Dumbbell/barbell biceps curl, hammer curl, preacher curl

Arm training: tips, sets and repetitions

When training your arms, it's important to remember that you have a lot of muscles, and those muscles interact with a variety of joints, including the wrist, elbow, and shoulder.

Thus, for a complete routine, it is best to perform a variety of movements at each joint to adequately stress the muscles (Marcolin et al, 2018, Oliveira et al, 2009).

Later, the exercises should target the upper and lower arms. This will help give your arms the shape and definition you're looking for, as well as provide strength for daily life tasks like opening a jar or holding a heavy object (Chiung-juet al, 2014).

The exercises listed will be performed withmoderateloads and repetitions to emphasize bothMuscular hypertrophy(muscle growth) and muscular endurance. Load and volume (sets, reps) can be increased as your fitness and strength improve (Mangine et al, 2015).

It will be important to perform each series until muscle fatigue. In other words, the last few reps should be difficult to perform, but you should be able to maintain optimal form, posture, and technique throughout the entire set.

Lastly, the arm exercises provided areexamples. Feel free to substitute your favorite moves and modalities like machines, dumbbells, kettlebells, bungee tubes or bodyweight suspension trainers.

Main points:

• Perform a variety of movements at each joint.
• Target the upper and lower arms.
• Perform exercises with moderate loads, series and repetitions.
• Perform each series until muscle fatigue.
• Feel free to substitute your favorite moves and modalities.

best arm exercises

1. Barbell biceps curl

Preparation

1. Stand upright while holding a barbell with both hands.

Movement

2. Do a barbell curl by flexing both elbows, keeping your shoulder blades retracted.

3. Bend the bar to chest level. Don't allow your lower back to arch. Keep your spine in a neutral position.

4. Slowly lower the bar back to the original position by extending your elbows.

Security

To lessen stress on the elbow, don't grip the bar too close or too far away. To determine grip width, extend your elbows so your hands fall naturally to your sides, palms facing forward. Where your hands fall to your sides is where they should be when you grab the bar.

Do 3-5 sets and 6-12 reps.

Check out the exercise library demo page forbicep curls.

2. Triceps Extension Cable

Preparation

1. Sit upright with feet shoulder-width apart and pointed forward.

2. Grab two handles of cable, elbows bent.

3. Keep the shoulder blades retracted and depressed.

Movement

4. Push your hands toward the floor until your arms are fully extended. Do not allow your shoulders to rise towards your ears during the exercise.

5. Hold.

6. Slowly return to the starting position.

Technique

Using a cable attachment when performing cable pushdowns will allow your elbows to follow their natural path of motion rather than having your hands fixed on a barbell. This can help lessen the stress on your elbows.

Do 3-5 sets and 6-12 reps.

3. Hammer Thread with Dumbbell

Preparation

1. Stand with your feet flat on the floor, pointing straight ahead.

2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms at your sides; palms facing each other.

Movement

3. Perform a hammer curl by flexing your elbow while keeping your palms facing each other.

4. Keep your shoulder blades retracted throughout the exercise.

5. Slowly return the dumbbells to their original position.

Do 3-5 sets, 6-12 reps

4. Dumbbell Triceps Extensions on the Bench

Preparation

1. Lie down on a flat bench.

2. Your feet should be flat with your toes pointing forward.

3. Hold dumbbells in both hands with elbows bent.

Movement

4. Extend your elbows until your arms are straight.

5. Hold.

6. Slowly lower each dumbbell toward your forehead, bending your elbows. Be sure to keep your lower back in a neutral position throughout the exercise. Don't let it arch excessively off the bench.

7. Repeat.

Security

Choose to have your hands shoulder-width apart to lessen stress on your elbow joints.

Do 3-5 sets and 6-12 reps.

5. Cable biceps curl with flexed shoulder

Preparation

1. Stand while holding a handle on a cable attachment with your shoulder flexed.

Movement

2. Perform a biceps curl by flexing the elbow, keeping the scapula retracted.

3. Bend until your elbow is fully flexed.

4. Slowly return to the original position by extending your elbows.

Do 3-5 sets and 6-12 reps.

6. Flexed Shoulder Triceps Extension Cable

Preparation

1. Stand while holding a handle on a cable connection (facing away from the machine) with your shoulder flexed.

Movement

2. Perform a triceps extension by extending your elbow until your arm is straight.

3. The only movement that occurs should be at the elbow - avoid flexing or extending the shoulder.

4. Slowly return to the original position by flexing your elbow.

Do 3-5 sets and 6-12 reps.

7. Wrist Flexion

Preparation

1. Sit on a bench or stability ball with one arm comfortably resting on a table or other sturdy object.

2. Hold a light dumbbell with your palm facing up and hanging slightly off the table.

Movement

3. Perform wrist flexion through a comfortable range of motion.

4. Hold.

5. Slowly return to starting position.

Do 3-5 sets and 6-12 reps.

8. Wrist Extension

Preparation

1. Sit on a bench or stability ball with one arm comfortably resting on a table or other sturdy object.

2. Hold a light dumbbell with your palm facing down and hanging slightly off the table.

Movement

3. Perform wrist extension through a comfortable range of motion.

4. Hold.

5. Slowly return to starting position.

Do 3-5 sets and 6-12 reps.

9. Wrist Supination/Pronation

Preparation

1. Sit on a bench or stability ball with one arm comfortably resting on a table or other sturdy object.

2. Hold a light object with your palm facing up and hanging slightly off the table.

Movement

3. Perform wrist pronation by rotating the forearm from a palm-up position to a palm-down position.

4. Reverse the movement to perform wrist supination.

Do 3-5 sets and 6-12 reps.

things to check

• What is Resistance Training?
• HIIT workouts
• Proper Pushup Form and Technique: The Anatomy of a Pushup

References

Chiung-juLiu, DeepikaM.Shiroy, LeahY.Jones, & DanielO.Clark. (2014, August 30). Systematic review of functional training on muscle strength, physical functioning and activities of daily living in the elderly. retrieved fromhttps://eurapa.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1007/s11556-014-0144-1

Mangine, G.T., Hoffman, J.R., Gonzalez, A.M., Townsend, J.R., Wells, A.J., Jajtner, A.R., . . . Stout, J.R. (n.d.). The effect of training volume and intensity on improvements in muscle strength and size in resistance-trained men. retrieved fromhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4562558/

Marcolin G, Panizzolo FA, Petrone N, Moro T, Grigoletto D, Piccolo D, & Paoli A (2018, July 13). Differences in the electromyographic activity of the biceps brachii and brachioradialis during the execution of three curl variants. retrieved fromhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6047503/

Oliveira, L.F., Matta, T.T., Alves, D.S., Garcia, M.A., & Vieira, T.M. (2009, March 1st). Effect of shoulder position on the biceps brachii emg in different dumbbell curls. retrieved fromhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24150552

Brian Sutton, MA, MS, CSCS, NASM-CPT, CNC, CES, PES

Brian Sutton is a 20-year veteran of the health and fitness industry, working as a personal trainer, author and content manager. He earned a Masters in Sports Management from the University of San Francisco, a Masters in Exercise Science from the University of California, Pennsylvania, and multiple NASM and NSCA certifications. He was an adjunct faculty member at the University of California, Pennsylvania (2010-2018), teaching graduate courses in remedial exercise, performance enhancement, and health and fitness, and currently serves as Content and Production Manager for NASM.