THE BICEPS ARE THE ARMS’ BIG ATTENTION-GETTERS, BUT
DON’T SKIMP ON DEVELOPING YOUR OTHER ARM MUSCLES. WORKING
THE SUPPORTING PLAYERS WILL GIVE YOU A MORE SYMMETRICAL APPEARANCE
AND HELP YOU AVOID INJURY DUE TO A MUSCLE IMBALANCE.
Watch guys in the weight room and it’s easy to see what
body part most
of us work hardest: the arms. We want biceps like a longshoreman’s,
forearms like a blacksmith’s. From a vanity standpoint,
they’re the muscles guys concentrate on the most.
Muscular arms are useful as well as aesthetically
pleasing; for moving furniture, for helping your honey wrest
that stubborn lid off the salsa jar, and for making some oaf
think twice about picking a fight with you.
Powerful arms also help you to better perform some exercises
aimed at developing other parts of your body. Seated rows,
for example, develop your lats and upper back, but it helps
to have strong arms to pull the pulley handle toward you.
Work your arm muscles last during an upper-body workout. Otherwise,
they may fail you when you need them to perform heavy-lifting
exercises for your chest and back muscles. Here are some facts
about each of the arms’ muscle groups; stuff that’s
good to know as you watch them grow.
UPPER ARMS
The gaudiest arm muscles are the biceps. If somebody asked
you to make a muscle, it’s the biceps muscles, of course,
that you would flex. Think of them as Karl Malone and your
other arm muscles as the subtler but equally important John
Stockton. Very different, but a team.
The biceps actually is two muscles. In fact, its name means
“two heads.” The biceps brachii provides the “head”
of the muscle, while the larger bracliialis supports it underneath.
Both are part of the elbow flexor muscle group that helps
you bend your arm and bring your hand to your shoulder.
Beginning weight lifters sometimes focus too much attention
and effort on their biceps and try to force growth too quickly.
Better to start out a little light and go up in weight later.
It’s easier and safer.
Bodacious biceps are great, but don’t work them at the
exclusion of your triceps. The triceps muscles run along the
backsides of your upper arms and have three “heads.”
On each arm, the triceps is the biceps’ counterpart.
It’s part of the elbow extensor group that enables you
to straighten out your arm and extend your hand away from
your body. When you flex your biceps, the triceps relaxes.
If you contract your triceps, your biceps goes limp.
Ignoring your triceps while you pump up the biceps
increases your chance of injury, especially if you play sports.
It’s a common mistake men make.
By developing your biceps and triceps muscles in a balanced
way you’ll maintain healthy shoulder and elbow joints.
The triceps is a very impressive muscle. It adds balance and
symmetry not just to the arms but to how they tie into the
shoulder. Unlike the biceps, a well-developed triceps muscle
doesn’t have to be flexed to stand out. A lot of times
you can show a good definition just from a standing position,
without having to bend the elbow at all.
LOWER ARMS
Unless you worship Popeye, chances are that you spend no more
time considering your forearms than you do pondering what
the salty sailor saw in Olive Oyl. Yet your forearms consist
of three main muscle groups: brachioradialis, flexors, and
extensors.
This in turn lets you have a firm handshake, make a fist,
and grip a golf club or a bat.
Strong forearms also help you lift weights that work other
muscles. To some extent, grip strength has to be there in
order to go up in weight. If your forearms fatigue too early
you’re not going to be able to strengthen your biceps.
For some men, forearms develop easily. That’s because
almost every upper-body exercise requires a gripping action,
so forearms and wrists benefit almost by accident. But these
are isometric contractions.
It’s best to include specific forearm and wrist
exercises that include movement. Doing so will not only improve
the appearance of your forearms but also help prevent elbow
injuries such as “tennis elbow” that actually
are forearm injuries.
Unless you participate in arm wrestling, rock climbing, golf,
or another sport requiring a powerful grip, save forearm exercises
for last. Since the forearm has small muscle groups, it fatigues
easily.
BICEPS
HAMMER CURL
This exercise also works other elbow flexor muscles on
the front of your arms.
1. Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart
and your knees slightly bent. Hold a dumbbell in each
hand, with your arms fully extended at your sides and
your palms facing in.
2. Slowly curl the dumbbells until the ends touch your
shoulders. Don’t rotate your wrists while curling;
do keep your upper arms and elbows stationary. Hold for
a second, then lower the dumbbells slowly with a controlled
motion to the starting position. |
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CANCENTRATION CURL
This exercise also works other elbow flexors.
1. Sit in a chair or at the end of a weight bench with your
feet a little more than shoulder-width apart. Hold a dumbbell
in your left hand, your palm facing up and your arm fully
extended. Rest your left elbow on your left inner thigh. With
your right hand on your right thigh, bend forward slightly,
keeping your back straight.
2. Slowly curl the dumbbell up toward your shoulder, keeping
your upper arm perpendicular to the floor. Hold for a second,
and then lower the dumbbell slowly with a controlled motion
to the starting position. Finish the set, and then switch
arms.
BARBELL CURL
This move strengthens other elbow flexors too.
1. Stand straight with your knees slightly bent. Hold
a barbell underhand (palms up), with your hands about
shoulder-width apart. Your arms should be extended, and
the barbell should be at your thighs.
2. Keeping your elbows close to your body, use your biceps
to curl the bar slowly up toward your chin. Keep your
wrists straight throughout the curl, and don’t sway
your back or rock your body for momentum. Hold for a second,
and then lower the barbell slowly with a controlled motion
to the starting position. |
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REVERSE-GRIP BARBELL CURL
Another great exercise for the elbow flexor muscle group on
the front of your arms.
1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees
slightly bent. Hold a barbell in an overhand grip, with your
hands spaced shoulder-width apart. Your arms should be fully
extended, with the bar resting against your upper thighs.
Keep your elbows close to your sides.
2. Slowly curl the bar toward your chin. Hold for a second
at the top of the lift, and then lower the bar slowly with
a controlled motion to the starting position.
ALTERNATING DUMBBELL CURL
This is another exercise that works your elbow flexors.
1. Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and
your knees slightly bent. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with
your arms down at your sides and your palms facing in. Slowly
curl the left dumbbell up toward your collarbone. As you do
the curl, rotate your arm so that your palm faces up. Hold
for a second at the top of the lift, and then lower the weight
slowly with a controlled motion to the starting position.
2. Repeat with your right arm.
INCLINE DUMBBELL CURL
This gives your biceps a good workout.
1. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, sit on an incline bench,
keeping your head and upper body in full contact with the
bench. Your feet should be flat on the floor. Let your arms
hang down, fully extended and perpendicular to the floor,
with your palms facing your body.
2. Slowly curl the dumbbells up to your shoulders, keeping
your upper arms stationary and your elbows pointed down. Your
palms should turn up during the lift until they face your
shoulders. Hold for a second, and then slowly lower your arms
with a controlled motion to the starting position.
PREACHER CURL
This move works your elbow flexors, on the front of your arms.
1. Sit on a bench with your arms hanging over a platform.
Your elbows should be low on the platform, with your armpits
almost touching the pad. Hold a curling bar with your palms
facing up and your hands spaced closer together than shoulder
width.
2. Slowly curl the bar toward your chin, keeping your upper
arms in contact with the pad. Hold for a second, and then
lower slowly with a controlled motion to the starting position.
TRICEPS
OVERHEAD TRICEPS EXTENSION
This exercise works the elbow extensor muscles on the
back of your arms. If your weight plates are removable,
make sure the collars are tight.
1. Sit on a bench or stand with your feet firmly on
the ground. Hold a dumbbell overhead, palms up. Keep
your upper torso erect, facing forward, with a slight,
natural forward lean in your lower back.
2. Keeping your upper body in place and your upper arms
close to your head, slowly lower the dumbbell behind
you in a semicircular motion until your forearms are
as close to your biceps as possible. You may lean slightly
forward to help offset the weight, but don’t sway
or arch your back. Your elbows should face forward.
Hold for a second, and then raise the weight to the
starting position.
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DUMBBELL KICKBACK
This exercise works your elbow extensors.
1. Holding a dumbbell in your left hand, support yourself
on an exercise bench with your right knee and your right
hand. Keep your left foot on the ground, with your back
straight and parallel to the floor. Your left arm should
be bent 90 degrees.
2. Slowly straighten your left arm and extend the weight
behind your body, keeping your upper arm parallel to the
floor. You should feel your left arm’s triceps muscle
fully contract. Then slowly bend your left arm again,
bringing the weight back to the starting position. Finish
the set, and then switch arms. |
|
LYING CROSS-SHOULDER TRICEPS EXTENSION
This exercise works your elbow extensors. Note: Overhead lifts
can be dangerous. If your weight plates are removable, make
sure the collars are tight. Beginners should use light weights
and a spotter Definitely use a spotter with heavier weights.
1. Lie on a bench with your head near one end, keeping your
knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Hold a dumbbell
in your right hand, with your right arm extended straight
up from your body and your palm facing your feet.
2. Keeping your upper arm and your elbow stationary, slowly
lower the dumbbell across your upper chest until the end touches
your left shoulder. Then slowly extend your arm back to the
starting position. Finish the set, and then switch arms.
FRENCH CURL
This move works your elbow extensors. Caution: To avoid facial
injury, beginners should use light weights. A spotter is always
a good idea.
1. Lie on your back on a weight bench with your knees bent
and your feet resting on the bench. Hold a curling bar over
your chest, with your palms facing up and away from you and
your arms fully extended. Grip the bar with your hands spaced
4 to 6 inches apart.
2. Keeping your upper arms stationary slowly bend your elbows,
lowering the weight toward the top of your head. Then slowly
return the bar to the starting position.
LYING TRICEPS EXTENSION
This move works the elbow extensors. Note: Use less weight
than you would for a French curl, and make sure the weight
collars are tight.
1. Lie on your back on a bench with your head slightly over
the end of the bench and your feet flat on the floor. Hold
a dumbbell with both your thumbs around the bar and the weight
resting on your palms. Extend your arms at about a 180-degree
angle but not locked, the weight over the top of your head.
Keep the bar vertical.
2. Keeping your upper arms stationary slowly bend your elbows,
lowering the weight until it is behind your head. Hold for
a second, and then slowly return to the starting position.
PARALLEL DIP WITH WEIGHT PLATE
This exercise strengthens the elbow extensor muscles on the
back of your arms. Note: If you have wrist problems, don’t
do this exercise. Place two exercise benches or two heavy
chairs side by side, 3 to 4 feet apart.
1. Sit on one bench and place a weight plate in your lap.
Hold on to the edge of the bench with your arms shoulder-width
apart and plant your heels firmly on the facing bench, about
6 inches in from the edge, suspending your butt slightly in
front of your hands.
2. Slowly bend your arms and lower your body toward the floor.
Go as low as you can without touching the floor. Then slowly
extend your arms, raising yourself back to the starting position.
FOREARMS
FOREARM CURL
This exercise works the wrist flexor muscles on the front
of your forearms. It also can be done with both hands and
a barbell.
1. Sit at the end of a bench with your legs slightly farther
than hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in your left hand, palm
up, and rest your right hand on your right thigh. Your left
wrist should be slightly over your left knee so that you can
bend your wrist through its full range of motion. The top
of your left forearm should rest against your thigh. Your
upper body should be upright, but you may lean slightly into
your left leg for comfort.
2. Slowly curl the dumbbell in a semicircular motion up toward
your body as far as you can without letting your arm rise
up off your thigh. At the top of the curl, hold for a second,
and then lower to the starting position. Finish the set, and
then switch hands.
REVERSE FOREARM CURL
This exercise works your wrist extensors, on the back of your
forearms. Note: Use a lighter weight for this than you would
for a normal forearm curl.
1. Sit at the end of a bench with your legs slightly farther
than hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in your left hand, palm
down, and rest your right hand on your right thigh. Your left
wrist should be slightly over your left knee so that you can
bend your wrist through its full range of motion. The meaty
bottom part of your left forearm should rest against your
thigh, and your upper body should be fairly upright, but you
may lean slightly into your left leg for comfort.
2. Slowly curl the dumbbell in a semicircular motion up toward
your body as far as you can without letting your arm rise
up off your thigh. At the top of the curl, hold for a second,
and then lower to the starting position. Finish the set, and
then switch hands.
WRIST ROLLER
This move builds strength in your wrist flexors and extensors.
1. Stand upright with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
Hold the wrist roller in both hands (palms down) with your
arms extended in front of you. The weight should be dangling
in front of you.
2. Slowly roll the weight up with your wrists, using long,
exaggerated up-and-down movements with your wrists to work
their full range of motion. Keep the rest of your body stationary;
don’t sway your body or drop your arms. When the weight
reaches the top, slowly lower it using the same motion.
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