Arm Workout At Gym To Build Bigger Bicep and Tricep

Are you looking to strengthen your biceps and triceps with arm exercises at the gym? Look no further. In this article, we will tell you the top arm exercises that will help you build and define your muscles at the gym.

Strong and well-defined biceps and triceps not only contribute to a visually appealing physique, but also play a crucial role in functional strength and everyday activities.

In this article, we will provide you with valuable insights, the best gym arm exercises, and essential tips to help you achieve a bigger and stronger arm.

Get ready for a Gym workout that’s going to make your arms bigger and stronger.

What Arm Workouts Should I Do At GYM?

Let take full advantage of the bicep and tricep exercises to build bigger arms at the gym. Make the most of your arm day workout with these strength-building arms exercises.

This blog contains detailed descriptions of all the major arm exercises that you can do at the gym.

These exercises focus on the biceps and triceps muscles, including the 

• Lateral head, the long head, medial head of triceps 
• Short head, long head of biceps.

Before deep dive into the arm workout, execution technique, and tips, first understand about arm anatomy to effectively train and build bigger and stronger arms.

Know About Your Arm Muscles

The biceps and triceps are the main muscles in your arms. Understanding the anatomy and function of these muscles is essential for effectively targeting them during your workouts.

Don’t think just biceps that make for bigger, more defined arms. When it comes to arms, the greatest portion of the upper arm is the triceps.

Biceps Muscles

The biceps brachii muscle (biceps) is a large, thick muscle of the upper arm.

The Biceps Brachii is attached to the forearm bone called the radius and originates at the scapula in two heads (the bicep gets its name from the two heads).

• The short head originates from a projection on the scapula called the coracoid and runs alongside the long head on the inside of the arm.
• The long head originates from a cavity in the scapula called the glenoid.

The biceps is one of four muscles alongside the brachialis, brachioradialis, and coracobrachialis muscles that make up the upper arm.

Triceps Muscles

Triceps brachii, or simply Triceps, is a three-headed muscle opposite of the biceps and is responsible for 2/3 of upper arm mass.

The tricep is consists of 3 parts, the medial, lateral, and long head.

It begins just below the socket of the shoulder blade and at two distinct areas of the humerus.

• Long head: The largest part of the tricep that runs along the back of the upper arm.
• Lateral head: The smallest of the three muscles that is located on the outside of the arm.
• Medial head: Located right around the middle of the upper arm.

Furthermore, it’s essential to focus on and work the three tricep head muscles for maximum gains.

Forearm Muscles

While not directly part of the upper arm, the forearm muscles play a crucial role in arm strength and aesthetics.

The forearm flexors (such as the flexor carpi radialis and flexor digitorum Superficialis) and Extensors (such as the extensor carpi radialis Longus and extensor digitorum) are responsible for wrist and finger movements, supporting grip strength and overall arm functionality.

Benefit Of Doing Arm Workout At Gym

Several advantages come from incorporating bicep and tricep exercises at the gym into your arm workout plan.

• Gyms offer a wide range of exercise equipment that may not be readily available at home. This includes machines like preacher bench, parallel bar as well as strength training equipment like dumbbells, barbells, and weight machines.
• Access to different gym equipment allows you to perform a variety of exercises and target different muscle groups effectively.
• Gym exercises allow for targeted isolation of the tricep and bicep muscles, which can lead to greater muscle activation and growth.
•  Cable exercises provide constant tension on the muscle throughout the exercise, which can lead to increased muscle fatigue and growth.
• Gym cable machine exercises are typically low-impact, which can reduce the risk of injury to the joints. Additionally, proper form and technique can help prevent injury.
• You can target specific muscles by using the gym bench for exercises such as incline dumbbell curl or Lying Triceps Extension. This will promote muscle toning and definition in the arms.
• The preacher curl machine has an angled pad to support the upper arms while isolating the biceps.
• The tricep pushdown machine offers a variety of grip options for different tricep variations, such as rope pushdowns or V-bar pushdowns.

Bicep Gym Exercises To Build Bigger Arm

Get ready to feel the burn in your biceps with these first eight gym exercises.

These moves also target your forearm flexors, the brachialis, and the brachioradialis, ensuring an evenly defined and muscular arm.

These exercises are guaranteed to provide you with an ultimate biceps-building workout.

1. Barbell Curl

Barbell curls are a popular gym arm exercise for people who want to build muscle. They effectively engage the biceps muscles.

In addition to the biceps, it also engages the forearms, providing a total arm workout.

• A wide grip focuses effort on the inner biceps (short head),
• Whereas, a narrow grip arks the outer biceps (long head).

How To Do

1. Hold a barbell with an underhand grip, your hands should be shoulder-width apart.
2. Slowly curl the barbell towards your shoulders. Keep your elbows close to your sides.
3. The barbell should be at shoulder level at the top of the movement, and your biceps should be fully contracted.
4. Slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.
5. Do as many repetitions and sets as you want.

Tips

• Pause at the top of the movement and squeeze your biceps.
• The elbow motion should be used to isolate the biceps, not the shoulders.

Read More: Barbell Bicep Exercises and Workout For Mass & Strength

2. Incline Dumbbell Curls

When it comes to arm workouts, most people are familiar with traditional bicep exercises like barbell curls or dumbbell curls. However, if you’re looking to add variety and target your biceps from a different angle in the gym, incline dumbbell curls are an excellent exercise.

They will do a great job on targeting your long-head bicep. This position will have your elbows down at your side’s behind you, which means your long head will be working from a stretched position.

It is an excellent full-range exercise to build a massive peaked biceps and also add variety to your gym arm training.

How To Do

1. Set an incline bench to a 45-degree angle and sit with your back against it.
2. Grab a pair of dumbbells with an underhand grip (palms facing upward).
3. Start by extending your arms fully and allowing them to hang by your sides.
4. Now, curl the dumbbells up towards your shoulders.
5. Squeeze your biceps at the top of the movement
6. Then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Tips

• Keep the movement slow and controlled.
• You can build biceps by going full range.

3. Preacher Curl

The preacher curl isolates the biceps muscles by eliminating momentum and limiting the involvement of other muscles. This allows for a more targeted and intense bicep workout.

With a preacher curl, you get a lot of benefits that don’t come with regular bicep curls. Do preacher curl with a little wider grip to impart more load on short head biceps.

There are many ways to do preacher curls, each of which has its own benefits.

• Dumbbell Preacher Curls
• Reverse Grip Preacher Curls
• Preacher Curl Machine

How To Do

1. Take a seat on the Preacher bench with your chest against the support.
2. Grab the bar that is placed on the preacher bench rack in front of you.
3. Curl the bar toward the shoulder and get the most contraction at the top.
4. Pause for a few seconds at the top, then slowly lower the bar.
5. Repeats the desired number of reps.

Tips

• Keep the motion slow and controlled throughout the set.
• Squeeze the biceps as hard as you can as you lift the weight to the top.
• During the last few reps, your biceps short heads should feel burning intense.

4. Hammer Curl

Unlike traditional bicep curls, where the palms are positioned upward, hammer curls require a neutral grip with the palms positioned opposite each other.

A Hammer Curl is an exercise that works the muscles of the arm, especially the biceps, brachialis, and brachioradialis. It is named after the grip used during the exercise, which looks like holding a hammer.

Here are some good ways to do hammer curls in gym to make your arms bigger and stronger.

• Cross Body Hammer Curls
• Seated Hammer Curls
• Incline Hammer Curls
• Hammer Cable Curls
• Hammer Preacher Curls

How To Do

1. Stand upright with a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip (hammer grip).
2. Exhale and slowly curl the dumbbells upward by contracting your biceps.
3. Continue to curl until the dumbbells are close to your shoulders.
4. Hold the contracted position for a moment and squeeze your biceps.
5. Inhale and slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position.

Tips

• Stand straight up, keeping the natural arch of the back and your torso stationary.
• Remember to keep the elbows in and your upper arms stationary.
• Do the exercise in a controlled way so that your momentum.

5. Chin Up

One of the best bodyweight exercises for your biceps is the chin up. 

The Chin-Up is a compound exercise that primarily targets the muscles in your upper back, including the latissimus dorsi (lats), rhomboids, and rear deltoids, as well as the biceps.

In this exercise, the palms are faced towards the body. As the lifter is utilizing their own bodyweight, the biceps are typically subjected to loads that are heavier than what can be lifted with a barbell.

How To Do

1. Grip the pull-up bar with your palms facing towards you and use a narrow grip.
2. Pull your body up towards the bar by bending your elbows.
3. Continue pulling until your chin is above the bar.
4. Pause for one to two seconds at the top, with the biceps under maximum tension.
5. Slowly lower your body back down to the starting position with control.

Tips

• You should avoid the habit of doing half reps and chasing numbers.
• For an easier variation of the chin, you can start with assistance bands or an assisted chin-up machine.

6. Zottman Curl

The dumbbell zottman curl is one of the best variations of the standard bicep curl. It you different hand positioning at different portions of the lift. For this reason, it is one of the best exercises to target the short head bicep.

The first portion, the regular curl, focuses on bicep strength. You can perform zottman curls with both arms at the same time, or alternate the arm you lift with.

How To Do

1. Hold a pair of dumbbells to your sides.
2. Keep your palms facing up as you curl the weights up to your shoulders. Pause at the top of the movement.
3. Slowly rotate your grip, so your palms are facing downwards.
4. Lower the dumbbells slowly back to the starting position using an overhand grip.
5. When the dumbbells are close to your thighs, again turn your hands while returning to the starting position.

Tips

• Perform this exercise in a slow, controlled manner for best results.
• Don’t go heavy. Choose a lighter weight and focus on perfecting your form.

7. Behind The Back Cable Curl

To add variety to your gym arm workout routine and target your biceps from a different angle, behind the back cable curls are an excellent exercise to consider. As your arms will be curling with your elbows behind you, which emphasizes the long head. 

Cable curls behind the back allow for a greater range of motion than traditional bicep curl variations. This enhanced stretch and contraction can promote improved muscle activation and growth.

How To Do

1. Grab the handle with an underhand grip and then face away from the machine.
2. Take a step out from the cable station and let your arm travel behind your torso until you feel a good biceps stretch.
3. Curl the handle toward your shoulder by squeezing your biceps as hard as you can.
4. Lower the weight back down under control until your elbow is fully extended.
5. Repeat for the ideal number of reps to complete the set.
6. Now, switch arms to complete the exercise on your right side, and then alternate between arms for sets.

 Tips

• The arm is positioned and maintained behind the body throughout the whole range of motion.
• Remember that your elbow should point backwards at the end of the movement, just like it did at the beginning.

8. Barbell Reverse Curl

The barbell reverse curl is a non-negotiable component of a barbell arm workout that primarily targets the brachioradialis and brachialis muscles.

The pronated grip increases the engagement of the brachioradialis muscles. It requires stabilization of the wrists throughout the exercise.

How To Do

1. Grab the bar with a shoulder width grip with your hands on top of the bar (pronated grip)
2. Curl the bar up to shoulder level by bending your elbows.
3. Lower the bar back down to the arms’ extended position.
4. Repeat for desired reps.

Tips

• Your body should remain fixed. Only your biceps should be used to move the weight.
• The motion should occur at the elbow.
• Keep your elbows close to your sides, your knees slightly bent, and your hands close to the bar.

Know More: 25 Best Forearm Exercises For Muscle Mass And Strength

Tricep Exercises For Building Arm At Gym

There are many effective arm exercises for men that can help to build muscle and improve strength in the tricep.

Here are a few exercises that are considered to be the best.

9. Parallel Bar Triceps Dip

If you’re looking to build impressive triceps and increase upper body strength, parallel bar triceps dips are an excellent exercise to include in your arm workout routine

It is one of the most effective compound movements for the upper body pushing muscles – the chest and triceps especially.

How To Do

1. Stand between the parallel bars and grip each bar firmly, ensuring your palms are facing downward.
2. Your arms should be fully extended, and your feet slightly off the ground.
3. Bend your elbows and lower your body until your upper arms are parallel to the ground.
4. When you reach the end of the movement, pause briefly
5. Then push through your palms to extend your arms and return to the starting position.
6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Tips

• Do not lock out your elbows at the top of the movement.
• To focus effort on the triceps, keep your body upright and elbows tucked in.
• Keep your torso upright and avoid leaning forward excessively.

Read More: 15 Bodyweight Triceps Exercises: Beginner to Advanced

10. Lying Triceps Extension

To strengthen and sculpt your triceps, you should incorporate lying triceps extensions, also known as skull crushers, into your arm gym workout routine.

The exercise can be performed while lying on a flat bench, utilizing either a flat barbell, EZ bar, dumbbell, or two dumbbells.

• A wide grip emphasizes the inner tricep (long head),
• Whereas a narrow grip targets the outer tricep (lateral head).

How To Do

1. Lie on a flat bench with your feet on the floor.
2. Hold a barbell at full arm extension over your chest.
3. Keep your upper arms stationary, then slowly lower your lower arms to bring the bar down to your forehead.
4. Then push it back up to the starting position. Repeat.

Tips

• Keep the movement in your shoulders to a minimum. Most of the movement should be in your elbows.
• This exercise should be done slowly and carefully under good control.

11. Triceps Pushdown

If you’re looking for straightforward arm exercises to add to your gym workout routine, triceps pushdown is a great staple exercise to get you started.

The cable provides a uniform resistance throughout the movement, unlike barbell or dumbbell exercises, where the resistance varies during the lift.

• Using the straight bar, a pronated grip (palms down) emphasizes the outer lateral head of the triceps,
• Whereas a supinated grip (palms up) focuses effort on the inner long head.
• An angled V-shaped bar switches the hands into a neutral grip (thumbs up), equally targeting all three triceps heads.

How To Do

1. Stand facing a high-pulley cable with a short straight bar attached to it.
2. Slight bend your knees and feet should be about shoulder-width apart.
3. Hold the Short bar at chest level with your elbows at your sides.
4. Keep your elbows still and straighten your arms until they are fully extended.
5. You can pause at full arm extension and then slowly return the bar to its original position.

Tips

• You can do this exercise with a rope or EZ bar attachment.
• Standing upright with the spine straight is the standard position.

12. Overhead Triceps Extension

The overhead tricep extension is a weight-training exercise that targets the tricep muscle, located at the back of the upper arm. Overhead tricep extension variations are especially good at targeting the long head of the triceps.

Here are some ways to do overhead tricep extensions at the gym to build bigger arms.

• Single-arm overhead tricep extension
• Dumbbell overhead tricep extension
• Cable overhead tricep extension
• Overhead tricep extension with a band

How To Do

1. Attach a rope to the bottom pulley of the cable machine and face away from the pulley.
2. Hold the rope with both hands with palms facing each other (neutral grip), extend your arms until your hands are directly above your head.
3. Inhale as you perform this movement and pause when your triceps are fully stretched.
4. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat the desired number of sets and reps.

Tips

• Use a weight that is challenging but not too heavy.
• Keep your arms close to your head for maximum triceps engagement.
• Use a slow and controlled movement from start to finish.

13. Dumbbell Kickback

The dumbbell tricep kickback is one of the versatile and effective exercises that target the triceps muscles.

It is an isolation exercise, which means that unlike other exercises such as the push-up or bench press, the tricep kickback specifically targets the triceps muscle.

How To Do

1. Place your right knee and palm on a flat bench so that your torso is parallel with the floor.
2. Hold a dumbbell in your left hand and, with the left foot flat on the floor, press your left arm tight against your side with the upper arms parallel to the floor.
3. Extend your elbow until your arm is straight back and fully extended.
4. Flex the triceps hard for a second, then return to the starting position.
5. Complete all reps on the left arm and then repeat on the right arm.

Tips

• Keep your body as still as possible, move only your forearms.  
• Lower the weights slowly and carefully.

14. Close-Grip Bench Press

The close-grip bench press is a variation of the bench press that focuses on the triceps. It is performed with a narrower grip than a traditional bench press, which places more emphasis on the triceps and less emphasis on the chest.

It is a superior movement when talking about exercises that will pack mass onto your triceps.

How To Do

1. Lie on a bench-press bench with your feet flat on the floor.
2. Grab the barbell with your hands close then shoulder width apart.
3. Unrack the bar and slowly lower it to your lower chest.
4. At the end of the movement, your elbows should be slightly lower than your shoulders.
5. Then, press the bar back up to the starting position.

Tips

• Using anything narrower than a shoulder-width grip increases triceps involvement, but it can also put more strain on the wrists.
• If you’re new to weight lifting and this exercise, use a spotter.
• Perform the exercise using a slow and controlled movement

15. Decline Dumbbell Tricep Extension

The dumbbell decline tricep extension is a variation of the lying dumbbell tricep extension that adds a slight decline to the movement. It is an isolation exercise that builds muscle and strength in all three tricep heads.

It is more effective for two reasons: the use of a neutral grip and the location of the shoulders.

Decline tricep extension increases the range of motion, so you can get a bigger stretch on the tricep at the bottom of the move.

How To Do

1. Grab a dumbbell in each hand and lie against a decline bench with your feet firmly on pads.
2. Then slowly lower the dumbbells behind your head by bending your elbows.
3. Hold this position for a count.
4. Then in a controlled motion raise your arms back up to the starting position.

Tips

• Keep your upper arms fixed, with your elbows close to your head.
• At the top of the movement, do not lock out your elbows.

16. Reverse-Grip Triceps Pushdown

It is a variation of the straight bar tricep push down, in which an underhand grip focuses effort on the inner long head of the triceps.

Taking an underhand grip can minimize the involvement of the forearms and help to place less stress on the elbows. You must add these exercises to your gym arm workout.

How To Do

1. Stand facing a high-pulley cable with a short straight bar attached to it.
2. Grasp the short bar with a supinated grip (Palm up) and hold the bar at chest level with your elbows tight against your sides.
3. Keep your elbows stationary, straighten your arms until they are fully extended.
4. Pause at full arm extension and slowly return the bar to the starting position.

Tips

• If you want to keep more tension in the triceps, don’t lock the elbows entirely.
• Prevent your elbows from flaring out to maintain proper form

Sets And Reps For Arm GYM Workout

Of course, the number of sets and reps will be determined based on your fitness journey, but here is a great starting point:

Sets

• Beginners: ~10 sets per week.
• Intermediate: ~15 sets per week.
• Advanced: ~20 sets per week.

When a certain amount of volume stops being effective and your progress stalls, you can add sets to increase volume and use that as a driver of renewed progress. 

Reps

The best rep ranges and loads to work with.

• 6-8 reps with heavy load
• 8-15 reps with moderate load
• 15-20+ with light load

The load should bring you to or near failure within the given rep ranges for the exercise to be effective.

Find the workout that suits your experience level and goals.

Training Plan As Per Your Goal

1. For muscle endurance: Aim for 3–4 sets of 12–15 reps, with a moderate amount of resistance.
2. For muscle strength: Aim for 3–5 sets of 6–10 reps, with a heavier amount of resistance.
3. For muscle hypertrophy (increased muscle size): Aim for 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps, with a moderate to heavy amount of resistance.

It is always best to start with a lower number of reps and sets, and then gradually increase as your strength improves.

Furthermore, it is important to allow for adequate rest between sets, typically 60–90 seconds.

ARM Workout Routine For Beginner

Here is a beginner’s arm workout routine that can be done at the gym.

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Dumbbell Curl	3-4	8-10
Tricep Pushdown	3-4	10-12
Hammer Curl	4	8-10
Kickback	4	8-10

Arm Workout Routine Using GYM Machine

Here is an intermediate bodyweight arm workout routine that can be done at the anywhere:

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Cable Curl	4	8-10
Parallel Bar Triceps Dip	3-4	10-12
Machine Preacher Curl	4	10-12
Reverse-Grip Triceps Pushdown	3	8-10

Arm Workout Routine For Advance

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Incline Dumbbell Curls	3-4	8-10
Lying Triceps Extension	3-4	10-12
Zottman Curl	4	8-10
Close-Grip Bench Press	4	10-12
Barbell Reverse Curl	3	8-10
Dumbbell Kickback	3	8-10

Conclusion

Gym Arm exercises are a great way to sculpt your biceps and triceps using gym equipment or weights.

For anyone, who is interested in building bicep and tricep muscles and gaining strength, these arm exercises are highly recommended.

Exercises such as tricep dips, barbell curls, push-downs, and hammer curls can help improve arm and upper body strength, increase muscle endurance, and achieve a more toned body.

If done consistently, the results will speak by themselves.

Thanks for reading, enjoy your workout.

STAY FIT, LIVE A HAPPY AND HEALTHY LIFE

Best Gym Arm Exercises To Build Bigger Bicep And Tricep