When it comes to building impressive arms, there are a few exercises that truly stand out. As mentioned, pull-ups and dips are incredible movements for overall arm development, targeting your biceps, triceps, and forearms.
Pull-ups are a compound exercise that primarily works your lats (latissimus dorsi) and biceps. To perform a pull-up, grip a pull-up bar with your palms facing away from you, shoulder-width apart. Engage your core and drive your elbows down, bringing your chest towards the bar. Slowly lower yourself back down, maintaining control throughout the entire range of motion. If you're new to pull-ups, you can use an assisted pull-up machine or resistance bands to help you build strength.
Dips, on the other hand, primarily target your triceps and chest muscles, while also engaging your shoulders and anterior deltoids. To do dips, you'll need parallel bars. Position yourself between them with your hands firmly grasping the bars, arms fully extended, and your legs bent, so your feet don't touch the ground. Lower your body by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your torso. Once your shoulders are below your elbows, push yourself back up to the starting position. As with pull-ups, using assistance or resistance bands can be helpful if you're just starting.
Here are three additional exercises to include in your arm-building routine:
1. Hammer Curls: Hammer curls are a great bicep exercise that targets the brachioradialis, a muscle on the outer part of your forearm. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip (palms facing your torso). Keep your elbows close to your body and curl the weights upwards while keeping your palms facing each other, squeeze at the top and then lower them back down with control.
2. Skull Crushers: Skull crushers are perfect for isolating the long head of the triceps. Lie down on a flat bench holding a barbell or an EZ curl bar with your hands shoulder-width apart. Extend your arms fully, so the bar is directly above your forehead. Slowly lower the bar to your forehead, keeping your upper arms stationary, and then extend your elbows again to push the weight back up.
3. Close-Grip Push-Ups: Close-grip push-ups target all three heads of the triceps. Get into a standard push-up position but place your hands closer together, underneath your chest, with your thumbs and index fingers forming a triangle. Engage your core, bend your elbows, and lower your chest until it touches the ground, then push yourself back up to the starting position.
To build big arms, choose a variety of exercises that target all parts of your arms, and don't forget to incorporate progressive overload. Continuously challenge yourself by increasing weight or reps to continue making gains. Remember, consistency and proper form are crucial to achieving your goals and lowering the risk of injury. Happy lifting!