Every time we pull, we use our biceps and triceps. Because our biceps and triceps get a lot of work during compound movements, it’s important to limit the number of sets during isolation work. With dedicated arm training, keep the sets low and the intensity high. An even bigger problem is that most people don’t understand anatomy well enough to train their biceps and triceps effectively.
The major action of the biceps brachii is elbow flexion and forearm rotation. The muscle is made of two heads, a long and a short. These muscle heads have two different origins but come together to form one tendon, which attaches to the radius.
Your biceps can fatigue easily and rely on your front deltoid and brachioradialis (anterior forearm muscle) for aid. To get the most out of your biceps training, you need movements that include both flexion and supination.
The triceps brachii is named similarly because of its three heads. The triceps is a slightly larger portion of the arm and just as complex as the biceps. Triceps main function is to extend the elbow. The long and lateral heads of the triceps create the “horseshoe” shape everyone is gunning for. The medial head is a deep muscle.
Not all three heads originate at the same place, but they all insert into the elbow. The long head of the triceps originates at the scapula. To isolate it, your elbow must be over your head.
Do this workout once per week on any day you choose.
Spider Curl
4 sets of 12, 8, 6, 15 reps
- Start out by setting the bar on the part of the preacher bench that you would normally sit on. Make sure to align the barbell or dumbbells properly so that you are balanced and will not fall off.
- Move to the front side of the preacher bench (the part where the arms usually lay) and position yourself to lay at a 45 degree slant with your torso and stomach pressed against the front side of the preacher bench.
- Make sure that your feet (especially the toes) are well positioned on the floor and place your upper arms on top of the pad located on the inside part of the preacher bench.
- Use your arms to grab the barbell/dumbbells with a supinated grip (palms facing up) at about shoulder width apart or slightly closer from each other.
- Slowly begin to lift the upwards and exhale. Hold the contracted position for a second as you squeeze the biceps.
- Slowly begin to bring the barbell/dumbells back to the starting position as your breathe in. .
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
- Sit back on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand held at arms length. Keep your elbows close to your torso and rotate the palms of your hands until they are facing forward.
- While holding the upper arm stationary, curl the weights forward while contracting the biceps as you breathe out. Only the forearms should move.
- Continue the movement until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level. Hold the contracted position for a second.
- Slowly begin to bring the dumbbells back to starting position as your breathe in.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions
- Stand up with your torso upright while holding a barbell at a shoulder-width grip. The palm of your hands should be facing forward and the elbows should be close to the torso.
- While holding the upper arms stationary, curl the weights forward while contracting the biceps as you breathe out.
- Continue the movement until your biceps are fully contracted and the bar is at shoulder level. Hold the contracted position for a second and squeeze the biceps hard.
- Slowly begin to bring the bar back to starting position as your breathe in.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
- To perform this movement you will need a preacher bench and an E-Z bar. Grab the E-Z curl bar at the close inner handle (either have someone hand you the bar which is preferable or grab the bar from the front bar rest provided by most preacher benches). The palm of your hands should be facing forward and they should be slightly tilted inwards due to the shape of the bar.
- With the upper arms positioned against the preacher bench pad and the chest against it, hold the E-Z Curl Bar at shoulder length. This will be your starting position.
- As you breathe in, slowly lower the bar until your upper arm is extended and the biceps is fully stretched.
- As you exhale, use the biceps to curl the weight up until your biceps is fully contracted and the bar is at shoulder height. Squeeze the biceps hard and hold this position for a second.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
- Attach a rope, straight or angled bar to a high pulley and grab with an overhand grip (palms facing down) at shoulder width.
- Standing upright with the torso straight and a very small inclination forward, bring the upper arms close to your body and perpendicular to the floor. The forearms should be pointing up towards the pulley as they hold the bar. This is your starting position.
- Using the triceps, bring the bar down until it touches the front of your thighs and the arms are fully extended perpendicular to the floor. The upper arms should always remain stationary next to your torso and only the forearms should move. Exhale as you perform this movement.
- After a second hold at the contracted position, bring the bar slowly up to the starting point. Breathe in as you perform this step.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Seated Triceps Press
Click Here to see How To do: Seated Triceps Dumbbell Press
3 sets of 10, 8, 8 reps
- Sit down on a bench with back support and grasp a dumbbell with both hands and hold it overhead at arm’s length. The resistance should be resting in the palms of your hands with your thumbs around it. The palm of the hand should be facing inward.
- Keeping your upper arms close to your head (elbows in) and perpendicular to the floor, lower the resistance in a semi-circular motion behind your head until your forearms touch your biceps. Breathe in as you perform this step.
- Go back to the starting position by using the triceps to raise the dumbbell. Breathe out as you perform this step.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Low Cable Triceps Extension
3 sets of 12, 12, 15 reps
- Select the desired weight and lay down face up on the bench of a seated row machine that has a rope attached to it. Your head should be pointing towards the attachment.
- Grab the outside of the rope ends with your palms facing each other (neutral grip).
- Position your elbows so that they are bent at a 90 degree angle and your upper arms are perpendicular (90 degree angle) to your torso.
- As you breathe out, extend your lower arms until they are straight and vertical. The upper arms and elbows remain stationary throughout the movement. Only the forearms should move.
- Contract the triceps hard for a second.
- As you breathe in slowly return to the starting position.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Lying Dumbbell Triceps Extension
3 sets of 15, 15, 20 reps
- Lie on a flat bench while holding two dumbbells directly in front of you. Your arms should be fully extended at a 90-degree angle from your torso and the floor. The palms should be facing in and the elbows should be tucked in. This is the starting position.
- As you breathe in and you keep the upper arms stationary with the elbows in, slowly lower the weight until the dumbbells are near your ears.
- At that point, while keeping the elbows in and the upper arms stationary, use the triceps to bring the weight back up to the starting position as you breathe out.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Seated Palms-Down Barbell Wrist Curl
4 sets of 25 reps
- Hold a barbell with both hands and your palms facing down; hands spaced about shoulder width.
- Place your feet flat on the floor, at a distance that is slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
- Lean forward and place your forearms on top of your upper thighs with your palms down.
- Lower the bar as far as possible while inhaling and keeping a tight grip.
- Now curl bar up as high as possible while flexing the forearms and exhaling.
- Hold the contraction at the top for a second.
Standing Palms-Up Barbell Behind The Back Wrist Curl
3 sets of 15 reps
- Start by standing straight and holding a barbell behind your glutes at arm’s length while using a pronated grip (palms will be facing back away from the glutes) and having your hands shoulder width apart from each other.
- You should be looking straight forward while your feet are shoulder width apart from each other.
- While exhaling, slowly elevate the barbell up by curling your wrist in a semi-circular motion towards the ceiling.
- Hold the contraction for a second and lower the barbell back down to the starting position while inhaling.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
- When finished, lower the barbell down to the squat rack or the floor by bending the knees.
Reverse Barbell Curl
3 sets of 15 reps
- Stand up with your torso upright while holding a barbell at shoulder width with the elbows close to the torso. The palm of your hands should be facing down (pronated grip).
- While holding the upper arms stationary, curl the weights while contracting the biceps as you breathe out. Only the forearms should move. Continue the movement until your biceps are fully contracted and the bar is at shoulder level. Hold the contracted position for a second as you squeeze the muscle.
- Slowly begin to bring the bar back to starting position as your breathe in.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Hammer Curls
1-2 sets to failure
- Stand up with your torso upright and a dumbbell on each hand being held at arms length. The elbows should be close to the torso.
- The palms of the hands should be facing your torso.
- Now, while holding your upper arm stationary, exhale and curl the weight forward while contracting the biceps. Continue to raise the weight until the biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbell is at shoulder level.
- Hold the contracted position for a brief moment as you squeeze the biceps.
- After the brief pause, inhale and slowly begin the lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
This workout provides more than sufficient arm work. Make sure to keep the intensity high and the pace quick. Hit them hard, hit them fast and watch them grow!
Many people fail to realise that they already train their arms multiple times per week, without ever doing any direct arm work. Every time we do a pressing movement, we use our triceps.