As a guy, there's nothing better than having a set of ripped arms. Now that we're in the spring and summer months, it's time to let those sleeves roll up and show off your hard-earned muscle! Here are 12 exercises that will help you get ripped arms:
Ripped Arms: Triceps Up
Standing with your feet together, hold a dumbbell in each hand at arm's length and raise them above your head. Slowly bend your elbows and lower the weights so they are close to touching behind your head. Then slowly return to starting position. Keep your elbows tucked into the sides of your body throughout this exercise.
This exercise primarily targets the triceps muscles but also works other muscles such as the chest (pectoralis major), shoulders (deltoids), and back (latissimus dorsi). Perform 3 sets of 6-10 repetitions with 30 seconds rest between sets on days 1-3, then increase by 1 rep per set until failure on day 5
Understanding Arm Anatomy
Understanding the anatomy of the arm is essential for effective arm workouts. The arm consists of three main bones: the humerus, which is the upper arm bone, and the radius and ulna, which are the forearm bones. The primary arm muscles include the biceps, triceps, brachialis, and brachioradialis. The biceps, located at the front of the upper arm, are responsible for elbow flexion, allowing you to bend your arm. The triceps, found at the back of the upper arm, are crucial for elbow extension, enabling you to straighten your arm. The brachialis and brachioradialis muscles assist in elbow flexion and forearm rotation, playing supportive roles in various arm movements. Knowing these muscle groups and their functions can help you target them more effectively during your arm workouts, leading to better results and more balanced muscle development.
Benefits of Upper Body Workout
An upper body workout, including targeted arm exercises, offers numerous benefits that go beyond just building muscle. Firstly, it significantly improves overall upper body strength, which is essential for daily activities and enhances athletic performance. Engaging in regular upper body workouts can also boost your metabolism, helping you burn fat more efficiently and reveal those toned arms you’ve been working towards. Additionally, a well-structured upper body workout can improve your posture by strengthening the muscles that support your spine, reducing the risk of injury and increasing bone density. These exercises not only contribute to physical health but also boost confidence and self-esteem as you see the results of your hard work. So, incorporating arm exercises into your routine is a win-win for both your body and mind.
1. Triceps down
This exercise is simple, but it requires you to use your body weight for resistance. You can do this move in the comfort of your own home or office by simply sitting on a chair and placing one arm behind you on the back of the chair. Then extend your other arm in front of you to parallel the floor, like an airplane wing. Now squeeze those triceps and lift! Hold this position as long as possible before repeating on both sides--about 30 seconds per side should be enough time for someone new at this exercise (and maybe even less).
Repeat 2-3 sets total with 30 seconds rest between each set.
2. Triceps kickbacks arm exercises
To do this exercise, you'll need a pair of dumbbells. Start by holding them at arm's length next to your sides with your palms facing forward and elbows bent at about 90 degrees. Keeping your upper arms in line with your torso, slowly bend at the elbow until they're parallel to the floor. Pause briefly before returning to starting position and repeat for reps or time as you choose.
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Keep Your Elbows Close To Your Body: This will help keep tension on both heads of the triceps instead of letting one side do all the work while the other gets neglected because its neighbor is not targeting it, so ensure both sides are working equally! You should feel an intense burn after each rep, but if it feels more like pain than a burn, then either increase weight or decrease range of motion (ROM). If neither change helps, stop doing this exercise until it heals up!
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Don't Use Momentum To Swing Up Weight: When using dumbbells, try not to use momentum when swinging up weight--it is much better off control even though this takes more effort than simply swinging back down again without control over how much force goes into each repetition.*
3. Forward Dumbbell Raises Upper Body
This exercise is a great way to develop the outer and upper portion of your arms.
Hold two dumbbells at the sides of your body with an overhand grip (palms facing inward) to do this exercise. Keep your elbows close to your body and raise them until they are at shoulder level. Lower back down slowly until you are in a fully extended position again.
4. Reverse Flyes
Reverse flyes are one of the best exercises for building upper arms. You will need an adjustable bench with a pad and an EZ barbell to perform reverse flyes.
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Lie face up on your back with your feet flat on the floor, knees bent, and hips at 90 degrees. Place your arms straight up toward the ceiling in line with your shoulders to form a T with your body (this is called starting position).
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Slowly lower the weight down behind you until it touches just above or even behind your head; then raise back up again as far as possible without turning at all from side to side or twisting forward or backward--only move through rotation around the vertical axis point located between hips/shoulders joint line (that's why it's called "reverse flyes").
5. Standing Cable Push-Downs + Hammer Curls Bicep Curls
Standing cable push-downs and hammer curls are two exercises that can be done together or separately. If you’re using a cable machine, use the handle attachment and step away from it so that your arms are fully extended with your hands shoulder width apart. With one arm at a time:
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Hold onto the handles with palms facing inward, and elbows bent 90 degrees. Slowly lower your upper arms down toward your sides until they reach about parallel to the floor (or as far as you can go without losing control).
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Lift back up through an arc motion until your biceps are fully contracted again–you should feel this in both arms. Repeat for reps on each side until fatigued, then switch sides!
If using dumbbells instead:
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Hold onto each dumbbell with palms facing inward, and elbows bent 90 degrees while standing straight up tall with feet hip-width apart; lift weights up next to ears so they’re parallel with shoulders (don’t round back!). Lower slowly down through an arc motion until forearms touch thighs, then press back up through the same arc motion until biceps are fully contracted again–you should feel this primarily in front deltoids and triceps too! Repeat for reps on each side until fatigued, then switch sides!
6. Standing Reverse Flyes + Shoulder Presses
This exercise is a great way to build your deltoids, triceps, and chest muscles. You'll need a pair of dumbbells heavy enough to challenge you - ideally between 10-20kg (22-44lb). Standing with your feet hip-width apart and holding the weights at shoulder level, slowly raise them in front of you until they're parallel to the floor. Then slowly lower back down until they are just above waist height before repeating for 8-10 reps per set.
Keep your upper arms in line with your torso as you perform this motion; don't let them swing out away from it.
7. Hammer Curls + Reverse Flyes
To do this exercise, you'll need to combine both hammer curls and reverse flyes into one set. The order doesn't matter, but it helps to do the hammer curl first so that your arms are already warmed up when you start doing flyes. Do two sets of each exercise (so four total), resting for 30 seconds between sets. Use a weight that you can manage for 12 reps on each exercise; if not, choose one heavy enough that it takes at least five seconds per rep when using strict form--and don't worry about counting reps!
8. Lying EZ-Bar Triceps Extensions + Upright Rows
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You need to use the right equipment for this exercise and a weight that is challenging but not too heavy.
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Hold an EZ bar with your hands about shoulder-width apart and your elbows bent at 90 degrees. Lower it behind your head until it touches or nearly touches the back of your neck, then press up again until your arms are straight overhead. That's one repetition; do 12 reps per set (three sets total).
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If you don't have access to an EZ-bar at home or in a gym setting, try doing dumbbell triceps extensions instead: Hold two dumbbells at chest level with palms facing forward, then bend both arms so they're parallel to each other at about 90 degrees of flexion; extend them back up again without locking out at either end--this will give you more range of motion than doing them straight out from shoulder height would allow!
9. Lying Dumbbell Triceps Extensions + Upright Rows
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Lie on a bench and hold dumbbells down by your sides with your palms facing up.
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Raise the weights straight over your head until they are level with the top of your chest, then lower them back down to start position as slowly as possible (this is one rep).
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Repeat for 15-20 reps, then immediately perform upright rows: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent; extend arms straight out in front of the body with hands about shoulder-width apart; pull shoulder blades back so shoulders are shrugged up towards ears; lift weights upward until they reach chest height before lowering slowly back down again (this is one rep).
10. Pushups + Triceps Dips
Pushups and triceps dips are great exercises for building muscle, but they can be difficult for beginners. By using a chair to elevate your body weight, you can make these exercises easier to do. Place the chair in front of you and use it as an extra point of support when doing pushups or tricep dips!
You can also try doing these exercises with a bench or any other object about knee height. This will help steady yourself while performing these movements so that they're less likely to cause injury and make them easier overall.
11. Lying Triceps Extension
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Start with a dumbbell in each hand, lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
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Keep your upper arms against your sides and palms facing down as you press the dumbbells until they're straight but not locked. Lower them slowly to starting position, then repeat for 8-12 reps per set (3 sets).
12. Arm Stretches and Warm-ups
Before diving into your arm workout, it’s crucial to warm up and stretch your arm muscles to prevent injury and enhance performance. Here are some effective arm stretches and warm-ups to get you started:
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Arm Circles: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold your arms straight out to the sides at shoulder height. Make small circles with your hands, gradually increasing the size of the circles. Perform 10-15 repetitions in each direction to activate your shoulder and upper arm muscles.
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Shoulder Rolls: Roll your shoulders forward in a circular motion for 10-15 repetitions, then reverse the direction and roll them backward. This helps to loosen up the shoulder blades and upper back muscles.
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Wrist Extensions: Extend your arm straight out in front of you at shoulder height. Lift your hand up, keeping your wrist straight, and then lower it back down. Repeat for 10-15 repetitions on each side to warm up your forearm muscles.
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Bicep Stretch: Hold your arm straight out in front of you at shoulder height. Bend your wrist up, keeping your upper arm still, and hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds. Repeat on the other side to stretch the biceps and forearm muscles.
Remember to start with lighter weights and gradually increase the weight as you become more comfortable with the exercises. Focusing on proper form and technique is essential to avoid injury and maximize the effectiveness of your arm workout.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this article has given you some new ideas for exercises that will help you get ripped arms. You can use them as part of your regular workout routine or even do them occasionally if you want to focus on building muscle or toning up your arms.
