There are two groups of muscles that make up the upper arms; the triceps, which are on the back of the upper arm, extend the elbow or straighten it, and the biceps, which are on the front of the upper arm and flex or bend the elbow. The names of the muscles actually are just descriptions of the muscle themselves: tri meaning three heads and bi meaning two heads.
Barbell Curl
The barbell curl is the standard bicep exercise. Hold a barbell in front of you, shoulder width apart, with your palms facing forward. Keep the elbow completely still; do not allow the elbows to move forward or backward from this position. From here, flex the elbows, bringing the weight up as high as you can without moving the elbows, then slowly return the weight back down.
Dumbbell Curl
Dumbbell curls offer a slight variation to the barbell curl that actually creates more of an emphasis on the biceps. Hold a pair of dumbbells at your side with the palms facing inwards. Slowly lift the weight up by flexing the elbows. As the weight is lifting, rotate the wrist so that at the end of the motion your palms are facing the sky. Then slowly rotate back as you lower the weight down again. This rotation utilizes one of the other movements the bicep is responsible for, therefore increasing the amount of muscle activation required to complete the exercise.
Lying Triceps Extension
The lying triceps extension is one of the best triceps exercises around. Lie down on a bench with a pair of dumbbells in each hand. Hold the dumbbells next to your head with the elbows pointing straight up. Slowly straighten the elbows without moving them from their current position. Straighten the arms completely before slowly bringing the weights back down. Be careful to lower them on the side of your head and not into your forehead, as this can certainly hurt you.
Overhead Extension
The overhead extension is another simple triceps exercise that will really work the muscles. Using a single dumbbell, lift your arm up so that your elbow is next to your ear, and allow the elbow to bend so that your hand is behind you. Using your free hand hold your elbow still so that it does not move from this position. Extend the elbow until it is straight, then slowly lower the weight back down again. Repeat the exercise for the other arm.
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