Arms are one body part that every male weight lifting enthusiast, and even some females, loves to work on and develop. Strong, muscular arms attract attention and are also useful for everyday, functional strength. The main muscles in your arms are your biceps at the front, triceps in the back and forearms between your elbow and your wrist. Performing various weight lifting exercises regularly will help give you arms to be proud of.
Biceps Curl
Biceps curls can be performed with barbells, dumbbells, resistance bands or cables on a gym machine. To perform biceps curls, stand with your knees slightly bent and feet roughly shoulder-width apart. Hold the weight or weights with your arms extended and palms up. Bend your arms to slowly curl the weight up to around your neck level. Lower it back down to the start and repeat. You can also include variations of the biceps curl that isolate the biceps, like preacher curls or concentration curls.
Hammer Curl
The hammer curl is performed with dumbbells and works the muscles of your forearm, your biceps and the brachialis muscle that lies between the two. You can do hammer curls seated or standing. Hold the dumbbells vertically, so your palms are facing inward toward one another. As with a biceps curl, bend your arms and curl the weights up, then slowly lower and repeat.
Dumbbell Kickback
The dumbbell kickback exercise works your triceps at the backs of your upper arms. To perform a kickback, hold a light dumbbell in your right hand and place your left hand and knee on a flat bench so you are bent over. Your right leg should be on the floor beside you. Keep your upper arm bent and close to your body. Slowly straighten your arm until your elbow locks and your triceps is flexed. Lower it to the start and repeat. Switch arms when you are finished on that side.
Overhead Triceps Extension
An overhead triceps extension can be done seated or standing. It is possible to use a barbell or resistance band, but dumbbells are the standard choice. You can also vary the move by using just one heavy dumbbell in both hands to work both triceps at once, or do it one arm at a time with a lighter dumbbell. For each exercise, straighten your arm or arms up over your head, holding the weight. Keep your upper arm close to your head. Bend your arm or arms to lower the weight behind your head, and then raise it back up and flex your triceps.
Reverse Curl
A reverse curl is primarily a forearm exercise. Dumbbells can be used for this exercise, but a barbell is more common. Stand, holding a barbell at about thigh level with a palms-down grip. Slowly curl the weight up to your neck area, then lower it to your thighs and repeat.
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