For men, when it comes to pumping iron at the gym, perhaps only the muscles in the chest receive more attention than those in the arms. Well-defined and developed biceps and triceps receive a lot of attention, and most men want them. Because there are so many exercises one can do to target the arm, development is not difficult to achieve.
Standing Barbell Curl
The standing barbell curl targets the muscles in the biceps and forearm. Stand with a straight back and keep your abdominal muscles tight throughout the exercise. Bend your knees slightly and use a comfortable stance that provides you with stability. Keep your elbows pinned at your sides throughout the routine. To begin, hold the barbell with your palms facing up, your hands just outside of your hips. Begin by breathing out and lifting the weight up, bending at the elbow, until the barbell is within two to three inches from your chest. Pause, then slowly lower the barbell to the first position, completing one repetition. Perform three sets of eight to 12 repetitions.
Hammer Curl
The hammer curls works the biceps muscles. Begin this exercise by standing with your back straight, contracting your abdominal muscles. Stand with your feet slightly apart with a slight bend in your knees. With your arms extended, hold a dumbbell at your sides in each hand with your palms facing inward. Keep your body still as you raise the dumbbells upward, bending at the elbow until your forearms are horizontal to the floor. Pause and squeeze your biceps, than return to the first position, completing one repetition. Perform three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions.
Incline Dumbbell Curl
The incline dumbbell curl targets the biceps muscles. Sit on an incline bench or chair set to an angle of about 30 degrees, and lie back with your head and back pressed against the padding, careful not to arch your back to help you lift the weight. Keep your feet flat on the floor for stability. With your arms extended down toward the floor, grasp a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing inward. Keep your elbows close to your torso throughout. Begin lifting your right hand bending at the elbow. Bring the dumbbell up to your shoulder, pause briefly and squeeze the biceps before returning to position one. Repeat with the opposite arm, completing one repetition. Perform three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions.
Close Grip Bench Press
The close grip bench press works the triceps. Use a Smith machine or spotter for safety. Lie on a bench, feet flat on the floor and your head and back resting on the cushioning. Grasp the barbell with a close grip of about six to eight inches --- your palms facing upward towards the ceiling. Lift the barbell upwards with a powerful burst until your arms extended but not fully --- keep a slight bend in the elbows, keeping continuous stress on the muscles. At the top of the movement, contract your triceps muscles before slowly returning the weight the first position, completing one repetition. Perform two to three sets of five to eight repetitions apiece.
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