Exercise for Firm Arms

"Nothing shows the world that you're strong and fit more than well-developed arms," says Nick Cerone, fitness trainer at THE GYM in Armonk, New York. But beyond looking good, strong, firm arm muscles also have practical uses: Triceps and biceps are assister muscles, meaning they help larger muscle groups, such as the chest, shoulders and back, perform compound strength movements, such as the bench press and shoulder press. Strengthening the biceps and triceps can also help you build pull-up and rowing strength and help you avoid injury by allowing you to properly control the weights you're lifting.

Step 1

Lie on the mat with your knees bent and feet flat on the mat, holding a dumbbell in each hand resting on your chest. With your palms facing each other, press the dumbbells toward the ceiling, keeping the weights directly above your chest. Keeping your upper arms stationary, slowly bend your arms and lower the dumbbells toward your ears. Don't allow your elbows to flare out to the side. Extend your hands toward the ceiling to complete the rep. Do three sets of 12 reps.

Step 2

Sit on the edge of a chair with your palms on the seat near your hips, fingers facing forward. Extend your legs and point your toes toward the ceiling, keeping your heels on the ground. Using your arms, lift your body off the chair and inch your hips forward off the chair. Keeping your legs straight, slowly bend your arms and lower your body toward the ground stopping when your elbows make a 90-degree angle. Push your body up until your arms are fully extended to complete the rep. Do three sets of 15 to 20 reps

Step 3

Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand down at your sides. Keeping your elbows near your body, rotate your palms and curl both weights up until your palms are facing your shoulders. Slowly lower the weights down to your sides to complete the rep. Do three sets of 12 reps.

Step 4

Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand down at your sides. Keeping your elbows near your body, curl the weights toward your shoulders, keeping your palms facing your body as if holding a hammer. Slowly lower the weights to your sides to complete the rep. Do three sets of 12 reps.

Tips and Warnings

Perform this workout no more than two times per week. To make Step 2 more challenging, place your feet on a chair to maximize the amount of body weight you are lifting. The hand position in Step 4 ensures that you work the brachialis muscle located underneath the biceps brachii, which can help increase the size of your biceps.