The arm muscles sometimes can be difficult to build because they are much smaller than larger muscle groups, such as the legs or back. Moreover, women often have trouble building muscle because they lack the amount of testosterone needed to "bulk up." However, women can build strength and tone up their biceps and triceps, the muscles that make up the upper arms. Using optimal training techniques and the most effective arm exercises, you can achieve your fitness and physique goals.
Close-Grip Decline Bench Press
Close-grip decline bench presses are a great muscle mass-building exercise for the triceps. Lying on a decline bench (knees higher than your head), take a close grip--6 to 12 inches between your hands--on a barbell and perform bench presses. To do this exercise correctly, keep your elbows tucked in close to your sides as you lower the weight toward your chest line, then press the weight upward to the point just short of locking the elbows out. After a lighter warm-up, do one or two sets to failure, or the point at which you can no longer perform a controlled repetition. Keep the repetition numbers between six and 12 to encourage muscle growth.
Triceps Dips
Triceps dips are performed on a parallel dip bar apparatus. Grip the bars and lower your body until your upper arms are parallel to the floor, keeping your body as upright as possible. "Combat the Fat" fitness author Jeff Anderson contends that body-weight exercises target muscles better than barbells, dumbbells or weight machines, because they build functional strength and force the body to balance itself.
Overhead Dumbbell Extensions
Overhead dumbbell extensions put a stretch overload on the muscles of the triceps. This exercise can be performed holding one dumbbell in each hand or with one heavier dumbbell, gripped by both hands. Hoist the dumbbell(s) up, directly above and behind the head. Lower the dumbbell toward your upper back, to the deepest stretch that is comfortable with your upper arms perpendicular to the floor. Do not lock your elbows at the top of the movement; this helps prevent joint injury and keeps the tension on your triceps.
Triceps Rope Push-downs
Rope push-downs apply continuous tension in order to target muscle fibers that may have been missed by the other movements. Set the cable pulley resistance slightly lighter than you would for regular triceps push-down (done with a straight or "V" bar). Use the rope attachment and grip each side of it at the point closest to the knots at the end. Keep your arms and elbows close to your sides while pushing the rope downward and turning your palms out to fully contract the triceps at the bottom of the movement.
Close-Grip Pull Ups
Close-grip pull ups are one of the best exercises for the biceps. These can be done using your body weight on any straight pull-up bar or at a pull-up assist machine, which provides weighted assistance for those who cannot raise their entire body weight. Alternatively, you can use a lat pull-down machine to perform this exercise. Grip the bar with your hands about 6 inches apart, palms facing your body. From a position where your upper arms are parallel to the ground, curl upward until your chin is above the bar or as close as is possible. Aim for nine to 12 reps for one or two sets.
Incline Dumbbell Curls
Incline dumbbell curls are performed by sitting on an incline bench and doing piston-like repetitions from the fully stretched arm position to the most comfortable upper point of your range of motion. This exercise provides the stretch overload for the biceps muscles. You need not use very heavy dumbbells on this exercise to get a lot of muscle growth stimulus.
Dumbbell Concentration Curls
Concentration curls provide a great finishing exercise for the biceps by isolating and applying continuous tension. Bend over or sit on a bench, keep your upper arm perpendicular to the ground and curl a dumbbell up to the fully contracted position. You should start light and increase the weight as needed. Aim for 10 to 15 reps on this exercise to fully exhaust the endurance-components of the biceps muscle fibers.
References
- "3-D Muscle Building"; Jonathan Lawson and Steve Holman; 2006
- "Combat the Fat"; Jeff Anderson; 2008
- "Optimum Anabolics"; Jeff Anderson; 2004
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