Strength Training: Arm Day Workout

It’s the last day of the gym week, and we have saved the best for last: arm day. There’s something especially empowering about arm day. It’s a pump that shows, and it will have you feeling your best for an entire day. Whether you’re training as an athlete or just training for aesthetics, we are going to make sure you do arm day right.

There are 24 muscles that make up each arm, but for our workout, we’re going to focus on two big ones: biceps and triceps. Your biceps are more than big guns to show off. They are the primary muscles responsible for retracting and pulling movements. Your triceps are as important, controlling your ability to push heavy objects. These muscles work in tandem with your chest and back muscles on their respective gym days, so it’s important that we train them right. Let’s start with your biceps.

Your biceps are composed of a long and short head. The short head is located on the inside of your arm and the long head is located on the outside. It’s important to target both during your workout. The easiest way to do this is with two different variations of bicep curls. The first one is the standard bicep curl. These can be done with a barbell or dumbbells, but for this version we will use dumbbells. Once you have selected a weight that is comfortable for you, allow the dumbbells to rest at your side with your palms facing forward. Tighten your core. Bend your elbows and bring the weights up to your shoulders. Be careful to keep your elbows tucked, and to keep movement in your shoulders to a minimum. All the motion should come from your elbows. Lift the weight up until you feel a squeeze in your arm, and lower to the starting position. Repeat this motion for reps until failure, then repeat for sets.

The next curl targets your long bicep head. Hammer curls are nearly identical to traditional curls, except your palms should be facing inward, toward your body, instead of outward in front of you. The movement is the exact same. Again, it is important to keep your elbows tucked into your side for the duration of the exercise. Flailing elbows will hinder your ability to properly target your biceps, as well as increase the risk for injury. So, keep them tucked, keep them tight, and complete your exercise.

Lastly, for your biceps, we need an exercise that allows both arms to work together. Dumbbell curls are great for isolating each arm, but it’s important to let them share the struggle. Doing this will allow you to lift heavier as well. The easiest way to get this done is to do a few sets of curls with a barbell or EZ bar. The movement is identical to the dumbbell curls; however, you should be able to pull much more weight. From a standing position, let the weight hang in front of you. Tuck your elbows and bring the bar to your chin. It’s easy to let one arm, typically your dominant arm, carry more of the weight to complete the motion, but you want to avoid that. Really try to lift using both arms together. Avoid swinging your body and repeat for reps until failure.

Now it’s time to target your triceps. For this muscle group, we’re going to perform two exercises. One that will result in fatigue, and one that will result in a burn. Triceps extensions can be done in a multitude of ways, ranging from cables, to ropes, to machines, to dumbbells. For our purposes, we’re going to go with cables. Find a cable machine and adjust it to its highest height. A rope is a common attachment found in any gym. Attach it to the cable and select a comfortable weight. When you’re ready, grab the rope, bring your elbows to your sides, and brace yourself in a slightly squatted position. Arch your back, similarly to how you would for a deadlift. Once positioned, push the weight down towards the floor until your arms lock out. Once you’ve reached the bottom, push your wrists together and rotate them inwards until you feel a squeeze in the back of your arms. Return to the starting position and repeat for reps. Like bicep curls, elbow positioning is important. Keep your elbows tucked into your sides for the duration of the exercise and attempt to achieve failure.

Now it’s time for a burn with traditional triceps dips. This exercise does not require any weight, but weight can be added if you want more of a challenge. Find yourself a bench and sit down with your legs on one side. Lift yourself off the bench with your arms and step out and away from the bench. Keep your feet flat on the floor, and your palms flat on the bench. You should be making a sort of flat “bridge,” with your body. Once positioned, lower your body toward the floor using your arms until your elbows are in line with your shoulders, creating a 90-degree angle (as flexibility allows). Press your palms into the bench, lift your body and return to the starting position. Repeat for reps until failure. The goal of this exercise is a consistent burn, so don’t quit too early. If the exercise is proving to be too easy, you can place a weighted plate on your lap to increase difficulty.

Arm day is rewarding, encouraging, and fun all in the same package. There are endless variations for these simple exercises, all of which can be swapped in and out on a week-to-week basis. It doesn’t matter if you’re a seasoned athlete or a casual gym rat, furthering your arm strength will only improve your overall strength and help prepare you for your other days in the gym. Lock in, it’s arm day.