Let's Talk About Arms.

Before I started going to a gym, I used my dad's weight set in our basement. Like any typical boy, I would grab the dumbbells and start curling them. When I was done curling them, I would do sit ups. When I was done with sit ups, I would do more curls. As a teenager, I had assumed that's all you needed to do in order to get ripped -- have big arms and rock-hard abs. Strangely enough, though, my arms never grew. After five years of lifting, I have some tips that have helped me grow them.

The Biceps

The bicep is the smaller of the two main muscles that comprises your upper arm. Within the biceps are two "heads", the long head and the short head. Underneath the biceps is the brachialis. Thus, when we are working out, we need to target all three: the long head, the short head, and the brachialis. 

The Long Head

The long head of the bicep is on the OUTER part of the bicep. In order to work this out, it helps to have a WIDE grip on something. 

Incline Dumbbell Curl. I like to set up a bench about 45 degrees and grab a weight where I can do at least 15 reps with them. When I start my lift, I tend to have my arms set in a dead-hang at my side so I'm not relying on momentum. Then I simply curl the weight up and twist my arms in -- I like to imagine twisting my pinky into my body. 

The Short Head

The short head of the bicep is the INNER part of the bicep and can be properly targeting by assuming a NARROW grip on something. 

Preacher curl. There is usually a seat similar to the one in the photo at the gym. My favorite bar to use is an EZ bar: it has curves that allow your wrists to be in a natural position during the motion. For the preacher curl, I tend to do a medium-heavy weight and do anywhere from 12-15 reps. I almost NEVER do full range of motion on this lift as it can be VERY DANGEROUS if too much weight is used. I will typically extend my arms 135 degrees at the most, in fear of possibly tearing a bicep. 

The Brachialis

The brachialis exists underneath the long and short head of the bicep, and I would argue this is the most important muscle to work because it gives your bicep a fuller look. While nearly every bicep workout will target the brachialis in some way, I do have a favorite:

Hammer Curls. To perform this workout, assume a NEUTRAL grip with your hands (i.e. palms facing each other, or reference the photo). Then, simply curl up, keeping your wrists locked in place and imagining the only joint in your body is your elbow. When I do hammer curls, I tend to do as much weight as I can for as many reps as I can. Your biceps are not nearly as vulnerable here as during preacher curls. 

The Triceps

Two muscles comprise the arms -- the bicep and the tricep. The reason my basement bicep curls never grew my arms is because the tricep makes up TWO THIRDS of your upper arm (bodybuilding.com). The tricep is comprised of three major heads: the long head, the lateral head and the medial head (the medial head is not pictured because it lies underneath the long and lateral heads). 

The Long Head

To work out the long head of the tricep, think of movements where your arms are in an OVERHEAD position. This is because it best stretches to muscle as it is fully extended. 

Overhead Tricep Extension. For this movement, I set up on a cable machine with a rope attachment and the setting usually set right at my waist (you can set it at the lowest setting as pictured, but it is difficult to get the cable up and in position. Setting it up a bit higher makes it much easier). Then, facing away from the cable machine, grab the rope at both ends from behind you and pull up. I imagine myself sheathing and unsheathing katanas. I like to pause at the top and the bottom of each rep to really feel the stretch.

The Lateral Head

This is my favorite part of the tricep as it will give it the "horseshoe" look. To effectively target the lateral head, it is important to keep an eye out for workouts that target elbow extension. 

Tricep Pushdown. This is my FAVORITE workout in all of weightlifting. To start, you'll need a cable machine, and the attachment can either be a straight bar, a rope, or a bar that looks like an upside-down V - that one's my favorite. Then, while facing the cable machine, push down, hold, and slowly come up. I tend to go heavy on this workout, but if i don't go heavy then I will do drop-sets, meaning I will do a weight until failure and then drop the weight and immediately do more reps. 

The Medial Head 

The medial head of the tricep is worked in both of the workouts listed above, so after I've hit the long and lateral heads, I tend to call it a day. However, it is an important stabilizer muscle and is used a lot in compound lifts such as the bench press. In order to effectively target the medial head, I like to maintain a narrower grip with my hands during the rep. My favorite is the:

Close Grip Bench Press. This is very similar to the bench press, but your hands are much closer together (obviously). I like to make sure my triceps dip as close to my sides as possible when doing this exercise. I am always cautious during this workout because it puts my wrists in an awkward position and could potentially damage them. 

Conclusion

That's how I train my arms, put simply! It's important to hit the biceps in the brachialis, long and short heads, and tricep workouts should target the long, lateral and medial heads. I will usually work out my arms three times a week -- one day that targets the biceps, one day that targets the triceps, and one day that targets my entire arms! It took me a long time, but I'm finally more confident in the arms that I have built for myself. 

Disclaimers

These workouts are only what I have had success with, and I am not recommending it to anyone. I am by no means a licensed personal trainer and am only sharing what I've learned over the past five years. Credits to the images used can be found below:

Arm Diagrams:

Jones, Oliver. (2023, October 29). Muscle of the Upper Arm. Teach Me Anatomy. Muscles of the Upper Arm - Biceps - Triceps - TeachMeAnatomy

Stats reference:

Hyde, Parker. (2023, September 12). 10 Best Triceps Exercises for Building Muscle. Bodybuilding.com. 10 Best Triceps Workout Exercises for Building Muscle (bodybuilding.com)

Workout Images:

Strength Level. Strength Level - Weightlifting Calculator (Bench/Squat/Deadlift)