8 Exercises To Supercharge Your Arms

While it’s important to train every muscle group equally, workouts that hit the arms have a special feeling to them. Whether it’s the pump you get after the session, the simplicity of some of the movements or just how creative you can get with it, we know there’s a lot of you that will put arms at the top of your priority list in the gym.

So, we put together a list of eight exercises for you to incorporate into your training that will give your biceps and triceps a real test. You might be doing some of these already, but we’re confident there’s something in here for everyone. Let’s go!

1. Incline dumbbell curl

Equipment needed: Weight bench, dumbbells

To perform an incline dumbbell curl, set a workout bench to a slight incline position and hold a pair of dumbbells by your side. Keep the rest of your body still and lift the dumbbells up while turning your palms to face the ceiling. Raise them until the dumbbells are level with your shoulders. Keep your elbows tucked close to your body throughout the movement. Lower the dumbbells slowly and return your arms to the starting position. The trick with this exercise is to make sure that you aren’t relying on your hips or another part of your body to generate momentum when lifting the dumbbells, which makes it a great choice for isolating your biceps.

2. Rope hammer curl

Equipment needed: Single cable stack, rope attachment

To perform a rope hammer curl, attach a rope accessory to your cable machine and choose a resistance level that will allow you to hit 8-12 reps. Set the cable pulley on the lowest possible position. Stand close to the machine and grab the cable with both hands, then lift it until your arms are fully extended. Keep your elbows close to your body throughout the movement and pull the cable up to your chest, focusing on keeping your core tight. Hold the movement for a moment when your hands are almost touching your chest, then slowly lower the rope until you’re back at the start position. The hammer grip used in this exercise targets your bicep’s long head more than a regular curl.

3. D-handle cable curl

Equipment needed: Dual cable stack, two D-handles

To perform a D-handle cable curl, attach two D-handles to both of your cable stacks and choose a resistance level on each side that will allow you to hit 8-12 reps. Set the cable pulleys on the lowest possible position. Step away from the machine and pull the handles out until your arms are straight by your side. With your palms facing the ceiling, pull the handles up at the same time until your hands are level with your shoulders. Pause for a moment here, and then slowly lower the cables back to the starting position.

4. Dumbbell preacher curl

Equipment needed: Single dumbbell, weight bench (alternative form detailed below that doesn't require a bench)

With weight bench: To perform a dumbbell preacher curl, set a weight bench to a moderate incline, stand behind it and rest the back of your arm against the bench, suspending the dumbbell with only your bicep to support it. Pull the dumbbell towards you until your hands are level with your shoulders, hold the movement there for a moment, and then slowly lower your arm back to the starting position. It’s important to go slow on the decline as you’re still putting your bicep under pressure. Preacher curls are a great bicep isolation movement with a bias towards targeting your bicep’s short head.

Without weight bench: To perform a preacher curl without a weight bench, sit on a chair, bed or any other piece of furniture and spread your legs wide. Place your dumbbell on the floor and reach down with one arm to grasp it, resting your elbow on the inside of your leg to support it. Slowly bring the dumbbell up until your hand is level with your shoulder, hold the movement there for a moment, and then slowly lower your arm back to the starting position.

5. Dips

Equipment needed: Dip station or power rack & dip handle attachment

To perform a dip, lift yourself up off the floor so that your arms are fully straight. Many people choose to cross their ankles while performing dips, but that’s all preference. Slowly lower yourself down until your elbow is at a 90-degree angle, pausing for a moment, and then lifting yourself back up so that your arms are straight again. This is a versatile bodyweight movement that targets your triceps and chest muscles, and resistance can be added by attaching a weight plate to a belt while you train.

6. Rope pushdown

Equipment needed: Single cable stack, rope attachment

To perform a rope pushdown, attach the rope accessory to your cable machine and place the pulley on the highest position available on the frame. Grip the ends of the rope with both hands, keep your core tight, and push the rope down until your arms are fully extended. Make sure to keep your elbows tucked into your body while performing this exercise. This is an ever-popular tricep exercise that puts extra emphasis on the muscle’s lateral head.

7. JM press

Equipment needed: Squat rack or smith machine, weight bench, barbell, weight plates

To perform a JM press, load your barbell with enough weight for you to complete 8-12 reps comfortably with. Hold the bar with a much narrower grip than you would for bench press — about shoulder width apart. Lower the bar slowly while keeping your elbows tucked and stop when it’s just above your sternum. Push the weight back up, remembering not to flare your elbows, until you’re back at the start position. This is a frequently-overlooked exercise that targets your triceps (long head bias) and chest.

8. Dumbbell skull crusher

Equipment needed: Single dumbbell, weight bench

To perform a dumbbell skull crusher, lie on a flat bench and raise the dumbbell above your chest until your arm is fully extended. Slowly lower the dumbbell across your body until your elbow is at a right angle, hold that position for a moment, and then straighten your arm back to the start position. This movement has a slight emphasis on your tricep’s long head and can also be performed with a barbell or ez curl bar if preferred.

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Implement these exercises into your workouts this year and watch the progress as your arms balloon! And remember to stay locked in to MuscleSquad for all of your home and commercial gym equipment.