Whether you want to tone and define your arms to gain confidence in sleeveless tops or you are working to increase your overall muscle mass, you will need to work out all of the major muscle groups in your arms. It is important to balance your arm workouts to include both the back and front muscles in order to build out the whole arm.
In extreme circumstances, imbalances in your arm muscles can lead to physical injuries, because the under worked muscle will be forced to strain to keep up with the overworked muscle, which could lead to a pull or strain. Here are some easy workouts that will ensure you are working out all of the major muscle groups in your arms.
Biceps
To work your biceps, you should pick a weight that allows you to complete between 8 and 12 repetitions for 2 to 3 sets. You should also give your muscles time (at least 48 hours) to recover between workouts and never work the same muscle group two days in a row.
One workout that is particularly good for biceps is called the standing bicep curl, which uses dumbbells. You should stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
Then, grasp the dumbbells using an underhand grip with your arms hanging down by your sides before flexing at the elbows and curling the dumbbells up to shoulder level before returning to the starting position.
You should try to keep your elbows as close to your sides as possible throughout the movement, and you can do one arm at a time if this is easier for you.
Triceps
Your workout for triceps can be similar to your bicep workout as far as weight, repetitions, and sets go. One workout that is good for triceps is known as the tricep kickback, which also requires dumbbells.
Begin by placing your right knee and your left hand flat on a bench while keeping your back as flat as possible. Then, grasp the dumbbell and raise your right arm up so that it is parallel to the floor with your lower arm hanging straight down, palm facing inwards.
Next, raise the dumbbell back until your arm is almost straight behind you. Refrain from locking your elbow. Finally, return the the starting position. After you have performed the exercise with your right arm, you can switch to the left arm.
Forearms
One way to strengthen your forearm muscles is to do wrist curls. This exercise requires barbells, but dumbbells may also be substituted.
Begin by sitting on a flat bench with your forearms resting your lap while holding a barbell bar palms up. Then, using only your hands and wrists, curl the barbell up towards the ceiling as high as possible while keeping your forearms flat on your lap.
You can also perform this exercise in reverse with your palms facing towards the floor.
Deltoids
Your deltoids are the muscles located in your shoulders. Push-ups are a great way to strengthen this muscle group without the need for any additional equipment.
