5 Exercises Athletes Can Use To Build Big Arms

A lot of athletes would like to have better arms for differing reasons, whether they be performance related or for aesthetics.

There are some tried and tested exercises that anyone can use to build size in the biceps and triceps. 

If you’re looking for new ideas of movements to incorporate into your arm routine, look no further. Here are five exercises that can help you get stronger, girthier arms.

Concentration Curls

Various studies have shown the concentration curl to be the most effective exercise for strengthening the biceps because it isolates the muscle.

Take a seat on a bench and hold a dumbbell in one hand. Rest the elbow of the hand grasping the dumbbell against the inside of your thigh. Keep your body still and slowly curl the dumbbell towards your shoulder. Then lower the dumbbell back down under control.

Chin-Ups

Chin-ups are a way to use your body weight to work the bicep muscles. Grip the pull-up bar with two hands and your palms facing towards you. Pull your body up towards the bar, bending your arms at the elbows. Squeeze the bicep muscles and pause briefly at the top before lowering back to your starting position. 

EZ Bar Curls

In a standing position, grab the EZ Bar at the angled hand positions. Keep your upper arms still and curl the bar up towards your shoulders, bending at the elbow. Lower the weight slowly to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of reps.

Preacher Curls

Using a preacher bench and an EZ Bar, you can really place a lot of emphasis on your biceps. Rest your upper arms on the sloping pad of the preacher bench and hold the bar out in front of you with your palms facing up. Slowly curl the bar towards yourself and squeeze your biceps at the top of the movement. Then, slowly lower the bar back to the starting position. 

Dips

While the other exercises in this list have focused on the biceps, it’s important not to overlook the triceps. Stand between two dip bars and hold them with straight arms, raising yourself off the ground. Slowly bend at the elbows to lower yourself while keeping control of the movement. Once your forearms are almost parallel to the floor, raise yourself back to the starting position.