BODYBUILDING SERIES: Building the Arm Muscles

The anatomy of the arm is made up of different sets of muscles. The muscles in the front of the arm are known as the biceps, the triceps are located in the back of the upper arm, the brachialis muscle that covers the elbow, and the brachioradialis, which is the muscle that covers the forearm. In building strength in the body, the arms are a very significant area that influences other strength-building routines. The arms also are a highly visible region of the body so toning and definition are important aspects in addition to strength. For the bodybuilder, large and well-defined biceps and triceps are a general characteristic.

The function of the biceps is to lift your arm, perform the curling motion, and to twist the wrist downward. The biceps brachii is a two-headed muscle which starts under the deltoid and ends just beneath the elbow.  The tricep muscles comprise about two-thirds of the overall arm mass. The function of the tricep muscle is to work opposite of the biceps in order to straighten the arm and twist the wrist upward. The tricep muscle stretches along the back of the upper arm. There are three heads to the muscle, called the long head, the lateral head, and the medial head. The long head is attached to the inner part of your scapula, the lateral and medial heads are attached to the main upper arm bone, known as the humerus.

Important Points About Arm Exercises
When developing and defining the arm muscles, it is important to understand how the muscles all work together and comprehend the actions of each individual group. You should not only focus on one particular group but look to develop all of the arm muscles completely. Arm exercises should be performed with much attention to proper form. Focus on compound movements over isolation exercises and choose heavier weights with less repetition over lighter weights and more reps. You will also need to permit at least a full week for arm muscles complete recovery.

The Exercise Groups
There are different kinds of exercises you can use to begin building strength in your arm muscles.

Antagonist Supersets – this involves combining a bicep and tricep exercise with little or no rest between the exercises.

Same Muscle Superset – this involves two exercises for the same muscles back to back with little or rest in between.

Tri Sets – this involves three exercises for the same muscles performed one after the other with little to no rest in between. The tri sets are advanced from the supersets as they are more difficult and intense of a work out.

Basic Arm Workouts

BICEPS

Barbell Curls
A fundamental bicep exercise, barbell curls are one of the best ways for a person of any level to build and maintain bicep muscles. These curls will help build overall muscle mass in the biceps.

To Do:
Grab the bar with an underhanded grip, hands shoulder-width apart. Curl the bar up and high as soon as you can, keeping your elbows still. Extend your arms to get back into the starting position.  A closer grip will work the outer head of the triceps. Remember to keep perfect form and avoid jerky, unstable movements.

Dumbbell Curls
This exercise builds the overall muscle mass in the biceps, giving more definition to the biceps.

To Do:
Taking a dumbbell in each hand, sit on the edge of the bench at arms length. Curl the arms, bringing them to maximum contraction and then lower the dumbbell, using the same arm, extending your arms fully.

Concentration Curls
This exercise is one of the best to build biceps peak. Concentration curls are a power exercise. As much weight as possible should be used with the strictest form.

To Do:
Bend at your torso and hold a dumbbell in one hand and rest your other arm on your knee. Curl your arm to the max and twist your wrist so your little finger is lower than your thumb. Curl the dumbbell back into the start position.

TRICEPS

Lying Tricep Extensions
This exercise helps to develop complete triceps by building overall muscle mass.

To Do:
Lie on a bench with your feet flat on the bench and knees bent. Hold a bar with an overhand grip with your hands 10 inches apart. Press the weights u until your arms are locked. Keep your elbows still s you move the bar back into the start position.

Seated Tricep Press
This exercise is used to build the overall muscle mass of the tricep.

To Do:
Sit on a bench and hold a barbell straight over your head, keeping your back straight. Lower he bar down behind your next in an arc, keeping elbows stationary. Press the bar upwards then return to starting position.

FOREARMS

Barbell Wrist Curls
An isolation exercise used  to exercise the forearms. Helps to build inner side muscles of the forearms.

To Do:

Sit on one end of a bench holding the barbell with an underhanded grip. Rest your forearms on the bench, hanging the wrists and the hands holding the barbell. Curl your wrists and feel the forearm muscles contract. Lower the weights as far as the forearm muscle will stretch.

In addition to these basic exercises for arm building, there are many others you can use and advance to for a regular arm workout routine.