How To Build Bigger Arm Muscles

Build bigger arm muscles with this guide to the most effective exercises for developing your triceps and biceps…

Walk into any gym and chances are you’ll see a row of men performing barbell or dumbbell curls in an attempt to build bigger biceps. But the best way to build bigger arm muscles is to also work your triceps – the muscle on the back of your upper arm that accounts for about two-thirds of your total arm size. 

How your biceps and triceps work

• Like other muscle pairs, the biceps and triceps are antagonistic, meaning they work together – with one muscle contracting and the other relaxing to allow movement at the elbow joint to bend or straighten your arm. 
• The biceps is on the front of your upper arm and is made of two different parts, or heads: the long head and the short head. It’s responsible for flexing the elbow joint, which bends your arm to bring your hand towards your body, such as in a biceps curl. It also allows for supination of the forearm (the motion of turning of your palm upwards). 
• The triceps is on the back of your upper arm and is made up of three different heads: the long and lateral head combine to form the horseshoe shape at the top of your upper arm, while the medial head runs beneath the long head down to your elbow. It’s responsible for the extension of your elbow joint, which straightens your arm, and is involved in any move that requires you to push away from your body, such as the bench press or press-up. 
• The forearm contains many smaller muscles, such as the brachioradialis, which are responsible for rotating your forearms, controlling your hand and finger dexterity, and grip strength. 

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Biceps muscle

Your biceps muscle shortens, or flexes, to bend your elbow and bring your forearm towards your body. Because they’re antagonistic muscles, as the biceps shortens the triceps lengthens. 

Triceps muscle

The triceps muscle shortens, or flexes, to straighten your arms. As it shortens, the biceps muscle lengthens. 

Best biceps exercises

Barbell Biceps Curl 

This classic move allows you to lift heavy to help build bigger arm muscles. 

• Stand tall with your shoulders back and feet close together, holding a barbell with an underhand grip with hands just outside your hips. 
• Keeping your elbows tucked into your sides, curl the bar towards your chest, stopping just before your forearms are vertical. 
• Lower back slowly to the start. 
• Avoid rocking back and forth to generate momentum, which takes the emphasis away from the biceps. 

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EZ Bar Biceps Curl 

Using an EZ bar with its inwards grip takes pressure away from the elbow joint to place greater emphasis on the biceps. 

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Reverse-Grip Barbell Curl 

Using an overhand grip shifts focus to the muscles of the forearms while still working your biceps. 

Dumbbell Biceps Curl 

Using dumbbells allows you to work each arm individually, rather than your stronger arm dominating, while also allowing for a greater range of motion. 

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Seated Dumbbell Curl 

The seated position means you can’t use other muscles or momentum to start the move, so your biceps are forced to lift and control the weight throughout. 

• Sit on an upright bench holding a dumbbell in each hand by your sides. 
• Keeping your back flat against the bench and your elbows close to your sides, slowly curl one dumbbell up to shoulder height. 
• Squeeze your biceps at the top of the move then slowly return to the start. Repeat on the other side. 

Seated Hammer Curl 

A neutral grip, with your palms facing each other, works the muscles of the forearms harder. 

Concentration Curl 

This move secures your elbow in place so your muscles, rather than momentum, are entirely responsible for lifting and lowering the weight. 

Seated Incline Curl 

Setting the bench on an incline between 30 degrees and 45 degrees maintains tension on your biceps throughout the move and means you can lift through a greater range of motion. 

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EZ Bar Preacher Curl 

The preacher bench stabilises your upper arms, removing momentum from the equation so your biceps are fully isolated during the move, while an EZ bar reduces the strain on your elbows.

• Sit on a preacher bench with your upper arms flat against the bench, holding an EZ bar with an underhand grip. 
• Keeping your elbows locked in position, curl the bar towards your chin, stopping just before your forearms are vertical. 
• Lower back slowly to the start. 

Single-Arm Preacher Curl 

Working each arm individually ensures balanced growth in both biceps. 

Reverse-Grip Preacher Curl 

Using an overhand grip places greater emphasis on your lower biceps and forearms. 

Spider Curl 

Leaning over the preacher bench still supports your upper body but allows for a greater range of motion. 

Hammer Curl 

This neutral grip lift still works your biceps but also recruits more muscles from your forearms, making it a good exercise to build bigger arm muscles.

• Stand tall with your feet together holding a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing each other. 
• Keeping your elbows close to your sides, raise the weights to shoulder height, squeezing your biceps at the top of the move. 
• Slowly return the weights back to the start. 

Cable Rope Curl 

Using a cable ensures there is constant tension on your biceps throughout the move. 

Hammer Curl With Twist 

The twisting action hits your muscles from multiple angles and makes them work harder. Keeping your elbows close to your sides makes you less likely to rely on momentum to get the weight moving.  

Zottman Curl 

Curling the weights up then rotating your wrists to lower them again hits your forearms harder. 

Chin-Up 

One of the hardest body-weight moves there is, this will pack size and strength on your biceps as well as recruiting the major muscles groups of your upper back.

• Grab the bar with an underhand grip so your hands are shoulder-width apart. 
• Start from a dead hang with your arms fully extended. 
• Pull yourself up by squeezing your lats together. 
• Once your chin is higher than your hands, lower yourself back to the start. 

Weighted Chin-Up 

Using a weight plate or dumbbell increases the amount of resistance your muscles must overcome to lift your chin to the bar. 

Best triceps exercises 

Triceps Dip 

The best move for building big triceps is tough, so ensure you perform it correctly to make safe gains. 

• Grip parallel bars, keeping your body upright. 
• With your elbows pointing straight back, lower your body as far down as you can comfortably go without stressing your shoulders. 
• Keep your core braced and don’t swing your legs for momentum. 
• Press back up powerfully but don’t lock out your elbows at the top. 

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Weighted Triceps Dip 

Once you find dips easy you need to add more weight to keep your muscles growing. Holding a weight plate or dumbbell between your knees is the answer. 

Close-Grip Bench Press 

Taking a close grip on the barbell brings your triceps to the fore while still working your chest and the front of your shoulders. 

• Lie flat on a bench holding a barbell with a close, overhand grip. Aim for about a fist-sized gap between your hands. 
• Keep your head, shoulders and back supported by the bench, with your core braced and feet flat on the floor. 
• Lower the bar slowly to your chest, keeping your elbows close your sides to keep the emphasis on your triceps. 
• Push back up powerfully but don’t lock out your elbows. 

Medicine Ball Press-Up 

The instability of the medicine ball works your triceps hard and forces your core to engage to provide stability. 

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Diamond Press-Up 

Forming a diamond with your index fingers and thumbs shifts the focus of this press-up from your chest to your triceps. 

Lying EZ Bar Triceps Extension 

This is a classic move for isolating the triceps – using an EZ bar takes the strain off your joints so your muscles must do all the work. 

• Lie flat on a bench, holding an EZ bar above you with straight arms. 
• Slowly lower the bar towards the top of your head by bending your elbows, which should stay pointing to the ceiling. 
• Without arching your back, slowly return the bar to the start position by straightening your arms. 

Standing EZ Bar Triceps Extension  

Standing engages your core and allows you to lift heavier weights safely. 

Reverse-Grip Lying Triceps Extension 

Holding the bar with an underhand grip shifts the focus to the lateral head of your triceps muscle. 

Lying Triceps Extension and Pull-Over 

Extending your arms behind your head, rather than just down towards it, makes this move harder and recruits your back and chest muscles. 

Single-Arm Triceps Extension 

Add size and strength to your triceps by working each arm independently. 

• Sit on a bench holding a dumbbell in one hand behind your head. 
• Keep your chest up and core braced then lift the weight by straightening your arm. 
• Squeeze your triceps at the top then return back to the start position. 

Gym Ball Single-Arm Triceps Extension 

Sitting on the unstable gym ball forces your core to work hard to balance your body as you lift and lower the weight. 

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Cable Triceps Press-Down  

Working your triceps with the cable keeps constant tension on the muscle throughout every rep, while the double rope handles enable you to move through the complete range of motion. 

• Stand tall, holding a double-rope cable handle attached to the high pulley of a cable machine. 
• Keeping your elbows next to your body, press your hands down to straighten your arms. 
• Take the handles to either side of your legs to complete the full range of motion. 
• At the bottom squeeze your triceps then return to the start, flexing your biceps when back at the very top. 

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Standing Cable Overhead Triceps Extension 

Facing away from the cable and extending your arms over your head works the target muscles from a different angle. 

Single-Arm Triceps Press-Down 

Working one arm at a time enables you to work your non-dominant arm independently of your stronger one, ensuring even muscle gains. 

Dumbbell Triceps Kickback 

This simple but effective move hits your triceps from a fresh angle and will build bigger triceps for beginners and experts. 

• Kneel on a flat bench with one arm straight to support your torso, holding a dumbbell in the other, which is bent at the elbow.  
• Keeping your core braced, raise the weight by straightening your arm until your elbow is locked out. 
• Return to the start.