Sample Arm Workout Routines
Arm workout routine number one:
- Triceps push-ups using a flat bench
- Assume a push-up position with hands together on the edge of a bench and feet together on the floor
- Perform pushups keeping elbows close to your sides
- Perform 10-12 repetitions
- Seated incline bicep curls
- Sit on an incline bench with feet on the floor, arms by your sides and a dumbbell in each hand
- Contract biceps to raise dumbbells up to the level of your collarbone, squeeze at the top of the movement and return to the starting position
- Perform 10-12 repetitions
- Triceps kickbacks
- Can be performed as a single arm or double arm move
- Bend at hips to bring chest parallel to the floor, knees slightly bent
- Keep elbows close to ribcage and let dumbbells hang down toward floor
- Contract triceps to raise dumbbells up and out behind you as you straighten your arms
- Squeeze at the top of the movement and return to the starting position
- Perform 10-12 repetitions
- Standing DB hammer curls
- Stand with knees slightly bent and a dumbbell in each hand
- With palms facing your sides, slowly curl dumbbells up to the level of your shoulders maintaining the same “palms-in” position
- Lower in a controlled manner to the start position
- Perform 10-12 repetitions
- Triceps press down with rope cable
- Find an upper cable machine with a rope attachment
- Stand facing the machine, hands on both ends of the rope, elbows held close to your ribcage
- Contract triceps to push rope down until your arms are straightened and palms are by your sides
- Squeeze at the bottom of the movement and slowly raise until elbows are at a 90° angle – this becomes your start position
- Perform 10-12 repetitions
All arm workout routines are designed to be performed in a circuit, one exercise right after the next, with a 60 second break between exercises. Complete one, two, or three cycles of the circuit, depending on your level of fitness.
For your next arm workout, switch to different exercises:
- Triceps dips between two benches
- Place two benches parallel to each other, approx one leg length apart
- Place hands behind you on one bench and feet up on the other bench in front of you – you should be in an L-sit position with your elbows close to your sides
- Without letting elbows rotate out to the sides, perform dips by bending at the elbows to lower your hips toward the floor
- At the bottom of the movement, contract triceps and push yourself up to the starting position
- Perform 10-12 repetitions
- Preacher/Scott curls with an EZ curl bar
- This exercise is performed on a preacher curl bench. The bench will have a seat and a padded 80° angled top
- Load an EZ curl bar and place it on the rack in front
- Grasp the bar with an underhand grip, placing upper arms and chest against the pad and sitting down on the seat
- From this extended arm start position, bend the elbows and curl the bar up until it reaches shoulder level
- Return to the start position
- Perform 10-12 repetitions
- Lying triceps presses
- Grab an EZ curl bar or a barbell and lie on your back on a flat bench
- Raise the bar toward the ceiling, palms up – this is your start position
- Slowly lower the bar toward your forehead by bending at the elbows – upper arms do not move
- Stop the downward movement just before the bar reaches your forehead, squeeze triceps and move bar back to the starting position
- Perform 10-12 repetitions
- Concentration curls
- Grab a dumbbell and sit down on the edge of a flat bench
- Place dumbbell in right hand, lean forward and rest right elbow against inner side of right knee
- With dumbbell hanging down toward the floor, this is your starting position
- Contract bicep and move dumbbell up to the level of your collarbone
- Squeeze at the top of the movement and then lower to the starting position
- Perform 10 repetitions with the right arm then switch and perform 10 more with the left arm
- Triceps press down with a straight bar
- Find an upper cable machine with a straight bar attachment
- Stand facing the cable with both hands on the bar, palms facing out, elbows in close to the ribcage
- Contract triceps and press bar down until arms are straight and bar is down by your thighs
- Slowly raise bar, taking care to keep your elbows in by your ribcage and upper arms motionless
- When your elbows reach a 90°angle you are at the starting position
- Perform 10-12 repetitions
Arm workouts don't have to be the same old monotonous exercises, day in and day out. Spice things up - mix up the exercises and keep your muscles guessing.
For your third arm workout, switch up the exercises once again:
- Close grip bench press with EZ curl bar
- Grab an EZ curl bar and lie down on a flat bench
- With hands 3-4 inches apart, in an overhand grip, press bar toward the ceiling – this is your starting position
- Bending at the elbows, slowly lower the bar toward your chest
- Squeeze triceps and push bar back up to the starting position
- Perform 10-12 repetitions
- Standing barbell curls
- Stand with knees slightly bent, barbell in an underhand grip down by your thighs
- Contract biceps and raise barbell to the level of your collarbone
- Squeeze at the top of the movement and slowly lower the bar back to the starting position
- Perform 10-12 repetitions
- Parallel bar dips
- Position yourself on the parallel bars; place one hand on each bar and rise up on to your hands, arms straight and feet tucked up under your torso
- Slowly lower your body by bending at the elbows to dip shoulders down, close to hands
- Remember to keep elbows close to the body
- Contract triceps and push your body back up to the start position, arms straight with body weight evenly distributed over hands
- Perform 10 repetitions
- Single arm pulley curls at 45°
- Find a lower cable machine with hand grips
- Stand facing the cable with hand grip in right hand, palm up, upper arm at a 45° angle to your torso (arm slightly out in front of you)
- Use left arm to support right elbow out from the body
- Contract right bicep and raise right hand to the level of your collarbone
- Squeeze at the top of the movement and return to the starting position
- Perform 10-12 repetitions with the right arm and the switch to perform 10-12 repetitions with the left arm
- Single arm dumbbell extensions
- This exercise can be performed either seated or standing
- Grab a dumbbell in your right hand and raise it above your head
- Bending at the elbow, lower the dumbbell behind your head until your elbow reaches a 90° angle
- Contract triceps to raise dumbbell to the starting position above your head
- Perform 10-12 repetitions
Note: the intensity factor comes in when you use supersets for exercises 1 & 2 and exercises 3 & 4 in your arm workouts.
What's a superset? A superset is when you perform each of the exercises (example: exercise 1 & exercise 2) without a 60 second break between each exercise. To increase your intensity level try the supersets in one or more of your arm workout routines.
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The contents of this site are the opinions of Michele Tse unless otherwise noted. The information on this site is intended for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or nutritional advice or treatment. Please consult your health care practitioner before beginning any fitness program.
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