When aiming to sculpt strong and defined arms, it is crucial to step out of your comfort zone. Advanced arm workouts not only test your strength but also challenge your endurance and mental resilience. Whether your focus is on the biceps, triceps, or forearms, these five advanced arm exercises will aid in muscle building, enhancing athletic performance, and reshaping your arms.

Advanced arm training goes beyond lifting heavier weights; it involves utilizing compound movements, supersets, and explosive drills that activate multiple muscle groups simultaneously. This method ensures optimal muscle activation, paving the way for increased growth and strength. If you are prepared to push your limits, these advanced arm routines are tailored to elevate your workout and develop those arms you’ve always wanted.

So, grab your dumbbells, a barbell, and resistance bands—it’s time to level up your arm workouts with these five advanced exercises.

The Workouts

• Workout 1: Barbell Curl, Tricep Dips, and Dumbbell Hammer Curl
• Workout 2: Close-Grip Bench Press, Overhead Tricep Extension, and Zottman Curl
• Workout 3: Chin-Up, Cable Tricep Pushdown, and Barbell Skull Crusher
• Workout 4: Dumbbell Bicep Curl, Tricep Kickback, and Preacher Curl
• Workout 5: Barbell Curl, Cable Tricep Pushdown, and Dumbbell Concentration Curl

Workout 1: Barbell Curl, Tricep Dips, and Dumbbell Hammer Curl

This workout regimen incorporates a combination of three potent exercises that target the biceps and triceps, offering a comprehensive approach to boosting arm size and definition. The barbell curl focuses on the biceps for enhanced strength and growth, whereas tricep dips work the triceps and chest muscles. The dumbbell hammer curl zeros in on the brachialis muscle, enhancing arm thickness and definition.

The Routine

1. Barbell Curl: 4 sets of 8-10 reps
2. Tricep Dips: 4 sets of 8-12 reps
3. Dumbbell Hammer Curl: 4 sets of 10-12 reps

1. Barbell Curl

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell with an underhand grip (palms facing forward).
2. Curl the barbell up toward your shoulders, keeping your elbows close to your sides.
3. Slowly lower the barbell back down, maintaining tension on your biceps.

2. Tricep Dips

1. Position yourself on a dip bar or parallel bars with your arms fully extended.
2. Lower your body by bending your elbows until they form a 90-degree angle.
3. Push yourself back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.

3. Dumbbell Hammer Curl

1. Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing toward your body.
2. Curl both dumbbells toward your shoulders, keeping your elbows close to your torso.
3. Lower the weights back down slowly, focusing on the contraction in your forearms and biceps.

Workout 2: Close-Grip Bench Press, Overhead Tricep Extension, and Zottman Curl

This workout engages the triceps and biceps through compound and isolation movements. The close-grip bench press targets the chest and triceps, while the overhead tricep extension isolates the triceps to increase their size. The Zottman curl involves both biceps and forearms, improving overall arm strength.

The Routine

1. Close-Grip Bench Press: 4 sets of 6-8 reps
2. Overhead Tricep Extension: 4 sets of 8-10 reps
3. Zottman Curl: 4 sets of 10 reps

1. Close-Grip Bench Press

1. Lie flat on a bench and grip the barbell with your hands positioned closer than shoulder-width apart.
2. Lower the barbell to your chest, keeping your elbows close to your sides.
3. Press the barbell back up, focusing on engaging your triceps for the lift.

2. Overhead Tricep Extension

1. Hold a dumbbell with both hands above your head, arms fully extended.
2. Slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head, bending at the elbows.
3. Press the dumbbell back up to the starting position, focusing on squeezing the triceps.

3. Zottman Curl

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing up.
2. Curl the dumbbells upward, rotating your wrists halfway through so that your palms face down at the top of the movement.
3. Slowly lower the dumbbells with the palms facing down, engaging the forearms.

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Workout 3: Chin-Up, Cable Tricep Pushdown, and Barbell Skull Crusher

A classic compound movement, the chin-up is one of the most effective exercises for building biceps and improving overall upper-body strength. Paired with the cable tricep pushdown and barbell skull crusher, this workout provides targeted stimulation for both the biceps and triceps.

The Routine

1. Chin-Up: 4 sets to failure
2. Cable Tricep Pushdown: 4 sets of 12-15 reps
3. Barbell Skull Crusher: 4 sets of 8-10 reps

1. Chin-Up

1. Grip the pull-up bar with your palms facing toward you (underhand grip).
2. Pull your body up until your chin is above the bar, focusing on engaging your biceps.
3. Lower yourself slowly, maintaining control of the movement.

2. Cable Tricep Pushdown

1. Attach a rope or straight bar to a high pulley machine.
2. Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart, and grasp the attachment with both hands.
3. Push the attachment downward, fully extending your arms and engaging your triceps.
4. Slowly return to the starting position, controlling the movement.

3. Barbell Skull Crusher

1. Lie flat on a bench and hold a barbell with an overhand grip, arms fully extended.
2. Lower the barbell toward your forehead by bending your elbows.
3. Extend your arms back to the starting position, focusing on contracting the triceps.

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Workout 4: Dumbbell Bicep Curl, Tricep Kickback, and Preacher Curl

This workout includes a combination of isolation exercises that focus on the biceps and triceps to shape and define the arms. The dumbbell bicep curl and preacher curl are excellent for building biceps, while the tricep kickback isolates the triceps for optimal muscle activation.

The Routine

1. Dumbbell Bicep Curl: 4 sets of 8-12 reps
2. Tricep Kickback: 4 sets of 10-12 reps
3. Preacher Curl: 4 sets of 8-10 reps

1. Dumbbell Bicep Curl

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Curl the dumbbells up to shoulder height, keeping your elbows stationary at your sides.
3. Lower the weights back down slowly, feeling the stretch in your biceps.

2. Tricep Kickback

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and bend forward slightly at the waist.
2. Keeping your upper arms stationary, extend your forearms straight behind you.
3. Slowly return the dumbbells to the starting position, focusing on contracting the triceps.

3. Preacher Curl

1. Sit at a preacher curl bench and hold a barbell or dumbbells with an underhand grip.
2. Curl the weight upward toward your shoulders, fully contracting your biceps.
3. Slowly lower the weight back down, keeping tension on the biceps throughout the movement.

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Workout 5: Barbell Curl, Cable Tricep Pushdown, and Dumbbell Concentration Curl

This workout targets both the biceps and triceps using a mix of compound and isolation exercises. The barbell curl works the biceps with a heavy load, while the cable tricep pushdown isolates the triceps. The dumbbell concentration curl is a focused movement that helps refine the biceps for more definition.

The Routine

1. Barbell Curl: 4 sets of 8-10 reps
2. Cable Tricep Pushdown: 4 sets of 12-15 reps
3. Dumbbell Concentration Curl: 4 sets of 10 reps

1. Barbell Curl

1. Hold the barbell with an underhand grip, keeping your elbows close to your sides.
2. Curl the barbell up toward your chest, fully contracting the biceps.
3. Slowly lower the barbell back down, maintaining control throughout the movement.

2. Cable Tricep Pushdown

1. Attach a rope or straight bar to the high pulley of a cable machine.
2. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and grasp the attachment with both hands.
3. Push the attachment downward, extending your arms fully.
4. Return to the starting position with control.

3. Dumbbell Concentration Curl

1. Sit on a bench with your legs spread and a dumbbell in one hand.
2. Rest your elbow against your inner thigh and curl the dumbbell toward your shoulder.
3. Squeeze the bicep at the top, then lower the dumbbell slowly.

Tyler Read, BSc, CPT