Arm Workouts for Muscle Development

When anyone wants to build muscle mass, the first thing that comes to mind is lifting as heavy and as often as possible. After all, that’s how gains happen – right? Not entirely true, because if you conduct an arms and shoulders workout with poor form and technique, you will not reap the full benefits.

Poor form can constitute not performing the full range of movement an exercise demands, rushing through the workout (often in the search of more reps) or doing the routine in a way that puts you at risk of injury. Here at UK Gym Equipment, we know the importance of a good workout for your arms to achieve those bulging biceps you crave.

From simple push-up and bicep curls to tricep dips and extensions, below you will find exercises for arms and shoulders that will bring you the gains that you desire. Before we throw ourselves into our workout, we will highlight the importance of ensuring you don’t skip leg day, because no one wants to be a beefcake up top but have all the mass of a scarecrow down below.

What You Will Need for our Arm Workouts for Muscle Development

Bicep Curl

For our first exercise, we are going to begin with a staple of any strength-training workout – the bicep curl. Although this is one of the easier workouts in your arsenal, it is very easy to perform incorrectly and not to complete the full range of movement. The rep should cease at the same point at which you begin, with the dumbbells down by your side and your arms straight, rather than before you completely return to your starting position.

Hitting the full range of movement ensures that you are working both the bicep and triceps by contracting the latter muscle at the end of the rep, which in turn will stretch the bicep muscle. Doing so will also mean you cannot cheat and cut corners with your workout. The bicep curl can be performed with either dumbbells or a barbell.

Barbell High Pull

The barbell high pull targets your shoulders, placing enough stress on the muscles to encourage growth. On paper, the exercise is relatively easy – beginning standing with the feet shoulder-width apart and holding the barbell just in front of your shins. You can choose whether to add any weighted plates to the barbell, this is down to personal preference.

With your glutes and abs engaged, slowly pull the barbell up as far as possible (you should grip the equipment so the palm of your hands are facing towards your body) while shrugging your shoulders. At the peak of the rep, slowly lower the barbell back into the starting position – do not allow the barbell to drop as this will not have the same benefit. Tension is your friend and will aid the growth of muscle mass.

Triceps Dip

Dips should be a staple of any exercise regime as they are such an effective workout for your triceps. As well as focusing on the best arm workouts to build your biceps, your triceps also require some love, too.

The video below shows how to perform triceps dips with suspension rings, but the exercise can also be performed with either a chair, workout bench or on the floor. Triceps dips can make up a part of a HIIT workout when combined with other strength and cardio-focused exercises, or as a standalone exercise. Remember to engage the targeted muscles and not to rush the reps so the tension can help to develop muscle mass and aid definition.

Pull-Up

With your wall-mounted pull-up station you can perform pull-ups that will work your shoulders and arms. Performing the perfect pull-up requires a lot of upper-body strength and attention to detail. Without the correct form the exercise is rendered useless, but when performed correctly, it is one of the most effective exercises in your routine.

With an overhand grip, not underhand as you would with chin-ups, place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width on the bar. To begin, engage your core and slowly pull yourself up until your chest reaches the bar (or as close to it as possible) and return to the starting position by straightening your arms and lowering your body slowly. This exercise hurts even for advanced trainers, so if you have never tried pull-ups before, begin with a nominal target in mind and don’t stress about only being able to manage a small number of reps.

Gorilla Push-Up

We are all familiar with the traditional push-up, but within the push-up family, some variants target different muscle groups. The normal push-up mainly benefits the chest area, while this gorilla push-up provides a fantastic workout for your arms at home or in the gym because of the explosive nature of the reps.

Beginning in the normal push-up position with your arms slightly wider than shoulder-width, lower your body and push your body up. As you’re doing so, bring your arms in and touch your chest with your hands quickly, making sure your hands return to the starting position before you fall and repeat. This exercise will work your muscles, making for one of the best workouts for bigger arms.

These workouts for arms with weights and without will make all the difference, the effects of which could be seen in just a few weeks when performed correctly. Of course, this is merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the best exercises for your arms. You can refer to our list of workouts here, as well as viewing all the fantastic equipment that is available from our website.