Crafting an effective arm workout plan goes beyond just bicep curls and tricep extensions. To truly maximize your arm development, you need a holistic approach that considers your entire body and progressive training principles. This comprehensive Arm Workout Guide provides a robust four-week plan designed for experienced lifters ready to take their arm strength and size to the next level.
This isn’t a plan for beginners. It’s a demanding schedule that requires access to a well-equipped gym, featuring free weights, cable machines, and weight machines. If you’re seeking a different but equally potent strategy, exploring a push-pull workout routine can also be highly beneficial.
Mastering These Arm Workouts
This arm workout guide schedules four weekly sessions, ideally on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Instead of monotonous repetition, this plan employs a two-week block structure, with each week within the block progressively increasing in intensity.
Each workout comprises six exercises performed as straight sets, adhering strictly to the prescribed sets, reps, tempo, and rest periods. Tempo, the speed at which you lift and lower the weight, is denoted by a four-digit sequence representing seconds. The sequence dictates: eccentric phase (lowering weight), pause at the bottom, concentric phase (lifting weight), and pause at the top.
For example, a 3010 tempo means a 3-second lowering phase and a 1-second lifting phase, with no pauses at the top or bottom. While seemingly straightforward, exercises like bicep curls initiate with the lifting movement (third number in the tempo sequence), so focus is key.
Priming Your Body: The Arm Workout Warm-Up
These arm workout guide sessions don’t ease you in gently. Each begins with a major compound lift like the bench press or barbell back squat. A thorough warm-up is therefore essential to prepare your body for the demands ahead. A proper warm-up not only enhances performance, especially in the initial sets, but also minimizes the risk of injury.
Your warm-up should be tailored to the workout, but starting with dynamic stretches targeting major muscle groups is always recommended. This weights warm-up routine offers a seven-move sequence ideal for priming key muscle groups.
Image of a person performing dynamic stretching as part of a warm-up routine
Alt text: Dynamic stretching exercises to prepare muscles for an intense arm workout, part of an arm workout guide.
Following dynamic stretches, focus on workout-specific preparation by performing lighter sets of the first two exercises in each workout. Use lighter weights than your working sets, or even bodyweight if suitable. Begin with high reps and low weight to activate the muscles, then gradually increase weight and decrease reps as you approach your main workout.
Arm Workout Block 1
Below are the four weekly workouts for Block 1 of this arm workout guide, detailing sets, reps, tempo, and rest for both Week 1 and Week 2. Week 2 increases training volume by adding an extra set to the first two exercises and two extra reps to exercises three through six.
Monday Arm Workout: Chest And Back
This Monday session of the arm workout guide focuses on chest and back, incorporating compound movements to kickstart your week.
1 Bench press
Week 1: Sets 4 Reps 10 Tempo 2010 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 5 Reps 10 Tempo 2010 Rest 60sec
How to: Lie flat on a bench, grip the barbell shoulder-width apart. Plant your feet firmly and engage your core. Lower the bar to your chest, then explosively press it back up.
2 Bent-over row
Week 1: Sets 4 Reps 10 Tempo 2011 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 5 Reps 10 Tempo 2011 Rest 60sec
How to: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell with an overhand grip. Hinge at the hips, keeping your back straight and core engaged. Row the bar towards your torso, leading with your elbows. Pause at the top, then slowly lower.
3 Incline dumbbell flye
Week 1: Sets 3 Reps 10 Tempo 2010 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 3 Reps 12 Tempo 2010 Rest 60sec
How to: Lie on an incline bench, holding dumbbells above your chest with arms extended. Slightly bend your elbows and lower the dumbbells outwards until you feel a stretch in your chest. Contract your chest muscles to return to the starting position.
4 Lat pull-down
Week 1: Sets 3 Reps 10 Tempo 2011 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 3 Reps 12 Tempo 2011 Rest 60sec
How to: Sit at a lat pull-down machine, grasping the bar with a shoulder-width overhand grip. Keep your chest up and core tight as you pull the bar down towards your chest, leading with your elbows. Hold briefly at the bottom, then control the bar back to the starting position.
5 One-arm cable press
Week 1: Sets 3 Reps 10 each side Tempo 2011 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 3 Reps 12 each side Tempo 2011 Rest 60sec
How to: Stand facing away from a cable machine, holding a D-handle in one hand. Maintain an upright posture with a braced core. Press your hand forward until your arm is fully extended. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat on the other arm.
6 Dumbbell pull-over
Week 1: Sets 3 Reps 10 Tempo 4010 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 3 Reps 12 Tempo 4010 Rest 60sec
How to: Lie flat on a bench, holding a dumbbell with both hands above your chest, arms straight. Lower the weight slowly behind your head, keeping arms straight, until you feel a stretch in your lats and chest. Raise the dumbbell back to the starting position.
Wednesday Workout: Legs And Abs
Mid-week in this arm workout guide shifts focus to legs and core, essential for overall strength and balance.
1 Back squat
Week 1: Sets 4 Reps 10 Tempo 2010 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 5 Reps 10 Tempo 2010 Rest 60sec
How to: Stand with a barbell across your upper back. Feet should be shoulder-width apart. Squat down by bending your knees, keeping your chest up and core engaged. Descend as low as comfortable while maintaining form. Drive back up through your heels to return to the starting position.
2 Romanian deadlift
Week 1: Sets 3 Reps 10 Tempo 2010 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 4 Reps 10 Tempo 2010 Rest 60sec
How to: Stand holding a barbell with an overhand grip. Keeping your legs mostly straight, hinge at the hips, lowering the bar down the front of your legs. Maintain a straight back and feel a stretch in your hamstrings. Return to the upright position by squeezing your glutes and hamstrings.
3 Leg extension
Week 1: Sets 3 Reps 10 Tempo 2011 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 3 Reps 12 Tempo 2011 Rest 60sec
How to: Sit on a leg extension machine, adjusting it so the pad is just above your ankles. Extend your legs fully, contracting your quads at the top. Slowly lower the weight back to the starting position.
4 Hamstring curl
Week 1: Sets 3 Reps 10 Tempo 2010 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 3 Reps 12 Tempo 2010 Rest 60sec
How to: Lie face down on a hamstring curl machine, ensuring the pad is positioned above your heels. Curl your legs up towards your glutes, focusing on contracting your hamstrings. Slowly lower your legs back to the starting position.
5 Crunch
Week 1: Sets 3 Reps 10 Tempo 2011 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 3 Reps 12 Tempo 2011 Rest 60sec
How to: Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Hands can be behind your head or crossed on your chest. Engage your abs to lift your shoulders off the floor, crunching towards your knees. Lower slowly back down, maintaining tension in your abs.
6 Plank
Week 1: Sets 3 Time 30sec Tempo N/A Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 3 Time 45sec Tempo N/A Rest 60sec
How to: Position yourself on your forearms with elbows under your shoulders and body in a straight line from head to heels. Engage your core and glutes to maintain this position, preventing your hips from dropping. Hold for the specified time.
Friday Workout: Biceps And Triceps
Friday in this arm workout guide is dedicated to direct arm work, targeting biceps and triceps for maximum growth.
1 Underhand lat pull-down
Week 1: Sets 4 Reps 10 Tempo 2011 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 5 Reps 10 Tempo 2011 Rest 60sec
How to: Sit at a lat pull-down machine, grasping the bar with a shoulder-width underhand grip. Keep your chest up and core engaged as you pull the bar down towards your chest, leading with your elbows. Hold briefly at the bottom, then control the bar back to the starting position. This variation emphasizes the biceps more than a standard lat pulldown.
2 Triceps dip
Week 1: Sets 4 Reps 6-10 Tempo 2010 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 5 Reps 6-10 Tempo 2010 Rest 60sec
How to: Grip parallel bars with arms straight and legs crossed behind you. Lower your body by bending your elbows until they reach a 90-degree angle. Push back up to the starting position, focusing on triceps engagement.
3 Dumbbell biceps curl
Week 1: Sets 3 Reps 10 Tempo 2011 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 3 Reps 12 Tempo 2011 Rest 60sec
How to: Stand holding a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward. Keep elbows close to your body and curl the weights up to shoulder height. Squeeze your biceps at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
4 Dumbbell triceps extension
Week 1: Sets 3 Reps 10 each side Tempo 2010 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 3 Reps 12 each side Tempo 2010 Rest 60sec
How to: Stand holding a dumbbell overhead with your arm straight. Keeping your elbow pointed upwards, lower the weight behind your head by bending your elbow. Extend your arm back to the starting position, focusing on triceps contraction. Repeat on both arms.
5 Cable biceps curl
Week 1: Sets 3 Reps 10 Tempo 2011 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 3 Reps 12 Tempo 2011 Rest 60sec
How to: Stand facing a cable machine, holding a straight bar handle attached to the lower pulley with an underhand grip. Keep your chest up and elbows close to your sides as you curl your hands up to shoulder height. Squeeze your biceps at the peak contraction, then slowly lower back to the starting position.
6 Cable triceps press-down
Week 1: Sets 3 Reps 10 Tempo 2011 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 3 Reps 12 Tempo 2011 Rest 60sec
How to: Stand facing a cable machine, holding a straight bar handle attached to the high pulley with an overhand grip. Keep your chest up and elbows tucked in as you press the bar down until your arms are fully extended. Slowly return to the starting position, controlling the weight.
Saturday Workout: Shoulders And Arms
The final workout of Block 1 in this arm workout guide targets shoulders and arms, ensuring comprehensive upper body development.
1 Overhead press
Week 1: Sets 4 Reps 10 Tempo 3011 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 5 Reps 10 Tempo 3011 Rest 60sec
How to: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell in front of your shoulders with an overhand grip. Press the bar directly overhead until your arms are fully extended. Lower the bar back to the starting position with control.
2 Chin-up
Week 1: Sets 4 Reps 6-10 Tempo 3011 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 5 Reps 6-10 Tempo 3011 Rest 60sec
How to: Grip a pull-up bar with an underhand grip, slightly narrower than shoulder-width. Hang with arms fully extended. Pull yourself up until your chin is above the bar. Lower yourself back down with control. If chin-ups are too challenging, use an assisted pull-up machine or resistance bands.
3 EZ-bar upright row
Week 1: Sets 3 Reps 10 Tempo 2011 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 3 Reps 12 Tempo 2011 Rest 60sec
How to: Stand holding an EZ-bar with a shoulder-width overhand grip. Keeping your chest up and core engaged, pull the bar up towards your chin, leading with your elbows. Pause at the top, then slowly lower the bar back to the starting position.
4 Incline dumbbell biceps curl
Week 1: Sets 3 Reps 10 Tempo 2011 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 3 Reps 12 Tempo 2011 Rest 60sec
How to: Sit on an incline bench, holding a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing forward. Keeping your elbows tucked in, curl the weights up to shoulder height. Squeeze your biceps at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells. The incline position emphasizes the long head of the biceps.
5 Dumbbell lateral raise
Week 1: Sets 3 Reps 10 Tempo 2011 Rest 30sec
Week 2: Sets 3 Reps 12 Tempo 2011 Rest 30sec
How to: Stand holding light dumbbells by your sides, with a slight bend in your elbows. Keeping your chest up and core engaged, raise the weights out to the sides until they reach shoulder height, leading with your elbows. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
6 Cable triceps press-down
Week 1: Sets 3 Reps 10 Tempo 2011 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 3 Reps 12 Tempo 2011 Rest 60sec
How to: Stand facing a cable machine, holding a straight bar handle attached to the high pulley with an overhand grip. Keep your chest up and elbows tucked in as you press the bar down until your arms are fully extended. Slowly return to the starting position, controlling the weight.
Arm Workout Plan Block 2
Block 2 of this arm workout guide shifts the emphasis slightly, increasing chest training volume while still ensuring your arms continue to develop. You’ll now have two chest-focused workouts per week. Don’t worry about losing arm gains – there are still ample biceps exercises and triceps exercises integrated to maintain and build upon your progress.
As in Week 2 of Block 1, Week 2 of Block 2 will also increase volume with an extra set for the first two exercises and two additional reps for the remaining exercises.
Monday Workout: Chest And Back
Monday in Block 2 of this arm workout guide continues with chest and back, but with exercise variations to keep your muscles challenged.
1 Incline bench press
Week 1: Sets 4 Reps 10 Tempo 3010 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 5 Reps 10 Tempo 3010 Rest 60sec
How to: Lie back on an incline bench, gripping the barbell shoulder-width apart. Plant your feet and engage your core. Lower the bar to your upper chest, then press it back up powerfully. The incline targets the upper chest more effectively.
2 Wide lat pull-down
Week 1: Sets 4 Reps 10 Tempo 3010 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 5 Reps 10 Tempo 3010 Rest 60sec
How to: Sit at a lat pull-down machine, using a wider than shoulder-width overhand grip. Keep your chest up and core braced, pull the bar down towards your upper chest. Hold at the bottom, then return to the starting position. The wider grip emphasizes the outer lats.
3 Dumbbell bench press
Week 1: Sets 4 Reps 10 Tempo 3010 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 4 Reps 12 Tempo 3010 Rest 60sec
How to: Lie on a flat bench, holding a dumbbell in each hand at chest level. Plant your feet and tense your muscles. Press the dumbbells straight up until your arms are fully extended, then lower them back to the starting position with control. Dumbbells allow for a greater range of motion compared to barbells.
4 Seated row
Week 1: Sets 4 Reps 10 Tempo 3011 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 4 Reps 12 Tempo 3011 Rest 60sec
How to: Sit on a seated row machine, using a double-grip cable attachment. Keep your chest up as you row the handle towards your body, leading with your elbows. Pause at the peak contraction, then return to the starting position, controlling the cable.
5 One-arm cable press
Week 1: Sets 4 Reps 10 each side Tempo 3011 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 4 Reps 12 each side Tempo 3011 Rest 60sec
How to: Stand with your back to a cable machine, holding a D-handle in one hand. Maintain a strong core and press your hand forward until your arm is straight. Return to the start and repeat on the opposite arm. Unilateral exercises like this help improve balance and core stability.
6 Straight-arm cable pull-down
Week 1: Sets 4 Reps 10 Tempo 3010 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 4 Reps 12 Tempo 3010 Rest 60sec
How to: Stand facing a cable machine, holding a straight bar handle with both hands. Keeping your arms straight and core engaged, pull the bar down towards your thighs in a smooth arc. Pause at the bottom, then reverse the motion back to the start. This exercise effectively targets the latissimus dorsi.
Wednesday Workout: Legs And Shoulders
Wednesday in Block 2 of this arm workout guide combines leg and shoulder work for a powerful mid-week session.
1 Back squat
Week 1: Sets 4 Reps 10 Tempo 3010 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 5 Reps 10 Tempo 3010 Rest 60sec
How to: Stand with a barbell across your upper back, feet shoulder-width apart. Squat down deeply, maintaining a straight back and engaged core. Push through your heels to return to the starting position. Back squats are a cornerstone of lower body strength.
2 Overhead press
Week 1: Sets 4 Reps 10 Tempo 3010 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 5 Reps 10 Tempo 3010 Rest 60sec
How to: Stand tall, holding a barbell at your front shoulders with an overhand grip. Press the bar straight overhead until your arms are fully locked out. Lower the bar back to the starting position with control. Overhead presses are essential for shoulder strength and development.
3 Leg extension
Week 1: Sets 4 Reps 10 Tempo 3011 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 4 Reps 12 Tempo 3011 Rest 60sec
How to: Sit on a leg extension machine, adjusting the pad to rest just above your ankles. Extend your legs fully, contracting your quads at the top. Slowly lower the weight back to the starting position. Leg extensions are effective for isolating the quadriceps.
4 Seated dumbbell lateral raise
Week 1: Sets 4 Reps 10 Tempo 3011 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 4 Reps 12 Tempo 3011 Rest 60sec
How to: Sit on a bench, holding light dumbbells by your sides. With a slight bend in your elbows, raise the dumbbells laterally to shoulder height. Lower them slowly back to the starting position. Seated lateral raises provide more stability and focus on the deltoids.
5 Hamstring curl
Week 1: Sets 4 Reps 10 Tempo 3011 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 4 Reps 12 Tempo 3011 Rest 60sec
How to: Lie face down on a hamstring curl machine, positioning the pad above your heels. Curl your legs up towards your glutes, focusing on hamstring contraction. Lower your legs back to the starting position with control. Hamstring curls are crucial for balanced leg development.
6 EZ-bar upright row
Week 1: Sets 4 Reps 10 Tempo 3011 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 4 Reps 12 Tempo 3011 Rest 60sec
How to: Stand holding an EZ-bar with a shoulder-width overhand grip. Pull the bar up towards your chin, leading with your elbows. Pause at the top, then lower the bar back to the starting position. Upright rows target the shoulders and trapezius muscles.
Friday Workout: Chest And Triceps
Friday’s workout in this arm workout guide focuses again on chest and triceps, pushing your upper body strength.
1 Bench press
Week 1: Sets 4 Reps 10 Tempo 3010 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 5 Reps 10 Tempo 3010 Rest 60sec
How to: Lie on a flat bench, gripping a barbell shoulder-width apart. Lower the bar to your chest, then press it back up explosively. Bench press is a fundamental exercise for chest and overall upper body strength.
2 Incline dumbbell flye
Week 1: Sets 4 Reps 10 Tempo 3011 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 5 Reps 10 Tempo 3011 Rest 60sec
How to: Lie back on an incline bench, holding dumbbells above your chest. Lower the dumbbells outwards with a slight bend in your elbows until you feel a chest stretch. Bring them back to the starting position by contracting your chest muscles.
3 Triceps dip
Week 1: Sets 4 Reps 6-10 Tempo 3010 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 4 Reps 8-10 Tempo 3010 Rest 60sec
How to: Grip parallel bars, supporting your bodyweight with straight arms. Lower your body by bending your elbows to 90 degrees. Push back up to the starting position. Triceps dips are excellent for bodyweight triceps development.
4 Incline dumbbell shoulder press
Week 1: Sets 4 Reps 10 Tempo 3010 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 4 Reps 12 Tempo 3010 Rest 60sec
How to: Lie back on an incline bench, holding dumbbells at shoulder height. Press the dumbbells straight up until your arms are fully extended. Lower them back to the starting position with control. Incline dumbbell presses target the front deltoids effectively.
5 Cable triceps press-down
Week 1: Sets 4 Reps 10 Tempo 3010 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 4 Reps 12 Tempo 3010 Rest 60sec
How to: Stand facing a cable machine, holding a straight bar handle from the high pulley. Press the bar down until your arms are fully extended, keeping your elbows tucked in. Return to the starting position slowly. Cable press-downs provide constant tension for triceps growth.
6 Press-up
Week 1: Sets 4 Reps 10-15 Tempo 3010 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 4 Reps 12-15 Tempo 3010 Rest 60sec
How to: Start in a plank position, hands shoulder-width apart. Lower your chest to the floor by bending your elbows. Push back up to the starting position. Press-ups are a versatile bodyweight exercise for chest, shoulders, and triceps.
Saturday Workout: Back And Biceps
The final workout in Block 2 of this arm workout guide focuses on back and biceps, completing a full week of training.
1 Chin-up
Week 1: Sets 4 Reps 6-10 Tempo 3011 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 5 Reps 6-10 Tempo 3011 Rest 60sec
How to: Grip a pull-up bar with an underhand grip. Pull yourself up until your chin clears the bar. Lower yourself back down with control. Chin-ups are a compound exercise that effectively works back and biceps.
2 Lat pull-down
Week 1: Sets 4 Reps 10 Tempo 3011 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 5 Reps 10 Tempo 3011 Rest 60sec
How to: Sit at a lat pull-down machine, using a shoulder-width overhand grip. Pull the bar down towards your chest, focusing on engaging your back muscles. Control the bar back to the starting position. Lat pull-downs are excellent for building back width.
3 Prone dumbbell row
Week 1: Sets 4 Reps 10 Tempo 3011 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 4 Reps 12 Tempo 3011 Rest 60sec
How to: Lie chest-down on an incline bench, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Row the weights up, leading with your elbows, keeping your chest against the bench. Lower the weights back to the starting position with control. Prone dumbbell rows isolate the upper back muscles.
4 Prone dumbbell reverse flye
Week 1: Sets 4 Reps 10 Tempo 3011 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 4 Reps 12 Tempo 3011 Rest 60sec
How to: Lie chest-down on an incline bench, holding light dumbbells. Raise the weights out to the sides, leading with your elbows, keeping your chest pressed against the bench. Lower the weights back to the starting position. Reverse flyes target the rear deltoids and upper back.
5 Dumbbell biceps curl
Week 1: Sets 4 Reps 10 Tempo 3011 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 4 Reps 12 Tempo 3011 Rest 60sec
How to: Stand holding dumbbells with palms facing inwards. Curl the weights up to shoulder height, keeping your elbows tucked in. Squeeze your biceps at the top, then lower the weights back to the starting position. This variation focuses on the brachialis muscle.
6 Dumbbell hammer curl
Week 1: Sets 4 Reps 10 Tempo 3011 Rest 60sec
Week 2: Sets 4 Reps 12 Tempo 3011 Rest 60sec
How to: Stand holding dumbbells with palms facing each other. Curl the weights up to shoulder height, keeping your palms facing each other throughout the movement. Lower the weights back to the starting position. Hammer curls work the brachialis and brachioradialis muscles, enhancing bicep thickness and forearm strength.
Fueling Your Arm Workout Plan
Nutrition is paramount for maximizing the results of this arm workout guide. While meticulous calorie counting isn’t essential, adhering to a few key dietary principles will significantly support your training and overall health.
Protein intake becomes particularly important when engaging in regular weightlifting, as it’s the building block for muscle growth and repair. Aim for a daily intake of 1.2g-2g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight. Prioritize obtaining protein from whole food sources, but a post-workout protein shake can be a convenient supplement on occasion.
Carbohydrates are your body’s primary fuel source for intense workouts. Opt for wholegrain sources like brown rice and sweet potatoes, especially on rest days, due to their higher fiber content. Furthermore, ensure you consume at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily to provide essential vitamins to build muscle.
Consider minimizing or eliminating alcohol consumption. Alcohol adds empty calories and can negatively impact sleep quality, hindering muscle recovery and growth.
Arm Workout Plan FAQs
Why Does This Arm Workout Plan Train The Entire Body?
An effective arm workout guide must incorporate exercises that extend beyond just arm isolation. Focusing solely on arm exercises is not only monotonous but also counterproductive, as muscles require time to recover and grow.
Furthermore, overall body strength is crucial for arm training progression. As Nick Mitchell, CEO and founder of Ultimate Performance, explains, the body strives for balance. Building bigger arms necessitates overall muscle growth and increased bodyweight.
“Your body will always fight to stay in balance, and it takes an extra 10-15lb of overall lean bodyweight to add an inch to the circumference of your arms,” Mitchell states.
Therefore, this arm workout guide emphasizes compound exercises that engage multiple muscle groups, promoting overall muscle mass gain and, consequently, arm growth.
“One of the most common reasons people don’t gain size in their arms is because they are underweight. Have you ever seen a 60kg guy with 17-inch arms? Probably not,” Mitchell adds. “A lack of arm size is just a lack of overall growth, and so getting strong on compound lifts like the bench press, the overhead press, deadlift, chin-up and the barbell squat will help contribute to more overall muscle mass, which will help drive overall bodyweight up and so make your arms bigger.”
Even if isolated arm exercises could build significant arm size in isolation, disproportionately large arms on a less developed physique would appear aesthetically unbalanced. This full-body approach ensures proportional and harmonious muscle development.
