Best Exercises for Bigger, Stronger Arms

Having bigger, stronger arms can give you a feeling of confidence. Muscular arms can also convey a sense of athleticism and strength. But there are some important practical benefits to having stronger arms, too.

Anything that requires upper body effort — from picking up your kids to lifting heavy boxes — can be done more easily with stronger arms. In addition to boosting your daily functional fitness, having more muscle mass has the ability to:

increase your metabolism — this means your body will burn more calories, even when you’re not exercising
increase muscle endurance, strength, and tone
lower your chance of injury

The two main muscles in your upper arm are the biceps in the front and the triceps in the back. They’re opposite functioning muscle groups, so they require different types of exercises for strength training.

In this article, we’ll walk you through eight of the best exercises for your biceps and triceps, based on research findings.

Exercises for biceps

Your biceps brachii, more commonly known as your biceps, is a double-headed muscle that runs from your shoulder to your elbow. It’s the key muscle involved in lifting and pulling with your arms.

Not surprisingly, according to a 2014 study conducted by the American Council on Exercise (ACE), some of the best exercises for your biceps involve lifting or curling weights up toward your shoulder.

To do these exercises, choose a weight that allows you to do 12 to 15 repetitions of each exercise with the right form.

To start, perform one set of each exercise two to three times a week, allowing for at least 1 day of rest in between your biceps workouts. You can build up to doing two to three sets of each exercise as you build your strength.

1. Concentration curl

In the ACE study, researchers compared the effectiveness of eight different types of biceps exercises. The one that achieved the greatest muscle activation was the concentration curl.

The authors of the study suggest that it’s the most effective bicep exercise because it isolates the biceps more than any of the other exercises.

To do a concentration curl:

Sit at the end of a flat bench with your legs open in a V shape.
Grip a dumbbell with one hand and lean forward slightly.
With your palm facing your center, rest your elbow against the inside of your thigh.
Rest your other hand or elbow on the other thigh for stability.
While keeping your upper body still, curl the weight slowly toward your shoulder.
As you lift, turn your wrist slightly so that you end the curl with your palm facing your shoulder.
Pause for a moment, allowing yourself to feel the effort in your bicep, and then slowly lower the weight. Don’t rest it on the floor, though, until your final repetition.
Repeat 12 to 15 times, then switch arms.

2. Cable curl

Cable curls can be done a few different ways. You can use a low pulley machine attached to a cable with a handle. Or, you can use a resistance band if you can safely tie one end of the band to something sturdy.

For a standing one-arm cable curl:

Stand a couple of feet from the pulley machine, and grasp the cable handle with your palm facing forward and your elbow close to your side.
Place the foot opposite your curling hand a little in front of your other foot for better balance.
Slowly curl your arm, bringing your palm toward your shoulder.
Hold the curl up for a moment and feel the exertion in your bicep.
Slowly lower the handle to the starting position.
Do 12 to 15 repetitions, then switch arms.

3. Barbell curl

With this classic bicep exercise, it’s important to keep your back straight and avoid moving your body, except for your arms. You want to make the biceps do all the work, so you may need to start with a lighter weight at first.

To do a barbell curl:

Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
Hold the barbell with your arms at your side, palms facing out.
While exhaling, slowly curl the barbell up toward your chest. Keep your chest still, using only your arms to lift the barbell.
Hold the position for a second, then slowly lower the barbell to its starting position.
Repeat 12 to 15 times.

4. Chinup

The chinup requires a sturdy chinup bar that’s high enough off the ground that your feet won’t touch the floor when your arms are extended.

To do a chinup:

Stand under the chinup bar, and reach both arms up so that your palms are facing you.
Grab the bar with both hands. You may need to jump or step up to reach the bar.
With a firm grip and your thumbs wrapped around the bar, steady your body. It may help to cross your legs for more stability.
While exhaling slowly, pull your body upward by bending your elbows.
Keep your elbows in front of you as you focus on letting your biceps pull you up to where your chin meets the bar.
Pause for a moment, then slowly lower yourself to the starting position before repeating the move again.

Exercises for triceps

Your triceps brachii, more commonly known as your triceps, is a group of three muscles that are located at the back of your upper arm. These muscles run between your shoulder and elbow. They help to strengthen your arm and stabilize your shoulder.

According to a 2012 study done by ACE, the following exercises are the most effective for stronger, firmer triceps.

5. Triangle pushup

Out of all the triceps exercises included in the ACE study, the triangle pushup was determined to be the most effective at working your triceps. Best of all, you just need your body weight to do this exercise.

Do a triangle pushup:

Get into traditional pushup position with only your toes and hands touching the floor.
Place your hands below your face with your forefingers and thumbs touching, forming a triangle between your hands.
While keeping your torso and legs straight, slowly lower your body so that your nose comes close to your hands.
Push your body back up to its starting position, being careful not to arch your back or let it sag.
Repeat 12 to 15 times.

If this is too difficult at first, try doing triangle pushups with your knees on the floor but your torso rigid.

6. Tricep kickback

The ACE study found that tricep kickbacks are close behind triangle pushups in giving your triceps a complete workout.

This exercise can also be done by using just one arm at a time and then switching arms once you’ve completed a set with the first arm.

To do a tricep kickback:

Hold a dumbbell in each hand, with your palms facing inward. Bend your knees slightly.
Hinge forward at your waist, keeping your back straight and your core engaged, until your upper body is almost parallel to the floor.
With your arms close to your side, bend your elbows so that the dumbbells come up alongside the side of your chest.
Slowly straighten your forearms, keeping your upper arms still.
Hold for a second, then bend your elbows until the dumbbells are in the starting position, close to your chest.
Repeat 12 to 15 times.
If only using one arm at a time, rest for a minute, then switch arms and repeat.

7. Dips

This exercise can also be done at home without a dip stand. You can place your hands, palm down, behind you on a flat bench or chair. You can then perform dips in front of the bench or chair with your hands behind you.

To do dips:

Stand in between the rails of a dip bar.
Grip each bar with your arms straight down by your side.
You may need to bend your knees to keep from touching the floor.
Slowly bend your elbows and lower yourself until your upper arms are almost parallel to the floor.
Straighten your arms until you’re back at your starting position.
Repeat 12 to 15 times.

8. Overhead extension

An overhead extension is typically done with a single dumbbell. Use a lighter weight to start, and switch to a heavier weight once you get used to this exercise.

Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, with one foot slightly in front of the other for balance. You can also do this exercise while sitting on a bench.
Place both hands around the dumbbell handle.
Lift the dumbbell up over your head so that your arms are straight.
Slowly bend your elbows to a 90-degree angle so that the dumbbell finishes behind your head.
Slowly straighten your arms so that the weight is above your head again.

Other important exercises

While having bigger, stronger arms may be your No. 1 strength building goal, don’t ignore the other muscles in your body. Exercises that strengthen your back and shoulders are especially important to support your arms and prevent injury.

Consider including the following exercises to your strength training routine:

A word about nutrition

Although the right exercises are important for building bigger, stronger arms, you can’t ignore your nutrition needs. To promote muscle growth, you also need to focus on eating the right foods.

If you’re not giving your body the fuel it needs, you may limit the results of your arm-building workouts.

Keep the following in mind when working toward bigger arms:

Boost your protein intake. Protein promotes muscle growth and speeds up recovery between workouts. Some high-protein foods you may want to include in your diet include eggs, salmon, chicken breast, tuna, lean beef, turkey breast, Greek yogurt, beans, and chickpeas. The recommended daily protein intake for building muscle is between 1.4 and 1.8 grams per pound of body weight.
Eat more complex carbohydrates. Like protein, complex carbs are essential for building muscle. These carbs provide your body with energy and sustenance. Focus on whole-grain breads and pasta, oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, potatoes, corn, and green peas.
Avoid simple carbohydrates. While most simple carbs have plenty of calories, they don’t offer any nutritional benefits. They’re often considered “empty” carbs. Limit your intake of sugary drinks, baked goods, candy, cookies, and other sugary sweets.
Focus on healthy fats. If you don’t consume enough fat in your diet, your body could start burning protein instead of fat for its energy needs. Good sources of healthy fats include olive oil, salmon, peanut butter, and avocado.
Don’t skip on calories. Be sure to get enough calories from the foods you eat. If your calorie intake is too low, you likely won’t see results with your arm-building workouts. Try to get your calorie needs met with healthy sources of carbohydrates, protein, and fat, as well as from fresh fruits and vegetables.

Weight-Free Exercises to Tone Your Arms

Arm strengthening is a cornerstone of any comprehensive fitness program. Strong arms are not just about appearances. Functionally, arm strength is necessary for many of life’s daily activities, such as carrying, lifting, pushing, and pulling.

While many traditional arm strengthening exercises involve weights and a gym, quite a few exercises can help you strengthen and tone your arms without weights.

This article breaks down what muscles you should target for strong arms and teaches you the top 8 weight-free arm exercises to tone every muscle in your arms.

person assuming Downward Dog Pose — The Good Brigade/Getty Images

What muscles are we targeting?

Multiple muscles are found in your arms, from your hand and wrists all the way to your shoulders.

Additionally, the muscles in your chest and shoulders play key roles in many important movements you routinely perform with your arms.

The arms themselves primarily include the following major muscles (1

Trusted Source

Biceps brachii. This classic muscle is responsible for flexing the elbow and externally rotating your hand and forearm.
Coracobrachialis. This muscle spans from your shoulder to the middle of your upper arm until just below your elbow. It assists in raising, or flexing, your upper arm.
Brachialis. The brachialis is a strong elbow flexor that spans from the middle of your upper arm to just below the elbow and plays a major role in flexing your elbow.
Triceps brachii. This muscle has three distinct heads, each of which begins at the shoulder and spans the backside of your upper arm until just below the elbow. It’s responsible for extending your elbow when you straighten your arm, as well as extending your shoulder, or moving your arm behind you.

In addition to the muscles in the arm themselves, the muscles of the shoulder, upper back, and chest play a key role in the strength output of your arms.

Although these muscles are not traditionally thought of as arm muscles, they’re key to virtually every movement or stabilizing force needed when using your arms for tasks.

These muscles include:

Pectoralis major. The pec major is responsible for most of the movements of the arm, including pushing, lifting the arm, and bringing the arm down from a flexed position. It also adducts the arm from a horizontal position and assists with the rotation of the upper arm.
Pectoralis minor. This muscle is an important scapular stabilizer.
Posterior shoulder muscles. These rear shoulder muscles move your upper arm backward, such as during pull-apart motions.
Deltoids. These muscles around the front, side, and back of the shoulder move your arm upward in all directions. They’re also responsible for the rotation of the upper arm.
Rotator cuff muscles. These muscles are important shoulder stabilizers, but they also assist with initiating arm movements.
Latissimus dorsi. This muscle in your upper back moves your upper arm downward, in, or backward, such as during a lat pulldown or rowing motion.

Overall arm strengthening should focus on as many of these muscles as possible to ensure you have adequate, proportional strength in every direction your arm can move.

The 8 best bodyweight arm exercises

The following exercises target the various arm muscles as best as possible without the need for added weight. The exercises range from easy to difficult, listed in that order, and may involve multiple muscle groups (including your core muscles), as well as your arm muscles.

It’s worth noting that without a pullup bar or suspension trainer, such as gymnastic rings or a TRX system, strengthening the back and biceps is very difficult without using an external weight.

When performing these exercises, think about actively contracting the muscles in your arms during each repetition. This will increase muscle activation and help improve the quality of your training.

Arm circles

This beginner exercise focuses on the shoulder muscles and isometrically strengthens the biceps and triceps. You can make smaller or larger circles, but ensure that you maintain tension down your arm throughout the full set.

To perform arm circles:

Stand tall with your arms straight out to your sides and your muscles contracted down the length of your arm.
Slowly make circles with your arms by rotating them around your shoulders while keeping them straight and your elbows locked with tension.
Perform 3 sets of 10–20 repetitions in both directions. You can perform sets of large or small diameter circles to slightly change the effort required.

Arm front raises

This exercise targets the front of your shoulder and isometrically strengthens your biceps and triceps. To make this more challenging, grab two cans of soup or two water bottles to add weight.

To perform arm front raises:

Stand tall with your arms out to the front, locked out straight with your thumbs toward the ceiling.
Raise your arms overhead while keeping them straight and locked out until they point straight up overhead, with your upper arms blocking your ears when viewed from the side.
Slowly lower your arms to the starting position.
Perform 3 sets of 10–20 repetitions.

Arm lateral raises

This exercise targets the top of your shoulder and isometrically strengthens your biceps and triceps. To make this more challenging, grab two cans of soup or two water bottles to add weight.

To perform arm lateral raises:

Stand with your arms at your sides and your palms facing inward toward your hips.
Keep your arms straight and raise them to the side until your body makes a “T” when viewed from the front.
Slowly lower to the starting position.
Repeat for 10–20 repetitions.

Wall angels

This exercise strengthens the shoulder and triceps and improves shoulder mobility.

To perform wall angels:

Stand with your back against a wall with your knees bent and your feet roughly 1–2 feet (about 0.5 meters) away from the wall. Your head, upper back, and tailbone should be in contact with the wall.
Bend your elbows to 90 degrees and raise your arms until your upper arms are parallel to the floor, as if you’re putting your hands up.
Extend your arms overhead until they’re straight. Aim to keep your arms, head, upper back, and tailbone in contact with the wall.
Return to the starting position.
Repeat for 3 sets 10–12 repetitions.

Downward Dog to plank

This exercise strengthens the chest, shoulders, and triceps. It’s an excellent way to begin building strength in the top of a pushup position.

To perform Downward Dog to plank:

Begin in a pushup plank position with your hands under your shoulders and your arms straight. You can start with your knees on the ground if the pushup plank position is too challenging.
Raise your hips and press backward with your arms to arrive into the Downward Dog Pose. If you started from your knees, you will raise your knees off of the ground once you have pushed back enough to do so.
Stabilize briefly in the Downward Dog Pose before returning to the starting position.
Repeat for 3 sets of 10–12 repetitions.

Plank tap

This exercise is a plank variation that strengthens your shoulders, triceps, and biceps.

To perform the plank tap:

Begin in a pushup plank position with your hands under your shoulders and your arms straight. Keep your spine neutral. To make the exercise more challenging, keep your feet together. To make it easier, widen your feet.
Bring your left hand up to your right shoulder and tap it before returning your hand to the floor.
Repeat with your right hand and left shoulder.
Perform 3 sets of 10–12 repetitions on each side.

Pushup

The classic pushup strengthens the chest, shoulders, and triceps with no equipment. You will also need to engage your core to maintain the position, which adds a bonus core component to this arm exercise.

Perform the pushups on your knees if the standard variation is too challenging.

To perform a pushup:

Begin in a pushup position with your hands under your shoulders, spine neutral, and legs straight. If needed, keep your knees on the ground to reduce the difficulty level.
Lower your entire body in unison toward the floor by bending at the elbow. Keep your elbows close to your sides or at about a 45–degree angle. Lower your chest until your upper arm is parallel to the floor.
Push through the floor to drive back to the top position, maintaining control the entire time.
Repeat for 3 sets of 10–12 repetitions. If the sets become too difficult, you can revert to the knees-down variation.

Triceps dip

For this dip variation, all you need is a chair. This exercise primarily targets the triceps and chest.

To perform bodyweight triceps dips:

Place your hands shoulder-width apart on the chair you’re propping yourself upon.
Shift your pelvis and bottom forward so there’s a gap of 3–6 inches (8–15 cm) between your back and the chair, giving you clearance as you dip down.
Bend your legs to a 90–degree angle with your feet planted firmly on the ground, or extend them out in front of you (but don’t lock your knees).
Slowly lower your body straight down and then push back up, focusing on engaging your triceps.
Complete 3 sets of 10–12 reps.

Can you build bigger arms without weights?

Building big arm muscles is a common goal in conjunction with strengthening them. While strength and muscle mass are related, they’re not the same.

Unfortunately, while it’s possible to strengthen your arms with the bodyweight exercises in this article, there’s only so much muscle you can build with these exercises.

In the early stages of your fitness journey, you will build some arm muscles with these exercises. You can progress them by adding more volume — in other words, more repetitions, up to about 20 per set.

However, as you progress, these exercises will become too easy, and you will need external resistance to continue challenging them enough to stimulate muscle growth.

Additionally, as mentioned earlier, the back and biceps muscles are difficult to train without additional equipment.

That’s because these muscles primarily perform pulling movements, and there are no real practical ways to use your body weight to load these movements without a suspension method like a pullup bar or TRX system.

As such, if your goal is muscular arms, you will need to branch out beyond bodyweight arm exercises. Still, these exercises will help you maintain form and function when you can’t get to the gym.

Tips for an equipment-free arm workout

To include the exercises above in an arm strengthening program, consider the following guidelines:

Perform the workout 2 times per week on nonconsecutive days.
Start with 3 sets of 10 reps of the easiest exercise, such as arm circles.
Perform 3 sets of 1 or 2 exercises that are intermediately difficult, performing the exercises either to failure each set or stopping at 20 repetitions.
Perform 3 sets of the hardest exercise in the list that you can still perform for at least 5 repetitions. Perform these sets to failure. If you can perform more than 20 repetitions, the exercise is not sufficiently challenging.

3 Pushup Variations That Work Your Biceps

What you can do

A standard pushup targets your pectorals (chest muscles), deltoids, and triceps.

But if you engage your core and activate your glutes, this dynamic move can enhance more than just your upper body.

You can even adjust your technique to target your biceps. Here are three biceps-focused variations to try, alternative biceps-busting moves, and more.

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How to do a pushup

To perform a standard pushup, get into a plank position.

Place your palms on the floor. Ensure they’re stacked directly underneath your shoulders. Keep your neck neutral, back straight, core tight, and feet together.

To go down, gently bend your elbows — they should flare out at a 45-degree angle — and slowly lower your body to the floor. Make sure you maintain a straight torso and neutral neck.

When your chest reaches the floor, push yourself back up to start through your arms. Pay special attention to your lower back. You don’t want it to sag toward the floor.

Proper form is key to increasing strength and preventing injury.

Positioning your palms and elbows too far apart can result in shoulder pain. And if your lower back sags when you try to rise, it may cause back pain.

If standard pushups are painful or uncomfortable, don’t force it. Certain modifications can help relieve the pressure on your joints and allow you to safely build your strength.

You may find it helpful to practice with your knees on the ground instead of being in a full-body plank. You could also try performing pushups off of an elevated surface, like a bench or step.

How to target your biceps

The biceps brachii muscle — known simply as the biceps muscle (yes, it’s always plural!) — is the muscle on the front of your upper arm.

Its main function is to bend your forearm toward your upper arm. It also aids in turning your palm up and down.

Although a standard pushup doesn’t target the biceps muscle, changing the position of your hands can make this muscle play a larger role in the movement.

1. Close-stance pushup

Moving your hands closer together allows you to target your biceps more directly.

To get moving:

Get into the standard pushup position, ensuring your torso is stiff and your neck is neutral.
Move your hands closer together, leaving just a few inches between them. The closer they are, the harder this exercise will be to perform, so adjust accordingly.
Lower your body to the ground, allowing your elbows to flare out at a 45-degree angle.
Push back to start and repeat, doing as many reps as you can — or working until “failure” — for three sets.

2. Inside pushup with reversed hands

Moving the alignment of your hands down your torso and reversing their position will produce more of an arm-curling motion. This is key to targeting the biceps.

This is an advanced move, so consider starting on your knees instead of in a full-body plank.

To get moving:

Start in the standard pushup position.
Turn your hands so your fingers are facing the wall behind you. Move your hands so they’re aligned with your mid-back.
Lower down, tucking your elbows in toward your body as much as possible.
Once your chest reaches near the floor, push back up to start. Again, complete three sets to failure.

3. One-armed pushup

Self-explanatory in its name, a one-armed pushup is done with one arm tucked behind your back.

This is another advanced move, so consider dropping to your knees or performing on an elevated surface to start.

To get moving:

Start in the standard pushup position.
Widen the distance between your feet to create more stability, then pick one hand up off the ground and place it behind your back.
Lower down until your chest nears the floor.
Push back up to the start, completing three sets to failure.

Things to consider

Don’t be discouraged if these exercises are difficult at the outset. Most are for advanced exercisers. Utilize modifications to reap the benefits.

Performing one of these moves at least once a week will help your biceps grow in size and strength — especially if done in combination with a few of the biceps-focused exercises below!

Other biceps-focused exercises

You can give your biceps a workout with lots of other exercises, too. Try:

Alternating dumbbell biceps curl. If you’re just starting out, stick to 10 pounds or less in each hand. Your torso should remain stationary and your elbows should stay close to your body as you complete the curl.

Barbell biceps curl. You should be able to lift a bit more weight in barbell form, so feel free to go a bit heavier. Make sure your form is solid, though! You want to stay slow and controlled throughout the movement.

Overhead cable curl. You’ll need access to a cable machine for this move, which you perform above your head.

Chinup. Although pullups mainly work your back, switching your grip to perform a chinup will hit those biceps hard. If you have access to a gym, consider using an assisted pullup machine. You can also utilize a band and pullup bar.

How to Get Bigger Biceps

Biceps are the bulging muscles on the front of the upper arm. When you flex your arms, they are the ones you are showing off. Making your biceps bigger involves more than doing the same exercises over and over. Learn different strategies, biceps exercises, supporting muscle group exercises, and lifestyle changes that promote bigger, stronger biceps.

Do dumbbell curls.^[1] Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold dumbbells in either hand at your sides, with your arms fully extended and your palms turned in. Curl the dumbbells to your chest.^[2]

Do between 6 and 8 reps and 2 sets. Increase to 3 sets after a week or two. After that, you can increase the weight of the dumbbells.
If you don't have dumbbells, you can also use kettlebells or barbells.^[3]

Tip: If you don't have weights handy, you can use some common household objects, like a full milk jug or water bottles filled with rice.

2
Do incline dumbbell curls. Sit on a workout chair at a 45-degree incline. Place your feet on the floor and hold the dumbbells at your sides with your arms fully extended. Alternate your hands and curl one dumbbell at a time. Curl until the dumbbell is level with your shoulder and your elbow is totally bent, then slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position.
Do between 6 and 8 reps and 2 sets. Increase to 3 sets after a week or two, then add more weight as you get stronger.
You may find that you'll have to use a lower weight for this exercise than you use for regular dumbbell curls. That's not an issue; the inclined position makes it more difficult to lift, so your biceps are still getting a great workout.

3
Do concentration curls. Sit on an exercise seat with your feet flat on the ground shoulder-width apart. Lean forward so that your right elbow is touching the inside of your right knee, and your arm is fully extended. Curl the dumbbell toward your chest, keeping your elbow in the same spot.^[4]
You can place your opposite hand on your opposite knee for stability.
Do between 6 and 8 reps and 2 sets, then repeat with your left arm.
4
Do chin-ups. This exercise may be difficult at first, but it's an excellent way to increase the size of your biceps. Grip a bar with your hands placed shoulder-width apart and your palms facing you. Cross your feet and lift your body until your chin is higher than your hands. Slowly lower your body back to the starting position.
Do between 6 and 8 reps and 2 sets. Increase to 8 - 12 reps and 3 sets once you have gained strength.
To increase the intensity of this exercise, wear a weighted belt. Add more weight as you get stronger over time.
1
Incorporate pectoral fly exercise into your workout. This exercise works out your pectoral muscles as well as your biceps, and helps you create a strong foundation for a safe, successful bicep workout. Incorporate pectoral fly exercises into either your bicep workout or additional strength training workouts on days you rest your biceps.^[5]
Lie down on a bench so that your head, torso, and rear end are all supported, but your legs are off the bench. Bend your knees so that your feet sit flat on the floor off the end of the bench. Bend your elbows so that your dumbbells are resting near your chest to begin.
Start by pushing the dumbbells straight up from the chest. Slowly lower the arms out to the sides only as far as you feel sure you can bring the dumbbells back up. Make sure you have a spotter nearby for safety
Exhale, and carefully bring the dumbbells back together over the center of your chest in an arch motion. Once the dumbbells come together, repeat the motion by lowering the dumbbells back out to the sides. Repeat this motion for your specific number of reps.
2
Perform push-ups. Push-ups help build strength in the shoulders, chest and triceps, all of which work in conjunction with the biceps. Incorporate push-ups in your regular workout routine as a body-weight exercise to help build up your supporting muscle groups.^[6]
Set yourself on a mat stomach-down, and place your hands at shoulder level and slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Set your feet up so that your legs are straight back behind you and the tips of your shoes are touching the ground. Look down while keeping your head, neck, and spine in a straight line.
Push up on your arms to bring your body to an elevated position at the full extension of your arms. Your body should stay in a straight line. Brace your abs as you push up.
Once you reach the full extent of your arms, carefully lower yourself until your elbows are at a 90 degree angle. Do not let your chest or head drop to the ground.
Repeat the exercise for the recommended amount of reps, or until your body gets tired.

3
Add stretching to your routine. Stretching is important to help your muscles loosen up and kickstart the recovery process. Consider adding a stretching routine such as yoga to your workout schedule to make sure that your biceps and supporting muscle groups are all getting the attention they deserve.
You can perform muscle-specific static stretches, but whole-body stretching exercises such as yoga provide a more inclusive, comprehensive stretch for all muscles worked, including smaller supporting ones.^[7]

1
Don't train every day. You might think that working out every day will lead to bigger biceps, but your muscles actually get stronger during the resting period in between workouts, when they have time to recover. Over time they get larger in order to be capable of lifting more and more weight.^[8]
Train your biceps no more than twice a week for the best results.
Work out other parts of your body on the days you aren't doing exercises to enhance your biceps.
The bottom line

Pushups are a fundamental exercise, one you should incorporate into your exercise routine for functional strength. Doing variations of them — to hit the biceps, for instance — will spice things up and target different muscles.

Exercises that target your biceps and triceps are essential for building bigger arms. Try to work these muscles at least two to three times a week, and work toward doing more repetitions and sets with each exercise as you build your strength.

For a well-rounded workout, make sure you also include exercises that strengthen your shoulders, back, chest, core, and legs, too.

Together with performing targeted exercises, it’s important to follow an eating plan that’s rich in complex carbs, protein, and healthy oils, and includes sufficient calories to fuel your workouts.

The muscles required for arm movements include the muscles in the front and back of your arm, as well as the chest, shoulders, and upper back muscles.

Strengthening your arms should be a key component in your fitness routine. While there are many arm exercises out there, finding good arm exercises that do not require equipment can be challenging.

The exercises in this article are an excellent starting point and progression for your equipment-free arm workout program.

In the long run, you will need to branch out into equipment-based exercises for continued muscle growth.

Nevertheless, if you want to strengthen your arms and do not have the equipment, you have some excellent exercise options to get you started.

SUMMARY

Bodyweight arm exercises are good for beginners and those who can’t access equipment. But ultimately, they’re insufficient for gaining large amounts of muscle on the arms.

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