Big Arms
By Erick Alvarez for Rocket magazine

You'll rarely meet a guy who doesn't want t bigger and more muscular arms. Whenever I meet with a new male client or a guy at a party hits me up for workout advice, much of the time he wants to know how to build his arms.

A lot of guys get frustrated because their arms don't grow at the same rate as their pecs. This is explained by the size of the muscle group as well as the shape of the muscles involved. The triceps and biceps are small and elongated muscles, which makes them harder to build.

There are two very common mistakes that guys trying to build their arms do over and over. First, they focus a lot on their biceps and very little on their triceps - a big mistake, because the triceps make up two-thirds, or most of the muscle mass, of the upper arm. Second, when they do work their triceps, their entire triceps workouts consist of only a couple of exercises added to the end of their chest workout, when the triceps are already tired from assisting in the chest workout.

If you want bigger arms, you need to build your triceps. Start by giving your triceps their own workout. Below is an all-triceps workout that will leave your tri's no choice but to grow. Follow this routine once a week, doing 3-4 sets of 8-10 reps for each exercise at a moderate to heavy intensity.

The Workout

Closed-Grip Bench Press

Starting position - Lie on a flat bench under a barbell rack with your feet on the floor for stability and your hands spaced about 6 inches apart on the barbell. Lift the bar off the rack and hold it right above your chest.

Movement - Lower the bar slowly toward the lower part of your chest, then push it back up to the starting position. As you lower the bar keep the elbows close to the sides of your torso.

Skull Crushers

Starting position - Grasp a barbell or EZ-bar using an overhand shoulder-width grip and lie on a flat bench with your feet flat on the floor. Extend your arms up so that the bar is directly above the shoulders.

Movement - Bending your elbows, lower the bar behind the top your head. Keeping your elbows in place, extend your arms up to the starting position, pause and repeat. And remember, they don't call this exercise "skull crushers," for nothing - watch your head!

Triceps Pushdowns

Starting position - Attach a short straight bar to a high cable pulley. Grip the bar with your palms facing down and about 10 to 12 inches apart. Stand upright facing the cable tower and with the elbows close to the sides of your body.

Movement - Push the bar down to the front of your thighs. Pause and raise the bar to the starting position. Keep your elbows close and to the side of your body during the entire exercise.

Overhead Extension

Starting position - Standing upright with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees relaxed, hold a dumbbell in one hand and place the other hand on your waist. Straighten your arm toward the ceiling by pushing the dumbbell up and directly above your head.

Movement - Keeping your upper arm next to the side of your head, bend your elbow and lower the dumbbell behind your head. Push the dumbbell back up to the starting position, pause and repeat until your set is finished. Switch arms and perform with the other arm.

Kickbacks

Starting position - Hold a dumbbell in your right hand; stand next to a flat bench and position your left knee on the bench, keeping the other knee bent with the foot flat on the floor. Bend forward from the hips, and place your left hand on the bench. Bend forward so that your torso is parallel to the floor and your head facing down. Bend the arm holding the dumbbell and raise the elbow past the torso.

Movement - Keep your elbow in place and push the dumbbell back and up by extending the arm backward. Pause, and slowly return to the starting position. Repeat until your set is finished, then perform with the left arm.

Think Strong.

Note: If you have an injury or any health problems, consult with your physician before starting an exercise program or performing any of the exercises in this article.

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