Five Arm Workouts to Build Bigger Biceps and Triceps

Bigger arms come from more than chasing a bicep peak. Because the triceps make up roughly two-thirds of upper-arm size, a smart plan trains both muscle groups with equal effort. The 20-week blueprint below cycles five focused sessions, each one changing the angles, grips, and rep ranges so every head of the biceps and triceps gets a clear reason to grow.

Understand the Muscles Behind the Arms

Before lifting, it helps to know what each muscle actually does during a curl or press. That knowledge makes it easier to pick exercises that match your goal of adding visible size.

Biceps: more than a mirror muscle

The biceps bend the elbow and also rotate the forearm, so training them from several arm positions builds fuller arms. Cover these positions across the training cycle rather than every session:

• Arms behind the body, using incline curls to stretch the long head.
• Arms beside the body, using standing or seated curls for a balanced peak.
• Arms in front of the body, using preacher curls to lock the shoulder in place.

Because the biceps also rotate the forearm, switching grips adds another growth stimulus:

• Palms-up curls load the standard bicep line.
• Palms-in hammer curls shift work toward the brachialis and forearms.
• Palms-down reverse curls target the upper forearm and brachialis.

Triceps: the real size maker

The triceps straighten the elbow and carry most of the arm's mass. Training all three heads means choosing exercises at different heights relative to the torso:

• In front of the body with close-grip bench presses or push-downs.
• In front of the face with skullcrushers.
• Overhead with cable or dumbbell extensions for a long-head stretch.

Forearms: grip and control

Forearms drive grip strength, wrist stability, and many pulling movements. When a program ignores them, lifts stall and arms look incomplete. The workouts below use high-rep wrist curls and plate pinches to push this area directly.

How to Run the 20-Week Plan

One dedicated arm session per week is plenty, since chest, shoulder, and back days already tax the arms. Friday or Saturday works well for most lifters. Spend four to six weeks on each of the five workouts in order, then return to Workout 1 ready to be measurably bigger and stronger.

Rep ranges and weekly focus

Mixing rep ranges keeps the muscles adapting. Across the cycle, you will use:

• Low reps of 4 to 6 for strength and thick fiber recruitment.
• Moderate reps of 8 to 12 for the bulk of hypertrophy work.
• Higher reps of 15 to 20, and 25 to 50 for forearms, to build endurance and detail.

For the first eight weeks, train triceps before biceps so the larger muscle group gets fresh effort before the smaller one.

Nutrition and support habits

Arms grow when total calories and protein are high enough. Aim for a modest caloric surplus and a protein intake that supports muscle repair. Two widely used supplements fit naturally with this kind of training:

• Creatine monohydrate for daily strength and lean-mass support.
• Pre-workout for energy, focus, and a stronger training pump.

Workout 1: Weeks 1 to 4

This opening session leans on heavy compound lifts to set a strength base.

• Close-grip bench press: 3 sets of 4 to 6 reps, 90 seconds rest.
• Cable overhead triceps extension: 2 sets of 8 to 12 reps, 1 minute rest.
• Triceps extension: 2 sets of 15 reps, 1 minute rest.
• Barbell curl: 3 sets of 4 to 6 reps, 90 seconds rest.
• Alternating dumbbell curl: 2 sets of 8 to 12 reps per side, 1 minute rest.
• Standing cable biceps curl: 3 sets of 15 reps, 1 minute rest.
• Palms-down wrist curl over a bench: 3 sets of 25 reps, 45 seconds rest.

Workout 2: Weeks 5 to 8

Bodyweight and angle variety take over, with a heavy emphasis on the long head of the triceps and stretched biceps work.

• Feet-elevated bench dip: 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps, 90 seconds rest. Add weight to stay in range.
• EZ-bar skullcrusher: 2 sets of 8 to 12 reps, 1 minute rest.
• Single-arm dumbbell triceps extension: 2 sets of 12 reps per side with no rest between sides, 1 minute rest between sets.
• Alternating incline dumbbell biceps curl: 3 sets of 4 to 6 reps per side, 90 seconds rest.
• EZ-bar spider curl: 2 sets of 8 to 12 reps, 1 minute rest.
• Lying cable biceps curl: 3 sets of 15 reps, 1 minute rest.
• Cable wrist curl: 2 sets of 50 reps, 1 minute rest.

Workout 3: Weeks 9 to 12

Curls move to the front of the session and isolation density climbs, sharpening detail in the biceps peak.

• EZ-bar curl: 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps, 90 seconds rest.
• Cable rope hammer curl: 3 sets of 12 reps, 1 minute rest.
• Concentration curl: 3 sets of 15 reps per side, no rest between sides, 1 minute rest between sets.
• Dip machine: 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps, 90 seconds rest.
• Decline dumbbell triceps extension: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, 1 minute rest.
• Incline cable straight-bar triceps extension: 3 sets of 15 reps, 1 minute rest.
• Cable wrist curl: 2 sets of 50 reps, 1 minute rest.

Workout 4: Weeks 13 to 16

Heavier pressing and pulling return, paired with cable work that keeps tension high on every rep.

• Close-grip bench press: 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps, 90 seconds rest.
• Cross-body hammer curl: 3 sets of 12 reps per side, 1 minute rest.
• Machine preacher curl: 2 sets of 15 reps, 1 minute rest.
• Decline EZ-bar skullcrusher: 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps, 90 seconds rest.
• Low cable overhead triceps extension: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, 1 minute rest.
• Reverse-grip triceps extension: 3 sets of 15 reps, 1 minute rest.
• Plate pinch: 2 sets of 50 reps, 1 minute rest. Pass two plates between hands.

Workout 5: Weeks 17 to 20

Final phase focuses on heavy basics, machine isolation, and direct forearm volume to finish the cycle strong.

• Barbell curl: 3 sets of 4 to 6 reps, 90 seconds rest.
• Close-grip bench press: 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps, 90 seconds rest.
• Alternating incline dumbbell biceps curl: 2 sets of 8 to 12 reps per side, 90 seconds rest.
• EZ-bar skullcrusher: 2 sets of 8 to 12 reps, 90 seconds rest.
• Machine preacher curl: 2 sets of 15 reps, 1 minute rest.
• Reverse-grip triceps extension: 2 sets of 15 reps, 1 minute rest.
• Seated palms-up wrist curl: 2 sets of 50 reps, 1 minute rest.
• Seated palms-down wrist curl: 2 sets of 50 reps, 1 minute rest.

Putting It All Together

The key to this plan is rotation, not volume. Cycling through five different sessions across 20 weeks hits the biceps, triceps, and forearms from fresh angles while keeping the weekly time commitment low. Track your working weights, rest honestly between sets, eat in a small surplus, and the arms you build in Workout 5 will be the warm-up weights when you return to Workout 1.