Impressive arms don’t just look good. They also serve a real-life purpose. When you’re able to use your arms to move your own body weight up and down, you can overload your muscles and get better results in the gym.

The biceps/triceps workout we’re offering here will help you do just that, providing a high-impact session that will stimulate growth and jumpstart your arm training. Combining heavier compound exercises with high repetition isolation moves, it provides the perfect combination of intensity and volume to pack mass on your guns.

The Workout

Excercise Sets Reps
Decline Neutral-Grip Dumbbell Extension 3 12-15
Dumbbell Curl 3 12-15
Chin-Up 4 8-10
Dip 4 8-12
Plate Pinch 4 ALAP*

*As long as possible

NEXT: See the Moves >>

Decline Neutral-Grip Dumbbell Extension

Angling the bench allows for a greater range of motion, increasing tension on your muscles.

NEXT: Dumbbell Curl

Dumbbell Curl

Don’t swing the weights up, fall backward, or shift side to side. Raise the weights in unison and hold at the top for one second.

NEXT: Chin-Ups >>

 Chin-Ups

Use a narrow grip width to place less stress on your elbows and wrists. If you can easily hit the prescribed number of reps, increase the degree of difficulty with a weighted belt or vest.

NEXT: Dips >>

Dips

Initiate the move by leaning forward, and ensure a full range of motion by dipping until your tri's are parallel to the floor.

NEXT: Plate Pinch >>

Plate Pinch

This simple grip-strengthening exercise provides balance between your overall arm strength and size. To do it, hold two plates together back-to-back with the smooth sides facing out for as long as you can without letting the weights touch your waist. Start with two 10s, then progress up.

Jim Smith is a coach in Wyalusing, PA