If you want bigger and stronger arms, you need to train both the biceps and triceps. Your triceps make up a large portion of your upper-arm size, while your biceps and brachialis contribute to arm thickness and shape.
This workout alternates between triceps and biceps exercises to keep the session balanced and target your arms from different angles.
Triceps Rope Pushdown
Sets: 3
Reps: 10–15
Rest: 60–90 seconds
Start your workout with the rope pushdown. Keep your elbows close to your sides and push the rope down until your arms are fully extended.
At the bottom, slightly separate the rope ends and squeeze your triceps before slowly returning to the starting position.
Form Tips:
- Keep your elbows close to your body
- Avoid swinging your shoulders
- Fully extend your elbows under control
- Squeeze your triceps at the bottom
- Control the weight on the way up
Main focus: Triceps.
Single-Arm Preacher Curl
Sets: 3
Reps: 8–12 each arm
Rest: 60–90 seconds
The single-arm preacher curl allows you to focus on one biceps at a time and can help you identify strength differences between your arms.
Keep your upper arm supported against the pad and curl the weight without lifting your elbow away from the bench.
Form Tips:
- Keep your upper arm against the pad
- Don’t rush the negative portion
- Avoid using your shoulder to lift the weight
- Get a controlled stretch at the bottom
- Squeeze the biceps at the top
Main focus: Biceps.
Triceps Cable Overhead Extension
Sets: 3
Reps: 10–15
Rest: 60–90 seconds
The overhead cable extension trains the triceps while placing the arms in an overhead position.
Keep your elbows relatively stable and extend your arms without turning the movement into a shoulder exercise.
Form Tips:
- Keep your elbows controlled
- Maintain a stable torso
- Use a comfortable range of motion
- Get a controlled stretch behind your head
- Fully extend your elbows without excessive momentum
Main focus: Triceps, particularly the long head.
Incline Dumbbell Curl
Sets: 3
Reps: 8–12
Rest: 60–90 seconds
Set an incline bench at a comfortable angle and allow your arms to hang naturally.
Curl the dumbbells while keeping your upper arms relatively stationary.
Because of the arm position, this exercise can provide a strong stretch to the biceps.
Form Tips:
- Keep your shoulders back against the bench
- Let your arms hang naturally
- Don’t swing the dumbbells
- Control the lowering phase
- Avoid using excessive weight
Main focus: Biceps.
Triceps Extension
Sets: 3
Reps: 10–15
Rest: 60–90 seconds
Use a controlled triceps extension variation that allows you to train through a comfortable range of motion.
Keep the movement focused on elbow extension rather than using your shoulders or body momentum.
Form Tips:
- Keep your elbows controlled
- Use a manageable weight
- Move through a comfortable range
- Focus on the triceps doing the work
- Control every repetition
Main focus: Triceps.
Cable Hammer Curl
Sets: 3
Reps: 10–15
Rest: 60–90 seconds
Finish the workout with cable hammer curls using a neutral grip.
Keep your palms facing each other and curl the handle without swinging your body.
Form Tips:
- Keep your wrists neutral
- Keep your elbows relatively stable
- Avoid leaning backward
- Squeeze at the top
- Slowly lower the weight
Main focus: Brachialis, brachioradialis and biceps.
Complete Arms Workout at a Glance
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Triceps Rope Pushdown | 3 | 10–15 |
| Single-Arm Preacher Curl | 3 | 8–12 each arm |
| Triceps Cable Overhead Extension | 3 | 10–15 |
| Incline Dumbbell Curl | 3 | 8–12 |
| Triceps Extension | 3 | 10–15 |
| Cable Hammer Curl | 3 | 10–15 |
Total: 18 working sets
Workout time: Approximately 50–70 minutes
How to Progress
You don’t need to increase the weight every workout.
Instead, try to gradually improve your performance while keeping your form controlled.
For example, if your target is 8–12 reps:
Week 1: 10 kg × 8 reps
Week 2: 10 kg × 10 reps
Week 3: 10 kg × 12 reps
Week 4: Increase the weight slightly and build back up.
Keep most working sets around 1–3 reps away from failure, especially on the earlier exercises.
Tips for Better Arm Training
- Don’t swing the weight to complete reps.
- Control the eccentric/lowering portion.
- Use a full, comfortable range of motion.
- Don’t sacrifice technique for heavier weights.
- Give your elbows enough recovery between sessions.
- Track your weights and reps.
- Focus on progressive overload over time.
Final Takeaway
This six-exercise workout combines three triceps movements and three biceps-focused movements to train your arms from different angles.
You don’t need dozens of exercises to build your arms.
Train hard, control your reps, progressively overload, and stay consistent.