Six Exercises for Bigger Arms — And How to Fit Them Into Your Plan

Arm training looks simple — curl and press — but most gym-goers end up doing too many exercises in the wrong order and wondering why the results are slow. GQ recently published a six-exercise arm guide that's worth reading. We used it as a starting point to build out an arm day in our workout library, with programming notes written specifically for beginners and intermediates who want a structured, repeatable session — not an advanced bodybuilding split.

Why Six Exercises (Not Twelve)

More exercises isn't better. The gym.plus arm day is built on six movements because they cover every meaningful stimulus without creating sessions so long that recovery becomes a problem. Beginners especially benefit from fewer, better-chosen exercises done consistently over months.

The triceps make up roughly two-thirds of upper arm size. Most beginners spend most of their arm time on curls. That's the wrong allocation.

The Six Exercises

Biceps

1. Barbell Curl The most reliable mass builder for the biceps. Bilateral loading lets you move more weight than dumbbell variants. Keep your elbows fixed at your sides throughout — the moment they drift forward, you're recruiting your front delts instead of your biceps.

2. Incline Dumbbell Curl Set the bench to 45–60 degrees and let your arms hang. This stretched starting position increases range of motion and provides a growth stimulus you can't replicate from a standing position. It's a meaningful complement to the barbell curl, not a redundant one.

Triceps

3. Close-Grip Bench Press The most load you can put through your triceps. Use it first while you're fresh. Grip the bar with hands roughly shoulder-width apart — narrower than your typical bench press grip.

4. Cable Tricep Pushdown Cables maintain tension through the full range of motion, including at lockout where free weights go slack. Use the rope attachment to allow natural wrist rotation. This is the highest-volume tricep movement in the session.

Forearms

5. Reverse Barbell Curl Overhand grip. Targets the brachialis (the muscle under the bicep that pushes it up when developed) and the brachioradialis. A thicker brachialis makes the entire upper arm appear significantly larger — it's one of the most overlooked arm muscles among beginners.

6. Farmer's Carry or Wrist Roller Forearm strength and grip are underrated. Farmer's carries also carry over to every pull movement you do — deadlifts, rows, pull-ups. If you train grip here, you get returns across the whole program.

When to Train Arms

Arm isolation works best after compound movements, not as a standalone opening session. Two clean placement options:

• After back day: Your biceps are already warm from pulling. Add bicep work here.
• After chest/shoulder day: Your triceps are already warmed up from pressing. Add tricep work here.
• Dedicated arm session: If you're training 4–5 days a week, a standalone arm day works well. Use all six exercises.

Sets and Reps

| Exercise | Sets | Reps | |----------|------|------| | Close-Grip Bench Press | 3–4 | 6–10 | | Barbell Curl | 3–4 | 6–10 | | Cable Tricep Pushdown | 3 | 10–15 | | Incline Dumbbell Curl | 3 | 10–15 | | Reverse Barbell Curl | 3 | 12–15 | | Farmer's Carry | 3 | 40m walk |

All six of these exercises are in the gym.plus library. The Arm Day Blast workout sequences them in this order, with sets, reps, and rest already set up.