Question 1

What can I substitute for the close-grip bench press if I don't have a barbell?

Accepted Answer

Swap the close-grip bench press for dumbbell skull crushers (lying triceps extensions) or bodyweight diamond push-ups. Both target the long head of the triceps and keep the elbow path narrow.

For a heavier replacement, dips work well and add some chest and front-delt involvement. For lighter loads at high reps, doubling up on cable rope pushdowns (already on this day) is fine.

Question 2

Can I add a second arm day in the same week?

Accepted Answer

Generally no. At this volume, your biceps and triceps are already getting 15–20 working sets in this session, plus indirect work on chest and back days. A second dedicated arm day would push past the recovery window most lifters can sustain at this intensity.

If your arms feel undertrained, the bigger lever is usually eating more and sleeping more, not adding sessions. If those are dialed in and arms still lag, do a single light pump session (high reps, no compounds, ~30 minutes) 2–3 days after this one — never back-to-back.

Question 3

How do I know I'm working biceps and not just my forearms during curls?

Accepted Answer

A few signals to watch for:
Wrist position — keep your wrists straight, not curled in toward your body. Curling at the wrist shifts load to the forearms.
Shoulder stability — your upper arm should stay still. Letting elbows drift forward turns the curl into a partial front raise.
Tempo — take 2 seconds down, controlled. Most forearm-dominant curls happen because lifters drop the weight too fast.

If forearms still gas out before biceps, switch to thicker grips (fat-grip attachments) or an EZ-bar — both reduce wrist strain so the biceps fail first.

Arm Day Blast

Seated Dumbbell Press
3 × 15, 10, 8

Lateral Raise
2 × 10

Bent-Over Lateral Raise
2 × 10

Barbell Shrug
3 × 12, 10, 8

Close-Grip Bench Press
3 × 12, 10, 8

Barbell Curl
3 × 12, 10, 10

Reverse Grip Barbell Bicep Curls
3 × 12, 10, 10

Tricep Pushdown
3 × 10

Standing Hammer Curls
3 × 10

Cable Crunch
2 × 15

Reverse Crunch
2 × 15

FAQ

Plans with this Workout

Arm Day Blast

Seated Dumbbell Press
3 × 15, 10, 8

Lateral Raise
2 × 10

Bent-Over Lateral Raise
2 × 10

Barbell Shrug
3 × 12, 10, 8

Close-Grip Bench Press
3 × 12, 10, 8

Barbell Curl
3 × 12, 10, 10

Reverse Grip Barbell Bicep Curls
3 × 12, 10, 10

Tricep Pushdown
3 × 10

Standing Hammer Curls
3 × 10

Cable Crunch
2 × 15

Reverse Crunch
2 × 15

FAQ

Plans with this Workout

Seated Dumbbell Press3 × 15, 10, 8

Lateral Raise2 × 10

Bent-Over Lateral Raise2 × 10

Barbell Shrug3 × 12, 10, 8

Close-Grip Bench Press3 × 12, 10, 8

Barbell Curl3 × 12, 10, 10

Reverse Grip Barbell Bicep Curls3 × 12, 10, 10

Tricep Pushdown3 × 10

Standing Hammer Curls3 × 10

Cable Crunch2 × 15

Reverse Crunch2 × 15

FAQ

Plans with this Workout

Seated Dumbbell Press3 × 15, 10, 8

Lateral Raise2 × 10

Bent-Over Lateral Raise2 × 10

Barbell Shrug3 × 12, 10, 8

Close-Grip Bench Press3 × 12, 10, 8

Barbell Curl3 × 12, 10, 10

Reverse Grip Barbell Bicep Curls3 × 12, 10, 10

Tricep Pushdown3 × 10

Standing Hammer Curls3 × 10

Cable Crunch2 × 15

Reverse Crunch2 × 15

FAQ

Plans with this Workout

Seated Dumbbell Press
3 × 15, 10, 8

Lateral Raise
2 × 10

Bent-Over Lateral Raise
2 × 10

Barbell Shrug
3 × 12, 10, 8

Close-Grip Bench Press
3 × 12, 10, 8

Barbell Curl
3 × 12, 10, 10

Reverse Grip Barbell Bicep Curls
3 × 12, 10, 10

Tricep Pushdown
3 × 10

Standing Hammer Curls
3 × 10

Cable Crunch
2 × 15

Reverse Crunch
2 × 15

Seated Dumbbell Press
3 × 15, 10, 8

Lateral Raise
2 × 10

Bent-Over Lateral Raise
2 × 10

Barbell Shrug
3 × 12, 10, 8

Close-Grip Bench Press
3 × 12, 10, 8

Barbell Curl
3 × 12, 10, 10

Reverse Grip Barbell Bicep Curls
3 × 12, 10, 10

Tricep Pushdown
3 × 10

Standing Hammer Curls
3 × 10

Cable Crunch
2 × 15

Reverse Crunch
2 × 15