Top 5 Arm builders

[abett07]

Most if not all guys want big guns so what would be the best 5 exercises for building big strong arms ? how close to the mark am I ?

1.Close grip bench press
2.Chin ups
3.Tricep dips
4.Bench press
5.Barbell rows

[markievicz]

I dont really do any direct arm work ,

you will build big arms as a result of heavy compounds

your choices above look reasonable to me. . . .


edit: to add to LtL's point below , if you are gonna do curls id also look at some exercises for the Brachialis

[LtL]

I'd say that curls would work better for biceps than rows. Heavy presses to work triceps look good though.

LtL

[Soldier]

My "rules" for direct arm work is that you shouldn't do any direct biceps work until you can do 10 chin ups, and you shouldn't do direct tricep work until you can either do 10 dips or bench your bodyweight 10 times. In trying to reach those bench marks you're going to develop great arms, and once you reach those points you should add in some direct work to take them to the next level. When you get there, there's nothing wrong with curls for the biceps, but remember that triceps like HEAVY lifting. Low rep close grip bench is just about as good as it gets for triceps size, but you also want to do something overhead to hit it from a different angle.

[Off Road]

#1. Squats (gotta get the whole body growing)
#2. Weighted Bar Dips
#3. Weighted Chin-ups
#4. Lying Triceps Extension
#5. Heavy Barbell Curls

Heck, that would make a pretty good arm specialization routine right there.

[Tannhauser]

I've gone through training periods where I did no direct arm work and other periods where I did. My arms were a lot bigger when I did direct work in addition to indirect work.

For me:

1. Barbell curls
2. Seated incline curls
3. Reverse curls
4. Lying triceps extensions
5. Overhead DB extensions

Edit to add: sorry, just noticed this was on the Beginner's Forum. I still think that even beginners can benefit from direct arm work (try and stop 'em, anyway), but better results overall would come from spending most of their energy elsewhere.

[MC]

Originally Posted by Soldier

My "rules" for direct arm work is that you shouldn't do any direct biceps work until you can do 10 chin ups, and you shouldn't do direct tricep work until you can either do 10 dips or bench your bodyweight 10 times. In trying to reach those bench marks you're going to develop great arms, and once you reach those points you should add in some direct work to take them to the next level. When you get there, there's nothing wrong with curls for the biceps, but remember that triceps like HEAVY lifting. Low rep close grip bench is just about as good as it gets for triceps size, but you also want to do something overhead to hit it from a different angle.

I think this is a really reasonable approach.

I don't see many guys with arms that I envy who don't do some direct work for biceps and triceps in addition to their compound exercises.

I firmly believe that if you want really nice arms (and I am talking about arms that other lifters think are nice, not Joe average on the street), then you have to do both compound and isolation.

[Chillen]

You do not see skinny guys, walking around with big guns: Guns are made in direct portion to an increase in overall bodyweight. Arms are the facilitators of the big muscle movers. Increase mass on the larger muscles, and arms will follow.

Bottom line.

[5kgLifter]

Originally Posted by Soldier

My "rules" for direct arm work is that you shouldn't do any direct biceps work until you can do 10 chin ups, and you shouldn't do direct tricep work until you can either do 10 dips or bench your bodyweight 10 times. In trying to reach those bench marks you're going to develop great arms, and once you reach those points you should add in some direct work to take them to the next level. When you get there, there's nothing wrong with curls for the biceps, but remember that triceps like HEAVY lifting. Low rep close grip bench is just about as good as it gets for triceps size, but you also want to do something overhead to hit it from a different angle.

So, I shouldn't do any bicep work because I can't do a chin-up? But I've had great bicep progress by doing dumbbell work. The problem is in assuming that people can do chin-ups which is seldom the case (and I can't anyway due to the TOS, which is beside the point) and for those that can't, there is nothing wrong with curls, or for those that can for that matter.

If a person states, don't do A until you can do X-number of exercise B, if a person can never do B then A always suffers and they will get nowhere at all.

[Fazc]

I'd say ultimately it's beneficial, I'm starting to appreciate the need for bicep/forearm work more now my Bench numbers are climbing.

My main problem is that I really can't be bothered with it!