ARMS
Chapter 03 · Sub-topic 06

BICEPS
& TRICEPS

Your arms are 2/3 triceps. Train them that way. Pick the right exercises, feel the right muscles, and stop wasting sets on movements that don't work.

Section 01

THE REAL
ANATOMY

Most people train biceps too much and triceps too little. Triceps make up 50–70% of your upper arm. If you want bigger arms, triceps come first.

Biceps have two heads. Each one does a slightly different job and responds to different elbow and wrist positions. You need both — but you don't need ten exercises to hit them.

Biceps · Outer Long Head

Creates the peak. Sits on the outside of the arm. Best trained with elbows behind the body or a close/neutral grip — this position stretches it fully at the shoulder.

Biceps · Inner Short Head

Creates width and thickness. Best trained with elbows in front of the body — arms forward, elbow at or past 90°. Wide grip also shifts bias here.

Under the Biceps Brachialis

Pure elbow flexor. No supination involved. Neutral or pronated grip. Makes the arm look thicker and pushes the biceps up. Underrated by almost everyone.

Biceps anatomy — long head, short head, brachialis
Biceps Brachii — Long Head · Short Head · Brachialis
Triceps · Back of Arm · Largest Long Head

The biggest head. Crosses the shoulder joint — needs the arm overhead or stretched to fully activate. This is where most arm size comes from.

Triceps · Outer Lateral Head

Creates the horseshoe shape visible from the side. Best hit with arms down — pushdowns and close-grip pressing. Most visible when lean.

Triceps · Hidden Medial Head

Active in every single triceps movement. Sits under the other two. Reverse-grip movements hit it hardest. It's the endurance engine of the three.

Triceps anatomy — lateral head, long head, medial head
Triceps Brachii — Lateral Head · Long Head · Medial Head
Section 02

HOW TO ACTUALLY
FEEL BICEPS

Most people don't feel their biceps because their arm position is wrong. The elbow position determines everything. Get this right and every curl starts working.

Elbows tucked in. Arms in front of you. Like an arm blaster. That's the position. Every rep.

Arm blaster curl position — elbows tucked in front
Arm Blaster — the correct elbow position for every curl
01
Elbows in & Forward

Arms in front of your body — like an arm blaster position. This puts the short head on stretch and forces the biceps to do all the work. No swinging. No shrugging.

02
No Elbow Flare

The moment your elbows drift out or back, tension shifts to your front delt. Keep them pinned close to your body throughout the entire movement.

03
Supinate at the Top

Rotate your wrist so your pinky goes up and out at the peak. This adds the final squeeze and maximizes the contraction. Skip this and you leave gains on the table.

04
Slow the Negative

The lowering phase builds muscle. Don't drop the weight. 3 seconds down on every rep. You'll grow faster and you'll feel it the next day.

01
Biceps Long Head · Short Head · Brachialis · Pick what you need
Section 03

LONG HEAD
BICEPS PEAK

The long head sits on the outside of the arm. It gives you the peak when you flex. To hit it, you need elbow behind or neutral to the body, close grip. The muscle is most stretched when the arm is behind you — that's where growth happens.

S — Must Have
A — Great Alt
B — Decent
C — Skip If Possible
S1
S Tier · Long Head King Close Grip EZ Bar Cable Curl

Close grip shifts the long head into a mechanical advantage. Cable gives constant tension through the full range — no dead spot at the bottom like dumbbells. EZ bar keeps wrists comfortable. This is your primary long head movement.

S Tier
Close grip EZ bar cable curl movement
Movement — start & finish
EZ bar cable attachment
EZ Bar attachment — inner knurling = close grip · outer = wide grip
S2
S Tier · No Cable Replacement Hammer Curl (Dumbbell)

No cable machine? This is your replacement for the close grip EZ cable curl. Neutral grip keeps the long head and brachialis both loaded throughout. Simple. Zero setup. Works anywhere. Keep elbows tucked, no wrist rotation, full range every rep.

S Tier
A1
A Tier · Long Head Primary · Short Head Secondary Behind-the-Back Cable Curl (Bayesian Curl)

Arm behind the torso = long head is on a full stretch from rep one. That's where the long head emphasis comes from. But with a supinated grip (palms up), the short head also kicks in meaningfully — making this one of the most complete single bicep exercises available. Both heads work. Long head just dominates. Can replace the close grip EZ cable curl entirely, or use both.

A Tier
A2
A Tier · Stretch Focus Incline Dumbbell Curl

Set bench to 45–60°. Arms hang behind the body — this puts the long head on a deep stretch from the start. No cable needed. Great for home or travel. Use a supinated grip and rotate the wrist at the top.

A Tier
B1
B Tier Drag Curl (Barbell or EZ Bar)

Drag the bar up your body as elbows travel back — this keeps the elbow behind the torso throughout. Pure long head bias. Unusual pattern. Not intuitive at first, but excellent once the feel is there.

B Tier
C1
C Tier · Skip If Possible Barbell Curl (Standard)

Works — but the straight bar forces pronation that irritates wrists over time. EZ bar does the same job better. Only use if nothing else is available.

C Tier
Section 04

SHORT HEAD
BICEPS WIDTH

The short head creates thickness and width — the muscle that looks big from the front. Hit it by putting your elbows in front of your body. The further forward your elbow, the more short head involved.

S1
S Tier · Short Head King Wide Grip EZ Bar Cable Curl

Wide grip puts the short head in a mechanically advantaged position. Cable = constant tension. EZ bar = comfortable wrists. Elbows forward and tucked. This is your primary short head movement. Simple. Loadable. Feels amazing.

S Tier
Wide grip EZ bar cable curl movement
Movement — wide grip, elbows forward, full contraction
EZ bar cable attachment
EZ Bar attachment — use outer knurling for wide grip
S2
S Tier · No Cable Replacement Wide EZ Bar Curl

No cable? Use a wide grip on the EZ bar. Arms forward, elbows tucked, wide grip shifts load to the short head. Same movement pattern as the cable version — just without constant tension. EZ bar keeps wrists comfortable. Load it heavy and go full range.

S Tier
Wide EZ bar curl movement
Wide EZ bar curl — elbows forward, full supination at top
S3
S Tier · Simplest Option Standing Dumbbell Curl

No bar, no cable — just dumbbells. Supinated grip the entire way up. Elbows forward and tucked in. Supinate fully at the top — pinky rotates out. Both heads work but the short head is the primary mover when elbows stay in front. Works anywhere. No setup needed.

S Tier
Standing dumbbell curl muscles
Standing dumbbell curl — both biceps heads + brachialis + brachioradialis
A1
A Tier · Isolation King EZ Bar Preacher Curl

Arms rest on the pad — elbow is locked in front of the body at all times. No swinging, no cheating. Forces the short head to do every rep. The pad eliminates momentum completely. One of the best short head exercises ever designed.

A Tier
A2
A Tier Spider Curl

Prone on an incline bench, arms hanging straight down. Elbow stays in front of the body the entire set. No cheating possible. Constant tension on the short head. Great if no preacher pad is available.

A Tier
A3
A Tier Concentration Curl

Elbow braced against the inner knee — arm is locked in front and isolated. No movement except the forearm. The most isolated short head exercise you can do. Squeeze hard at the top. Works anywhere with one dumbbell.

A Tier
B1
B Tier High Cable Bicep Curl

Cable set high, arm pulls across and down. Arms are in front and above — short head is on a constant stretch throughout the movement. Great as a finisher. Feels different from everything else.

B Tier
B2
B Tier Dumbbell Preacher Curl

Same principle as EZ bar preacher but unilateral. Fixes side-to-side imbalances. Slower to load up but useful for anyone with grip or wrist issues with the bar.

B Tier
The Minimal Stack

You only need two exercises. Wide grip EZ cable curl for the short head. Close grip EZ cable curl for the long head. Do those two well and you have complete biceps development. Everything else is optional detail work.

Section 05

BRACHIALIS
ARM THICKNESS

The brachialis sits under the biceps and pushes them up. Developing it makes your arm look thicker from every angle. It's a pure elbow flexor — no supination involved. Neutral or pronated grip only.

S1
S Tier · Best Brachialis Hammer Curl (Cable or Dumbbell)

Neutral grip eliminates biceps dominance and forces the brachialis to work. Cable version gives constant tension. Dumbbell version is fine. Elbow stays tucked. No wrist rotation at any point — keep the neutral grip the entire rep.

S Tier
Dumbbell hammer curl
Dumbbell variation — neutral grip, palms facing in
Cable hammer curl
Cable variation — constant tension throughout, preferred
A1
A Tier Cross-Body Hammer Curl

Bring the dumbbell across to the opposite shoulder instead of straight up. This angle shifts even more load onto the brachialis compared to standard hammer curl. One arm at a time. Squeeze at the top.

A Tier
A2
A Tier Reverse Curl (EZ Bar or Barbell)

Pronated grip completely removes biceps from the movement. Pure brachialis and brachioradialis. Heavy and effective. EZ bar is easier on the wrists than straight barbell. Also builds forearm size as a bonus.

A Tier
B1
B Tier Zottman Curl

Curl up with a supinated grip, rotate to pronated at the top, lower with a pronated grip. You get biceps on the way up, brachialis on the way down. Two muscles in one movement. Time-efficient but harder to load heavy.

B Tier
02
Triceps Long Head · Lateral Head · Medial Head · 50–70% of your arm
Section 06

TRICEPS ARE YOUR
BIGGEST ARM MUSCLE

Triceps make up the majority of your upper arm. Three heads — and each one responds to a different elbow and shoulder position.

The Mistake Everyone Makes

Spending an hour on biceps and doing one set of pushdowns at the end. Flip this completely. Train triceps first, train them heavy, train all three heads. Then do biceps. Your arms will grow faster than they ever have.

Section 07

TRICEPS
COMPLETE LIST

These three movements cover all three heads. They're all cable-based — constant tension, joint-friendly, and adjustable for any strength level. This is your entire triceps program.

S Tier — The Core Three
S1
S Tier · Lateral + Medial Head V-Bar Pushdown

Arms down, elbows pinned to your sides. Best movement for the lateral and medial heads — the ones that create the horseshoe shape. Heavy loading potential. Simple setup. Do this first while you're fresh. Push all the way to lockout and hold for a half second.

S Tier
V-bar pushdown movement
Movement — elbows pinned, push to full lockout
V-bar attachment
V-Bar attachment

Most standard V-bars are steep angled and bare steel — they dig into the palms and force an awkward wrist position. Look for a less steep angle and rubber-covered grips. It feels completely different. More comfortable, better lockout, less wrist stress. Worth hunting one down.

S2
S Tier · All Heads · Best Feel Rope Tricep Pushdown

Same motion as the V-bar but the rope lets you split at the bottom and rotate the wrists out — this adds an extra contraction that the bar can't give you. Slightly less load than V-bar but better squeeze. Can be used as a finisher or primary movement.

S Tier
Rope tricep pushdown movement
Movement — split the rope at the bottom for extra contraction
S3
S Tier · Long Head Reverse Extension (Underhand Cable Pushdown)

Supinated grip flips the forearm position and shifts the load to the long head and medial head. 2024 EMG research confirms supinated pushdowns produce significantly higher long head activation than pronated variations. Simple. Just switch your grip. Do this after S1 and S2.

S Tier
Reverse extension underhand cable pushdown
Movement — supinated grip, elbows stay pinned, push to lockout
A Tier — Excellent Alternatives
A1
A Tier · Long Head · V-Bar Replacement Overhead Cable Extension

Cable above and behind, arms extend overhead. This is the best exercise for the long head because it's the only one that puts the long head on a full stretch — the long head crosses the shoulder joint. Research shows 28.5% more long head growth vs pushdowns over 12 weeks. Harder to set up but worth it. Replace V-bar with this if long head is your priority.

A Tier
A2
A Tier · All Heads Kneeling Tricep Extension (Cable)

Kneel facing away from the cable, rope or bar behind your head, extend forward and down. Arms overhead — long head stretch — but less shoulder stress than standing overhead extension. Great option for people with shoulder issues.

A Tier
A3
A Tier · Single Arm Single Arm Cable Pushdown

Same motion as V-bar but one arm at a time. Forces each side to work independently — fixes left-right imbalances. Useful if one arm is lagging. Also easier to maintain form on the weaker side.

A Tier
A4
A Tier · Long Head · Behind Head Single Arm Cable Extension Behind Head

One arm overhead, cable comes from behind. Fully stretches the long head unilaterally. Slower to set up but excellent for isolating each side. Better feel for beginners than two-arm overhead due to easier balance.

A Tier
B Tier — Decent, Use if You Want
B1
B Tier · No Cable Needed Skull Crusher (EZ Bar)

Lie on bench, lower EZ bar toward forehead. Good for progressive overload — can load heavy. EZ bar is more joint-friendly than straight bar. Requires a bench and barbell. Falls short of cables because tension drops at the top.

B Tier
B2
B Tier Seated Dumbbell Overhead Extension

Sit upright, one dumbbell overhead, lower behind the head. Long head stretch — good if cables aren't available. Hard to set up heavy. Use it as a no-cable option for long head work.

B Tier
B3
B Tier · Compound Close-Grip Bench Press

Hands inside shoulder width on barbell. Triceps take more load than normal bench. Best for raw pressing strength. Does not isolate well — shoulders and chest assist. Use only if you want to build pressing power, not tricep size.

B Tier
C Tier — Skip These
C1
C Tier · Skip Tricep Dip

High shoulder stress. Hard to isolate the tricep without chest and front delt taking over. Joint risk is high relative to the gain. If you're doing chest dips, you're not training triceps. Use cable work instead.

C Tier
C2
C Tier · Skip Kickback

Light load only. Tension drops almost completely at the hardest part of the movement. Zero progressive overload potential. Looks like work. Isn't. Replace with any cable variation.

C Tier
The Minimal Stack

V-bar pushdown. Rope pushdown. Reverse extension. That's it. Three cable exercises covering all three triceps heads. Do them in that order, every session. Add overhead extension if long head is your weak point. Everything else is optional.

03
Forearms Wrist Flexors · Wrist Extensors · Most skipped. Most needed.
Section 08

FOREARMS
WRIST WORK

Most people skip forearms. Then wonder why their arms look unfinished. Two exercises. That's all you need. One for the flexors, one for the extensors. Do them at the end of every arm session. Two sets each. Done.

S1
S Tier · Wrist Flexors Wrist Curl

Sit on a bench, forearms resting on thighs, palms up. Let the weight roll down to the fingertips, then curl up fully. Full range — don't cheat it short. Builds the inner forearm and improves grip strength. Use a barbell or dumbbell. Keep the movement slow.

S Tier
S2
S Tier · Wrist Extensors Reverse Wrist Curl

Same position — forearms on thighs, but palms facing down. Curl the wrists up against the weight. Hits the extensors on top of the forearm — the part nobody trains. Balances the wrist joint. Prevents elbow and wrist pain. Use lighter weight than wrist curls.

S Tier
Wrist curl and reverse wrist curl
Top: wrist curl (flexors) · Bottom: reverse wrist curl (extensors)
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