While there are many exercises you can do using a barbell, the top 3 best barbell exercises for bigger arms can help you to hit your goals quickly. The equipment you use in the gym serves a valuable purpose for the types of goals you want to achieve.
For example, resistance cables, bands, and dumbbells have great purpose for various exercises, however, when it comes to building big muscles, barbells get the job done.
Barbell exercises offer efficiency with every lift and is a great staple in the gym. Part of the reason that a barbell is enticing for building muscles is because you can add heavy weight to the workout. So, if your primary goal is to build bigger and stronger arms, consider the information ahead to help guide your journey.
What are the Types of Barbells?
The type of barbell you use when working out can play a role in how your gains are achieved. Let’s look at some of the common types of barbells you could find.
- Olympic Barbell – Perhaps this is the most common one that sticks out as it is heavy, long, and can really hold a lot of weight.
- EZ Curl Bar – This barbell should be common in most gyms and allows for different angles that can work the biceps. This can be a good choice for skull crushers and triceps exercises.
- Trap Bar – This is an advanced bar that is usually used for working the traps and back.
What Versatility Does a Barbell Offer?
Barbells are a standard piece of equipment in heavy lifting. Commonly, barbells are used in deadlifting, bench pressing, squats, and cleans. Perhaps one of the best uses of barbells is to build bigger arms with essentially one piece of equipment. Let’s look closer at how barbells can be used for arm days.
- Consistent Movements – The use of barbells for biceps curls, for example, can load the weight of the barbell throughout the length of the bar. This consistent weight is evenly distributed for a more functional type of lift.
- Heavy Volume – The quickest and best way to build bigger arms, faster is to provide your arms with heavy weight. Progressive overload is a principle in which the muscles respond and grow through periodic increasing of volume (either through more weight or reps) and making sure to continuously add weight with a barbell can help to achieve this principle.
- Isolation – The use of a barbell and the natural grip of it can help to promote a forced isolation. For example, a wide grip on the barbell can work the biceps short head whereas a narrow grip works the long head. This forced isolation adds versatility without having to find additional pieces of equipment.
What Muscles Make the Upper Arm?
To build stronger and bigger arms, it’s vital to have a thorough understanding of the anatomy of the upper arms. Here are the muscles to concentrate on when aiming to grow jacked arms.
- Biceps: The primary player in growing big arms, the biceps are the anterior muscles on the upper arms that function to bend the elbow. The biceps brachii have two attachment heads at the shoulder joint: the long and short heads, with a singular attachment at the elbow. Working both attachment heads can help to develop full and round biceps and is the foundation of growing big arms.
- Triceps: In contrast to the biceps, which has two attachment heads, the triceps has three. These muscle fibers attach to the shoulder and humerus on the posterior aspect of the arms and developing these muscle heads is a big part of growing big arms.
- Brachialis: The brachialis rests underneath the biceps and crosses the elbow joint. It is responsible for flexion at the elbow when the palms are facing in. Working this muscle can not only help to enhance the size, but can also help to tone the area. If growing big and stronger arms is your primary goal, don’t skip working this muscle.
The Top 3 Best Barbell Exercises for Bigger Arms, Faster
Adding these three barbell exercises can be the crucial in adding mass and achieving goals. While these 3 best barbell exercises for bigger arms, faster are simply suggestions on how to create a functional workout that can lead to results, they can help to jumpstart any routine for a seamless transition. Let’s take a deeper look at these exercises.
- Incline Prone Barbell Curl – This version of the bicep curl works the biceps, brachialis, and is vital to anterior arm muscles. The inclined angle of these curls helps to work a range of motion that cannot be met with a standard biceps curl. If you have access to an adjustable bench or a stationary incline bench, consider utilizing it for your curls the next time you work out.
- Supine Barbell Skull Crushers – Using a barbell with this exercise can be tricky, but if you can find a shorter one or a preacher bar, these might be best. The skull crusher is a premier exercise that focuses on the triceps and is valuable for growing big arms. Use a shorter grip as you gain momentum in the lift, but consider starting with lighter weight until your form is impeccable.
- Reverse Barbell Curls – The reverse barbell curl is a challenging exercise that works the brachialis muscle. With the biceps not being utilized as the primary muscle in this lift, the focus is directed towards the brachialis and can lead to fast gains since it is the primary muscle used. Start with only using the bar and add light weight as you progress with your lift.
Wrapping it All Up
Growing bigger and stronger arm muscles is within your reach and can show off your dedication. Consider the exercises above to grow your arms bigger with only the use of a barbell, but do not be afraid to tack on plates as you grow comfortable in your progress.
