The All-or-Nothing Arms Routine

Blast your biceps and triceps with this highly targeted arms routine.

MF Editors

Exercise 1/A

Medicine- Ball Pushup

Sets: 5, Reps: 10, Rest: 30 seconds
Place a medicine ball on the floor and grab each side of it, in a standard pushup position (A). Lower your body until your chest is about an inch above the ball (B), and then push yourself back up. That’s one rep. Advanced guys: Try your pushups with one hand on the ball at a time.

Exercise 1/B

Towel Pullup

Sets: 5, Reps: 8, Rest: 90 Seconds
Drape two towels over a chinup bar and grab the ends of one in each hand. Allow your body to hang (A). Pull yourself up until your chin is over the bar (B), and then lower yourself back to the starting position. That’s one rep.

Exercise 2/A

Reverse- Grip Bench Press

Sets: 7, Reps: 3, Rest: 60 Seconds
Grab the bar with a palms-up grip, hands slightly outside shoulder width. Lift the bar off the rack and hold it directly above your chest (A). Squeeze the bar hard arch your upper back. Lower the bar to just below your nipples (B). Once the bar touches your chest, push your feet hard into the floor. Press the weight up, focusing on pushing the bar back slightly toward your face. That’s one rep. Go up in weight on the second set, and then keep the same weight for the remaining five sets.

Exercise 2/B

Cheat Curl

Sets: 7, Reps: 4, Rest: 90 Seconds
Load a barbell with a heavier weight than you could normally curl and hold it with an underhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart. Keeping your lower back arched, bend forward at the hips and bend your knees to gather momentum (A). Then explosively extend your hips and knees and curl the weight, “cheating” form to get it up (B). Reverse the motion to return to the starting position. That’s one rep. Go up in weight on the second set, and then keep the same weight for the remaining five sets.

Exercise 3/A

Dumbbell Skull Crusher

Sets: 4, Reps: 8, Rest: 30 Seconds
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and lie back on a bench with arms straight overhead and palms facing each other. Bend your elbows so that the dumbbells go behind the head and touch the bench (A). Extend your elbows to raise the weights back up (B). Reverse the motion to return to the starting position. That’s one rep.

Exercise 3/B

Reverse Curl w/ Thumbless Grip

Sets: 4, Reps: 8, Rest: 60 Seconds
Hold a barbell with an overhand grip, hands shoulderwidth apart and your thumbs on the same side as your fingers. Allow your arms to hang (A). Keeping your upper arms tight to your sides, bend your elbows and curl the weight up (B). Reverse the motion to return to the starting position. That’s one rep.

Exercise 4/A

Plate Pinch Hold

Sets: 4, Reps: Hold for 20 Seconds, Rest: 60 Seconds
Grab a few 10-pound plates and pinch them together with your fingertips, smooth sides out. Pick them up and let them hang at your sides. Hold for 20 seconds or as long as possible.

Exercise 4/B

Dumbbell Wrist Curl

Sets: 4, Reps: Hold for 20 Seconds, Rest: 60 Seconds
Grab a pair of dumbbells and sit on a bench, resting your forearms on your knees with your palms facing up. Allow the weights to roll down to your fingertips, pulling your palms backward (A). Close your hands and curl the weights up using only your wrists (B). Reverse the motion to return to the starting position. That’s one rep.

Exercise 4/C

Dumbbell Reverse Wrist Curl

Sets: 4, Reps: Hold for 20 Seconds, Rest: 60 Seconds
Set up as you did for the regular wrist curl but have your palms facedown. Squeeze the dumbbells tight in your hands (you’ll need lighter weights than you used for the previous wrist curl) (A). Curl the weights up using only your wrists (B). Reverse the motion to return to the starting position. That’s one rep.