Arm – Building Desires Vary by Gender
When it comes to arms, men and women have distinct preferences. Women often long for beautifully – contoured arms, while men strive for firm and powerful ones. In many TV dramas, we see a strong man flexing his arms to display his strength in front of the woman he likes, and the biceps are usually the most noticeable part of his workout results. However, the triceps, which actually takes up a much larger area of the arm (about two – thirds of the whole arm), is often overlooked because it is located at the back of the arm.
The Importance of Triceps in Arm Training
For those who truly understand the arm’s muscle composition, they know that to have a dominant “unicorn arm”, the triceps cannot be ignored. Composed of three muscle heads, it’s crucial to train it in a comprehensive way rather than one – sidedly. Generally, arm flexion and extensions are used to train the triceps as a whole. To target the other two heads of the triceps, one can choose to do downward pressure movements or arm flexions while keeping the large arm area stable.
Four Effective Arm – Building Moves
Action 1: Supine Barbell Arm Curls
Lie flat on an equipment seat with your feet firmly on the floor to support your body. Hold a barbell with both hands, palms facing up. Keep your arms straight, with the barbell positioned above your chest, and maintain the stability of your large arms at all times. Slowly bend your arms towards your head, allowing the barbell to move down until your small arms are parallel to the floor. Then, lift the barbell upwards and straighten your arms.
Movement 2: Seated Barbell Overhead Arm Curls
Sit on a seat, bend your legs and step on the ground to support your body. Keep your body stable, your lower back straight, and your abdomen tightened. Hold a barbell upwards with your arms, palms facing forward. Ensure your big arms remain stable without swaying. Bend your arms backwards until your small arms are nearly parallel to the ground, pause, and then move the barbell upwards in a controlled manner to straighten your arms, and repeat.
Movement 3: Barbell Narrow Bench Press
Lie flat on your back with your entire upper body against the seat, legs straddling the sides of the seat and stepping on the floor for support. Keep your back stable and your abdomen tight. Hold the barbell with both hands using a distance less than shoulder – width and place it at chest position. Push the barbell upwards with force, straightening your arms and reaching the top. Pause briefly and then slowly lower the barbell, controlling its descent to return to the chest position.
Movement 4: Double Bar Arm Curls
Hold the grips on each side with both arms, prop your body up with straight arms. Bend your legs, cross your calves, and lean your upper body forward while keeping your lower back straight. Bend your arms and let your body move down until the large arm is perpendicular to the small arm. Pause in this position, then straighten your arms and move your body up to the original position.
These four movements are not exclusive to men for training “unicorn arms”. Women can also use them to outline their arms and get rid of excess fat. However, women may choose smaller weights for the exercises. In arm training, the triceps should never be overlooked. These four moves will help make your arms fit and healthy.
