The arms help the body in the activities of daily living. Anatomically, it primarily consists of the biceps and the triceps. The biceps have two heads while the triceps have three. They are trained to boost their size and appearance. Along with the barbell and dumbbell exercises, the following are machine exercises that train the arms and make them bigger.
Bicep Curl
Along with a barbell or a curved bar, the bicep curl can also be done using a machine. According to Fit Link, the person adjusts the seat for the arms to be in a comfortable position. The person makes the initial position by grabbing the machine handles using an underhand grip, with his arms completely extended. Next, he pull the handles towards his shoulders and then briefly pauses, with his knuckles pointing to the ceiling. Then, he lowers the handles to the initial position. A good practice is to keep the elbows stationary as the hands pull the weight towards the shoulders. The exercise is done for the planned number of sets and repetitions.
Biceps Curl via Cable Tower
The biceps curl can also be done with a cable tower. As per Fitness Magazine, the machine features various weight stacks, attachments, and adjustable cable, which make it usable when performing exercises for different muscle groups. To perform the exercise, as per the publication, the person stands facing one of the weight stacks and attaches a short bar or handles onto the end. Then, he grabs the bar and places his hands near the ends, with palms facing up and arms fully extended in front of the thighs. Once done, the person curls the bar toward the shoulders while keeping the elbow close to the sides. Then, he gradually lowers the handle back to the initial position. As per the publication, the intensity of the exercise can be raised by doing a single-handed curl, as it works each arm harder. The same movement is done, but a handle attachment is used, holding it in one hand with the opposite hand on the hip or by the side. The exercise is done for the planned number of sets and repetitions.
Cable Incline Triceps Extension
A person can train his triceps with cable incline triceps extension. According to Body Building, the exercise is an isolation pushing exercise for triceps strength. To perform the exercise, the person lies on an inclined bench, facing away from a high pulley machine that has a straight bar attachment on it. Next, he grabs the straight bar attachment with a pronated or overhand and palms down and narrow grip or less than shoulder width. The person also keeps his elbows tucked into his sides and the upper arms should be at 25 degrees from the floor. Once done, the person extends his arms as he flexes the triceps, while the upper arms are kept stationary. Then, he exhales during the movement and holds the contraction for a second. After that, he gradually returns to the initial position. The exercise is done for the planned number of sets and repetitions.
Cable Rope Overhead Triceps Extension
Another version of the triceps extension is the cable rope overhead version. As per Body Building, the person attaches a rope to the bottom pulley of the machine. Next, he grabs the rope with both hands and with a neutral grip or palms facing each other, he extends his arms with the hands above his head. A good practice is to keep the elbows close to the head and the arms should be perpendicular to the floor. With the knuckles targeting the ceiling, the person slowly lowers the rope behind his head while the upper arms are stationary. He breathes in as he does the movement and then pauses when a stretch is felt on the triceps. Then, he exhales as he returns to the initial position.
Overall, a person’s arms help him carry out various activities in daily living; hence, losing their strength can adversely impact a person’s health. Along with the aforementioned machine exercises, complete arm size and strength development can be achieved through proper nutrition and adequate rest.
