CONTRARY TO POPULAR belief, you can train your arms every day. Chances are that you do already, even if you’re not totally focused on your biceps, triceps, and forearms.
Each time you perform a pullup or bent over row to target your back, you also work your biceps, for example. Same goes for your triceps in the bench press and pushup, and your forearms in the dumbbell squat and Romanian deadlift (lifting heavy taxes your grip). In fact, it’s almost impossible not to engage at least some of your arm muscles any time you hold a weight or grab a bar, whether you’re intending to target muscle groups in your upper body, lower body, or both.
But if you really want to stretch the limits of your shirtsleeves, you can’t always relegate your arm muscles to the supporting cast. You have to regularly make them the stars of the show. That’s where this 14-day challenge comes into play.
For two weeks straight, you’ll end your workouts with either three straight sets or three supersets of moves that directly target your biceps and triceps. During the first week, you’ll do four sets of a single exercise each day, resting 60 seconds between them. During the second week, you’ll do four supersets each day, resting 60 seconds between those as well. The seventh day of each week is an optional rest day. If your arms are overly sore or tired, skip the exercises and give your guns the day off to recover. But if they’re feeling good, go for it and let rip for even more arm gains. You’ll repeat five exercises over the two weeks; focus on perfecting the movements, working to get the most out of each rep.
Always do the designated arm exercises at the end of your regular workout. If you aren’t training on a particular day, perform the exercises whenever you have the time. And if you reach day 14 and aren’t ready for the challenge to end, feel free to do it again for a solid month of big arm focus. You’ll continue to see results as long as you consistently reach for heavier weights (while using proper form, of course) and pushing the limits of your strength.
The 14-Day Biceps and Triceps Challenge
The Exercises
Kneeling Halfway Pause Curl
Kneel on the floor holding a pair of dumbbells by your sides, palms facing in. Keeping your back flat and core engaged, curl the dumbbells as far as you can toward your shoulders without moving your elbows. As you lower the dumbbells back to the starting position, pause briefly at the halfway point (i.e., when your elbows are bent 90 degrees).
Close-Grip Pushup
Assume a pushup position with your feet together, core engaged, spine straight from head to heels. Keep arms straight with your palms planted on the floor, keeping hands in line with (but slightly narrower than) your shoulders. Keeping your elbows tucked to your torso, lower your body until your chest is just short of the floor. Pause, and then reverse the movement to return to the starting position.
Half-Full Curl
Position yourself on the floor in a tall-kneeling stance, holding a pair of dumbbells by your sides, palms facing in. Keeping your back flat, core engaged, and elbows by your sides, curl the dumbbells halfway up while rotating your palms upward. Pause, then reverse the movement to return to the starting position. Immediately perform another curl rep, this time working through the full range of motion.
Double-Skullcrusher to Double-JM press
Lie on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat, holding a pair of dumbbells above your shoulders with your arms straight and palms facing in. Keeping your core engaged and upper arms perpendicular to the floor, bend your elbows, lowering the dumbbells to the sides of your head. Reverse the movement to return to the starting position. Repeat one more time, and then perform two reps of the JM press, lowering your elbows to your ribs and the tops of the dumbbells to your shoulders before pressing back up. Continue alternating between two reps of each exercise.
Pause-and-Twist Hammer Curl
Start in a tall kneeling position, holding a pair of dumbbells in a neutral grip (with your palms facing each other). Perform a hammer curl with both arms simultaneously, raising the weights to your upper chest. As you lower the weight back down, pause at the halfway point (once your forearms are perpendicular with the ground). Holding your arms at that height, rotate your wrists inward into a supinated (palms up) grip position. Rotate back into the neutral grip position, then lower your arms back to the start.
Week 1
Perform four sets of each exercise. Rest for 60 seconds between sets.
Day 1
Kneeling Halfway Pause Curl
10 to 12 reps
Day 2
Close-Grip Pushup
12 to 15 reps
Day 3
Half-Full Curl
10 to 12 reps
Day 4
Double-Skullcrusher to Double-JM press
12 to 15 total reps
Day 5
Pause-and-Twist Hammer Curl
8 to 10 reps
Day 6
Close-Grip Pushup
12 to 15 reps
Day 7
Optional: Pause-and-Twist Hammer Curl OR Rest
8 to 10 reps
Week 2
Perform four sets of each superset. Rest for 60 seconds between pair.
Day 1
Superset
Kneeling Halfway Pause Curl
10 to 12 reps
Close-Grip Pushup
12 to 15 reps
Day 2
Superset
Close-Grip Pushup
12 to 15 reps
Half-Full Curl
10 to 12 reps
Day 3
Superset
Half-Full Curl
10 to 12 reps
Close-Grip Pushup
12 to 15 reps
Day 4
Superset
Double-Skullcrusher to Double-JM Press
12 to 16 total reps
Kneeling Halfway Pause Curl
10 to 12 reps
Day 5
Superset/Compound Set
Pause-and-Twist Hammer Curl
8 to 10 reps
Half-Full Curl
8 to 10 reps
Day 6
Superset/Compound Set
Double-Skullcrusher to Double-JM Press
12 to 16 reps
Close-Grip Pushup
Max good form reps
Day 7
Optional OR Rest
Superset
Kneeling Halfway Pause Curl
8 to 10 reps
Close-Grip Pushup
8 to 10 reps
Trevor Thieme is a Los Angeles-based writer and strength coach, and a former fitness editor at Men’s Health. When not helping others get in shape, he splits his time between surfing, skiing, hiking, mountain biking, and trying to keep up with his seven year-old daughter.
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