By Arm muscles, so many yet no fan following. There are at least twenty arm muscles present in our upper arm alone! There are so many muscles in our upper arm- the area between the elbow and the shoulder. Did you know about the forearm?
That part of our body has muscles as well! It is quite impossible to think of our body without muscles. This is because it has so many important functions- from lifting things to throwing a ball.
A major part of the daily activities include the involvement of muscles. The arm muscle strains are common injuries that occur due to stretching or tearing of a muscle too far. The following article focuses on the arm muscle exercises that can be beneficial for you to strengthen them.
Understanding Arm Muscles
The upper arm muscles are present in the area between the shoulder and the elbow. These include:
Biceps: The Front of the Arm
The four muscles present in the upper arms are divided between the biceps and the triceps. The bicep muscles include-
- Biceps brachii: This is the portion of the biceps that are present in the middle of the upper arm. It is a superficial muscle as it is present closer to the surface of the skin.
- Brachialis: The brachialis is present deep under the biceps.
- Coracobrachialis: This is also present buried under the biceps, with connection to the scapula.
Triceps: The Back of the Arm
This muscle is present on the back of your arm, right above your elbow. The triceps are present just under the surface of the skin, thus, classifying it as superficial arm muscles.
Forearm Muscles: Grip and Wrist Flexion/Extension
Some of the muscles in our arms are present at the top, while some are on the underside of the forearm. The forearm contains the following muscles-
- Superficial forearm muscles such as flexor carpi ulnaris, palmaris longus, flexor carpi radialis, pronator teres, and Flexor digitorum superficialis.
- Whereas, the superficial muscles present at the top of the forearm are brachioradialis, anconeus, extensor digitorum communis, extensor carpi radialis longus and brevis, extensor digiti minimi, extensor digitorum communis and extensor carpi ulnaris.
- The deep forearm muscles include flexor digitorum profundus, flexor pollicis longus and pronator quadratus. Whereas, those present deep under the skin include abductor pollicis longus, extensor pollicis longus or supinator among others.
Why are arm muscles exercises needed?
There are a number of conditions that are related to arm muscles and which may be accelerated due to activities that you perform. Following are the conditions that are related to the arm muscles:
- Rhabdomyolysis: The condition is life-threatening and rare, as it involves the breakdown of muscle fibers- specifically due to strenuous activities that cause an overuse of the muscles. Usually, endurance athletes suffer from this condition.
- Muscle strain: This can be due to the stretching of muscle fibers. The severe cases of this condition can include rupturing, or pulling of the muscles. This strain may be due to lifting heavy objects or rigorous activities. These are more common than the first condition and may also occur due to overuse.
Top 7 Ways Of Exercising Arm Muscles
1. Biceps Curl
- Stand with your feet at shoulder-width and hold a weight in each hand
- Start with the weights by your thighs with your palms facing forward and elbows present by your hips.
- Lift the weights to your shoulders, while keeping them stable.
- Release to the start, this makes the exercise one rep.
- You must lift and lower the weight with control – taking at least two seconds to pull the weight up and down
2. Wide curl
- Stand with your feet at shoulder-width and keep your arms by your sides
- Hold a weight in both hands, face the palm away from the body
- Keep the elbows close to your body
- Bracing your core, lift the weight to your shoulder
- Release to the original position complete one rep as the first exercise
- Repeat to make it a set of 10 reps.
3. Hammer curl
- Stand with your feet at shoulder-width and with your arms at the same position as above two exercises.
- Hold a weight in each hand and keep your palms facing in towards your body
- Press your elbows to the body and lift the dumbbells to the shoulders
- Release as above exercises to complete one rep.
- Repeat to complete a set of 10 reps.
- Remember to maintain the two-second count while lifting and lowering your arms.
4. Overhead triceps extension
- Stand with your feet placed at hip-width
- Have a soft bend in your knees, engaging your core
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand, lift it above your head till your arms are straight
- Do not lock your elbows and keep your palms facing each other.
- If the movement is too complex, then start the exercise with one dumbbell and lifting it above your head with both hands
- Keep the elbows and upper arms in place and slowly lower the weights behind your ears
- Extend the arms straight again to complete a rep
- Repeat the movement to complete 10 reps.
Tip: Be sure your head is aligning with your chest to avoid injuries and relax your shoulders while performing the exercise.
5. Bent-Over Triceps Extension
- Start with the position as in the above exercise
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand and keep your arms by your sides
- Face your palms inwards
- Hinge from your hips while keeping your knees slightly bent
- While doing this, also lean your torso forward till your body is at a 45-degree angle with the ground
- Extend your forearms behind you till they are parallel to the floor
- Returning to the original position to complete one rep.
6. Triceps Dip
- You will need a stable chair/bench or a bed for this exercise
- Sit on the edge of the bed/bench/chair with your hands grabbing the edge
- Position your hands at shoulder width with your fingers facing forward
- Place your feet flat on the floor with a slight extension, keep your arms almost straight
- While bending your elbows, keep your back close to the chair/bench/bed
- Maintaining this position, slowly lower your body towards the floor till your elbows are at a 90-degree angle
- While doing this, your body should be pressing into the support such that you complete one rep.
Tip: To avoid shoulder injuries, ease into the exercise if you face shoulder issues.
7. Military Or Shoulder Press
- Standing with your feet at hip-width, keep dumbbells in each hand, placing your arms by your side
- List dumbbells above your shoulders and face your palms forward to keep your elbows bent at 90-degrees
- This is the starting position of this exercise wherein, you will lift the weight above your head in a straight line without locking your elbows
- Release from this position till you complete one rep
Tip: Make sure you do not lock your elbows as it can cause an injury.
The Role of Diet and Nutrition
Exercises are an important part of building your overall strength, however, the strength that is required to build muscles comes from your diet. Thus, it is necessary that you maintain an appropriate diet that suits your nutritional requirements while fuelling your body.
Consult a dietician or nutritionist to get a specific meal plan that suits your needs.
Conclusion
Arms muscles are one of the most crucial muscle groups as they are involved in a majority of activities that we perform everyday. Proper guidance in exercise and diet helps in strengthening your muscles so that they support your overall health.
Exercises to build or strengthen your arms muscles can be particularly important to avoid injuries.
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