Arm day is probably the most anticipated workout of the week for a lot of lifters. There's something satisfying about dedicating an entire session to building bigger arms. Here's how to make the most of it.
The Case for a Dedicated Arm Day
Some training philosophies say you don't need a dedicated arm day—that biceps and triceps get enough work from compounds. There's truth to this for beginners.
But for intermediate and advanced lifters, direct arm work matters:
• Compounds alone may not provide enough volume for maximum arm growth
• Isolation exercises target muscles differently than compounds
• A dedicated day allows you to train arms when fresh, not fatigued from pressing and pulling
If your arms are lagging or you simply want them to be a priority, arm day makes sense.
Complete Arm Day Workout
This workout balances biceps and triceps with strategic exercise selection:
BICEPS (first half)
1. Barbell Curl
4 sets x 8-10 reps
Rest: 90 seconds
Purpose: Strength foundation, overall bicep development
2. Incline Dumbbell Curl
3 sets x 10-12 reps
Rest: 75 seconds
Purpose: Long head emphasis, full stretch
3. Preacher Curl (machine or EZ bar)
3 sets x 12 reps
Rest: 60 seconds
Purpose: Short head emphasis, strict isolation
4. Hammer Curl
3 sets x 12-15 reps
Rest: 60 seconds
Purpose: Brachialis, forearm development
TRICEPS (second half)
5. Close-Grip Bench Press or Dips
4 sets x 8-10 reps
Rest: 90 seconds
Purpose: Strength foundation, all three tricep heads
6. Overhead Tricep Extension (cable or dumbbell)
3 sets x 10-12 reps
Rest: 75 seconds
Purpose: Long head emphasis (the biggest head)
7. Cable Pushdown
3 sets x 12-15 reps
Rest: 60 seconds
Purpose: Lateral head emphasis
8. Rope Pushdown or Kickbacks
2 sets x 15-20 reps
Rest: 45 seconds
Purpose: Pump finisher
Total workout: 25 sets, approximately 50-60 minutes
Alternative: Superset Arm Day (Time-Efficient)
Supersets pair a bicep exercise immediately with a tricep exercise. This cuts workout time significantly while maintaining volume.
Superset 1 (4 rounds):
• Barbell curl x 10
• Close-grip bench press x 10
Rest: 90 seconds after both
Superset 2 (3 rounds):
• Incline dumbbell curl x 12
• Overhead tricep extension x 12
Rest: 75 seconds
Superset 3 (3 rounds):
• Hammer curl x 12
• Rope pushdown x 15
Rest: 60 seconds
Finisher:
• Cable curl x 15
• Cable pushdown x 15
(Continuous superset, 2 rounds, minimal rest)
Total: 22 sets, approximately 35-40 minutes
Exercise Selection Principles
A good arm day includes:
For biceps:
• One heavy/strength-focused curl (barbell or dumbbell)
• One long head exercise (incline curl, drag curl)
• One short head exercise (preacher curl, concentration curl)
• One brachialis exercise (hammer curl, reverse curl)
For triceps:
• One heavy compound (close-grip bench, dips, or machine press)
• One long head exercise (overhead extension)
• One lateral head exercise (pushdowns)
• Optional: medial head work (reverse grip pushdowns)
This ensures you're hitting all portions of both muscle groups.
Common Arm Day Mistakes
Bicep bias: Training biceps twice as hard as triceps. Triceps are bigger—give them equal or greater attention.
All isolation, no compounds: Close-grip bench and weighted dips should be staples, not afterthoughts. They allow heavier loading.
Ego lifting on curls: Swinging 50-pound dumbbells builds momentum, not muscle. Use weights you can actually control.
Neglecting the long heads: Both biceps and triceps have long heads that need specific exercises. Don't skip overhead work and stretch-position curls.
Training arms after heavy push or pull: If you did heavy rows or bench press earlier, your arms are pre-fatigued. For arm day to be effective, arms should be relatively fresh.
Where Arm Day Fits in Your Split
Push/Pull/Legs/Arms split: Arm day is its own training day. Great for arm prioritization.
Upper/Lower split: Arms are trained on upper days—but may need extra direct work on a third day if lagging.
Bro split: Traditional arm day, usually once per week. May not be enough frequency for optimal growth.
For maximum arm development, training arms 2x per week (either directly or split across push/pull days plus arm day) tends to work better than once per week.
Recovery Considerations
Don't train arms the day before or after heavy pulling or pressing:
• Biceps need rest before/after back day
• Triceps need rest before/after chest day
A sample weekly layout:
• Monday: Push (chest, shoulders, triceps)
• Tuesday: Pull (back, biceps)
• Wednesday: Legs
• Thursday: Rest
• Friday: Arms (dedicated)
• Saturday: Optional legs or rest
• Sunday: Rest
The Bottom Line
A dedicated arm day is effective when arms are a priority. Balance your bicep and tricep work, include both compounds and isolation, and train with controlled form rather than ego weight.
The pump is satisfying, but the long-term results come from progressive overload and consistency over months and years.