Top 9 Barbell Arm Exercises That Can Help Build Strength And Mass

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Barbell arm exercises can target various muscles, including the biceps, triceps, forearms, and shoulders. They can help build strength, size, and definition.

Top barbell arm exercises for stronger, well-formed arms

Below are some top barbell arm exercises that help target and work your arm muscles, helping you to build strength, mass, and definition.

As stated clearly in the title, you need a loaded barbell for all the exercises here. Check out our recommended best Olympic barbells if you have not yet acquired one for your gym.

Also, check out our best and recommended weight or bumper plates. You will need them for the barbell exercises to help increase resistance and make your exercises more challenging.

Related: 11 Best Forearm Exercises That Can Build And Improve Grip Strength

Bicep Curls

Bicep Curls are some of the most effective arm exercises for targeting and strengthening the biceps muscles.

The arm exercise with a barbell targets the biceps brachii, the primary muscle responsible for flexing the elbow joint and curling the forearm towards the upper arm.

They engage and stimulate the biceps muscles, leading to strength and growth over time.

Using a barbell for the exercise allows you to gradually increase the weight lifted to challenge your muscles further, promoting strength and hypertrophy or muscle growth.

The bicep curls are some of the best barbell arm exercises that allow you to load the biceps with heavier weights to help build mass and sleeve-popping biceps.

You can perform the barbell arm exercises with a straight or EZ Curl bar. An EZ curl bar puts less stress on the wrist, making it a good option for athletes with wrist joint concerns.

Steps to follow

• Stand upright with feet at shoulder-width and grasp a barbell with an underhand grip. Your palms should be slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and facing upward.
• Hold the barbell with your arms extended fully, allowing it to hang in front of your thighs.
• Keep your back straight, shoulders back, and chest up to help maintain proper posture.
• Keep your elbows close to your sides and your upper arms stationary
• Exhale, flex your elbows, and slowly curl the barbell upward.
• Continue the movement until the barbell is at shoulder level and your biceps fully contract.
• S at the top of the movement.
• Pause briefly at the top of the movement and squeeze your biceps.
• Inhale and slowly lower the barbell back down to your starting position, fully extending your elbows.
• Repeat 8-12 reps for a set and 3-4 sets per session.

Tips

• Focus on controlling the movement throughout the exercise. Avoid swinging the barbell or using momentum to lift the weight.
• Keep your upper body still and avoid any excessive leaning or swaying.
• Avoid using your shoulders or back to lift the barbell. The movement should involve the flexion of your elbows and the contraction of your biceps.

Close-Grip Bench Press

The close grip bench press is one of the top barbell arm exercises that can help add strength and mass to your muscles.

The close grip allows you to emphasize the triceps compared to the traditional bench press. 

Bringing your hands closer together on the barbell increases the involvement of the triceps muscles in pushing the weight, making it one of the best barbell arm exercises for targeting and strengthening the triceps. 

Aside from the triceps, the movement also engages multiple muscle groups, including the triceps, the pectoral muscles, and the front deltoids.  

Involving multiple muscles allows you to lift much heavier weights, helping you to stimulate upper body strength and muscle development.

Target muscles: Triceps, shoulder, chest.

Required Equipment: Barbell, weight bench

Steps to follow

• Lie flat on a weight bench and plant your foot firmly on the floor. 
• Position your palms on the barbell with a grip narrower than shoulder-width apart, palms facing inward or toward your body.
• Lift the barbell off the rack, fully extend your arms, and stabilize the bar above your chest.
• Keep your elbows close to your body and slowly lower the barbell toward the middle of your chest. Maintain control throughout the movement.
• Let the barbell lightly touch your chest, exhale, and push the bar back up to your starting position, fully extending your arms.
• Repeat 8-12 reps to complete a set and 3-4 sets for a session.

Tricep Extension

The Barbell Tricep Extension is an effective arm exercise for targeting and strengthening the triceps.

It is a push exercise that allows you to isolate and engage the triceps muscles, helping to increase strength and muscle development.

Steps to follow

• Stand with feet at shoulder-width, holding a barbell or EZ Curl bar with an overhand grip, palms facing forward.
• Lift the barbell overhead, fully extending your arms.
• Keep your upper arms stationary and close to your head.
• Lower the barbell in a controlled manner by bending your elbows backward. Allow the barbell to come down as far as possible behind your head.
• Pause briefly at the bottom of the movement, exhale, and extend your arms, raising the barbell back to your starting position.
• Repeat 8-12 reps for a set and 3-4 sets in a session

Skull Crushers

The Skull Crushers, aka Lying Tricep Extensions, are some of the most effective barbell arm exercises that target the triceps.

Barbell Skull Crushers target the triceps brachii muscles on the back of the upper arm. It allows you to isolate and engage the triceps, helping you build strength and muscle development in the area.

Lying on a flat bench for the skull crushers barbell arm exercisers allow for a deep stretch and a full range of motion in the triceps.

The broader range of motion can help activate more triceps muscle fibers, promoting muscle development and flexibility.

You will need a flat weight bench for the skull crushers.

Steps to follow

• Lie on a flat bench and plant your feet firmly on the floor.
• Hold a barbell with an overhand grip with palms at shoulder-width and facing away from you.
• Extend your arms above your chest, with your elbows locked and perpendicular to the floor.
• With your upper arms stationary, inhale and bend your elbows slowly to lower the barbell, allowing the bar to come down toward your forehead. Maintain control, and do not let your upper arms move.
• Pause briefly when the bar is near your forehead.
• Exhale and extend your arms to raise the bar back to your starting position.
• Repeat 8-12 reps for a set and 3-4 sets for a session.

Preacher Curls

Preacher Curls are some of the most potent barbell arm exercises for targeting the biceps muscles.

Barbell Preacher Curls can isolate and target the biceps brachii muscles, leading to increased strength and muscle development in the area.

You will need a preacher curl bench for the exercise. It provides a stable platform that restricts excessive swinging or cheating movements commonly seen in standing bicep curls.

The isolation can help you to focus on the biceps and minimize assistance from other muscle groups, making it one of the best barbell arm exercises for a more targeted and effective movement.

The preacher curl bench also allows a greater range of motion at the elbow joint compared to other bicep exercises.

This extended range allows for a deeper stretch at the bottom of the movement and a more complete contraction at the top, enhancing the overall effectiveness of the exercise.

Steps to follow to do the preacher curl exercises

Reverse Grip Curls

Reverse Grip Curls are excellent barbell arm exercises that target the forearm muscles, with the secondary involvement of the biceps.

Steps to follow

• Stand with your feet at shoulder-width, holding a barbell with an overhand grip or palms facing down. Keep your palms at shoulder-width.
• Keep your back straight, shoulders back, and chest.
• Exhale, flex your elbows, and slowly curl the barbell upward, ensuring you keep your upper arms stationary.
• Continue the movement until the bar is at shoulder level and your forearms are fully contracted.
• Squeeze your forearm muscles at the top of the movement.
• Inhale and slowly lower the bar back to your starting position, fully extending your elbows.
• Repeat 8-12 reps per set and 3-4 sets for a session.

Drag Curls

Drag Curls are effective barbell arm exercises that target the biceps muscles.

The exercise involves keeping the barbell in close contact with the body throughout the movement, which minimizes the involvement of the shoulders and places more stress on the biceps.

The isolation of the biceps allows for a more concentrated and effective workout for the arm muscles.

Unlike traditional bicep curl variations, drag curls also allow for a longer range of motion.

Dragging the barbell up the front of your body allows you to achieve a deeper contraction of the biceps at the top of the movement. The increased range of motion can lead to greater muscle activation and development in the biceps.

The dragging motion of the bar along the body also creates constant tension on the biceps throughout the exercise. That continuous tension makes the drag curls one of the best barbell arm exercises for enhancing muscle stimulation and promoting muscle growth.

Steps to follow

To perform the drag curl barbell arm exercises,

• Stand with your feet at shoulder-width, holding a barbell with an underhand grip. Keep your arms slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
• Allow your arms to hang straight down in front of your thighs. Keep your back straight and chest up.
• Start curling the barbell upward.
• As you curl the barbell upward, focus on dragging it along the front of your body, keeping it in close contact with your torso. Do not allow the bar to drift away from your body or swing.
• Continue curling until the barbell reaches your upper chest, ensuring your elbows stay close to your body and your shoulders are stable.
• Squeeze your biceps at the top of the movement.
• Lower the barbell in a controlled manner back to your starting position, fully extending your arms.
• Repeat 8-12 reps per set, 3-4 sets in a session.

Wrist Curls

Wrist Curls are great movements for working the forearms. They are some of the best barbell arm exercises for targeting the muscles responsible for wrist flexion, which are on the anterior or front side of the forearms.

The exercise allows you to isolate and engage the muscles to help increase strength and muscle development in the forearms.

You can perform the exercise with an overhand or an underhand grip to target slightly different muscle groups within the forearms.

Adjusting the grip width can also emphasize different areas of the forearm muscles.

You will need a weight bench for the exercise.

Steps to follow for the barbell wrist curl exercises

Close-Grip Bicep Curls

The close-brip bicep curls are excellent barbell arm exercises that target the biceps muscles.

The close-grip variation of the bicep curls places more emphasis on the inner portion of the biceps muscle. A narrower grip on the barbell allows you to isolate the biceps much more and increase the focus on the muscles.

Steps to follow

• Stand with your feet at shoulder-width, holding a barbell with an underhand grip, with palms closer than shoulder-width apart.
• Keep your back straight, shoulders back, and chest up.
• Exhale, flex your elbows, and curl the barbell upward. Ensure your upper arms remain stationary and close to your body. Focus on using your biceps to lift the weight.
• Continue curling the barbell upward until your biceps fully contract.
• Pause briefly at the top of the movement.
• Slowly lower the barbell back to your starting position, with your elbows fully extended.
• Repeat 8-12 reps for a set and 3-4 sets to complete a session.

Benefits of barbell arm exercises

Barbell arm exercises offer several benefits for your arms and overall strength training regimen.

Increased Muscle Strength

Barbell arm exercises target the major muscles in your arms, including the biceps, triceps, and forearms.

Regularly performing those exercises can help increase the strength and power of the muscles. That will allow you to lift heavier weights and perform daily tasks.

Muscle Hypertrophy

Barbell arm exercises can help promote muscle hypertrophy.

Through progressive overload, barbell exercises stimulate muscle fibers, leading to muscle growth and increased muscle size in your arms.

Improved Muscle Definition

Exercisers looking for well-defined, sculpted arms will find barbell exercises a worthwhile addition to their workout regimen.

By targeting muscle groups such as the biceps and triceps, barbell arm exercises can help develop more visible muscle definition. That can help give your arms a toned and aesthetic appearance.

Enhanced Functional Strength

Strong and well-developed arm muscles contribute to overall functional strength.

Whether you lift objects, perform pushing or pulling movements, or engage in sports and physical activities, strengthening your arms can improve your performance and reduce the risk of injuries.

Increased Metabolic Rate

Engaging in compound barbell arm exercises that involve multiple muscle groups, such as barbell rows or overhead presses, can elevate your heart rate and increase your metabolic rate.

That can lead to improved calorie burn during your workout and post-exercise recovery.

Improved Grip Strength

Many barbell arm exercises require a firm grip to hold and stabilize the bar.

That can help improve your grip strength, benefiting various activities such as lifting heavy objects or participating in sports like rock climbing.

Versatility and Accessibility

Barbell arm exercises offer several options and variations, allowing you to target different muscles and accommodate various fitness levels.

You can adjust barbell exercises by changing weights and hand positions or incorporating different barbell attachments, making them accessible for individuals at various stages of their fitness journey.

Limitations of barbell arm exercises

Barbell arm exercises offer numerous benefits, but they have some limitations.

Isolation of Specific Muscles

Barbell arm exercises can target specific muscles in the arms, but they may not isolate those muscles as effectively as other exercises or training equipment.

You may need to incorporate additional exercises or equipment, such as dumbbells or cables, to help you isolate specific arm muscles more effectively,

Limited Range of Motion

Some barbell arm exercises, such as bicep curls or tricep extensions, involve a limited range of motion compared to other movements.

That can restrict the activation and engagement of some muscle fibers and may not provide optimal muscle stimulation for growth and development.

Supplementing your workout routine with exercises that offer a broader range of motion, like bodyweight movements or cable exercises, can help address that limitation.

Joint Stress and Imbalances

Barbell arm exercises, particularly those that involve heavy weights, can place significant stress on the joints, such as the elbows and wrists.

Improper form, excessive weight, or neglecting to warm up properly can increase the risk of joint strain or injury.

It’s crucial to use proper technique, gradually progress with weights, and maintain balanced training to avoid overloading specific joints or creating muscular imbalances.

Equipment Requirement and Safety

Barbell arm exercises require access to a barbell and a suitable training space, such as a gym or home setup with the necessary equipment.

The lack of such equipment and facilities may limit your ability to perform the exercises.

Also, there is a risk of injury with barbell arm exercises if not executed with proper form and caution.

We recommend you seek guidance from a qualified fitness professional to ensure the safe and effective execution of the barbell arm exercises.

Lack of Functional Movements

Barbell arm exercises can help with strength and muscle development but may not always replicate the functional movements you encounter in everyday life or sports-specific activities.

Thus, incorporate several other exercises into your training regimen to develop well-rounded strength, mobility, and coordination.

Final words from LiveLIfe

Consider including the barbell arm exercises in your training regimen to help build bigger, well-toned biceps, triceps, and forearms. Gradually increase the weights and challenge yourself progressively to continue making progress.

It is also essential to have a balanced workout regimen that includes exercises targeting other muscles for well-balanced strength and fitness development.