Arms are one of those body parts that everyone wants, but it's not uncommon for people to skip arm training or just go through the motions. If you're looking for a challenge and those bis and tris are lagging behind the rest of your physique, Optimum Nutrition athletes Tobias Young, Lony Pizarro, and Whitney Wiser have the (seriously) intense workouts that will make the burn well worth it. The key is to keep the rest time short, the weight challenging, and actually leave the gym feeling like you earned your pump!

Tobias Young

Tobias Young's Arm Workout
1
Cable overhead triceps extension
4 sets, 6-8 reps (slow reps)
+ 8 more exercises

BodyFit

$6.99/month
  • 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
  • 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
  • Detailed workout instruction
  • Step-by-step workout tips
  • Training at gym or at home
  • Access to Workout Plans
  • Access to Bodyfit App
  • Store Discounts

What comes with BodyFit?

  • Instructional Videos
  • Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.

  • How-to Images
  • View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.

  • Step-by-Step Instructions
  • Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.

Training Tips

  • I train biceps with palms-up (supinated), neutral, and palms-down (pronated) grips to incorporate the brachialis and add extra volume to my arms.
  • I use a variety of advanced training techniques to shock the arms and prevent a plateau, including dropsets, varying rep speed, rest-pause, pause reps, and supersets, among others.
  • Optimize your recovery by getting a meal or protein shake post-workout, when your body uses nutrients better than any other time of the day. I like to refuel with Optimum Nutrition Isolate protein, 5 grams of creatine, HMB, and a banana.
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Lony Pizarro

Lony Pizarro's Arm Workout
1
Machine Preacher Curls
5 sets, 20, 20, 20, 10, 10 reps
+ 10 more exercises

BodyFit

$6.99/month
  • 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
  • 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
  • Detailed workout instruction
  • Step-by-step workout tips
  • Training at gym or at home
  • Access to Workout Plans
  • Access to Bodyfit App
  • Store Discounts

What comes with BodyFit?

  • Instructional Videos
  • Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.

  • How-to Images
  • View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.

  • Step-by-Step Instructions
  • Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.

Training Tips

  • This is this a fun yet rigorous workout. I cut rest periods very short in order to keep the heart rate up—which also means you won't have time to let your phone distract you! A great workout does not have to be long, but it does have to be intense. After completing this, you should feel drained, but hold your head high and be proud to say you did it!
  • The goal is to get as much blood pumped into the biceps and triceps as possible. You want to be getting full extension and a full contraction on every rep you do.
  • When the reps are lower, you should be going much heavier than you would on higher rep sets.
  • Before training arms, I drink a solution combining a scoop of Pro Pre with water. I also take 1 HMB capsule. During my warm up and throughout my workout, I sip from a bottle with 32 ounces of water mixed with 4 scoops of Pro BCAA. After my arm workout, while doing cardio, I sip on another drink combining Gold Standard 100% Plant Protein (2 scoops) and Glutamine Powder and Micronized Creatine Powder (1 tablespoon each). I also take 2 grams of Vitamin C and another HMB capsule.

Whitney Wiser

Whitney Wiser's Arm Workout
1
Pushups
with Walkout.
3 sets, 10 reps
+ 4 more exercises

BodyFit

$6.99/month
  • 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
  • 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
  • Detailed workout instruction
  • Step-by-step workout tips
  • Training at gym or at home
  • Access to Workout Plans
  • Access to Bodyfit App
  • Store Discounts

What comes with BodyFit?

  • Instructional Videos
  • Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.

  • How-to Images
  • View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.

  • Step-by-Step Instructions
  • Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.

Training Tips

  • I try to keep rest time between sets to a minimum—60 seconds between sets is usually sufficient. Taking rest breaks that are too long will cause the intensity of the workout to decrease significantly.
  • I usually like to have a protein shake made with 1 scoop of Optimum Nutrition 100% Gold Standard Whey immediately post-training. Then, 1-2 hours later, I eat a full meal consisting of a lean protein, complex carbs, and veggies; for example, grilled chicken, jasmine rice, and fresh green beans.
  • Most of my workouts involve supersets because I'm able to get more exercise in a shorter amount of time! I usually don't like to (or have time to) stay in the gym for hours every day, so most of my workouts can be done in 30-40 minutes. Supersets are super effective for me!

About the Author

Kailan Kalina

Kailan Kalina

Kailan Kalina is a former Bodybuilding.com content editor, competitive powerlifter, and certified personal trainer.

View all articles by this author