Kettlebells are an amazing equipment choice to use for arm day. They will give you an excellent workout, add variety to your routine, and prove to be quite effective. We reached out to Josh York, founder and CEO of GYMGUYZ, the leading at-home, personal training concept, who came up with seven kettlebell exercises for men to get bigger arms.
York explains to Eat This, Not That!, “When training with a kettlebell, it provides a different type of tension rather than using a regular bar or dumbbell, tricking your muscles in order to grow them. Using a kettlebell forces you to focus more on your stabilization and improves your posture.”
Along with those benefits, working out with kettlebells will help you boost your power and shed excess body fat, according to BarBend. Of course, in order to build muscle through kettlebell training, you have to be mindful of your overall training volume, the load/intensity, taking breaks to rest, and carving out the proper amount of time to recover.
So without further delay, grab your kettlebells and get started with your workout! York breaks down the seven best kettlebell exercises for men to get bigger arms. Keep reading to learn all about them, and next, check out The Best Workout To Build Bigger Arms in 30 Days.
Standing Kettlebell Curls
For this move that’ll help build up your arm muscles, you will stand up straight while curling the kettlebells up toward your chest. According to Advanced Human Performance, doing standing curls with kettlebells may even be more efficient than doing this exercise with dumbbells or a barbell. Kettlebells give you a substantially greater amount of tension during the exercise.
Preacher Bicep Curls
If you’re looking for a twist on the classic bicep curl, check out preacher bicep curls. This exercise will have you leaning over on a bench and curling the kettlebells upward.
According to MasterClass, preacher bicep curls require you to sit on a preacher curl bench and place your feet flat on the ground. Your upper arms should remain on the arm pad as you bend at the elbows while curling the kettlebells up.
Hammer Curls
Start kettlebell hammer curls by placing your feet the distance of your shoulder span, Skimble explains. Each hand should be grabbing onto the side of the kettlebell’s handle. Then, curl the weight up toward your collarbone. Gradually lower the kettlebell to return to the starting position.
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Regular Seated Curls
This exercise is quite simple. As York explains, all you have to do is sit down on a workout bench, and curl the kettlebells up toward your chest.
Kneel and do Alternating Curls
For alternating curls, York instructs you to kneel into a preacher curl bench. You’ll alternate between curling one kettlebell up toward your chest, and then doing the same motion on the opposite side. Make sure you lower the weight slowly before swapping sides.
Decline Kettlebell Skull Crushes
This exercise is stellar if you want to build mass in your triceps, Critical Body explains. You’ll start by lying back on a decline bench. A kettlebell should be in both hands, and your palms should face each other, according to BOXROX. Bring the kettlebells above your chest, fully extending both arms. Then, lower them by flexing both elbows. Flex your triceps as you bring the kettlebells back to the position you started in.
Overhead Tricep Extensions
Last but not least, it’s time for overhead tricep extensions. According to Sworkit Health, you’ll start by placing your feet the distance of your shoulder span, and make sure your core is tight. (You can also perform this exercise while you’re sitting.) Both hands should be holding the kettlebell. Then, press the weight up straight overhead, keeping both elbows close to your ears. Bend both elbows as you lower the weight behind your head. Make sure to use control when bringing the weight down.
Alexa Mellardo
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