The 4 Best Compound Exercises to Sculpt Arms Built for Power and Performance

If you walk into any commercial gym in the country, you’ll see every kind of isolation arm exercise imaginable—preacher curls, dumbbell triceps extensions, barbell bicep curls, press downs. And while these moves have their place in a routine, they’ll never replace the compound lifts that actually pack on mass. 

Just look at the greatest powerlifters of all time. Legends like Ed Coan, Bill Kazmaier, and John Haack didn’t build their size with endless curls. Sure, they might sprinkle them in, but their arms (and their overall strength) were forged under a heavy barbell. More often than not, it came from one place: a big bench press.

Below, we share the four powerhouse lifts we swear by for maximizing size and strength in the upper body. Master these moves, and you’ll not only build bigger arms but also a stronger, more powerful upper body overall.

Related: 15 Best Biceps Exercises for Three-Dimensional Arms

The 4 Best Lifts for Bigger Arms

Close-Grip Bench Press

How to Do It 

1. Grasp the bar with your index fingers on the inside edge of the knurling (the rough part of the bar). 
2. Set your shoulders in place and tuck your elbows in slightly. 
3. Pull the bar off the rack and lower it to your sternum, tucking your elbows about 45 degrees to your sides. 
4. When the bar touches your body, drive your feet hard into the floor and press the bar back up. 
5. That’s one rep. 

Close-Grip Chinups

How to Do It

1. Grip a pullup bar underhand with your palms six inches apart. 
2. Starting from a dead hang, pull yourself up until your upper chest comes in contact with the bar. Pulling yourself up all the way to the bar, says Justin Grinnell, C.S.C.S., owner of State of Fitness, slightly increases the range of motion, and thus the demand placed on the biceps.
3. Pause for a full second at the top, and lower yourself slowly until your arms become totally straight.
4. That’s one rep.

Bent Over Row

How to Do It

1. Place a barbell in a squat rack slightly below your knees, to start.
2. Grip the barbell with your palms facing down.
3. Lift the bar from the rack, hinge at the hips, and keep your back straight.
4. Bend your knees slightly, brace your core, and lower the bar towards the floor until your elbows are completely straight.
5. Pull the bar back up towards your belly button and then slowly lower it back down to the starting position.
6. That’s one rep. 

Dips

How to Do It

1. Grab parallel bars with your palms facing inward, and your arms straight and in line with the sides of your body. Your shoulders should be tucked back and down so that they’re not hunched up in a shrug. 
2. Maintaining a straight line from head to heels, hinge forward at your shoulders to tilt your body forward 25 to 30 degrees.
3. Bend your elbows to lower your body until your elbows are bent 90 degrees. Maintain the straight body line as you descend.
4. Press back to the top of the movement, and repeat.

Related: 15 Best Body Weight Exercises for a Strong, Athletic Body

Can Compound Exercises Build Big Arms?

“When athletes think about developing ripped arms, they immediately think of isolation exercises, such as biceps curls and triceps press downs,” says Grinnell. “While isolation movements are great when trying to add some detail to a muscle group, for overall mass and strength gains, compound movements will always trump isolation movements.”

Grinnell explains that multi-joint lifts with heavier loads trigger a greater release of growth hormone, testosterone, and IGF-1. Translation: Compound moves don’t just build bigger arms, they supercharge your entire physique. If you need a final hint to step away from the cable station and get under the bar, this is it.