Bar and Weight Plate Arm Exercises
Bar and Weight Plate Arm Exercises
There are a huge amount of exercises you can perform with only a barbell and weight plates. Learn some new arm exercises in our guide.
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Barbell Tilt
• Get into a bench press position, with your feet planted and an arch in your back.
• Hold a barbell with your arms fully extended.
• Tilt the barbell from side to side.
WHY IT WORKS: By deliberately tilting an empty barbell, you will learn how to stabilise your arms during a bench press.
Bicep 21s
• Hold a Barbell, arms fully extended and palms facing away from you.
• Begin performing a regular bicep curl, stopping half way.
• Lower the bar back down. Repeat for a total of 7 reps.
• Perform a full bicep curl and begin lowering down, stopping half way.
• Raise the bar and repeat for a total of 7 reps.
• Perform 7 full bicep curls.
TOP TIP: For extra bicep isolation you can perform this exercise on a preacher curl bench.
Bicep Curl
• Hold a studio barbell in both hands, with your arms long, palms facing away from your body.
• Curl the barbell up to your shoulders, keeping your elbows tucked into your body.
• Lower the bar back down.
WHY IT WORKS: A studio bar is narrower than a typical straight bar, making it easier to perform bicep curls.
Bicep Curl to Supinated Front Raise
• Hold onto a barbell with your palms facing forward.
• Perform a bicep curl.
• Go straight into a front raise until the bar is in line with your shoulders.
WHY IT WORKS: Combining these two exercises into one will exhaust your biceps, as well as your shoulders.
Curl, Press and Extend
• Stand, feet hip width apart, holding a bumper plate in front of your hips.
• Curl the plate up.
• Push the bumper plate into a shoulder press.
• Pull it behind your head, for a triceps extension.
• Reverse each stage of the movement to complete one rep.
MULTIPLE MUSCLES: This exercise targets all your arm muscles, as well as your shoulder.
From: Top 10 Fat Burning Exercises Using Just a Bumper Plate
Drag Curl
• Hold a barbell, palms facing forwards, and arms long.
• Drag the bar up to your chest, pointing your elbows to the wall behind you.
• Lower it slowly.
TOP TIP: Keep the bar close to your body throughout.
Farmer’s Walk
• Add bumper plates to a pair of farmer’s walk handles.
• Stand tall, holding the handles by your side.
• Walk forward, for as long as possible, before putting the weight down.
VARIATION: You can make this a unilateral suitcase carry by using only one handle.
Floor Press
• Set a barbell at a low pin height on a rack.
• Lay on your back, eyes in line with the bar.
• Unrack the bar, hands just outside shoulder width apart.
• Lower the bar to your chest, letting your elbows touch the floor.
• Push the bar away, fully extending your arms.
WHY IT WORKS: Because of the reduced range of motion, the floor press is good if you have weak shoulders.
Hang Clean
• Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, holding a barbell just above your knees.
• Extend your hips, knees and ankles to drive the bar upwards.
• Shrug your shoulders, pulling the bar to chest height.
• Drop into a full squat to catch the bar on your shoulders, elbows pointing forward.
MULTIPLE MUSCLES: This is a full body exercise and helps you to coordinate between your hips, shoulders, and arms.
Inverted Skull Crusher
• Start in an incline plank – with your feet on the floor and hands on a racked bar, arms locked out straight.
• Lower your head towards the bar.
• Push away from the bar until your arms are locked again.
GET GOOD FORM: Rotate your elbows as you go down. This keeps the focus on your arms and avoids becoming a push up.
Overhead Tricep Extension
• Stand tall, shoulders back, holding a tricep bar by the middle handles.
• Lift the bar to the sky, locking out your arms.
• Lower the bar behind your head before raising it again.
WHY IT WORKS: This exercise also targets your shoulders through an abducted, flexed, externally rotated and thoracically extended position.
Preacher Curl
• Rack an EZ bar on a Preacher Curl Bench.
• Sit on the bench and grab hold of the bar, palms facing up.
• Curl the bar towards your shoulders.
TOP TIP: When you first unrack the bar, let your arms hang as low as possible to fully lengthen your muscles.
Reverse Curl
• Stand up straight, holding a loaded Barbell at your waist with an overhand grip.
• Bend at the elbow, bringing the bar in line with your shoulders.
• Lower the bar back down to the start.
VARIATION: You can also perform narrow or wide grip reverse curls.
Reverse Preacher Curl
• Sit on a preacher curl bench with your elbows on the pad.
• Hold a barbell, arms pointing at the floor.
• Pull the bar towards your shoulders, then lower.
GET GOOD FORM: Keep your triceps on the pad at all times.
Skull Crusher
• Lie on a weight bench, gripping the tricep bar by the middle handles.
• Lock your arms with the bar overhead.
• Lift your elbows to the sky so that the bar moves down and behind your head.
VARIATION Using a tricep bar for a skull crusher is helpful for those with reduced shoulder mobility.
Spider Curl
• Lie with your chest on the backrest of an adjustable bench, at 45 degrees.
• Hold an EZ bar and let your arms relax.
• Squeeze your biceps, bend your elbows, and lift the weight to your shoulders.
VARIATION: You can also perform this exercise with two dumbbells.
Suitcase Carry
• Hold a bumper plate in one hand, by the side of your body.
• Stand tall and walk forwards.
• Repeat on the opposite side.
MULTIPLE MUSCLES: This exercise targets your shoulders, core, and legs.
Swiss Bar Hammer Curl
• Stand, holding a swiss bar in both hands with your arms pointing down.
• Raise your arms until your hands are level with your chest.
• Reverse the movement to complete one rep.
MULTIPLE MUSCLES: This exercise trains your forearm muscles, as well as your biceps.
Tempo Curl
• Hold a barbell with your arms long, palms facing forward.
• As slow as possible, curl the bar to your shoulders.
• As slow as possible, curl the bar back down.
TOP TIP: The high time under tension will take you close to failure, so start with a lighter weight.
Trap Bar Farmer’s Walk
• Stand inside a Trap Bar.
• Holding the handles, walk forward, keeping your shoulders level.
FUNCTIONAL FITNESS: This translates well to carrying shopping.
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