THE SCIENCE OF #ARMDAY

This modern take on training will help you forge Thor-ish biceps and make you stronger for all exercises.

- MILO F. BRYANT, C.S.C.S.

SPEND TWO MINUTES ON Instagram or TikTok and you'll see all kinds of #Big Arms training tactics. Not all actually work, of course. Experts do agree, however, that arm training has evolved. A decade ago, you'd simply do curls, curls, and more curls. But today's top trainers now prioritize a range of exercises that target the biceps and triceps from different angles and emphasize time under tension, and they recommend more total-body work than you may expect-yes, to build thick, 3D arms. These best practices set you up for gains that also beef up your grip for other exercises and give you greater endurance for moving day. It all starts with understanding the answers to the following five questions.

1. SO WHAT'S CHANGED ABOUT ARM TRAINING?

The classic biceps curl can always be a staple of your arm training. But if you truly want big, strong arms, consider those curls (and many other arm moves) a side dish. Your entrée: big lifts. "Major exercises, like bench presses, pullups, and rows, will play a huge role in building your arms," says David Otey, C.S.C.S., an MH advisor and the author of the just-released book 90-Day Trans-

2. THEN WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF ISOLATION EXERCISES, LIKE BICEPS CURLS AND TRICEPS PRESSDOWNS?