Big arms, who doesn't want them?

One of the first body parts that gets noticed is your arms. While arms are just a small part of the whole picture, there’s no way around wanting to have a set of guns that attracts positive attention.

For most guys, the name of the game is achieving arm size and definition.

Not all arm exercises are the same. Some activate different portions of the arm while others may just be for show, having no real value.

We have compiled the best and most effective arm exercises that have been shown to maximize muscle growth.

To build a bigger anything, you have to grow as a whole. You can build in areas to some degree without major increases in bodyweight, but if you're talking about putting two inches on your arms, then your whole body has to grow.

Do your biceps work first. This will pull blood around the elbow and give somewhat of a "cushion" for the triceps work after. Also, always work arms together on the same day. I've split arms up a number of times but have always made the best progress when working biceps and triceps together.

Building big arms requires that you perform heavy compound lifts and directly train your major arm muscles with both low- and high-rep training. And, like with all major muscle groups, you have to emphasize heavy weightlifting to best stimulate muscle growth.