6 Brachialis Exercises For Stronger Arms

Although the brachialis is a fairly small muscle engulfed between the triceps and biceps, performing brachialis exercises regularly can help improve your bicep peak and make the arms look considerably wider.

The brachialis muscle is the most powerful flexor of the forearm, and is responsible for accommodating nearly sixty percent of the tension caused by elbow flexion.

Working the brachialis can also help in increasing strength in a variety of movements, such as pull-ups, chin-ups, and rows. In this article, we will take a look at a few best brachialis exercises to build big, strong arms.

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Brachialis Exercises for Bigger, Stronger Arms

Here's a look at six such exercises:

1) Dumbbell Hammer Curl

Hammer curls are one of the most effective brachialis exercises. As an added benefit, they can help build the forearm and biceps.

Instructions:

• Stand up straight. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, using a neutral grip and palms facing inward.
• Flex your elbows, and bring the dumbbells upward to chest height.
• Squeeze hard at the top of the movement. The wrists should not move throughout the movement.
• Lower the weight slowly. Repeat.

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2) Zottman Curl

This exercise is named after American strongman George Zottman. If you want to work your biceps, forearms, and brachialis together, add this movement to your list of brachialis exercises.

Instructions:

• Start off with lighter dumbbells to learn the proper form.
• Take a deep breath, and brace your core. Curl the weights upwards while using a supinated grip.
• At the top of the exercise, rotate the forearms to assume a pronated, palms-down position.
• Lower the weight slowly to the starting position.
• Repeat.

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3) Reverse Grip Barbell Curl

Brachialis exercises need to have some variation of the reverse curl. The reverse-grip barbell curl is excellent for building huge forearms and targeting the brachialis.

Instructions:

• Stand upright. Take a deep breath, and brace your core.
• Take a shoulder-width, palms-down (overhand) grip on the barbell. Curl the barbell slowly upwards.
• Squeeze the arm at the top of the movement, and lower the weight back slowly. Repeat.
• Employ time-under-tension or partial reps to make the exercise more intense.

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4) Close-Grip Pull-up

Pull-ups are called the king of bodyweight movements for a reason. They work the entire upper body — including the brachialis — especially in a close-grip position.

Instructions:

• Grab on to a pull-up bar with an overhand grip (palms facing down). Use a closer grip for more brachialis activation.
• Brace the abs, and engage the glute muscles.
• Using your upper back, lats, and arms, lift yourself up to the pull-up bar.
• Make sure the chin rises over the bar. Avoid any kipping movements.
• Lower yourself down slowly.

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5) Pronated Grip Preacher Curl

While the preacher machine is great for targeting the biceps and forearms, a slight grip change makes it one of the best brachialis exercises.

Instructions:

• Hold an EZ bar/barbell with a pronated grip over the preacher pad. The palms should be held at shoulder-width.
• Curl away, focusing on squeezing the upper arm at the top of the movement.
• Focus on the eccentric, but do not load too heavily as it can casue injuries.

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6) Dumbbell Cross-Body Hammer Curl

Many find cross-body hammer curls to be a better option to add to their arsenal of brachialis exercises compared to normal hammer curls.

Instructions:

• Set up as you would for a hammer curl.
• Instead of lifting the dumbbell straight up, bring it across your body towards the opposite shoulder.
• Squeeze the upper arm for a second before returning to the starting position. Repeat on the opposite side.

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Takeaway

A well-developed brachialis can make a drastic difference to your arm size and definition. Add the aforementioned brachialis exercises to your arm day for enhanced gains.