Best Bicep & Triceps Exercises With Bands (55 & Up)
- chelsie462
- Apr 24
- 9 min read
This article is a transcribed, edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in June of 2024. For the original video, go to https://youtu.be/Mei9bmFquRI
Brad: All right, I personally have been using bands for resistance training for over 10 years, and I'm going to show you, and we're going to tell you why and how to use bands for biceps and triceps to give you the best workout possible. Many people won't agree with it, but we're going to tell you why, and it might change your mind.
Mike: So we're going to show you five different options to help tone your arms. Plus, you're going to get a little bit of core work involved as well.
Brad: More than just a little. Wait until you try it, Mike.
Mike: So, some of the benefits of using a band versus a weight itself are the progressive resistance you get while going through the motions. So, for the biceps example, as I pull up, it's easier down lower, but as I get higher and more tension in the band, it becomes harder. Now, with a weight, you're going to be stuck at whatever weight you can do at the bottom range here and start to curl up, because as you curl more, it becomes easier.
Brad: That's right. That's a system that a lot of people actually work with who are serious. They'll actually combine bands with weights. The other thing is if you're traveling, and you want to get your exercises done in a hotel room or whatever, it's easy to put these in your luggage. Not so easy with weights.
Mike: And number three, you can do vertical or horizontal resistance with bands. Brad is using horizontal. I am doing vertical. With the weight, you're always going to be stuck in some sort of vertical plane, even if you're benching, technically, you're pushing in a vertical plane.
Brad: Gravity always goes vertical. Now, one of the big advantages, particularly for people who are 55 or over, when you go with the horizontal resistance like I was doing, not only is my bicep getting strengthened, but my core is, because the resistance is pulling my body back this way. My core has to engage to maintain my vertical stance as well as balance. If my feet are working, you may not be aware of it, but they're really working on balance as well as the core. Big benefits, particularly, like I said, for people with gray hair.
Mike: So, some general rules for all these exercises are to start with one set or up to three, depending on whether you're a beginner or more advanced, and try to do 10 repetitions each time. And also make sure to do them every other day. Give your arms a break so the muscles can actually repair and grow.
Brad: Right, so we're going to try to get to 10 repetitions. That's one set. Rest, and then do another one. It all depends on where you're at as far as your conditioning. All right, we're going to show you five different ways to exercise those arms, tone them up, and we're going to start with your typical vertical standing one. Then we're going to get to the ones that really add the benefits we just talked about.
Mike: So, when you're standing, you can use one band like Brad is. You can use two, three, four, however many you want. That's the benefit. And the wider your stance is, the more resistance you're going to feel. The closer my legs are, the less resistance I feel. So go with whatever's comfortable for you. Hold that position and try to do 10 curls. Try to keep your elbows tight to your body. Don't be doing hurling over. I like to keep my elbows in tight. Keep them there.
Brad: Yeah.
Mike: And that gives a good bicep workout.
Brad: That's right. And notice, for resistance, you can use different bands. Typically, you'll get five bands. Each one has a different color. They have different colors, where you know what the resistance is. Mike is actually doubling up, using the red and black, because he's much stronger than I am. I just have the red bands. It works out very well and very efficiently.
Mike: So with this next exercise, you're going to need to use the door anchor if you're going to do this system. Brad will show the wall anchors. Simply put it on the bottom of the door frame, and then close the door, and it will stay in place.
Mike: So, for this exercise, we're going to do a curl again, but we're going to hit a slightly different angle. And you could start with just one band. And I'm going to curl across my body. And if you want to make it more challenging, try to grab both handles at the same time and then do it, and it's going to be a lot more oomph. You can also change the angle with this if you want to hit different parts of your bicep.
Brad: There you go. Again, we're working on balance and core there. Depending on the angle here, I'm going to show that if you happen to have the wall anchors, they're handy because you simply just put them on right there. And you don't need the door. Hard to travel with the wall anchor, though. And we're going to work on that here. One hand, two. And actually, I'll go and do both from this angle. I usually do it on the next angle up at mid-stance, but we will get into that a little bit later. So it really gives you a nice stretch, good posture, good core, and everything works together. Let's go to the next one.
Mike: For the next bicep exercise, you're going to need to put it in a top position, either the top of the door or the top of the wall anchors. So simply get the band in nice and taut and make sure your arms are straight out in front of you. And then you're going to curl up, bring your hands towards your head, and then back like this. Try to have a nice, controlled motion. Try to keep your arms in the same place. Don't let them sway up and down. And you're going to, again, try to do 10 repetitions.
Brad: Good. Now I'm going to do it with two bands on the wall anchors. And this is the way I really like to do them. I'll start at this angle. It's going to give me the benefit of bicep as well as the core. And this part of my back, remember, is an important part of your core. So I actually lean into it or lean back. So it's working my core, ab, tightening my abdomen, and I'll work it here. And I feel my back right around my lumbar spine, those muscles really working right now as well. You can stagger your stance a little bit if you feel a little awkward or like you're going to fall. It's kind of a nice, unique way that most people never think about.
Brad: Okay, the next one is with the door anchors. Simply put it at about chest level. Go ahead, Mike.
Mike: So with this one, you're going to face away from the door, and I'm going to have my arms nice and taut behind me, and then I'm going to curl up like this. Brad kind of showed it earlier. Gets a good core activation as well. Again, try to do 10 repetitions. If you have to do a staggered stance, that is fine, but you're going to hit biceps here, and Brad's going to show how you can hit triceps in the same position.
Brad: That's right. I really want to emphasize postural benefits with this. It pulls the shoulders back, stretches the pec muscles in front for people who have this rounded posture. Another benefit of using this particular technique, I'm going to use the anchor on the top. You'll typically get three anchors with a set. If you go to BobandBrad.com, you actually get four for about the same price. And the wall anchors work really well. I'm going to pull down, and when I do this, it's all tricep. I'm not going to bring the arm all the way down. That wouldn't be a bad exercise for the shoulders, but for the triceps, try to keep the elbows stationary. And right now, my abdominal core is working overtime so that I don't get pulled backwards. And I'm going to work here. Yeah, there we go. And I usually do 10 of these. Really works the core well, and the triceps.
Mike: Okay, the last exercise we're going to do is triceps. Brad and I will show different variations. Now, if I had more bands, I could possibly do the standing. However, to make it more taut, I'm going to grab up a little higher, and then I'm just going to bring my arms down like this. Good tricep activation. Again, I'm not bringing my arms way up. Keeping them at my side, keeping my core engaged. I'm trying to pull straight down. If you pull towards your body more, you get a little bit different activation of the muscles. If this is way too easy for you and you're a taller person, you could certainly try kneeling down like this and then doing the tricep exercise. But it's just a good way, and I can feel it working.
Brad: Right. Now, the option of grabbing the band, I would never do because it just seems silly. So I'm going to use them like this. You can go body against the door or against the wall and work. Now, this really isolates the triceps, so you don't get any of the other benefits that we talked about, as far as core, balance, those things. But what you can do if to make it more resistant. Here, I have two bands on there, and I'm going to squat down and do the isometric chair, working my legs, hips, etc. And now I'm going to do my triceps. It's just another variation, something to break up your routine. All of these different variations, you can try one, two, or every week, do a different one. Good way to work it. You'll find your favorite ones very quickly and work those. Mike, you want to finish it up?
Mike: Now, if you start to have some sore muscles after working your biceps and triceps too much, you can simply try using a massage gun on the area to help loosen it up. Make sure you pick a nice massage head. The Q2 mini massage gun is a little less aggressive. So if you're a smaller body type, they'll work well.
Brad: That's right. Now you don't have to have a massage gun. You can simply do a manual massage on that bicep or tricep. It works very well. Do it 'til your hands get tired, then work the other one. The massage guns do work very nicely, and I like that airhead because it's not too aggressive, not too, it's easy to use, and you can get around on both sides well. I like to work all the way up into the shoulder. You can really do a complete job with it. So, they're really nice, these smaller ones, for this type of massage. Is there anything else? I think there's another video related to this.
Mike: Yes, if you'd like to check out more videos on arm exercises, you can check out our video "Lose Arm Flab, Using Body Weight, Dumbbells, or Bands."
Brad: Great. So we're using all the methods on that one.
Mike: Is your wife in that video?
Brad: Yes, she is. And she's a lot better looking than both of us put together.
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