Building Bigger Arms with Pushups

You don't need to join a gym or purchase heavy weights in order to build bigger arms. You can build arm strength and powerful arm muscles by doing pushups. Former NFL star Herschel Walker ignored weightlifting and did pushups to build arm and upper body strength. He became one of the most powerful runners in the league. You can do a variety of pushups to build bigger arms.

Standard Pushups

The basic pushup is considered one of the best and most effective exercises for building arm and chest strength. It is a focal point of U.S. military basic training and pushups are done in every football training camp at the high school, college and professional level. Lie down on your stomach and put your hands underneath your shoulders. Place all your weight on the palms of your hands and your toes. Bend your elbows so that your chest is about 2 inches off the ground. Extend your arms fully and hold the position for 2 seconds. Return to the starting position. Do 20 reps, take a 30-second break and then repeat the exercise.

Narrow-Arm Pushups

Take the standard pushup position and then move your hands under your chest so they are just 2 or 3 inches apart. Bend your elbows so your upper body is about 3 inches off the ground. Straighten your elbows and so that your upper body is high off the ground. You will feel significant pressure in your upper arms and shoulders. Hold this position for two seconds. Return to the starting position. Do 20 reps, take a 30-second break and repeat the exercise.

Clap Pushups

This is one of the most difficult of all pushups, but it will build size and strength in the arms and help build tremendous confidence. Get in the standard pushup position with your hands just below your shoulders. Your elbows should be bent and your chest will be about 3 inches off the ground. Push up off the ground in an explosive manner so your hands are off the ground. When you are at your apex, clap your hands together and then return your hands to the starting position. Do 10 of these pushups, take a 30-second break and then repeat the exercise.

Expert Analysis

Walker won the Heisman Trophy as a running back at Georgia and starred for the Dallas Cowboys and the Minnesota Vikings in the NFL. Walker was an explosive back with speed and strength. Unlike most NFL players, his strength came from exercises like pushups instead of lifting weights. He used every opportunity he could to push his body and build bigger and stronger arms. "I started doing pushups and situps during commercials as I was watching TV," Walker told Academy of Achievement.com. "I started doing about, sometimes 2,000 push-ups, 3,000 sit-ups, 1,500 pull-ups, 1,000 dips, or different things like that. I started creating different hand positions for all that, then I learned that could work you out."