This One Workout Trick Will Get You Arms Like Chris Hemsworth

If you've ever wanted arms like Chris Hemsworth, you're not alone. With his sculpted abs, toned legs, and bulging muscles, the Marvel franchise mega-star has one of the most enviable physiques in Hollywood.

There's one muscle group in particular that you can't miss when you see Hemsworth, and that's his massive arms. But how can the average joe go about sculpting strong arms that rival the action star's? To find out, we chatted with certified personal trainers who reveal the one workout trick you need to know for sculpting guns of steel.

So what's the trick? The experts say it's a combination of heavy lifting, high-volume training, and a mix of compound and isolation exercises.

Here's how you can apply these principles to get arms like Hemsworth.

Progressive Overload is the Key to Building Big Arms

When it comes to building serious muscle, one principle reigns supreme: progressive overload. According to research, this means continually challenging your muscles by increasing the intensity or resistance over time.

To see real gains in arm size, you have to keep pushing yourself beyond what you did last week by gradually increasing weight, reps, or sets to keep your muscles growing.

"Bigger arms come from a mix of compound and isolation movements, with plenty of progressive overload," explains Nicole Davis, CPT, a certified personal trainer at Garage Gym Reviews. "Heavy lifting and high-volume training are key."

So, to build biceps and triceps like Hemsworth, you'll need to create a workout routine that keeps your arm muscles on their toes by increasing the amount of weight or reps at each lifting session.

For your biceps, incorporating the standing barbell curl is a must. Davis recommends performing four sets of eight to 12 reps, focusing on controlling the lift and squeezing at the top for maximum muscle engagement. She says, "Keep your elbows locked in place and curl the bar with control, squeezing hard at the top. Lower slowly to keep tension on the muscle."

Progressive overload means doing more as you advance. If you're not pushing harder than last week, you're missing out on serious muscle growth.

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Do Compound Movements to Build Strength

A pro tip for building huge arms is starting your workouts with compound movements that target multiple muscles at once. For example, the close-grip bench press is a go-to move for strengthening the triceps and getting those solid, defined arms.

"Use a grip just inside shoulder width. Lower the bar to your chest and keep your elbows close to your body," instructs Stephen Sheehan, CPT, a certified personal trainer at BarBend. "Press up while maintaining control. This exercise not only helps build your triceps but also works your chest and shoulders, making it a solid move to build arm size and overall strength. Do three to four sets of six to 10 reps."

Incorporating chin-ups with a supinated (underhand) grip is another compound move that builds muscle in both the biceps and back. Sheehan explains, "Try to pull yourself up so your chin is above the bar. Lower slowly with control. Add weight with a dip belt if possible. Aim for three to four sets of six to 12 reps."

These compound movements will help you build overall strength and arm mass, setting the foundation for more isolated arm work.

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Don't Skip the Isolation Moves

Once you've tackled the big compound lifts, it's time to focus on isolating the biceps and triceps with specific exercises that will carve out definition and strength. This is where movements like the Zottman curl and overhead triceps extension come in handy. Both exercises target the arms from different angles and help increase arm size and definition.

To perform the Zottman curl, Davis instructs, "Start with a standard curl, then rotate your palms down at the top and lower slowly. This move builds size and grip strength at the same time. Stick with four sets of eight to 12 reps, or enough to make you feel challenged."

For the triceps, overhead triceps extensions are key for hitting the long head of the triceps, which adds size to the upper arm since the triceps are the largest muscle group in the arms.

"Keep your elbows tight, press the rope forward, and control the movement on the way back. Go for four sets of eight to 12 reps," Davis advises.

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Keep the Volume High for Maximum Gains

Including a mix of heavy lifting with lower reps and high-volume exercises with lots of reps is essential for adhering to the principles of progressive overload.

"High-volume training is crucial for stimulating muscle growth," Davis explains. "If you want arms like Chris Hemsworth, focus on heavy lifting and high-volume training. Bigger arms come from a mix of compound and isolation movements, with plenty of progressive overload."

You can achieve this by incorporating exercises like tricep dips, hammer curls, and reverse curls, which target both the biceps and triceps in different ways.

"Tricep dips are great triceps builders," says Davis. "Lower yourself under control until your upper arms are parallel to the ground and then press back up without locking out fully. If body weight is too easy, add weight with a dip belt. Aim for four sets with eight to 12 reps."

Additionally, doing hammer curls will target the brachialis muscle and help you build thicker, more defined arms. Perform them with a neutral grip and curl them up with control. "Do three to four sets of 10 to 12 reps," Sheehan recommends.

Prioritize Recovery to See the Best Results

Recovery is where the muscle-building magic happens. Hemsworth's workouts are intense, but he also takes care of his body by ensuring he gets the recovery time he needs to come back stronger by doing things like taking ice baths.

"Recovery is just as important as training," Sheehan says. "Without recovery, you risk injury and burnout."

Also, make sure you're fueling your body with the right nutrients after your workout. That means eating essential nutrients for muscle repair, such as lean proteins, complex carbs, and healthy fats.

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Build Big Arms Like Hemsworth with Progressive Overload

Achieving bulging biceps and toned triceps like Chris Hemsworth requires dedication, hard work, and consistency. If you focus on incorporating a combination of heavy lifting, high-volume training, and specific isolation exercises into your routine while consistently increasing the weights and number of reps, you can build arms just like Hemsworth.