Thick, vascular arms are still the undisputed gold standard of lifting. Whether it’s 1976 or 2026, a pair of sleeves that actually feel tight remains the universal signifier that you’ve put in the work.
Walk into any globogym today, however, and you’ll see the same story: guys standing in front of the mirror churning through endless, identical curls as if volume alone is the magic pill.
In reality, the secret to bigger, thicker arms can be found buried in bodybuilding lore. The classics are classics for a reason. While modern ‘science-based’ lifters debate the optimal degrees of wrist supination, the legends of the Golden Era were focused on the most efficient way to stretch the measuring tape.
Widely considered masters of a ‘less-is-more’ philosophy – some Golden Era bodybuilders famously finished their sessions in around 45 minutes – every exercise had to contribute to raw mass. And there was one technique, in particular, that helped supersize their arms.
The Golden Era Trick for Bigger Arms
Golden Era legends like Arnold Schwarzenegger – and later coaches such as the late John Meadows – were proponents of a more tactical approach. They didn’t just chase a pump; they used specific variations like the pinwheel curl to target the brachialis, the muscle that sits beneath the biceps.
That’s why the pinwheel curl (originally known as the Zeller curl) became a staple among those in the know. By curling the dumbbell across your torso toward the opposite shoulder, you shift the mechanical advantage away from the biceps and force the deeper muscles to do more of the work. It's a smart variation on the dumbbell hammer curl, in which the dumbbell is curled on a vertical plane with palms facing your hips.
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Designed to help push past plateaus and add width to the upper arm, the exercise emphasises the brachialis – the hidden workhorse that sits beneath the biceps – rather than the biceps ‘peak’. Strengthening this muscle can make the arm appear thicker from the side, creating the much-desired ‘3D’ look.
Mastering the pinwheel curl requires driving the dumbbell diagonally across your torso toward the opposite shoulder rather than straight up. This change in angle shifts the leverage onto the brachialis, effectively acting as a structural jack that pushes the biceps and triceps further apart for greater lateral width.
Here’s how to get it right.
How to Do the Cross-Body Pinwheel Curl
- Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart and a slight bend in your knees. Hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides with a neutral grip (palms facing your body).
- Curl one dumbbell across your torso toward the opposite shoulder, keeping the weight close to your chest during the ascent.
- As the dumbbell reaches the top near your collarbone, squeeze the muscle for a deliberate one-second pause.
- Lower the weight back to the starting position slowly and under control.
How to Do the Dumbbell Hammer Curl
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides with your palms facing your hips.
- Curl the weights up until your thumbs are near your shoulders, then lower them back down under control.
Coaching Cues
One thing to watch for during hammer curls and pinwheel curls is momentum. If you’re swinging the weight – or using too much ‘body English’ to grind the rep up – the load is likely too heavy, which can place unnecessary stress on your shoulders, chest and forearms.
Avoid shortening the range of motion, too. Don’t stop short of full extension at the bottom, and make sure to squeeze briefly at the top of each rep. Stick to those principles and you’ll be doing the Golden Era proud.
