Build Your Biceps

On average it takes 10 pounds of new body muscle to put one inch on your arms. Also, the myth that you can change the shape of your biceps with different angles or strangely shaped bars is pretty much a myth – your biceps are going to grow to the size and shape that your genetics have predetermined them to be. Therefore, wasting your time on dozens and dozens of sets of different types of curls will only frustrate you, and could ultimately lead to overtraining.

To effectively build your biceps, you need to focus on the entire body. You need to build your back, your shoulders, and your chest. Even working your legs will ultimately build the biceps and develop the muscle mass you desire. While it is important to work all of these muscles, it is best to train the biceps on the same day you train back as the same muscles come into play.

Training your biceps after you back means they should be sufficiently warmed up to dive right into your biceps regimen with your working weight. Starting with too much weight is just as counter-productive as starting with too little weight.

Generally speaking, it is not the number of reps that build the muscle; it is the continuous stress of the weight on the muscle over the course of the rep and the set (i.e. no cheating and no stopping). You should not exceed four sets of six to twelve reps for any one exercise when working on the biceps, and 8-10 total sets.

Standing barbell curls followed by seated dumb-bell curls are an excellent series of exercises to build the biceps. Throw in a few sets of curls on the preacher bench every couple of weeks for the burn. Learn to do close grip pull-ups (with your palms facing you – underhand) to really work those biceps and middle back! Heavy and basic, that’s how Arnold did it, and I am not about to accuse him of having small arms!

These should be repeated until the weight no longer stresses the muscle and then the reps or weight should be increased. Also, if you find you can’t lift the same weight for the same number of sets and reps at your next workout, rest longer between bicep workout days to allow the muscle time to grow and recover. Remember, muscles don’t grow in the gym, only in the rest periods between workouts!

Ultimately, you do not want to work your biceps more than one to two times a week as any more than that can cause unnecessary muscle strain and be counter-productive to building muscle. Remember, all muscle groups will suffer if they are over-trained; so split your workouts into groups (i.e. push, pull, legs) and work different muscle groups each training day. Most importantly, have fun in the gym!