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Killer Biceps: A battle plan
As soon as you mention big arms, the biceps are the main thing most people think of. While it is true that to have huge arms the tricep muscles should not be ignored since they make up more of the arm size, you have to have fully developed biceps to really stretch that tape.
Most people love to train arms, flexing their biceps with pride at the end of every set, yet not always getting the kind of results they want to. This article will tell you how to get the results you really want from your bicep training.
It’s important to know the function of the muscle that you are training in order to design a routine that fully works that muscle. The bicep is properly known as the biceps brachii and is a two headed (bi) muscle. This muscle has two main functions: Flexion - the action of bringing the arm up towards the shoulder and Supination - the action of twisting the wrist, or turning the hands away from the body.
The brachialis is a small muscle which lies just beneath the biceps. It is not really a part of the bicep muscle but is included in the discussion because an untrained brachialis muscle can add up to an inch to your current arm size. How cool is that?
We’re going to be using two routines because many bodybuilders stick to the same routine long after its stopped working. Research shows that 4-6 weeks is the most you want to spend on a routine, then it is time to change. Otherwise you hit a plateau and stop getting results.
You can use these two routines one of two ways - either do the first routine straight through for 4 - 6 weeks then go to routine #2, or switch between the two each week (do # 1 for one week and #2 for the next week). Also, try to add weight to your exercises every week, even if it’s just 2 1/2 lbs. Adding weight consistently is essential for growth.
The First Routine (click on an exercise to see the animation)
2 working sets. These are done seated with your back braced to prevent cheating; you can also do this leaning against a wall. By doing them this way, your biceps do the work as opposed to your back and legs if your form is less than perfect. This makes sense, why bother to do an exercise if it’s not working the intended muscle? How do you expect to see results from exercises performed that way? Do it with your back and legs out of it and you’ll feel the difference. The choice of bars: straight or EZ, is up to you. The EZ bar is easier on the wrists and is also great for triceps work.
Incline Dumbbell Curls - Supinate
2 sets. To perform this exercise, start with your palms facing towards your legs when holding the dumbbells. As you curl up, twist the thumbs away from the body, as you lower; twist the thumbs back towards the body.
2 sets: do these by holding the dumbbell like a hammer, then curl up to the opposite shoulder.
Done seated or kneeling with arms across a flat bench- 2 sets. These will keep constant tension on the muscle from start to finish. Do 6-8 reps to failure, extend the sets by using r/p, partials or forced reps. Always get 2 more, whether they are partials, forced, or whatever. Drop sets, which I love, may not work well here unless you have the resources for them. If so, by all means use those!
The Second Routine
Alternate Dumbbell Curls - Supinate
2 -3 sets, 6-8 reps per set to positive failure, don’t extend the set, save it for the 21’s to follow.
Barbell - Straight Or EZ - Curls - 21’s
2 sets, if you can. Do these with no momentum until the very end (2 or 3 controlled cheat reps are ok). These are done by doing the curl from the start position to halfway up, then back down for 7 reps, from halfway up to the top then back down to the halfway point for 7 reps and finally doing the complete curl for 7 reps. Don’t wus out on the weight either, make it heavy so those last 7 take everything you’ve got!
What Are 21’s?
One of Arnold’s favorites. Using the curl as an example, you would do 7 full reps followed by 7 half reps from the starting position to half way up followed by 7 half reps from half way up to the top of the movement. All of this counts as one set.
Many bodybuilders that have problems with biceps development do so because they aren’t using good form; they are attempting to do curls with a weight that is to heavy. So here you have someone, jerking the weight up with everything except the biceps and then failing to control it on the way down. What’s the point of a rep like that? Yes, controlled cheating at the end of a set does have it’s place but proper rep performance of any exercise for any muscle is extremely important. This means you have to be able to feel it in the target muscle, getting a good contraction every time.
Also, be sure to use a weight heavy enough to allow you to fail at the listed number of reps. Heavy weight, lifted correctly, builds muscle.
When performing bicep exercises, always keep your elbows in close to your sides, raise the weight slow enough to be able to feel it in your biceps, then lower the weight slowly (don’t just drop it). Rep tempo is also important - here I’m talking more about lowering the weight slowly. The thing to remember here is about tempo, it’s not a race to see who can lift the fastest. Think 3-5 seconds up and the same down.
In most free weight curls, you lose the resistance at the top of the movement, most people flex hard at the top in an attempt to compensate for this. It might be better not to bring the weight up to that point but rather bring up to the point just before you lose the resistance, this will keep the muscle under more tension. Don’t lower to a dead stop either, keep the reps going, make it feel like one long rep, with constant tension the whole way through.
Everyone seems to work biceps after the back since the biceps are involved in all back exercises. It may make more sense to not train arms with the back because the back work directly hits biceps, fatiguing them before you actually start arm work. This means you can’t hit your biceps as hard as you could if you trained them separately. Train them away from back and you’ll train with more intensity and more weight with better results.
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Hello, i need a bit of help can you tell me what the best supplements are for me to use to help me gain muscle+size but which will not put fat or weight on to me as i put weight on my belly area really easy . I use the gym 3-4 times a week and can start to see results but i just need a little more to add to my push for more muscle+size,thankyou
kind regards
Rob Greenall
Rob, If you want to gain muscle and size your weight will go up because your adding to your frame, a good protein powder will help fuel and build muscle while keeping fat at a minimum due to its lack of calories. Iv always found using a weight gainer gets results quicker because calories are also needed to size up, just make sure you do extra cardio. (i use on whey gold and Progain)
keep d gud job guys
Hi, an interesting article with lots of helpful tips on getting the best from your biceps. However, I do have a question. You mentioned that it is better not to train arms after back work, is the same rule applicable for shoulder and chest? My problem is to isolate bicep training it would probably mean adding another day to my current gym routine which we all know leads to a divorce!
Thank You
ps. keep up with the good work!
Reply for Rav:- A lot of people do train Back and Bi’s on the same day but through my own experience have found this to be less beneficial in the long run. Not only are you going to be weaker when performing your bicep exercises, you will also have already been working them indirectly for 20-30mins while doing your back routine. I’m a PT myself and just through my own personal experience have found the following routine works best: Monday- Chest & Bi’s, Tue or Thur- Legs, Wednesday- Shoulders & Traps, and Friday- Back & Tri’s, with the weekend being rest days. This routine should allow for sufficient recovery time in between workouts. Hope this helps. s_alex23@hotmail.com
Rob,I’ve been working the arms out twice a week sometimes three when my arms have fully recovered.could you tell me what foods i should eat and the times of days.I got weights at home and use them i do bi-cep curls and tricep dips.I want to add more mass to them.Could you give me some advice on how to improve on these.
Thank You!
All the advice given has been of great use, I am looking forward to the BIG ARMS routine, its always such a buzz when you try something new and it works, Big Guns is what it is all about, thanks for the tips, keep em coming, KJH
BEST routine here - all 10-12 reps
4 sets barbell curl
seated dumbell curl 4 sets
rope hammer curls 4 sets
Good tips thanks keep em coming!!i like to use bicep train..its where u get 5 sets of dumbells put them side by side in a line like train track and start at the heaviest and work your way down 6 reps on each,serious pump ur arms will be killing you!
You know above it says dont train your biceps after back because your already working your biceps in back and will lose strength for biceps, what if you do biceps before back exercises ?
If someone could reply soon with the answer it would be greatly appreciated, Thanks
I heared that bi curls also make ur 4arms bigger at the same time. Is this true? And do you recomend to train ur 4arms seperately as a different muscle group?
What would be the best exercises for developing the brachialis muscle beneath the biceps?
hi i m 20 years old and my hight is 5′7″ and my weight iz 55 kg i want to gain my weight can u tell me which weight gainer iz best for me i do gym as well
Reply to Andy… Training your biceps first will give them a good pump, but if you train back straight after training your biceps (as said before, you use your biceps in most back workouts) you’ll be basically training your biceps again in your back workout. Therefore overtraining your biceps, and in doing so you won’t see the results that you want
Hope you will be able to give abit of advice. I have always had good biceps but 7 months ago I tore by bicep tendon at the my elbow playing sport. Unfortunatly the Dr could not reattach it. All the pain I had has now gone and I want to get back lifting good arm weight again. Can you recommend any good exercises? Thanks
Hi ive just started doing weights in my garage and im looking for any tips or training routines which will be good for me. Ive got and EZ bar, barbell, dumbells, tricep bar and a bench press with leg extension. Any info would be great cheers.
surely working bi’s after back isnt that bad, the main idea is to train your muscle to failure? so although you wont be able to lift as heavily the muscle will still be failing
hi a rly want a good body and am finding it hard to get one what are the best basic things to get a good shape
hi, i am very very wanting to have a muscular lean and massive body about 18 and 1/2 inch biceps and this is the way i train: 5 days a week mon-chest, tue-arms. wed-shoulders, thur-back, fiday-little bit of arms and legs again. is this a good way to train.please reply thank
Hi there, need some help,i weigh 16 and a half stone and my height if 5ft 9in i have a large frame but carrying lots of excess weight on top half, what would be the best way to sort this problem out and what would you recomend product wise to assist me in gaining my goals, i have just started back the gym a week ago.
Hi folks, i only started weight traing about a month ago and im very confused. I have read quite a few things about training and non of what i read seems consistant. I would like to know what you think about the following;
1)how many times a week should i train ? (im doing mon/wed/fri at min)
2)how many exercises should i do?
3)how many reps and sets of each exercise should i do?
4) should i do reps to fail?
if anyone could give me some answers that would be great. thanks
hi there,im very frustrated at the minute, i work out 4 to 5 times a week i start with chest and bi,back and tri,shoulders and legs and the last 2 days i do cardio,and also i take cyclon ALL IN ONE twice a day as recommended and in addition i try to eat 5 times a day with snakes in between to keep on feeding the muscles but after all that the resulet is far from satisfaying in fact when i tell people i train hard they wont beleive me !!which is very frustraiting.please please please i need some help and advise can someone please tell me what to do??
guys any tips on forearms mine are skinny which dont do me justice.
everything else is ok and getting there also cant emphasise enough Promax extreme great protein
I need some advice and tips on my workouts that i am currently doing. My routine is:
Mon: Abs and Shoulders
Wed.: Biceps and Back
Friday: Legs
Sat.: Chest and Triceps
if would be appreciated if someone can give me sum advice and tips on my workouts, and if im doing sumthing wrong what i cud do to make it right. I only just turned 15 last month and only been working out a few months.
if sum1 cud reply asap wud be greatly appreciated thanks.
Andy
would this workout be better???
Mon: Abs and Biceps
Wed: Back and Shoulders
Fri: Legs
Sat: Chest and Triceps
i am also worried because if u change ur workout too often its bad for your muscles isnt it ??? but i think it wud be best changing rather than carrying on with a workout which is not gonna giv u gains.
i just had a thort, how can u overtrain your muscles in one workout ?? i thort over training was jusut training them too often.
wouldnt doing biceps then back just exhaust more muscle fibres as back exercises use the biceps ?????
Andy
i have been working out for a few months now and im noticing improvements except for my biceps is there a good plan i can do. plaese help me!!!!
Andy
Overtraing is training too often and doing too many reps and sets. The Back and biceps sessions is part of a push pull 3 day split, i.e. back n biceps, chest shoulders n triceps etc.
Isolating back excersises in a back routine will use some bicep movement but if performing correctly not too much. If you are lifting in your routine intensley with the right weights, so that you can perform no more than 3 sets 8-12 reps you should be able to do n more than around 4 different excersises per muscle group, for the 45mins to an hour you are in the gym. For example 4 back and up to 4 bicep, bearing in mind the biceps are a small muscle group and will need time too recover.
Chris
If you have just started into weight training you will need to start yourself for the first 5-6 months in a core body training routine too coin a phrase. I know this will sound like moving away from concentrating on muscle groups on particular days but trust me it is for the best.
The main issue for beginners is not having enough energy to lift the right weights so that they can have an intensive non stop routine or weights session in order to promote good growth and burn fat. In order to get to this level you must train your body to have a good core in order to build those killer biceps shoulders etc.
Too do this any beginner should concentrate on doing a 2 day split where the will train the whole body twice a week and thats it. Being a beginner you will need longer to recover in order to start building that muscle, which will happen out of the gym not in. Try using good compound excersises like squats, deadlifts, leg presses, a bicep curl, tricep pushdown shoulder presses and thats it.
Resist yourself from doing more, as this will result in losing or breaking down muscle fibres further. Remember pro body builders do not have bigger muscles, they have more small and medium muscle fibers that enable there muscles to look bigger.
Hi there.
I am changing my routine to this:
Mon - Biceps, chest
Wed - Legs, shoulders
Fri - Triceps, back/traps
I was wondering what would be the best day to dips, either Mon or Fri, or maybe both? As i know they are a good excercise for both the chest and triceps.