You might think that Best Biceps Workouts would simply involve ripping as many biceps curls as you can before the deep burn renders your upper arms useless. Unfortunately, it’s
not quite as easy as that to bulk up your biceps, as Nick Mitchell, CEO and founder of Ultimate Performance(opens in new tab), explains.
“I was once asked by a client: ‘Nick, if I did 100 biceps curls on each arm every day, would I have massive biceps in about a month?’ Unfortunately, the human body just doesn’t work that way,” Mitchell says. “Your body will always fight to stay in balance, and it takes an
extra 10-15lb of overall lean bodyweight to add an inch to the circumference of your arms.”
The best way to add size to your upper arms is to train the whole body, as well as doing some of the best biceps exercises in arm-specific sessions. Mitchell has provided a killer
arms workout below that uses supersets to work both the biceps and triceps, but first we asked him for some more general advice about bulking up your arms.
What is the best way to train for bigger biceps?
The real trick to adding size to your arms and building bigger biceps is to work your whole body with a balanced bodybuilding programme. You should also remember that building big arms isn’t just about building big biceps.
The triceps muscle at the back of the arm constitutes more than two-thirds of the typical arm circumference. My own arms measure just under 20 inches when I am lean and in
good shape, and anyone who knows me will testify that the majority of my arm size comes from the size of my triceps, rather than having really huge, peaked biceps.
One of the most common reasons people don’t gain size in their arms is because they are underweight. Have you ever seen a 60kg guy with 17-inch arms? Probably not.
A lack of arm size is just a lack of overall growth, and so getting strong on compound lifts like the bench press, the overhead press, deadlift, chin-up and the barbell squat will help
contribute to more overall muscle mass, which will help drive overall bodyweight up and so make your arms bigger.
SUPERSET TRICEPS AND BICEPS WORKOUT
Mitchell has put together this testing superset session that hits the biceps and triceps hard, as well as your forearms, and it will certainly encourage them to grow when used as part of a structured training programme as outlined above.
“Perform this twice a week, gradually increasing the weights with each session,” says Mitchell. “You can follow this programme for as long as you continue to make gains.”
The workout consists of four supersets of two moves and the last is a tri-set, which is three moves. Stick to the tempo prescribed to ensure you work the Best Biceps Workout and triceps correctly to maximise the gains from each move. If you’re unfamiliar with tempo, our expert guide to tempo training explains all.
1A Dumbbell curl
Sets 4 Reps 6 Tempo 5010 Rest 90sec
Sit at a preacher bench holding an EZ-bar with an underhand grip. Curl the bar up to the top, pause and squeeze your biceps, then lower the bar slowly until your arms are fully straight.
1B Close-grip bench press
ets 4 Reps 6 Tempo 5010 Rest 90sec
Lie back on a bench holding a bar with your hands shoulder-width apart, or slightly closer together if you can still control the bar. Bring the bar down to your chest, then press it up above you.
2A 45° dumbbell curl
Sets 3 Reps 10 Tempo 3010 Rest 0sec
Stand holding a dumbbell in each hand by your sides. Move the weights out to a 45° angle from your body then curl them up to your shoulders, before lowering them back down.
2B Incline dumbbell triceps extension
Sets 3 Reps 10 Tempo 3010 Rest 30sec
Lie on an incline bench, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Lift the weights above your head with your palms facing. Bend your arms at the elbows to lower the weights behind your head, then lift them again.
3A Reverse incline hammer curl
Sets 3 Reps 12 Tempo 4010 Rest 0sec
Lie face down on an incline bench with your chest pressed into the pad, holding a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing each other. Curl the weights up to your shoulders, then lower them.
3B Dumbbell skullcrusher
Sets 3 Reps 12 Tempo 3010 Rest 90sec
Lie on a flat bench holding two dumbbells directly above your head. Bend at the elbows to lower the weights behind your head, keeping your upper arms still, then lift the weights again.
4A Triceps dip
Sets 1 Reps 1 Tempo Lower for 30sec Rest 90sec
Lift yourself on a set of dip bars, supporting your upper body with your arms locked out. Bend at the elbow to lower your body slowly over the 30 seconds.
4B Hammer-grip chin-up
Sets 1 Reps 1 Tempo Lower for 30sec Rest 90sec
Hold the hammer grips on a pull-up station so your palms are facing. Pull yourself up until your chin is above the bar, then take 30 seconds to lower.
5A Dumbbell wrist curl
Sets 3 Reps 15 Tempo 2010 Rest 0sec
Sit on the side of a bench with your knees bent and feet planted on the ground. Hold dumbbells with your palms facing up and your forearms resting on your legs, with the weights hanging over the front of your knee. Keep your forearms still while curling the weights up and down with your wrists.
5B Cable wrist curl
The supersets in this workout use a variety of exercises to work your biceps and triceps from different angles to stimulate growth. There are three supersets in the workout, with each pairing a biceps and a triceps exercise. See the superset arms workout
5C Behind back barbell wrist curl
Sets 3 Reps 15 Tempo 2011 Rest 90sec
Stand holding a barbell behind your back with your palms facing away from you. Keeping your arms still, curl the barbell up using your wrists, then lower it.
FAQ:
What is the most effective bicep workout?
What Are the Best Bicep Exercises?
Seated Alternating Dumbbell Curl. When discussing the best bicep exercises, we’d be remiss not to start things off with the tried-and-true dumbbell curl. …
Alternating Incline Dumbbell Curl. …
Seated Alternating Hammer Curl. …
Standing Reverse Barbell Curl. …
Standing Cable Curl.
What are the top 3 bicep workout?
Wide-grip EZ-bar Curl. Barbell Curl. Incline Dumbbell Curl.
How can I bulk my biceps?
8 Best Exercises for Bigger, Stronger Arms
Bicep exercises.
Concentration curl.
Cable curl.
Barbell curl.
Chinup.
Tricep exercises.
Triangle pushup.
Tricep kickback.
