How to Build Bigger Biceps

arnold schwarzenegger dumbbell curls How to Build Bigger Biceps

I need to start this post about how to build bigger biceps by reiterating that beginners don’t need direct arm work and will get great results from chins, rows and all forms of presses and dips.

There is absolutely no need for direct arm work for the first year or so of proper of training. In fact, I’d say it’s probably counterproductive.

Make some big gains first, pack on twenty or thirty pounds and then worry about curling.

While this is a cool message to stick with forever the reality is that advice becomes null and void after a few years of training if you really want to build the biggest guns possible.

Telling an intermediate to advanced lifter that his biceps will grow from chin ups and rows is basically telling him to use improper form.

If you’re advanced you should never feel properly performed rows and chins in your biceps anymore. Those days should be long gone and you should know how to target your back muscles properly at this point.

Intermediate to advanced lifters will not maximize their arm growth without some direct isolation work. So if you want to build bigger biceps you’re gonna have to start curling some heavy weights.

How to Get Started

I’d start with 2-3 sets of curls performed twice a week at the end of your upper body days. No need to go overboard from the get go and do Flex Wheelers Mr. Olympia arm blowout. When you get really strong and your arms are at least 16 inches you can start experimenting with more volume and other fancy stuff if you want. For now, keep it simple and you’ll grow just fine.

Like with squats, deadlifts and other compound movements, progressive overload is important, although not as crucial as it is on the main lifts. But you do have to get stronger if you want to build bigger biceps.

Pick one compound biceps exercise per workout such as a standing hammer curl or EZ bar curl (avoid the straight bar due to wrist and elbow issues) and do 2-3 sets of 8-15 reps. Try to add weight and reps over time.

My advice to all intermediate to advanced lifters is to keep your reps a bit higher on curls than on most other exercises. The stronger you are the higher you should go. Not only do the biceps seem to respond better to higher reps but it will also be safer and less stressful to your wrists, shoulders and elbows.

Start with a weight you can do 8-10 reps with and stick with it until you can get 12-15 reps. Then bump up the weight and start over again. Don’t be one of those guys who wants to change exercises every week or use supersets and all that. If you are consistent and stick with the same exercise for 6-8 weeks, while continually going up in weight or reps that will do a hell of a lot more good. Save the fancy stuff for when you need it later on down the road.

Eventually, when you are curling some big weights I wouldn’t go below ten reps. That will keep you healthy and in the gym training longer. If you have preexisting elbow issues you may want to start with 12 reps right from the start. Elbow sleeves would also be a useful addition to your arsenal.

Be sure to squeeze and contract your biceps as hard as you can throughout the entire range of motion and never release the tension. This is not an Olympic lift or an explosive movement where you’re just trying to “get the weight up.” When it comes to building bigger biceps you need to concentrate on the muscle you are working and focus on directing all the tension directly to the biceps and nowhere else.

After your biceps are fully pumped stretch the hell out of them for 60-90 seconds.

What About Athletes

Many strength coaches argue that direct arm work is useless. While I can see their point if they’re talking about a pitcher or a golfer, the reality is that it’s not going to hurt. In some situations it may even help, and it just looks good and is more intimidating.

To illustrate my point think about Brian Urlacher for a second. Undoubtedly one of the best linebackers in the league, if not ever. Now picture his disproportionately tiny arms that hang from his uniform. They don’t even fit his body.

Now check out Vernon Gholston and his massive arms. Who do you think would be more intimidating to opponents the first time they laid eyes on him? A huge part of sports is the mental game and getting in someone else’s head. Michael Jordan knew that and was one of the biggest trash talkers around. It’s part of the game.

Guns vs. Pipe Cleaners. Which is more intimidating?

On the flip side, this comparison seemingly also proves the “functional” strength coaches point that big arms are useless because Urlacher is a hundred times better than Gholston.

Fair enough, but that’s not because Gholston did more curls. The curls didn’t hurt him. Urlacher is just better for a lot of other reasons, none of which have to do with his apparent disdain for loaded elbow flexion.

The bottom line for athletes is that big arms are more intimidating and look cooler than tiny arms. Plus, as a strength coach you need to realize that most males generally want to do arms. If you want to get the most out of your athletes it’s a good idea to keep them happy and throw them a bone once in a while.

All guys like having big arms as much as they like big, bangin asses on their women. That’s just a fact.

In all reality, the only athletes I’ve ever come across who didn’t want to do curls weren’t really athletes at all. They were just guys who claimed to “train like athletes” by doing nothing but swings and burpees all day and shunning “vanity work” at all costs.

Every football, baseball, basketball, hockey player and combat athlete I’ve ever known has wanted to build bigger biceps, though.

So don’t be a “functional training” meanie grinch, and let your athletes do some damn curls once in a while.

Now you know how to build bigger biceps.

Remember what they say, suns out guns out.

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