Are you dissatisfied with your arm? Are your arms weak, thin, or sagging? Do you want big chubby arms, right now? While you won't be able to get instant muscle growth, with hard work and a smart training strategy, you can start to see noticeable results, starting in a few weeks to a month.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Sample Exercise Schedule for Arms
There's no "right" way to enlarge your arms, but the sample exercise plans below provide a balanced path that targets the entire upper body - not just the biceps and triceps muscles. For maximum effectiveness, rest one day after training and two days after Day Three, before you return to Day One. Do this to achieve a good weekly schedule balance. Use your "rest" days to target other muscle groups as well as the lower body; or to rest.
| exercise | Time/Repeat | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Stretches | 10-15 minutes | You can replace it with yoga or other flexibility exercises if you want |
| Cardio warm-up | 5-10 minutes | Jogging, cycling, etc. Try exercising until your heart rate reaches around 115 bpm to make you stronger when lifting weights |
| Barbell Curl | 10-15 times; 3-4 sets | |
| Hammer Curl | 10-15 repetitions; 3-4 sets | |
| Chin-up | As much as possible; 3-4 sets | You can do weighted chin-ups to make it easier |
| Seated Row | 10-15 times; 3-4 sets | |
| Inverted Row | 10-15 times; 3-4 sets | |
| Cool-down: light cardio latihan | 5 minutes | Take a brisk walk or take a leisurely bike ride. Try to reduce your heart rate which has been increasing, gradually |
| exercise | Time/Repeat | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Stretch | 10-15 minutes | See above |
| Cardio warm-up | 5-10 minutes | See above |
| Bench Press | As much as possible as long as you do it safely; 3-4 sets | Ask a friend for help if you are going to lift freely |
| Chest Fly | 10-15 times; 3-4 sets | |
| Tricep Extension | 10-15 times; 3-4 sets | |
| Dips | As much as possible; 3-4 sets | You can use a chain/weight belt to increase the difficulty |
| Cool-down: light cardio latihan | 5 minutes | See above |
| exercise | Time/Repeat | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Stretch | 10-15 minutes | See above |
| Cardio warm-up | 5-10 minutes | See above |
| Military Press | 10-15 times; 3-4 sets | You can do it sitting or standing |
| Lateral Dumbbell Raise | 10-15 times; 3-4 sets | You can do front, side, or back variations to target different deltoid muscle groups |
| Overhead Lift | As much as possible as long as you do it safely; 3-4 sets | Also serves to train the hips/core body |
| Barbell Wrist Curl | 1-2 minutes; 2-3 sets | You can do it in reverse |
| Cool-down: light cardio latihan | 5 minutes | See above. |
Part 2 of 3: Targeting Large Muscle Groups in the Arm
Step 1. Create an aggressive exercise plan
To keep your arms strong, most fitness resources will suggest starting weight training with an upper body workout. Lifting weights is a type of exercise defined by the body of the participant - the more time and energy you invest in it, the better results you will get. While there's no "definitely right" method for developing your arms through weight training, in general, consider the following tips to achieve optimal results:
- Aim to lift weights for at least most of the week. Ambitious weightlifters typically schedule training for about five days a week, with the remaining two days devoted to rest or cardio training.
- Try to avoid working the same muscle group two days in a row - in order to grow, muscles need time to rest and repair the damage they've done while training. For example, if you're working your triceps, focus on your chest the next day.
- Don't focus solely on your arm. Doing this for a long time will make you look weird and unbalanced - your arms are big, but your core is small and your lower body muscles are weak. Exercise your legs and core at least two days a week.
Step 2. Work your biceps
Many people think of the biceps as the decisive muscle for making the arms look big and muscular. This is obvious - because the stereotypical image of a bodybuilder is a muscular man, bent over a bench, doing a curl exercise, with a big dumbbell. While the biceps isn't usually the strongest muscle in the upper body (or even in the arm), it is an important muscle group for many types of physical tasks, such as lifting, pulling, and balancing heavy weights. Here are some exercises to help you get started working your biceps:
- Barbell/Dumbell Curl: Stand holding a barbell (or a dumbbell in each hand) at waist height, using the underhand type. Carefully lift the weight to chest height, keeping your elbows at your sides, then lower it back down. Repeat.
- Hammer Curl: This exercise targets the important "long head" (biceps brachii) muscle, which is responsible for shaping the top of your upper arm. Do it in a similar way to the dumbbell curl exercise, except that the dumbbells should be facing each other, rather than pointing at the floor. Your arm movement should look like a slow hammer swing.
- Check out our articles on other biceps muscles to learn about different exercise methods.
Step 3. Work your triceps
Although the triceps is sometimes less important than the biceps, the triceps are usually considered more important in terms of muscle mass and overall strength. Make sure you pay attention to that too (even more seriously) - if you want to get big, stocky arms. You can fail to enlarge your arm if you don't pay attention to the triceps muscle. Here are some examples of effective triceps exercises:
- Tricep Extension: In a standing position, hold dumbbells in both hands behind your head, with bent elbows near either side of your head. Lift the dumbbells up and over your head, being careful not to hit your head. Lower the weight back to its starting position and repeat.
- Dips: Prop yourself up between two parallel, parallel posts, or on the edge of a bench with both arms. Lower yourself slowly until your upper arms are parallel to the floor, then lift yourself back up without twisting or moving them suddenly. Repeat.
- Check out our articles on other triceps muscles to learn about different exercise methods.
Step 4. Enlarge your shoulders
A pair of broad, muscular shoulders is usually considered attractive. In addition, the shoulder (or deltoid) muscles are important for performing a variety of physical tasks, such as lifting, throwing, and preventing the unstable shoulder joint from being injured. Here are some examples of shoulder exercises you can consider:
- Military Press: In a standing or sitting position, lower the dumbbells to chest level using a medium-wide overhand grip. Raise the weight in front of your face and slowly over your head. Lower it back down until it's roughly in line with your chin and repeat.
- Lateral Dumbbell Raise: Stand holding a dumbbell in each hand. Slowly raise your arms to your sides resting on your elbows. When your arms are roughly parallel, slowly lower them back down and repeat. You can make a slight angle with your arms back and forth to work the front or back of your shoulder muscles.
- Overhead lift: This full-body exercise targets the muscles of the shoulders, in addition to the hips, legs, and back. Stand with the barbell resting on the floor in front of you, then do the deadlift carefully to raise it to about waist level. Lift the weight up to your chest (be careful and controlled), and do a Military Press (see above) to lift it over your head. Reverse this sequence of movements to lower the weight back to the floor and repeat.
Step 5. Work your chest muscles
Even if your chest muscles aren't part of your arms, strong arms still don't look attractive when you pair them with a slack chest, so this area is a must for anyone interested in enlarging their arms. In addition, arm muscles such as triceps are usually useful for helping chest muscles exercise. While the bench press is a well-known method, it's not the only alternative for working the chest muscles - see the list below to learn about the bench press and other types of chest exercises:
- Bench Press: Lie down with your back flat on an exercise bench. Lift a barbell (or two dumbbells) and push it away from your chest until your arms are straight, then lower the weight back down and repeat. Make sure you ask a friend for help to avoid serious injury when you use heavy weights.
- Chest Fly: Lie on your back on the floor or an exercise bench holding a dumbbell in each hand. Position each arm at your side, then bring them together in front of your chest in a wide, smooth arc. Lower both arms back to their starting position and repeat - you should look as if you are "flapping" a pair of wings.
- Check out our articles on other pectoral muscles to learn about different exercise methods.
Step 6. Don't neglect the back and wing muscles (lat)
In fact, the lats (latissimus dorsi) and back muscles are not part of your arms. However, almost all bodybuilders who want to enlarge their arms to build muscle must take the time to work these muscles as well. They do it partly for aesthetic reasons (big arms don't look great when paired with weak back and lats), but partly because the back and lats are the supporting muscles in many exercises used to strengthen the arms. Here are some examples of exercises you can do to target these important muscle groups:
- Seated Row: Sit on a bench, in front of a horizontal cable or elastic band. Pull the cord or rope toward you, keeping your back straight and straight, but leaning back slightly. Contract the muscles between your shoulder blades as you complete the movement fully. Make sure you don't bend over or bend your back while doing this exercise - you could get injured.
- Inverted Row: Lie on your back under a horizontal bar in a low position. Grab the bar and lift yourself close to it (keeping your feet flat on the floor) until the bar is almost touching your chest. Lower yourself back down and repeat.
- Chin Up/Pull Up: There are many types of exercises that you can do while hanging from a horizontal bar. To do a chin up, grab the bar with an underhand grip and slowly lift your body toward the bar, until the bar is close to your chest. Lower your body back down and repeat.
Step 7. Spend some time working your forearm muscles for a balanced, "dry" look
The "dry" forearms are the "finish trim" for the perfect upper body. While the muscles in this area are important for hand and grip strength (which is usually useful for some athletes, such as rock climbers), many bodybuilders work their forearms just to make them look cool. Try these simple exercises to enlarge your forearm muscles:
Barbell Wrist Curls: Sit on a bench holding a barbell, with your forearms resting on your thighs. Raise the barbell as high as possible using only the muscles in your hands and forearms, then allow these muscles to relax to allow the weight to hang as low as possible. For a complete workout, try reversing the direction of your grip in each set
Part 3 of 3: Grow Muscle Fast
Step 1. Consider prioritizing weights over reps
Exhausting your muscles every day will eventually add to their strength and growth, no matter how you do it (as long as you eat enough for your body to develop muscle). However, if you are interested in getting large, very dense muscles, it is recommended that you focus on doing only a few repetitions with heavy weights (instead of doing many repetitions with light weights). For example, many weightlifting reference sources suggest that, all other factors equal, doing three to six repetitions with heavy weights will produce large muscles rather than 15-20 repetitions with light weights.
Additionally, some weight coaches (including Arnold Schwarzenegger) suggest an intermediate approach, which uses moderate to high levels of resistance, and a slightly higher number of repetitions (usually around 8-15). This method offers a healthy balance of strength, build, and muscle mass over time
Step 2. Use an "explosive" approach when lifting weights
For the fastest muscle growth, put all your energy into lifting weights! Research shows that an effective "explosive" style of lifting weights - meaning, people who practice doing it by lifting weights as quickly as possible - can cause muscle (and strength) to grow more quickly, than when compared to the usual approach. Explosive training helps your body "break through" the weak points in your range of motion, by teaching your muscles to contract more quickly, making this a useful strategy for anyone looking to build muscle quickly.
However, you should always do it in good posture, so don't let "explosive" exercises distract you from lifting weights smoothly in a full range of motion. Never bend, twist, or stomp a muscle to lift a weight - this can lead to a painful and long-lasting injury
Step 3. Consider the advantages of free weights instead of using machines
You can get big, strong muscles with almost any type of resistance training, as long as your workout involves a full range of motion and offers a fairly tough challenge. However, many weightlifting resources recommend using free weights (such as barbells, dumbbells, etc.) rather than exercise machines. Free weights are more like real-life physical tasks and work the muscles that stabilize the body part, while contracting the main muscles that are focused. As such, free weights are usually preferred by many people (although the chances of injury are often greater if performed with poor posture).
Bodyweight exercises (such as pushups, crunches, pullups, dips, etc.) are usually considered a midpoint - they offer great muscle growth potential, while keeping the risk of injury low
Step 4. Avoid spending too much energy doing cardio
Cardio isn't bad for you - in fact, it's a great way to increase endurance and burn calories - but if you're looking to build muscle, it can be counterproductive. Spending a lot of energy when exercising such as running, cycling, exercising, and so on will reduce the amount of energy left to develop muscles. So, to build muscle, limit serious cardio to just once or twice a week.
If you like cardio, consider doing low-intensity exercises, such as walking and mountain climbing, instead of high-intensity exercises like swimming or running
Step 5. Start eating healthy foods
To develop muscle, the body must receive healthy fuel for muscle growth. In general, a diet to build muscle will contain a high source of lean protein, with the right amount of healthy fats and carbohydrates. Vegetables and fruits can provide the necessary vitamins and minerals, while sugary and fatty foods should be strictly limited to a minimum. Try to include the following foods in your diet - ideally, you should get about 40-50% of your calories from protein, 40-50% from carbohydrates, and 10-20% from fat:
- Protein: Lean meats, such as chicken, turkey, most types of fish, egg whites, and lean cuts of pork and beef. Processed plant products such as legumes, soya (tofu), broccoli, spinach, tempeh, and seitan can be a source of healthy protein in high amounts. Dairy products (such as Greek yogurt) are also good sources of protein. In addition, many bodybuilders recommend taking supplements as well as protein milk.
- Carbohydrates: Whole grain products/pasta, brown rice, oats, quinoa, root vegetables such as yam and potatoes. Green and/or fibrous vegetables such as broccoli, celery, beans, etc. is also a good choice.
- Fats: Avocado, nuts, cheese, and healthy light oils (such as canola and sunflower oil) can provide valuable energy and nutrients.
Step 6. Drink enough water every day
Water can help keep you fresh and energized as you train. Plus, water is a calorie-free way to help relieve the hunger pangs that usually come when you're trying to stick to a new healthy diet. Most nutrition reference sources recommend drinking about two liters of water per day. However, with hard training and sweating, this number will probably increase.
Step 7. Take frequent breaks
The time you spend outside the gym is just as important as the time you spend in the gym. For maximum muscle development results, make sure your body has a chance to recover after each workout. Avoid overworking your muscles (which could result in injury or fatigue). Do this by working different muscle groups on different days. You may even be able to leave a day or two in your weekly schedule to really rest - it's all up to you.
In addition, rest throughout the night is important for healthy muscle groups. While everyone's sleep needs are different, most reliable sources suggest around seven to nine hours of sleep each day for adults
Step 8. Recognize the dangers of anabolic steroids
If you really want to get in shape, steroid "shortcuts" can be tempting, but know that this is never a good thing. There is no healthy way to increase muscle mass and strength, except through hard training, dedication, and proper nutrition and good rest. Although anabolic steroids can accelerate muscle growth, they have unpleasant, even dangerous, side effects, such as:
- In men: Enlarged chest, painful erection (priapism), shrunken testicles, reduced sperm count, infertility, impotence.
- In women: Increased amount of body and facial hair, irregular menstrual cycles, increased voice, enlarged clitoris, narrowed chest.
- Pimple
- Oily skin
- Jaundice (yellow skin)
- Changing mood
- Paranoid delusions
- Sometimes, serious problems such as heart attacks and certain types of cancer arise
Tips
- Listen to music while practicing.
- Be determined. Your muscles won't grow overnight, but with persistent practice, you'll start to see improvements in a few weeks to a month.
- If you can't go to the gym, you can still work your chest and triceps by doing push-ups.
- Find a friend to work out at the gym. It will motivate you, besides, you will have more fun.
- For quick results, you can "fake" a good arm look by focusing on the lateral deltoid muscle (that is, the front of your shoulder). These muscles are usually rarely trained, so they will respond with rapid growth when targeted. This strategy adds extra size around the top of your arm so it looks bigger. The best way to work this muscle is to do a lateral raise: lean slightly forward and lift a pair of dumbbells until your body forms a T.
- Try "posing" (there's a reason bodybuilders do it). Before training, try to tense the muscles you are going to train. Do this in front of a mirror. This will help you train your body to focus on the correct muscles while exercising. For example, if you want to work your triceps, contract it until it moves properly, then repeat this step as you lift weights.
- If you don't have the burden, try using cans, milk cartons, heavy grocery items, etc.
