The biceps are a group of muscles in your arm that will "bubble" when you bend and tense your arm. To make it bigger, it's certainly not enough to just do the same exercise over and over again. Learn about exercise strategies, bicep exercises and lifestyle changes to get big, strong biceps.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Biceps Exercise
Step 1. Do dumbbell curls
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold one dumbbell each in both hands and position it on the right and left sides of the body. With arms extended straight, lift dumbbells with palms pointing inward. Bend your arms to lift the dumbbells toward your chest.
- Do this exercise between 6 to 8 repetitions in 2 sets of exercises. Increase the exercise portion to 3 sets after a week or two. After that, you can increase the weight of the dumbbells you use.
- If you don't have dumbbells, you can also use kettlebells or a barbell.
Step 2. Do an incline dumbbell curl
Sit in an exercise chair at a 45-degree angle. Place your feet on the floor and hold one dumbbell in each hand extended down on either side of the body. Lift a dumbbell in each hand in turn. Dumbbells should be raised until they are in full line with your shoulders and elbows. Then, slowly lower the dumbbells until they return to the starting position.
- Do between 6 to 8 reps in 2 sets of exercises. Increase the exercise portion to 3 sets after a week or two, then increase the weight as you get stronger.
- You may need to use a lighter weight to perform this exercise than you would normally use in a dumbbell curl exercise. That's not a problem; an incline position makes it more difficult to lift weights and you can still work your biceps well in this position.
Step 3. Do a concentration curl
Sit on an exercise chair with your feet flat on the floor and your feet shoulder-width apart. Lean forward so that your right elbow touches the inside of your right knee, and your arms are extended down. Lift the dumbbells toward your chest, keep your elbows from shifting and stay in the same place.
- When exercising your right arm, you can place your left hand on your left knee to keep your body in a stable position. Vice versa.
- Do between 6 to 8 reps in 2 sets of exercises, then repeat the exercise to work your left arm.
Step 4. Do chin-ups
This exercise may be difficult at first, but it is an excellent way to increase the size of your biceps. Hold the iron bar with your hands shoulder-width apart and your palms facing inward. Cross your legs and lift your body until your chin is higher than your hands. Slowly lower your body back to the starting position.
- Do between 6 to 8 reps in 2 sets of exercises. Increase the portion of the exercise to 8 to 12 reps and 3 sets of exercises when your strength has increased.
- To increase the intensity of the exercise, wear a weight belt. Add weight to the weight belt as you get stronger over time.
Method 2 of 4: Building Support Muscles
Step 1. Incorporate the pectoral fly exercise into your exercise program
This exercise will work your pectorals as well as your biceps, and help provide a solid foundation for safe and effective biceps exercises. So, try to include this exercise in your biceps or strength training program when you want to rest your biceps.
- First, lie down in a chair so that your head, torso, and back are supported, but let your legs hang. Bend your knees so that your feet are flat on the floor at the end of the chair. Bend your elbows so that the dumbbells are near your chest.
- Start the exercise by pushing the dumbbells straight from the chest. Slowly lower your arms to your sides until you can bring them back up. For safety's sake, be sure to practice under someone's supervision.
- Exhale, and slowly bring the dumbbells back toward the center of your chest in a curved motion. Once the dumbbells meet in the middle, repeat this movement by lowering them to the sides of the body again. Repeat this movement several times.
Step 2. Practice push-ups
This exercise can help build strength in the shoulders, chest, and triceps, all of which work in conjunction with the biceps. Incorporating these exercises into your regular program can help you build the muscles that support your biceps.
- Lie face down on the mat, and place your hands at shoulder level with slightly wider than shoulder width. Push your feet back and place your fingertips on the floor. Keep your eyes down while keeping your head, neck, and spine straight.
- Push your arms to lift your body up as much as possible. Your body should stay straight. Hold your stomach muscles while doing push-ups.
- After pushing your arms as far as you can, slowly lower your body until your elbows form a 90-degree angle. Don't let your chest or head fall to the floor.
- Repeat this exercise as many times as recommended or until you feel tired.
Step 3. Add stretching to your exercise program
Stretching is very important to help relax muscles and speed up the recovery process. Therefore, consider incorporating stretching exercises such as yoga into your exercise program. That way, you can ensure that your biceps and supporting muscles get the attention they deserve.
You can do specific static stretches on the muscles. However, full-body stretches like yoga can provide a complete stretch to the muscles you're working on, including the smaller supporting muscles
Method 3 of 4: Practice Techniques
Step 1. Don't practice every day
You might think that exercising every day will make your biceps grow bigger faster. In reality, however, your muscles will get stronger in the rest periods between workouts, as they have time to recover. Over time, the biceps will get bigger to be able to lift heavier weights.
- Work your biceps no more than twice a week for best results.
- Work other parts of your body on days when you're not training to enlarge your biceps.
Step 2. Limit the length of the exercise you do
Exercising too long in each training session can strain your biceps and cause injury, so you won't make any progress from your workout. Your arm muscles are more vulnerable than other muscles in your body, so don't push yourself to overwork them. A 30-minute training session is the ideal time to build strength and prevent injury.
Step 3. As you practice, do your best
In each of those 30-minute training sessions, train as hard as you can. Lift the heaviest weight you can lift for a few reps so that your training session becomes a training session with the highest intensity possible and you can no longer carry on. Bodybuilders call this method "training to failure" because you have to train with enough weight that you can't finish the other reps.
- Determine the weight of your "train to failure" load by choosing a weight that you can lift no more than 6 - 8 times before your muscles are no longer strong. If you are able to complete several sets of exercises without breaking a sweat and are still able to continue, then you need to increase the weight of the weights you are lifting. On the other hand, if you can't do one or two lifts in a row with the weight, reduce the weight.
- Your “train to failure” weight will gradually increase as your muscle strength increases. Every 2 weeks, add about 0.5 kg to the weight you lift, using the same standard to determine if the weight you are lifting is too heavy or too light.
Step 4. Use proper body position
Your "train to failure" weight should be the weight you can lift when using the correct posture while training. Using the right position can prevent injury to your biceps and increase muscle mass well.
- Don't be too fast when lifting weights; use controlled movements. Lower the weight slowly and don't lower it quickly.
- If you've been working out in proper posture but can't complete the exercise for more than a few reps, it means you're carrying too much weight. Start with lighter weights and increase your strength.
- Allow about 45 seconds of rest between sets to allow your muscles to rest.
Method 4 of 4: Lifestyle Changes
Step 1. Reduce your intake of high-calorie foods
If you train hard, you have to consume a lot of calories to get enough energy, but eating too much can build up a layer of fat on your body that will cover the muscles you've worked so hard for.
- Choose vegetables, fruits, and whole grains/rice.
- Drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated and to reduce hunger when you train hard.
Step 2. Eat lots of protein
Protein helps the body to build muscle, so you should consume lots of protein when you are weight training.
- Eat poultry, fish, beef, eggs, and other protein sources to build your muscles.
- Beans, leafy greens, tofu, and other plant-based protein sources are also good choices.
Step 3. Try taking creatine
Creatine is an amino acid naturally produced by the body to build big and strong muscles. Many bodybuilders take creatine supplements to help get into the shape they want. Although not approved by the FDA, creatine is considered safe when taken in doses of 5 grams. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the food and drug regulatory agency of the United States government.
- Choose a powdered creatine supplement that can be mixed with water and can be taken several times a day.
- After the initial "replenishment" period by drinking large amounts of water mixed with creatine to build up these extra amino acids in the body, then gradually reduce the dose for maintenance.
Tips
- Use a close grip to work the inner biceps and a wide grip to work the outer biceps.
- Don't forget to always stretch, warm up, and cool down. This action is to reduce the risk of elbow inflammation.
- The main bicep exercise is the pull up, which is lifting your body weight up with a variety of movements.
- Never train a muscle group for more than 20 minutes. If you really want to train hard, do your workout for no more than 45 minutes. If you train longer than that, your body will no longer produce testosterone and will instead start producing cortisone, a stress-inducing chemical that will increase fat deposits in your body.
- Consume large amounts of protein. Consume 2.5 grams of protein for every kilogram of your LEAN BODY MASS (lean body mass/weight, commonly abbreviated as LBM). How to calculate it: suppose you weigh 90.7 kg and 24% of that weight comes from fat, then your lean body mass is 71.6 kg. With that big LBM, you have to consume 185 grams of protein a day
