You seem strong and fit if you have big, muscular arms that make you look like a bodybuilder. As a bonus, you can easily perform tasks that require a lot of energy, such as moving heavy furniture or pushing a broken car without breaking a sweat. In addition to working your arm muscles, you need to strengthen your back, chest, and shoulder muscles. This article explains how to exercise and a healthy lifestyle to increase arm muscle mass.
Step
Part 1 of 4: Increase Arm Muscles
Step 1. Do a bicep curl
This movement is useful for training the upper arm muscles. Hold 1 dumbbell in your left hand and 1 dumbbell in your right hand while straightening your arms at your sides. Lift the dumbbells toward your shoulders, hold them for a moment, then lower them to the starting position.
Do this movement 2-3 sets of 8-12 times each
Step 2. Perform the triceps stretch using dumbbells to raise the triceps
Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a dumbbell with your right hand and straighten your right arm up with your palm facing your left. Lower the dumbbells behind your head so your right elbow is pointing up. Lift the dumbbells up again while straightening your elbows and then lower your right arm to your side. Do the same movement to work the left triceps.
Do this movement 3-5 sets of 8-12 times each
Notes:
this movement can be done while holding 1 dumbbell with both hands to train both arms simultaneously.
Step 3. Do a wrist curl to work the forearm muscles
Make sure you don't forget to work your forearms. Wrist curls are useful for strengthening the wrists and forearms so that the strength of lifting weights increases. To do wrist curls, sit in a chair holding 2 dumbbells in one hand each. Place your forearms on your thighs with your wrists slightly in front of your knees. Move your palms up and down without moving your forearms.
Do this movement 2-3 sets of 8-12 times each
Part 2 of 4: Performing Combined Movements to Increase Arm Muscle Mass
Step 1. Do a bicep curl followed by a shoulder press to increase your shoulder and biceps muscles
The biceps are the main muscle group of the arm. Exercising the shoulder muscles is useful for increasing body strength. Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold 2 dumbbells each with 1 hand while straightening your arms at your sides with your palms facing in. Lift the dumbbells close to your shoulders, straighten your arms up, then lower the dumbbells to the starting position.
- Do this movement 3-5 sets of 8-12 times each. Rest about 45 seconds before doing the next set.
- This movement can be done while holding a kettle bell or a barbell.
Step 2. Do chin ups to work your back and biceps
In addition to working the biceps, the back muscles are the main muscles that are activated when doing chin ups. Hold a horizontal bar (to practice chin ups) with your palms shoulder-width apart and palms facing back. Use the strength of your arms to lift your body until your chin is above the bar and then lower slowly to the starting position.
Do this movement 4-5 sets of 8-12 times each
Tip:
wear a belt (for weight training) to increase the intensity of the exercise.
Step 3. Do push ups
In addition to training the arm muscles, push ups are very effective in training the chest, back, and abdominal muscles. To do a push up, place your palms on the floor at shoulder level, but slightly wider than your shoulders. With the balls of your feet on the floor, straighten your body from your neck to your heels. Lower your body to the floor while bending your elbows until your body almost touches the floor. Straighten your elbows again to lift your body back to the starting position.
Do as many push ups as you can with the correct posture
Part 3 of 4: Changing Lifestyles
Step 1. Limit your calorie intake
Many people think that they have to eat more calories than usual in order to build muscle. Increasing calorie intake is not a way to increase muscle because calories increase body fat so that muscle shape is not visible. The right way to grow and build muscle is to run a diet that is useful for reducing body fat so that muscles are more visible.
- Adopt a balanced diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and lean meats.
- Avoid sugar, white flour, fried foods, and high-calorie foods that increase body fat.
Step 2. Eat more protein
Protein is useful for building muscle. Therefore, protein foods should be the main menu if you want to look like a bodybuilder. Increase protein intake to increase muscle size.
- Meet protein needs by eating fish, chicken, lean beef or pork, and eggs.
- If you are a vegetarian, eat legumes, beans, and a variety of vegetables as a source of protein.
- In addition, milk and dairy products, such as cottage cheese and yogurt also contain a lot of protein.
Tip:
complete the diet menu by consuming protein powder, such as whey. Whey is a by-product of the cheese-making process that is beneficial for building muscle tissue.
Step 3. Take time to rest
In order to increase muscle mass, rest is an important aspect besides training. Make sure you get 7-9 hours of sleep a night on training days and don't force yourself to do other activities that use your arm muscles.
Part 4 of 4: Exercising Routine
Step 1. Exercising the body thoroughly
Strengthening muscles throughout the body with combined movements is more beneficial than training only to build arm muscles. You'll need to work your shoulders, chest, and back if you want to have stronger muscles to be able to lift heavier objects and weights. If the core and leg muscles are not trained, only the arms are enlarged, while the lower body is not muscled.
Perform a series of movements that are useful for increasing arm muscles while building other muscles, for example by doing chin ups and push ups to strengthen the abdominal and arm muscles at the same time
Tip:
when you're not working your arms, fill your training day by working your legs, back, and abs. In this way, you continue to increase your body strength while restoring your arm muscles.
Step 2. Practice 2 times a week
Many people think that exercising every day makes muscles grow faster. However, muscle mass increases and muscle strength increases as you recover while resting, allowing you to gradually lift heavier weights. If the muscles are not given the opportunity to rest, especially the arm muscles, the condition will be problematic, delaying the achievement of the desired results.
Step 3. Schedule a 30 minute workout per session
For the same reason, make sure you train only 1-2 times a week for a maximum of 30 minutes each time. Training sessions longer than 30 minutes increase the risk of ligament, joint, and tendon injuries. To increase muscle mass, short, intense training sessions are the way to go.
Step 4. Practice as much as you can
Use the heaviest weights you can lift and work at the highest intensity possible. Bodybuilders use the term "training to failure" which means: training with weights heavy enough that you can't lift them after 5-8 reps. If your arm muscles are stronger and the weight you normally use doesn't feel heavy, increase the weight.
- If you're just starting to lift weights, use light weights and then increase the weight little by little. Instead of immediately using very heavy weights, start training with weights that you can lift 8-12 times.
- Figure out the weight of the load so that you "train to failure" by trying to lift the weight several times until you feel tired and give up. If you can lift 10-12 times without breaking a sweat or feeling sore, use heavier weights. If only 5-6 times you have given up, reduce the weight of the load.
- Extreme discomfort is part of the muscle building process, but don't use weights so heavy that you're in pain or nearly fainting. Starting to train using light weights is nothing to be ashamed of. Use weights as you can to build strength gradually so that you are ready to lift heavier weights.
Step 5. Practice with proper posture
Get maximum workout results and avoid injury by maintaining correct posture when lifting weights. In addition, determine the right weight of the load according to your physical condition by applying the following instructions while practicing.
- Lift the weight in a controlled motion, instead of using momentum to lift the weight.
- Make sure you are able to lift the weight 6-8 times with the correct technique and posture. If not, it sounds like you're using too heavy a weight.
Tips
- You can't increase muscle strength if you only sleep 4 hours a night.
- Stretch your muscles before and after exercise to prevent injury. Warm-up exercises make muscles tired faster.
- Get a friend to work out with you so you don't realize you're working out. Plus, friends make training sessions more enjoyable.
- Practice in the mirror so you can look at yourself to make sure your movements and posture are correct. Do not lean over or swing to lift the weight. Instead, pay attention to the trajectory of the dumbbells as you move and try to form a smooth, curved line. Also, make sure you activate your abs, straighten your back, and don't hold your breath. Proper posture is crucial when lifting weights so you don't get injured.
- Practice doing compound movements as often as possible.
- Adopt a healthy diet, get enough sleep at night, and make sure your body stays hydrated. Although there is no set minimum volume of water that should be consumed, dark urine is a sign that you need to drink more water. If you adopt a healthy diet (low sodium, lots of vegetables and fruits), excessive water consumption can trigger muscle cramps.
- A smart and practical way to strengthen and enlarge arm muscles is to throw and catch a ball (for exercise) as if playing. That way, you can practice for a few minutes without feeling tired depending on the weight of the ball you're using. Use these tips as a way to distract yourself when you exercise at home, such as while watching TV.
Warning
- Do not use steroids because they are harmful to the body.
- Know the difference between "safe pain" and "dangerous pain." If your muscles ache when you train at high intensity, but you can still lift weights even if it's uncomfortable, this is safe pain. However, if your muscles are so sore that you can't lift weights at all, this means you need to rest and find out what's causing it. Don't force yourself to train because dangerous pain can cause injury.
