How to get bigger arms

There are tons of advantages to having bigger, stronger arms. Muscular arms go beyond having practical benefits like upper body strength that can help when it comes to everyday tasks like picking up the kids or moving heavy items. Having bigger, more athletic arms also can give us a sense of confidence and boost your self-esteem.

As well as boosting your confidence and functional fitness, having increased muscle mass also:

– Improves your muscle endurance, strength, and tone

– Lowers your chance of injury

– Increases your metabolism allowing your body to burn more calories, even when you’re not exercising

If you’ve been asking yourself how to get bigger arms, then you’ve come to the right place.

There are two main muscles in your upper arms: biceps in the front and triceps in the back. Biceps and triceps are opposite functioning muscle groups, so they need different exercises to build strength and muscle. But don’t worry, we’re going to lay it all out for you with some of the best exercises for bigger arms.

Best exercises for bigger arms: biceps

The biceps brachii, aka your biceps, is a double-headed muscle running from your shoulder to your elbow. It’s the core muscle for lifting and pulling in your arms. According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE) research, the best exercises for your biceps involve lifting or curling weights towards your shoulders.

Below, we’ve compiled four of the best exercises for bigger arms that target your biceps. To do each of these exercises, choose a weight that you’ll be able to do 12-15 reps with good form.

When you’re just getting started, begin with one set of each exercise 2-3 times a week, with at least one day of rest in-between working out your biceps. As you build strength, increase your sets to 2-3 of each set.

Also Read: How to strength train while cutting

An essential tip for how to get your arms bigger is to focus on form. If you can do ten reps with perfect form, this is a much better use of your effort and will have better results than pushing for 15 reps with poor form.

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Concentration curl

If you’re stuck on how to get big arms, then a concentration curl is a great place to start. In fact, according to the ACE study, the exercise with the most significant muscle activation for biceps is the concentration curl. Its effectiveness comes from isolating the bicep and working out the muscle on its own.

How to do a concentration curl

1. At the end of a flat bench, sit with your legs open in a V shape.
2. In one hand, grip a dumbbell and lean forward slightly.
3. Face your palm into your center, rest your elbow against your inside thigh.
4. For stability, rest your other hand or elbow on your other thigh.
5. Keeping your upper body still and solid, curl the dumbbell slowly towards your shoulder.
6. As you lift the weight, turn your wrist slightly so that the curl ends with your palm facing into your shoulder.
7. Hold the dumbbell for a few seconds, feeling the effort in your arm before slowly lowering the weight back down. Don’t put the dumbbell down until your final rep.
8. Repeat for 12-15 reps before switching arms.

Cable curl

There are a few different ways to do a cable curl, and they’re just as effective as each other, so it all depends on your preference. You could use a low pulley machine that is attached to a cable that has a handle.

Alternatively, you could use a resistance band if you can safely tie or attach one end to something sturdy.

How to do a standing one-arm cable curl

1. With your palm facing forward, grasp the handle with your elbow close to your side and stand a few feet away from the pulley machine.
2. For optimum balance, place the foot opposite to your curling hand a little in front of your other foot.
3. Begin to slowly curl your arm, lifting your palm towards your shoulder.
4. Pause to hold the curl, feeling the exertion in your bicep.
5. Slowly lower the handle back to your starting position.
6. Repeat for 12-15 reps before switching arms.

Barbell curl

A must in your journey on how to build bigger arms, the barbell curl is a classic. Your form is fundamental in barbell curls; keep your back straight and avoiding moving any part of your body other than your arms.

Also Read: Yoked, Jacked, Shredded, Swole – which are you?

You want your biceps to do all the work, so begin with a lighter weight if it helps you perfect form when starting out.

How to do a barbell curl

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. With your palms facing out, hold the barbell with your arms at your side.
3. Using your breath as a guide, slowly curl the barbell towards your chest whilst exhaling. Hold your chest still; all the effort in lifting the barbell should be in your arms.
4. Pause for a second before slowly lowering the barbell to your starting position.
5. Repeat for 12-15 reps before switching arms.

Chin-up

To do chin-ups, you’ll need a strong chin-up bar that’s far enough off the ground that when your arms are fully extended, your feet won’t touch the floor.

How to do a chin-up

1. Stand beneath the chin-up bar and reach up with both arms with your palms facing you.
2. With both hands, grab the bar. You may need to step up or jump to reach the bar.
3. Grip firmly with your thumbs wrapped around the bar. Take a second to steady your body. It may help your stability if you cross your legs.
4. As you exhale, slowly pull your body upward by bending your elbows.
5. Make sure your elbows stay in front of you and don’t lean outwards. Use your biceps to pull you up to where your chin meets the bar.
6. Hold for a few seconds before slowly lowering yourself back to the starting position.
7. Slowly increase the number of chin-ups you can do. To begin with, you may only be able to do a few at any time.

Best exercises for bigger arms: triceps

The triceps brachii, aka your triceps, is a group of three muscles located at the back of your upper arms. Running between your shoulder and elbow, your triceps help to strengthen your arm and stabilize your shoulder.

Below we’ve tracked down the best exercises for bigger arms and to work out your triceps effectively.

Triangle push-up

According to a study by ACE rating the best triceps exercises, the triangle push-up was considered the most effective for working out your triceps. Plus, you can do a triangle push-up anywhere as it doesn’t use equipment, just your body weight.

How to do a triangle push-up

1. Start by getting into the traditional pushup position, with your toes and hands touching the ground.
2. Move your hands to below your face, with your forefingers and thumbs touching to form a triangle between your hands.
3. Keep your torso and legs straight as you slowly lower down so that your nose rests above your hands.
4. Push your body back up into your starting position, be careful with your back, don’t let it arch or droop.
5. Repeat for 12-15 reps.

If you struggle with triangle push ups to start, try a modified position with your knees on the floor but make sure you keep your torso rigid.

Tricep kickback

According to the ACE study, tricep kickbacks are a close contender to triangle push-ups for the top spot. So, by including both in your training, you’re sure to give your triceps an effective workout.

How to do a tricep kickback

1. Begin by holding a dumbbell in each hand, facing your palms inwards, and bending your knees slightly.
2. Hinging at your waist, lean forward whilst keeping your back straight and your core engaged until your upper body is almost parallel with the floor.
3. Keeping your arms close to your side, bend your elbows so the dumbbells are alongside the side of your chest.
4. Keeping your upper arms still, slowly straighten your forearms.
5. Pause for a second, then bend your elbows until the dumbbells are back in your starting position close to your chest.
6. Repeat for 12-15 reps.
7. This exercise can also be done using only one arm. Using the same method, but with one arm at a time, switching arms once you’ve completed a set with the first arm.

Dips

Dips are an effective exercise for working out your triceps, and you can even do dips at home without a dip stand. If working out at home, place your hands palm down behind you, using a flat bench or chair.

How to do a dip

1. Stand in-between the rails of a dip bar or in front of a chair or bench if you’re working out without a dip stand.
2. With your arms straight down by your side, grip each bar.
3. Slowly bend your elbows and lower yourself until your upper arms are almost parallel with the floor. You may need to bend your knees so as not to touch the floor.
4. Straighten your arms to return to your starting position.
5. Repeat for 12-15 reps.

Overhead extension

If you’re new on your journey or still wondering how to build big arms, then an overhead extension will be great for you. Overhead extensions are usually done with a single dumbbell, make sure to use a lighter weight until you’ve got the correct form down. Once you’re used to the exercise, you can build up your weight tolerance.

Also Read: The Ultimate Bodyweight Workout

How to do an overhead extension

1. Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, move one foot slightly in front of the other for balance. You can also do this exercise whilst sat on a bench.
2. Place both of your hands around the handle of the dumbbell.
3. Lift the dumbbell above your head until your arms are straight.
4. Slowly bend your elbows to a 90-degree angle, with the dumbbell ending up behind your head.
5. Slowly straighten your arms, so the dumbbell is back above your head.
6. Repeat for 12-15 reps.

The best exercises for bigger arms: don’t forget your back and shoulders

Whilst you might be here to find out how to get bigger arms, you can’t sleep on the other muscle groups in your body. If you want bigger arms, then exercises that strengthen your back and shoulders are also essential to help you smash your arm goals, plus they’ll lower the risk of injury too.

We recommend adding these exercises into your workout routine to support your arms gains:

• deadlifts
• bench press
• shoulder shrugs
• planks
• bird dog
• squats

How to build bigger arms: diet and nutrition

If you’ve been searching for how to get bigger arms faster, then you can’t skip your nutrition needs. To make sure you’re building muscles effectively and pushing muscle growth, you need to make sure you’re also eating the right foods. Without the proper fuel, you’ll limit the results of your workouts.

6 top tips on how to get bigger arms and smash your gains goals

1. Boost your protein intake as protein supports muscle growth and speeds up recovery between workouts. The recommended protein intake is between 1.4-1.8 grams per pound of body weight for building muscle. Here are some great high-protein foods that could fuel your gains: eggs, chicken or turkey breast, tuna, lean beef, Greek yogurt, beans, and chickpeas.
2. Up your complex carb intake because, just like protein, complex carbs are essential for building muscle and provide your body with energy and keep you satisfied. Focus on wholegrain bread and pasta, oatmeal, quinoa, potatoes, corn, brown rice and green peas.
3. But avoid simple carbs like sugary drinks, baked goods, candy, cookies, and other sugary sweets because whilst they have plenty of calories, they don’t give you any nutritional benefit. Simple carbs are often also called empty carbs.
4. Increase your intake of healthy fats like olive oil, salmon, peanut butter, and avocado. When you’re looking after yourself, many of us hear the word ‘fat’ and instantly assume it’s a no-go, but if you don’t have enough fat in your diet, then your body could start burning protein instead of fat for energy.
5. Don’t skimp on calories. You need to get enough calories from the food you eat; otherwise, you won’t see any results from your muscle-building workouts. Meet your calorie needs with complex carbs, protein, healthy fats and fresh fruit and veg.
6. Do it naturally! If you’ve been wondering how to get bigger arms faster, you might think that steroids like Anavar could help you smash your goals more quickly, but anabolics have a lot of nasty side effects that just aren’t worth the side effects.

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Final notes on how to make your arms bigger

If you’re ready to make real gains on your arms, then exercises that target your biceps and triceps are essential. Aim to work out your arms at least 2-3 times a week, building towards more reps and sets as you build strength. Plus, round out your workout with exercises that will strengthen your core, chest, back, shoulders and legs too.

Alongside targeted exercises, following an eating plan rich and diverse with complex carbs, protein, healthy fats, and enough calories to fuel your workout is vital. Check out our range of natural steroids and SARMs alternatives to find out how they can help you to smash your goals.

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