Improving the size and strength of your arms requires focusing on heavier loads, rather than more repetitions. In addition, correct technique plays an important role in building muscle, based on the contributions of different muscle contractions to the process that builds muscle. Using the right loads, volumes, techniques and frequencies will help you get bigger arms in the shortest time possible.
Which Exercises?
Use a variety of arm exercises to build muscles, such as biceps curls, arm raises, bench presses, triceps extensions, dumbbell rows, kickbacks, chinups, pullups, pushups, dips, pushdowns, chest flyes and iron crosses.
How Much Weight?
To improve your arm size, calculate your max for each exercise you plan to do. Your max is the maximum amount of resistance you can move or weight you can lift one time before you fail. Once your know your max, calculate percentages of those numbers to help you choose warm-up loads. For example, you might want to warm up with a set of reps at 60 percent of your max, then 80 percent, then finish with reps at your max.
How Many Reps?
Perform three to five repetitions of an exercise per set before taking a break. This will cause the micro tears in your muscle fibers necessary for the repair process that results in bigger muscles.
How Many Sets?
Depending on how many days you lift each week, you can do as few as two sets per workout, according to Bryan Haycock, author and founder of Hypertrophy-Specific Training. Common bodybuilding workouts include the 3 x 3 or 5 x 5, referring to the number of repetitions per set and number of sets per workout. The more often you lift, the fewer reps and sets you need to perform. Complete all sets of one exercise before moving to a new exercise.
How Often Should I Lift?
After you damage your muscles with workouts, they will repair themselves, growing larger. Most of this process takes place within 24 to 48 hours. Leave at least a minimum of 24 hours between arm workouts to let your muscles repair. If you plan on working other areas of your body, alternate workouts.
Technique
Use eccentric, concentric and isometric muscle contractions during workouts. For example, during biceps curls, raise the weight, hold it, then lower it slowly, rather than letting the weight drop. A biceps curl uplift is an example of a concentric muscle contraction. Holding the weight without moving it creates an isometric contraction. Lowering the weight creates an eccentric contraction. Lengthening muscles, such as during the downlifts on curls or after a chinup, creates the most efficient muscle contraction for muscle building, according to fitness author and radio host Dr. Gabe Mirkin.
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