The arms are the main area of the body that bodybuilders like to show off. An ideal arm mass for a bodybuilder is anywhere from 18 to 21 inches. The main muscle groups that need to be worked are the triceps and biceps. The arm muscles include smaller muscles than other large muscle groups in the shoulders and chest, but can be developed with the proper kind of training.
Step 1
Work the biceps before the triceps. Blood flow will be sufficient to the elbow region when you work the lower parts of the arms, which will be needed when you begin lifting to work the triceps.
Step 2
Work on your arms no more than twice a week. Trainers at Maxi Muscle report that the arms become involved in other body workouts, such as chin-ups and rowing, and can easily become overworked. The arm muscles are small and cannot tolerate as much workout as other large muscle groups.
Step 3
Train your arms in spurts that last no more than 30 minutes. Lift weights in high-intensity sets. Push your muscles to the limit during every workout to get the most from the training.
Step 4
Lift weights slowly with control. If you use a weight that is too heavy, you end up with jerky moves and drop the weight to its starting point instead of utilizing every movement to build muscles. If you can't control the entire move, up and down, then you should reduce the amount of weight you are lifting.
Step 5
Start every move with your arm fully extended. Each exercise will be more difficult from this starting point and will more effectively utilize all the fibers in the arms.
Step 6
Allow for an appropriate time of rest for your arms to build mass. Pumping iron sends blood into the area being taxed and tears muscle tissue down. Mass is accumulated in the resting and recovery stage. Wait at least one day between arm-training routines to allow sufficient time for the resting and recuperation stage.
Tips and Warnings
- Eat snacks high in carbohydrates after you workout. Eat or drink high protein calories before you workout. By taking in the right nutrients shortly before and after you work out, your muscles can more readily make use of the nutrition for muscle building and repair.
- Stop working your arms when they reach 100 percent of their maximum capacity. You'll know that when it becomes painful to lift one more time. Overtaxing arm muscles will result in a loss of muscle tissue and will not help you gain mass, report trainers at Critical Bench.
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