Men tend to show off their biceps when trying to prove how strong and conditioned they are. This causes them to look for workouts which will quickly grow this muscle. Unfortunately, few people are able to attain the results they are looking for. A man can not grow his bicep muscle if he does not understand how to execute a proper bicep workout. To have the most effective workout, there are several things that should be taken into consideration.
Description
In the book, "Structure & Function of the Body," the bicep is said to originate with two heads connecting it to the shoulder and it extends down to just below the elbow, where it attaches to the forearm. This allows it to bend and straighten the elbow, as well as help in raising the arm and rotate the forearm. While this is considered a small muscle it is vital to a man's self-esteem. The best way to grow the bicep muscle is to incorporate all of its possible movements into the workout.
Exercises
There are a variety of exercises that are beneficial to developing the biceps. According to bodybuilding.com, some of the best exercises include EZ bar curls, incline dumbbell curls, hammer curls and cable curls. Prevent your back and shoulder muscles from assisting in bicep exercises by leaning up against a wall and controlling your movement. According to Dr. David Ryan, you need to start each curl with your arms extended to your thigh and curl the weight all the way up to your forehead. This allows both the shoulder and the elbow joint to be utilized. Incorporate supination of the forearm when using dumbbells.
Tempo
Tempo is just as important as focusing movement on the biceps muscle. Bodybuilding.com claims that building muscle requires you to lift weights that are heavy enough to cause you to fail. You should not be able to complete all of your repetitions without cheating on the last 2 to 3. Bodybuilding.com goes on to explain that in order to see growth more weight needs to be added each week. Together, these factors can cause you to rush through your repetitions. Bodybuilding.com states that you should be sure that each motion should take 3 to 5 seconds. In other words, 3 to 5 seconds to curl up and 3 to 5 seconds to curl back down. Do not simple let the weight cause your arms to lower; control the motion.
Recovery Time
Bodybuilding.com explains that muscles do not grow during workouts, but in the time between workouts. A good rule of thumb is to only preform a workout after your biceps have fully recovered from the last workout (i.e. when they are no longer sore). By allowing enough days between biceps workouts, you will see the most gains in muscle size and strength. How many days you will have to go between bicep workouts depends on a variety of factors, some of which include age, level of experience, workout intensity and length of workout.
Injuries
Bicep tendon injuries are common when trying to grow the muscle. Dr. David Ryan explains that tendonitis is a condition associated with overuse. If not treated, it can lead to tendonosis. If you have chronic tendonitis, it is best to do light activity and apply heat until the irritation subsides. Dr. David Ryan states that it is also possible to get adhesion on the tendon from any kind of tendon injury, resulting in pain on any movement of the muscle. He explains that bicep tendon tears occur when a person lifts extremely heavy objects or has trauma to the bicep muscle. These usually result when the tendon is weakened due to antibiotic usage or preforming deadlifts. Finally, Dr. David Ryan explains that bicep tendon impingement feels like a "pinching" sensation whenever the arm is moved. This occurs because the bicep tendon gets pinched in the shoulder joint. Anytime you have unexplained pain in your bicep muscle or tendon, it is best to seek medical attention.
Warning
Consult your doctor before beginning any new workout program.
References
- Bodybuilding.com: Killer Biceps
- "Structure & Function of the Body"; Gary Thibodeau and Kevin Patton; 2008
- Bodybuilding.com: Bicep Tendon Injuries
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