The biceps and triceps should be trained using rep ranges between 5-20 reps to best maximize strength, muscle growth, and overall development of the muscles.
Biceps can respond to a variety of rep ranges, but research suggests that moderate to high rep ranges (8-12 reps per set) may be most effective for inducing muscle growth in the biceps. This rep range is considered to be in the hypertrophy range, which is effective for building muscle size.
It all comes down to reps
People lift weights with the goal of making their muscles stronger (and, for some, to get those bulky biceps or lean-looking arms). For those looking to develop large muscles, they will likely opt for a heavier weight, while people who want to get lean will stick to something smaller.
For maximum bicep growth and strength gains, IFBB Men's Physique Pro and KM athlete Daushon McGregor recommends working through two primary rep and set ranges: 4 sets of 10-15 reps and 3 or 4 sets of four to eight reps. “Switching between the set and rep ranges can help overcome plateaus,” he explains.
Generally, exercises with higher reps are used to improve muscular endurance, while higher weights with fewer reps are used to increase muscle size and strength.
Generally speaking, you want to train both low and high reps to get ripped. Not just high reps. Training with low to moderate rep ranges can help you get ripped as low rep training at hard intensities will help you maintain strength to ensure you are able to do more work with lighter weights.
Delts generally respond better to high reps, though the front portion can respond well to lower reps. This is why delt-dominant bench pressers tend to have large front delts. But when training to get that rounded-shoulders look, higher reps of isolation work is best.
There are two main training errors people make that keep their biceps from growing. These are overtraining the biceps (often unintentionally) and a lack of variation in training techniques. Adding additional biceps focused workouts and trying multiple biceps exercises doesn't work.
Three sets are not enough to build muscle. Increasing the number of sets of each exercise, even while only performing 10 reps, can build muscle because you will be pushing your muscles to fatigue because they are under tension longer.
The Minimum Effective Volume (MEV) for biceps requires you to perform at least eight sets of direct bicep workouts per week. It means that you need to complete eight sets of biceps throughout the week.
The number of exercises that make an effective arm workout can range from 1-3 movements per session, with any more than that resulting in excessive fatigue and inconsistent form and technique. It is common that an arm routine consists of 1-3 arm exercises per muscle each workout.
For dumbbell curls, begin by using a weight that you can control for 2–3 sets of 8–12 repetitions. Choose a weight that allows you to maintain good technique throughout all sets and repetitions.
When designing a routine, choose three to four different biceps exercises, doing each for three sets of 12 reps. You can also do them as part of a circuit, performing one bicep exercise after the next with no rest. You will generally need to go lighter for this, but will definitely feel the burn.
There is no set weight to start with when using dumbbells, some people may feel comfortable beginning at 5kg and others at 15kg. It is important to start with a manageable weight, nothing too light or too heavy, as you want to be able to feel some impact.
For instance, our biceps grow best when we train them with a mix of chin-ups and biceps curls. Dr Israetel also points out that weekly volume needs to be split up intelligently over multiple training sessions, with around 4–12 sets coming from each workout.
2 Studies by Barbalho et al. (2018, 2019) find that when training a muscle only once per week and trying to train to true momentary muscle failure, the optimal training volume is only 5-10 sets per week. Groups doing 15 and 20 sets per week achieved worse muscle and strength gains.
Many fitness beginners and even bodybuilders have difficulty in building up their biceps. This is not solely because the biceps is an isolated muscle that is naturally hard to develop, but mostly because they may just be doing the wrong bicep exercises for long-term results.
Biceps get a lot of attention at the gym, and many people can overwork them in an attempt to get gains fast. When struggling to grow your arms, it can be easy to just keep on adding to your routine, but this can easily go wrong. Biceps are different from larger muscle groups, where additional exercise is always better.
Reps for muscle growth
In order to get bigger and stronger, you must ensure your muscles work harder than they are used to. Generally, between 6-12 reps for 3-6 sets will help to build overall muscle size.
More total work creates a larger stimulus for your muscles fibers than performing a single maximum effort rep. Additionally, maxing out also places tremendous stress on your central nervous system and takes considerably longer to recover from than lifting submaximal weights for more reps.
Workouts with slower reps cause your muscles to experience more time under tension, much more than with faster reps. The amount of time your muscles stay strained beneath a certain amount of weight will lead to an increase in muscle size.