While some sources say it can take as little as six weeks to see muscle growth, others suggest you can expect to see progress from 3 to 6 months. But generally, if you think you see your biceps getting bigger after only a few weeks, that's probably the result of swelling and muscle damage due to new exercise.
Typically, it takes around 6-8 weeks for you to start noticing changes in the appearance of your arms. At around the 12 week mark, this is typically when you can expect to see more significant changes, especially if you didn't already have a large amount of muscle mass in the area!
By the end of it, I have to admit I did feel pretty pumped, though. My biceps were noticeably firmer and bigger, and the tape measure revealed I'd gained about one and a half centimetres on each arm. The only issue is that, right now, I never want to see another dumbbell again…
The best exercise for growing the bicep muscle is any variation of the curl. Curls are best done using a barbell and weights or a set of dumbbells. If you're training in the gym, sitting at a bench or using the preacher curl machine can help to further concentrate tension on the bicep muscle, leading to bigger gains.
On average, a beginner might see around 0.5 to 1 inch of growth in bicep circumference within a month, while more experienced lifters may see less noticeable changes. However, actual muscle mass gain could be around 1-2 pounds of lean muscle in a month for most people, depending on the factors mentioned above.
The biceps muscle is a small muscle group and limited to elbow flexion only. Clients can experience issues when trying to build bigger biceps because they simply do too much. This happens as a result of adding too many isolation exercises on top of the main compound exercises of each workout.
The average Dumbbell Curl weight for a male lifter is 52 lb (1RM). This makes you Intermediate on Strength Level and is a very impressive lift. What is a good Dumbbell Curl? Male beginners should aim to lift 14 lb (1RM) which is still impressive compared to the general population.
When putting together a workout routine, follow these basic rules: Work your biceps up to three non-consecutive days per week. This means at least one rest day between bicep workouts. If your goal is building muscle mass, lift heavier weights and perform six to eight repetitions.
Do Push Ups Work Biceps? Whilst the biceps help to stabilize the shoulder and elbow joints during the lowering phase of a push up, they don't directly work the biceps. If your goal is to build your biceps, you'd be better off focusing on bicep isolation exercises such as bicep curls, hammer curls, or chin ups.
Your Recovering Ability. Training too little or too often will result in little bicep growth. This is because excessive training will not allow your arms to recover and rebuild. Therefore, you must give yourself enough time to recover in between your bicep workouts.
Visually, you'll usually notice muscle growth in as little as four to six weeks after beginning training, Carlson says. And you can expect those gains to continue for another year or two. “We will maximize most of our increases in lean muscle within the first 18–24 months of strength training,” he adds.
The Scale is Going Up
You might not see your biceps pop right away. The first sign that you're building muscle may be an increase in body weight. The number on the scale goes up because muscle tissue is denser and heavier than fat. Therefore, it takes up less space for the same amount of weight.
If you are training arms twice a week, eating enough protein, and (if weight loss is required) following a moderate calorie deficit (find out how many calories you should be eating to lose weight here), you should begin to see improvements in around 4-6 weeks.
"If one is starting with an average body fat percentage and adheres to a disciplined diet and exercise plan, it might take anywhere from 3 to 6 months to start seeing noticeable changes in abdominal definition," says Gontang.
Target your biceps brachii with the hammer curls. Hold the dumbbells with your palms facing your torso. 'This targets both the outer biceps and the muscles in your forearms used to flex it at the elbow,' says Edgley.
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.
The NSCA recommends doing 1-6 reps for strength, 6-12 for muscle growth, and more than 15 repetitions to build endurance. If lifting heavy weights to build strength or muscle mass, aim to lift heavier weights and complete fewer repetitions - anywhere from one to six per set.
The lats tend to be one of the hardest muscles to develop.
“You can lift lighter weights, and as long as you lift them with a high degree of effort, they're as good as heavier weights in making you bigger,” he says. Using a home gym machine or even just your own body weight, like with push-ups or lunges, works.
The "delts" are the big, compound shoulder muscles that include the front, middle and rear deltoids. They go nicely with the chest, arm and back muscles to give that powerful upper-body look. Bulk them out with shoulder exercises such as the overhead presses, front raises, upright rows, or an incline press.