For most types of biceps exercises, however, the whole 5-30 rep range is highly effective. When constructing a weekly training plan, it's probably a good idea to train the heavy ranges before the lighter ranges.
Generally speaking, you should aim for 3-4 sets per exercise, with 8-12 reps per set. Depending on your fitness level, you may want to adjust the number of sets and reps to suit your needs. It's also important to remember to give yourself enough rest between sets.
4 sets per week is absolutely 100% enough to see consistent progression if output intensity is at max effort and recovery demands are being thoroughly met.
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. So, in general, low reps with heavy weight tend to increase muscle mass, while high reps with light weight increase muscle endurance.
In general, yes. If one is training strictly for strength, 10 sets of 3 is sufficient. If one is training strictly for endurance 3 sets of 15 are sufficient. Specifically, the bicep muscle can get over trained relatively easily.
Therefore, you must give yourself enough time to recover in between your bicep workouts. Generally, a 24-48 hour resting period is sufficient to avoid any injury. In case you're using heavy weights, make sure to rest at least for two consecutive days.
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!
“Your arms take a beating when you go heavy on back and chest days, so you don't need to lift heavy weights when training the biceps or triceps directly,” says Ventura. “In fact, I like to go light but do a lot of reps.
On the other hand, Sheridan says that beginners just looking to tone up might aim for a maximum of 20 reps per set. “If you can implement above 20 reps, there is a chance that you are practicing with light or easy weights, which will not help you improve or grow,” he warns.
For optimal results when starting out, consider training your biceps no more than twice a week. Two sessions a week gives your muscles enough post-workout recovery to perform at their maximum capacity during the next session.
The biceps are a secondary muscle in compound exercises like underhand grip rows or chin-ups, therefore they are still working. As a secondary muscle in a compound lift, the biceps encounter even more volume and muscle breakdown than during a biceps curl. Avoid overtraining the biceps after an entire workout.
Remember, health experts recommend fitting in at least two strength training workouts per week. That means you can make progress when it comes to sculpting your muscles and getting stronger, even if you're only able to exercise twice a week.
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.
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.
So if you really want bigger biceps and triceps, make sure to do 4 sets of dumbbell or barbell rows at least twice a week, and do dumbbell bench presses at least once a week.
Sets & Reps: Rules To Follow To Get Ripped
Ideally, you would train each muscle group with both lower and high rep training: Performing 2-5 sets of 5-10 reps per muscle group with heavier loads, per week, may be enough to help retain strength during the diet phase.
If you are training the biceps directly for strength, it is recommended that you train in the 5-10 rep range, or the 8-10 rep range to minimize overloading the tendons and ligaments of the elbow joint due to the single joint nature of most biceps isolation exercises.
Rest between set durations should be based on sets/exercise (volume), and not load or training goal. General recommendations include moderate (2 min) rest between sets if performing 2 sets/exercise, long rest (3 min) if performing 3 sets/exercise, and very long rest (> 4 min) if performing 4 sets or more/exercise.
Strong biceps help with lifting, holding, and carrying heavy objects. The old-school curl is still the best exercise for building biceps. Use a pair of light dumbbells (about 10 pounds each). You also can use soup cans, full plastic water bottles, or any other easy-to-hold item that feels like an appropriate weight.
To grow your arms, you need to hit your biceps and triceps equally hard, using both low reps (4-6) with heavier weights and higher reps (15-20) with lighter weights.
You're not challenging yourself enough. If you're consistently not sore, that could indicate that you're not pushing yourself enough. When you exhaust your muscles, you'll see better results. To increase the challenge, increase the amount of weight you lift or the number of reps you perform.