How many sets should I train my biceps?

Author: Dr. Chasity Hayes I  |  Last update: Thursday, December 25, 2025

Bicep Weekly Training Frequency for Intermediate and Advanced level. It is recommended that intermediate lifters should do 12-20 total training sets per week. The weights used to exercise the biceps can vary, but heavy weights (less than 8 reps) should be avoided because they might cause damage.

How many sets to do for biceps?

Conclusion. So, how many biceps exercises should you do? The answer lies in a balanced approach that combines various types of exercises, proper volume, intensity, and recovery. Aim for 3-4 different exercises per session, with 12-20 sets per week for optimal growth.

Is 4 sets of 12 good for biceps?

Yes, performing 4 sets of 12 reps can be effective for building muscle, especially if you are using an appropriate weight that challenges you. Here are some key points to consider: Volume: Four sets of 12 reps provide a solid volume of work, which is important for muscle hypertrophy (growth).

Is 3 sets of 10 enough for biceps?

This holds that regardless of whether you're trying to build muscle, strength, power, or endurance, performing three sets of 10 reps per exercise is a good place to start. The scheme mostly works, especially if you're just starting out with strength training—because everything works in the beginning.

Is 8 sets too much for biceps?

For strength there is a guideline to stay around 1-6 repetitions and for hypertrophy (muscle growth) anything between 8-15 +. Checking out point 1, correct execution, and being under 4-6 reps for different biceps curls has, from experience, been seen as difficult.

How Many Sets Do You Really Need to Build Muscle?

Is 5 sets for biceps too much?

If you train three non-consecutive days in a week, you can perform 3-4 bicep workouts with at least 5 sets or a maximum number of sets you can perform easily; however, if you train five days each week, it is best to reduce the number of sets down to two.

Is 20 reps for biceps too much?

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.

How often should I train my biceps?

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 biceps need high volume?

When it comes to maximizing bicep gains, the key is to combine high volume and high intensity training. This type of workout will not only help you build strength and size in your biceps, but it will also give you an edge over other bodybuilders who are trying to achieve similar results.

Are 20 reps too much?

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.

Are 12 inch biceps big?

A bicep size that is considered big is subjective to personal opinion and preference. However, as we saw above, young adult men's average biceps range from 13–15 inches, and women's range from 12–13 inches. By these standards, biceps measuring 15+ inches for men and 13+ inches for women are generally classified as big.

How fast do biceps grow?

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!

Can you overtrain biceps?

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.

Is 4 sets too much for biceps?

There is a minimum effective dose of 4 sets per muscle group per week for hypertrophy. For increasing strength, both higher volume and frequency contribute. However, results diminish beyond 4 sets per week. There is a minimum effective dose of 1 set per week per muscle group for strength gains.

How often should I do abs?

Finding the ideal ab workout frequency depends on various factors, including your fitness level, recovery capacity, and overall goals. Generally, 2-3 ab workouts per week provide a good starting point for most individuals.

Can I do pushups every day?

Doing push ups every day is good for building upper body muscles and even strengthening your core, back, and lower extremities. You can start with 10 push ups a day and then work up to doing 50 or 100 push ups everyday. Breaking them up into smaller sets throughout the day can make it easier to start as well.

How to get thicker biceps?

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.

Why are biceps hard to grow?

Lack of Variety. Lack of variety in your routine can also be a problem when it comes to biceps growth. If you keep doing the same exercises over and over, your muscles can adapt and stop growing. It's important to mix up your routine with different exercises and variations to keep your muscles challenged and stimulated ...

How many sets do bodybuilders do for biceps?

The best hypertrophy results came from 30-40 sets per muscle per week. A minimum effective dose of 4 sets per muscle group per week. Somewhere around 10-20 sets per week still delivered good hypertrophy results.

Are 20 inch biceps attainable naturally?

Genetics certainly come into play, but far more people are capable of building a legitimate 20-inch arm than will ever know. In many cases, if they only did things differently, their arms would grow to their ultimate potential rather than be stalled out one to three inches shy.

Do biceps respond better to high reps?

In theory biceps, back, calfs, and so on respond “better” to higher reps than triceps, pecs, and so on. This is thought to correspond with their real life usage.

How often should I train my chest?

Beginners should do one chest exercise per day if using a full-body training split. If using a body-part split with a dedicated chest day, they should do two to three chest exercises in a single session. Lifters aiming to maximize strength should do one chest exerciseper day if using a full-body training split.

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