The shape of the triceps, especially your long head (the largest part of the triceps), can vary genetically. Some people naturally have a less full long head. This gives you a harder time getting that pumped up, full, and rounded appearance in the triceps.
We hate to break it to you, but our triceps actually make up around 70% of our total arm mass.
But over the years, scientists have proved that genetics is a determinant to why some people quickly build muscle and develop large biceps while others do not. And similar is the case with muscle strength. A large bicep need not necessarily mean good muscle strength.
Are triceps hard to build? Triceps are not hard to build if you choose the most effective exercises and focus on progressive overload. It is also important to choose exercises that put the long head of the triceps on stretch, and work all portions of the strength curve.
When someone asks, “Why aren't my triceps growing?” one of the most common reasons is that the person is leaving triceps exercises for last. It's hard to push your triceps if your arms are already exhausted from tons of bicep curls. To see gains, you need to give your tris your complete attention.
The shape of the triceps, especially your long head (the largest part of the triceps), can vary genetically. Some people naturally have a less full long head.
The triceps accounts for around 55% of upper arm muscle mass, while the biceps takes up about 30%, according to a 2007 study. Though the triceps is a bit bigger than the biceps, both are equally important. Also, they're antagonists, which means each muscle needs the other to function well.
A better immune system is an indicator of good genetic quality. Besides that both estrogen and testosterone modulate facial features, such characteristics could be an indicator of good genes. An efficient immune system would be one of the best indications of good partner genetic material.
"The genes responsible for making muscle cluster on the X chromosome," says David Bainbridge, Ph. D., author of The X in Sex: How the X Chromosome Controls Our Lives. That means Mom may be responsible for your innate ability (or inability) to build massive lats.
Now, 15 inches might sound like a magic number, but remember, it looks different for everyone. Factors like height, weight, and overall body composition play a big role in how those 15 inches appear. For some, 15 inch arms might be the pinnacle of their fitness journey, while for others, it might be a stepping stone.
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.
As discussed, the pectoral muscles are much bigger and so can generate much more force than the triceps.
Typically, muscle mass and strength increase steadily from birth and reach their peak at around 30 to 35 years of age. After that, muscle power and performance decline slowly and linearly at first, and then faster after age 65 for women and 70 for men.
Your traps might not be growing due to a few possible causes – all of which are common if you have little experience in weightlifting. You might not be stressing them enough with the right lifts to see increased muscle mass. That means you might not be using the best exercises for trap growth.
“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.
Building forearm strength and size can take some time, so be patient. But, with focused efforts, you should see some results in a month or two. the wrists, hands, and elbows. You need the range of exercises to include all the way the wrist and forearm move and flex.