Should you do high or low reps for biceps?

Author: Ms. Cali Harris III  |  Last update: Monday, March 24, 2025

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.

Are high or low reps better for biceps?

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.

Is high volume better for biceps?

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.

Should you train biceps heavy or light?

Because the bicep muscles are proportionately small, at least in relation to your chest and back, you should always use a weight that allows you to flex and release with isolation (meaning that no other muscle is involved), but heavy enough to cause fatigue at the end of the set.

How many reps should I do per set for biceps?

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.

The Benefits Of Low Rep Ranges On Major Lifts

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.

What exercise grows biceps the most?

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.

Do you need to curl heavy to grow biceps?

If you're new to lifting, start with lighter weights and work your way up. As you get stronger, you can move on to using heavier weights or resistance bands. You can also do curls with dumbbells, barbells, or cables. When doing bicep curls, be sure to maintain good form.

Will high reps build muscle?

Strength-training workouts that employ low weights and high reps are good for your heart and lungs as well as building muscles. This includes high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts, which entail alternating between pushing your body hard and taking short breaks.

How many bicep curls a day to build muscle?

This couldn't be simpler. Each day you're going to perform 100 bicep curls, using a weight you could curl for around 20 reps before you hit failure. Your goal is to perform all 100-rep— with impeccable form and controlled tempo — in as few sets as possible, resting for no longer than 5-10 deep breaths between each set.

What makes your bicep peak bigger?

How To Get Bigger Biceps: The 6 Best Exercises
  • Concentration Curls (short head)
  • Hammer Curls (long head)
  • EZ Bar Curls (long / short head depending on grip)
  • Preacher Curl (short head)
  • Single Arm High Cable Bicep Curl (short head)
  • Chin Ups (long / short head depending on grip)

Which muscles take longest to grow?

Muscle Groups That Grow Slowly:
  • Calves (Gastrocnemius and Soleus):
  • Forearms (Flexors and Extensors):
  • Abdominal Muscles (Rectus Abdominis, Obliques):
  • Lower Back Muscles (Erector Spinae):

What weight do you bicep curl?

This is definitely the most straightforward move you can start with to accustom your body to using your arm muscles. There is no set weight to start with when using dumbbells, some people may feel comfortable beginning at 5kg and others at 15kg.

Are biceps hard to grow?

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.

Can I get big arms with light weights?

One of the most common ways to build arm muscle is to lift weights, but you don't have to bench press hundreds of pounds to strengthen your upper limbs. Light weights can also do the trick, especially if you use the right strategy and have realistic expectations.

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.

Is 3 sets of 10 enough to build muscle?

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 it better to lift heavy or do more reps?

Research suggests lifting smaller weights and doing more repetitions (or, in gym parlance, “reps”) can have a role to play – but it all depends on your goals. In short: if your goal is to build serious strength and bone density, lifting heavy is an efficient way to do it.

What muscles respond better to high reps?

All your muscles are made up of tiny individual fibers, and those fibers can be grouped into two different types: Type I (slow-twitch) and Type II (fast-twitch). “Type I muscle fibers, which are slow twitch, respond better to high rep training because they're more resistant to fatigue,” says Adrian.

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.

Why do my biceps never get sore?

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.

How to grow biceps quickly?

Working out regularly, lifting weights, and eating plenty of calories every day is the best way to build your biceps up. As far as the exercises go, bicep curls and hammer curls are great options. Whole body exercises, like deadlifts, are going to help build your upper body and arms as well.

What exercise hits all three bicep heads?

The Weighted Chin Up is the best biceps exercise for hitting all three functions (elbow supination, elbow flexion and shoulder flexion) of the biceps with overload. This exercise will help you build strong arm muscles as well as build muscle mass and should be a mainstay in all your upper body workouts.

Previous article
Is it worth going to the dermatologist for hair loss?
Next article
How deep is the hair bulb?