how big do you want your arms to be?
It seems to be harder to find a lot of fancy equipment in the gym to train the second and third head alone than the big muscle groups like chest, back and legs. Many of us are not good at using free machines like ropes, dumbbells and short olympic barbells to train our arms, and over time we find it too difficult to grow our arm circumference.
Don't worry, we've found 7 ways to increase the size of your arms that are likely to turn your perceptions upside down.
1. Don't train your arms
well, it doesn't mean what it appears to mean, it means ...... Stop the direct arm training movements and stimulate your arms with high intensity compound movements to see if your arms grow.
because the arms are stimulated during hard pulling and pushing, there is no need to train them too much. This is because the arm muscles are relatively small compared to the muscles in the back and chest/shoulders.
Basically, the arms get fully stimulated when you do heavy and intense compound movements. This may not be suitable for everyone, and some people may need more direct arm training to improve the results. Try it and you may be surprised to find that your arms develop better with less curls and push-ups.
2. Increase the amount of arm movement
this is the exact opposite of the previous arm enlargement advice (stop training your arms), but some people need more volume to stimulate muscle growth. Now, don't get hung up on ...... You will know if you need more direct arm training. Don't try this if you train your arms 3 times a week or more, as there is no need to make excuses to do more arm training.
if you train your arms together with other muscle groups then you will need to add an extra movement for each arm muscle group. Alternatively a separate day can be chosen as an arm day. For the movements used in arm training, try to choose the movements that put the most stress on the muscles. After that, consider adding an isolation movement to focus on contractions.
The following is an example of an arm training programme.
Training movement number of sets number of reps
barbell curls 4 8-12
hammer curl 4 8-12
preacher's chair curl 4 8-12
narrow grip plank bench press 4 8-12
gantry high rope pull down 4 8-12
skull crusher 4 8-12
triceps flexion 2 8-12
this is an arm training program that you can start using straight away. The volume of training in this plan is appropriate and it is also a good way to determine if you need to increase your training volume to get effective arm growth.
This is the plan for arm training days as it is more intense. However, if you usually train your arms with other muscle groups, you can reduce the number of sets (3 sets per muscle) or halve the movements. If there are no days dedicated to training your arms, make sure you train them more frequently (once every two days).
If the training volume is too much, reduce the movements. In this case, you may even want to avoid training your arms.
3. Try a few months of high intensity workouts
a typical 8-12 reps is very effective for muscle growth, but this is not the best way to train your arms all the time. Different ranges of reps train different muscle fibres and the body needs to change in order to respond.
Combined with the right weight, try 25-30 reps (or a little more) and ensure high intensity with each movement. You'll definitely see some form of growth, but it's important to vary the rep range if you want to get results. Low intensity, moderate intensity and high intensity arm training are all essential.
the most important thing is that you can choose any of the movements for high intensity training. Pump blood into the muscles and observe the changes that occur over time. You can also go back to the low to moderate reps range, but reps are an important factor in activating the muscles. You'll only know if you try, but if you don't, you could be missing out on the growth potential of your arms!
4. Start lending strength in the reps!
Standard movement form is important, but sometimes you need to borrow strength to achieve better training results! Most people would say you have to maintain perfect form on every movement ......
Muscle contraction and tone are important for their growth, so when muscles can't do all the work on their own, they need some motivation to help them contract the muscle against resistance. This is true; you can help the muscles during the movement, which is good for both strength and muscle growth.
in order to make the arms bigger, the weight lifted has to be constantly increased so that the muscle is conditioned and we understand what it "Feels like" To handle heavier weights. Borrowing is a fantastic tool (if handled correctly) to help us break through bottlenecks and provide new stimuli to the muscles. The more reps you do, the more muscle and strength you're bound to see!
5. Blood flow rate restriction training (bfr)
this is a non-traditional training method that few people have heard of. Blood flow rate restriction (occlusion training) is a method of trapping blood in the muscles by using bands, compression cuffs or elastic wraps which tighten the limbs to keep the blood in the muscles. Many studies have shown that bfr is effective in building muscle both clinically and in weight training.
The real benefit comes from the light resistance loading that can see results. It is possible to train the muscles while allowing the joints to rest.
There is a special compression cuff called the kaatsu device which provides the exact pressure that limits the blood flow rate. This device is expensive and the average trainer does not need it.
now, bfr is not an exact science, but there are many theories about its effect on muscle building.
* during blood accumulation in the muscles, low oxygen levels activate fast contracting fibres which promote muscle growth.
* this restriction causes "Cell swelling" And leads to a build-up of metabolites (lactic acid) in the muscle, resulting in "Metabolic stress". This in turn leads to increased activation of muscle fibres due to low intensity training.
These are the most common statements about how bfr promotes muscle hypertrophy.
To perform bfr training.
* wrap the device (band, cuff) around the upper part of the limb (underarm for upper body training or upper thigh for leg training).
* make sure the wrap is 7 / 10 tight so that you can safely block the blood and restrict the veins without interfering with the arteries.
* train at 30% of the maximum weight you can lift at once (no higher than 40%). This allows the joint to recover while stimulating muscle growth.
how many sets, how many times?
Firstly, if you are going to perform an occlusion workout, make sure that you restrict blood flow for no more than 15 minutes. This means that you can choose to perform 3 sets of isolation movements for each muscle group to maximise efficiency.
As an example of biceps training.
Dumbbell curls
set 1 - 30 reps, 40% 1rm
set 2 - 15 reps, 30% 1rm
set 3 - to exhaustion, 30% 1rm
you will need to perform high reps and save the exhaustion for the last set.
It is important to note that if you have any vascular problems, do not perform any type of restriction of blood flow rate training.
6. Stretch every day!
Muscles that are too tight or too short are a big problem. When muscles and joints have a limited range of motion and cannot be fully stretched you lack the potential for true muscle growth. So how do you correct dysfunctional muscles?
They must be stretched out!
if your shoulders are tight, leaning forward and your elbows are bent, then the biceps are too tight. You will notice that people with larger arms get a full resting stretch in their arms when they are naturally placed at the sides of the body. This is because they have full mechanical advantage, which is essential for maximising muscle growth potential.
If you want bigger arms, you have to be able to stretch your limbs freely. So take the time to stretch your body and the joints/muscles will experience a much needed all round movement.
You can try it yourself and see if your arms get bigger from stretching!
7. Eat more!
To have big arms you must consume enough calories, there is no other way. Don't make the mistake of thinking that consuming calories means making you fat and eating junk food all day, because too many calories (especially the harmful ones) won't do you any good.
you only need to consume 250 calories more than usual each day and that is enough to gain quality muscle tissue. Whether or not you choose to build muscle is up to you; if you eat too much, it will be difficult to lose weight in a reasonable time frame.
If you need to find a daily calorie maintenance requirement, there are several calculators that can be used as good starting points.
The following are some muscle building foods, none of which are high in calories.
Lean meats (chicken, beef, fish, pork, etc.)
* rice
* nuts (peanuts, almonds, cashews, etc.)
* olive oil, coconut oil
* low fat milk
* eggs
* pulses (chickpeas, lentils, black beans)
* sweet potatoes
* fruits (bananas, apples, berries)
* protein supplements
these foods should be a major part of your diet because they are rich in calories and, most importantly, they are also a good source of protein, carbohydrates and fats. Not to mention that these foods provide most of the nutrients needed for good health.
Using a high quality protein supplement will give you the daily requirement of protein which is necessary for the building of muscle tissue. Consume at least 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day.
Consuming the right foods in the right amounts is essential for arm growth. Too many weightlifters focus on training and while this is a very important factor in arm growth, muscle growth cannot be achieved without proper nutrition.
eating adequate amounts has always been an important part of making your progress, and most people who complain about their small arms usually only look to training weights as a solution. However, this is wrong!
The mystery of muscle growth is much more complex than you think, and it's not always possible to make progress by training as hard as you think. Every now and then you have to do something a little more "Sinister" To give your body a little more of a surprise boost.