What is one of the biggest goals for guys pumping iron at the gym? Bulging biceps, of course! Biceps are one of the coolest muscles to work, since you never have to hide them under clothing and ladies love to wrap their arms around them. But if your upper arms are not expanding as you had hoped, you made need a bit of help in the bicep department. Welcome to bicep building 101 – the guide that will help every guy get the bulging biceps of his dreams.

Overworked and Undersized

Before you begin your curling reps, it may help to understand how the biceps fit into the big muscle picture. First, biceps are one of the smaller muscles in the body, making the biceps easy to target when it comes to building muscle mass. However, the bicep muscles are also used for a whole host of other types of strength training exercises, from working your upper back to your shoulder and most of the muscle groups in between. Because of this, your biceps put in a full day’s work every time you head to the gym for an upper body workout. This much effort can diminish the effect of those bicep curls, since rest is what muscles need to grow. This tells you that you need to limit the number of arm and upper body workouts that you do every week to ensure that your biceps get adequate rest for maximum growth.

Take out the Tricep Factor

Although curls are the best exercise to work the biceps, your triceps are also working through those reps to protect your elbow joint. This may be good news for the elbow, but not so great for the bicep that is not working as hard as it could be. There is a simple solution that will minimize the work of the triceps, making the biceps work that much harder. Before beginning a set of any type of bicep exercises, stretch your tricep muscle out over your head and hold the stretch for 30 seconds. Stretching muscles weakens them, which means that your stretched triceps will not be able to support your curl as effectively and your bicep will have to work that much harder. Repeat this stretch before beginning any bicep exercise.

The Old-Fashioned Way

Sometimes the best method to achieve a goal is the tried and true, and this can apply to building bulging biceps as well. Begin with a series of curls and chin-ups that you will continue with for an eight week stretch, allowing your muscles to rest for at least 48 hours between sessions. Increase your weight and number of reps for another eight-week stretch, and then pull out the killer exercises for a final eight-week session. Your biceps are guaranteed to bulge at the end of your 24-week cycle. You can maximize your workouts by eating a number of small meals every day that are rich in protein and complex carbohydrates. Make sure that you include a light meal before bed that will feed your resting muscles as you slumber. This method of bicep building may be the least glamorous, but it is generally effective when it is stuck to properly.

Showing off bulging biceps is a dream most men have, but your dream can become a reality with hard work and a few of our bicep building tips. Flex those muscles like you mean it, and you will be sporting bigger arms in no time.

Related Articles
	Building Muscle and Burning Fat: The Connection If you are on a mission to drop the weight and tone your body, you may be spending hours on the treadmill trying to walk your way fit. While a regular cardio workout is indeed a good first step in a complete fitness program, it may not be enough to effectively lose pounds and keep them off. Instead   ...Read more		How to Find the Right Exercise Machine Nothing’s worse than going to a gym for the first time and not knowing where to begin. Choosing among the various types of exercise machine equipment can be so intimidating that many aren’t able to positively pursue a good workout routine or worse - they end up injuring themselves by using   ...Read more