A big chest and 6-pack abs are what many people want. However, what some fail to appreciate is having strong arms. Stronger arms are impressive – not only looking great, but helping in lifting.
Training the arms is not as easy and it is possible to overdo lifting, which can wear you out and increase the possibility of injury. Going ‘soft’ on your arm training will not provide the stimulus needed for strong arms.
1. Increase Training Volume/Repetitions
Training volume is the number of sets per exercise you will complete, the number of reps you will perform, and how often you perform that exercise in a week. Increasing the volume of your arm training will help you build more arm muscle and get stronger.
Some fitness experts recommend that you follow the 5 x 5 rule. This means that you should have 5 sets of 5 reps of lifts, with a total of 25 times, of 80-90% of your 1-rep max. 1-rep max means the maximum weight you can properly lift. For example, if your 1-rep max is 100 pounds, then you should lift for 25 times weights between 80 pounds and 90 pounds.
Remember, if it doe so’t challenge you, then it does not change you. Take your time in learning what your 1-rep max is. Make sure to take precautions in testing your limits in lifting.
The essential thing to remember is to perform your exercises with proper form to avoid any injuries. For example, you could use an Arm Blaster Biceps Isolator to feel more comfortable in lifting. Once you are comfortable in lifting, you have less to worry about regarding potential injury.
2. Eat More Protein
If you are pushing your body to form big and strong arms, then it is also essential to provide your body with the proper nutrients that it needs to help you achieve your arm goals. A common recommendation for gaining muscle is 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, or 2.2 grams of protein per kg (some research estimates that the protein needs to be a minimum of 0.7 grams per pound, or 1.6 grams per kg). For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, then you should intake 150 grams of protein per day.
Make sure that you get your protein from real and lean sources. Get proteins from real chicken, fish, beef, eggs, and beans. Although there are a variety of protein bars and shakes available, these things are not optimal sources of good protein. Ideally, only use protein supplements if you feel like you have fell short of your protein intake for the day (or you may just feel like a change).
3. Do Press-ups and Heaves
Those with strong backs have strong arms (so it is said). If your arms give up after only a few heaves (pull-ups), then it means that your arms are not strong enough. Adding vertical pull-ups will help build your arm muscles and strength. Mix your workouts with pull-ups and chin-ups. Integrate these workouts towards the end of your workout routine, before doing your arm-specific workout.
4. Do a Heavy Deadlift at least Once a Week
Deadlifts aim to improve tension and grip. If you lift something heavy, then you are forced to grip the bar as hard as you can. Having a good grip will help you with your other exercises. Do not be afraid to challenge yourself.
As mentioned earlier, getting your form right is essential before doing any lifts. Lifting light weights (with higher reps) is more likely to increase your muscular endurance whilst heavier weights (with lower reps) is more likely to increase muscular strength. Your arm muscles should undergo tension workouts to strengthen and grow.
The tension created by deadlifts will help in getting gains in your arms. Although deadlifts work for your core and legs, your arms are the ones holding the heavyweights. The tension created in stabilising the weight will surely help in building strong and big arms.
5. Do not only Focus on Isolation Exercises
The common misconception in arm exercises is doing only isolation exercises, such as tricep extensions and bicep curls. Your arms will adapt to the exercises you introduce to it. Exercises like bench press, rows, chin-ups, and shoulder press can also work for arm growth and strength, aside from working the shoulders and back. Deadlifts and squats will increase the size of your arms faster than tricep extensions and bicep curls.
However, do not ditch isolation exercises altogether. Use isolation workouts at the end of your routine to directly train your arms. You will run the risk of getting an injury if you only do non-isolation exercises. For example, low volume deadlifts that have high intensity can ruin your form.
Think outside the box and do not be afraid to incorporate more exercises in your workout. The rule is to only use isolation workouts as accessory work. Do more squats, deadlifts, bench press, chin-ups, and shoulder press to quickly strengthen and enlarge your arms.
6. Take Time to Rest
This tip is the most overlooked part of the workout routine. People tend to be too eager to make their arms bigger and stronger, forgetting that muscles grow when at rest. Sleep is the muscle’s recovery and growth time. Get enough sleep and rest to have more energy to do more workouts for the following days.
Takeaway
Having strong and big arms are not only good to look at but also useful in your daily lives. You can only build strong arms if you train well, eat well, and rest well. Following these philosophy will allow you to build big and strong arms.
