Although the biceps is a rather small and weak muscle, it is definitely the most popular among the entire male population.
We recommend reading: How to make your biceps wider: exercises that will definitely help expand your biceps
Most men who go to the gym want to pump it up as quickly as possible.
It is impossible to accurately answer the question of how long it takes to pump up your biceps. It depends on many factors.
But after 2-3 months of regular training, you will definitely notice the first results. Read more in the article.
Split program as one of the ways to pump up the body
The split program has proven itself to be the ideal program for beginner and professional bodybuilders. All its genius lies in its simplicity: in each workout for a week, you can pump only different muscles (except for the abs), without performing the same exercises.
According to the content of most split programs, the biceps are pumped together with the triceps or separately from all other arm muscles.
Attention: during training you cannot work with only one part of the body - you need to harmoniously select certain types of muscles in all parts of the body - one day pump up the forearm, chest and back, on another day - pump up the quadriceps, biceps and neck with abs, etc. Only following this rule will allow you to develop your muscles harmoniously - frequent work on the same part of the body will exhaust it, not giving you the opportunity to recover before the next workout.
No figure, especially a sporty one, would be complete without beautiful biceps.
We recommend reading: Exercises for a wide back at home
What is biceps? This is the biceps minor muscle, which is attached to the scapula and to the radius. Thanks to the biceps, the arm lifts and bends, as well as the wrist rotates.
In order to pump up your biceps, you need to make active movements with your elbow and shoulder joints. You can develop muscles in this area from childhood, namely by doing pull-ups. Pull-ups will not only help stretch the muscles, but also develop them in width, which in turn will give the biceps a beautiful rounded shape. But you need to remember the following: you won’t gain muscle mass with just one pull-up; there is a special set of exercises for this.
If you are new to this business, but still want to have beautiful arm muscles, then you should ask the following question:
General tips for beginners
The aesthetic physiology of the biceps cannot be improved without a physiological increase in the entire body. For example, if you have thin legs and a neck, it is impossible to pump up your biceps. In a standard program, elements may vary depending on the goals. The number of approaches and repetitions varies. For example, someone performs mass exercises, while others have the goal of drying the relief.
One of the popular pumping programs is called the split system and is used by both beginners and professionals. The method involves weekly training, during which you can pump several muscle groups at once, and it is recommended to change exercises every week. With the help of a properly designed split program, you can not only reduce weight, but also achieve a proportional increase in muscle volume.
One day you can pump a guy’s forearm and chest, another day he can pump his biceps, and then work on his abs. You cannot work on the same part of the body often, as this will exhaust it, and further training will be completely impossible due to muscle fatigue.
How many times a week should you train your biceps?
In this case, quality is important, not quantity, so you shouldn’t get hung up on the number of exercises done.
You need to start with the smallest things. We will provide you with several exercises, and you, having selected two from them, start practicing. Take 4-5 minutes for each exercise, which will be 2-3 sets of 8-10 times. It will be enough to study just one day a week. After a high-quality load, the muscles should rest well.
It is also very important to choose the correct weight of the equipment. It should be reasonable, that is, not too heavy, but not too light.
Gradually you should increase the number of approaches and repetition of work. For example, up to 3-4 sets of 15-20 repetitions. Also, with increasing approaches and repetitions, reduce the weight of the equipment, as this will improve the technique of execution, which is very important for the formation of beautiful muscles.
So, let's move on to the exercises.
Standing barbell lifting exercise.
Everyone knows how to do this exercise: feet shoulder-width apart, back slightly arched, jerk the barbell overhead and slowly lower it to the shoulders.
This exercise helps to gain muscle mass very well, pumping up all the muscles and strengthening the head of the biceps.
We recommend reading: Lying leg raises
Underhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
Starting position: bar at hip height, legs slightly bent at the knees, back straight. You need to slowly bend your arms, thereby lifting the barbell to your shoulders, while fixing your elbows on the sides of the body. After raising your arms, fix this position for 5-6 seconds without relaxing your muscles, then lower your arms just as slowly. It is very important not to tilt your body or bend your back, as this not only affects the technique, but also puts a lot of stress on the spine.
Standing dumbbell lift.
You need to lift the dumbbells first with one hand and then with the other, while keeping your back straight. The other hand during “rest” can be fixed on the body or “lie” at the seams.
The peculiarity of this exercise is that with heavy weights you can achieve significant results very quickly.
Putting your hand on something stable.
We hold a dumbbell in our hand near the thigh, palm facing inward. Slowly raise your hand up, while turning your hand away from you, tensing your muscles as much as possible. In reverse order, return to the starting position.
Scott bench exercise.
In this exercise, only the short head of the biceps works, since it is impossible to change the initial position of the hand.
Take the dumbbells in your hands and lean on the bench. Slowly bend and straighten your elbow.
Beautiful biceps are what will make your arms look beautiful, but it takes a lot of work.
Calculate your ideal sports weight!
Best exercises
The most popular exercises that allow you to quickly and efficiently work your biceps include:
lifting the barbell (standing position). The advantage is the development of all muscle groups that are involved in flexing the arm, with maximum load on the head of the biceps muscle; grip from below. In this case, the barbell is at hip level, and the knees are slightly bent. Watch your spine - it should be as straight as possible. Gradually bend your arms and lift the apparatus to shoulder level. Press your elbow joints to the side of your torso. In the top position, the pause should be as short as possible so that the biceps does not have time to relax. Next, slowly straighten your arms, returning them to their starting position. Throughout the entire exercise, the body must be properly fixed without leaning back; Curling your arms on an incline bench. The advantage of this exercise is the ability to stretch the biceps muscles as much as possible. This is real thanks to the abduction of the arms and the slight inclination of the bench. An important point is the load, which should not be too heavy when performing this exercise.
In this case, pay attention to technique, and not to stretching muscle groups; standing dumbbell curl. In this case, the lifts are carried out alternately, the spine is as straight as possible, the arms are near the torso
The advantage of this exercise is the ability to effectively work out your biceps in a short time.
Biceps training program
Beginning athletes often note that their biceps, having gained a certain volume, stop growing even with a constant increase in working weights and the use of isolation exercises. However, biceps training is always based on the “progress - stagnation - shift - progress” scheme.
In this case, the shift is usually achieved through the use of dropsets and supersets. Below is a training program for biceps based on complex supersets that give the muscles a powerful impulse for a shift in growth - it helps to overcome stagnation in growth and quickly pump up the biceps.
EZ-bar biceps curl
A curved barbell (or EZ barbell) helps change the mechanics of the exercise and engages the inside of the biceps—pushing the muscle up and making it bigger.
Dumbbell biceps curl
A classic biceps exercise that develops the long part of the biceps muscle. It can be performed with both palms facing upward and palms perpendicular to the floor (hammer lift).
Concentrated biceps curls
One of the best isolation exercises for biceps. During execution, the elbow is fixed and rests firmly on the inner thigh - this helps to increase the load on the biceps muscles.
The secret of traced veins
Many people dream of not only pumping up their biceps, but also achieving defined veins. However, whether they are visible or not is influenced not so much by training as by genetic factors and the total amount of subcutaneous fat in the body. In this case, drying most often significantly increases the appearance of the venous network on the biceps.
In addition to the above, pre-workout complexes containing nitric oxide are also able to dilate venous channels, increasing the filling of the veins with blood. However, it should be noted that nitric oxide provides only a temporary and short-term effect - noticeable only immediately after training.
Successful training of the biceps muscles is based on the “progress - stagnation - shift - progress” scheme. As muscles stop growing, it is necessary to add supersets and dropsets. Among other things, the development of biceps is impossible without the ability to consciously involve it in work and perform exercises as consciously as possible.
Continuing the topic
- How to pump your biceps correctly - 7 best exercises with photos
- How to properly pump your arms at home - a set of exercises with dumbbells
- Lifting the barbell for biceps - the correct technique and types of exercise
The date of last update of the material is January 13, 2021
Increase the load
In order to start the process of muscle growth, you must increase the working weight of the equipment. The fact is that the body skillfully adapts to monotonous loads, which stops muscle growth. You need to shock the muscles so that they take the path of progress and development.
It is important to remember that the load must be increased gradually to avoid the possibility of injury.
If you follow this advice and remember to eat right, your muscles will definitely grow. This rule applies not only to the biceps, but also to all other muscle groups.
How often to exercise
If you have just started training and have been training for several months, then there is an optimal scheme for you. You need to pump all muscle groups in one workout three times a week.
To do this you need to use basic exercises. They help grow overall muscle mass.
After training for several months, you can switch to split and separate training.
You need to divide the whole body into two parts, and train according to the 2+1 scheme, two days of training, then a day of rest. Or 2+1, 2+2.
Let's give an example of how many times a week you need to pump certain muscles:
Monday: you can pump up your chest, triceps, deltoids
Tuesday: trains back, biceps, legs
Thursday: you can pump up the chest, triceps, deltoids
Friday: back, biceps, legs trained
Thus, each muscle group is trained twice a week. During this period, the loads are not yet large enough, so the muscles need several days to recover.
Further, at a more advanced level, after about six months of strength training, an even larger split is drawn up, in which only two muscle groups are pumped in one workout.
Since the muscles will receive increasing stress, they will need more time to recover and continue to grow. Here you need to start adhering to this principle: large muscle groups need to be trained no more than once a week. Small muscle groups require less recovery time, so with a weekly split there are two options for training them, once or twice a week.
What muscles should you exercise how many times a week?
For example, when large and small muscle groups are pumped once a week:
Monday: you need to pump up your chest, triceps
Wednesday: back, biceps training
Friday: deltoids and legs swing
And with this split, large muscle groups are trained once a week, and small muscle groups are trained twice a week. One day, small muscle groups work while pumping up large ones, and the second time, targeted training of these small groups takes place.
Monday: chest, biceps pump (triceps and front delts work during presses)
Wednesday: trains back, triceps (biceps and rear deltoids work during back training)
Friday: shoulders and legs swing
Another option is a split, when your arms are trained on one day:
Monday: you need to pump up your chest, deltoids
Wednesday: back, legs trained
Friday: you can pump your arms
Saturday and Sunday: rest
With this split, large muscle groups are pumped once a week, small muscle groups - twice a week.
These are just the simplest examples of strength training, there are many options. When answering the question: how many times a week should you train different muscle groups, you must not forget about the recovery factor. The time that muscles need to recover is determined only empirically, since it is individual for each bodybuilder and depends on various parameters.
How often can you train one muscle group?
For example, if you pumped your triceps in the last strength training, and it didn’t have time to recover, and in the next workout you started pumping your chest, then your results in the bench press will noticeably decrease. Therefore, you need to select a strength training regimen experimentally.
If you are an ectomorph, a split is perfect for you, in which only one muscle group is pumped in one strength training session. Ectomorphs require much more recovery time than athletes with other body types, so one muscle group should be trained no more than once a week.
With age, recovery time increases, so middle-aged athletes should train each muscle group no more than once a week.
Most novice bodybuilders are interested in the question of how many times a week they need to pump one muscle group. In response to this question, bodybuilding experts have the opinion that it is not advisable for beginners to train isolated muscle groups, since in novice athletes the most intense increase in muscle mass is observed when performing basic exercises.
In addition, you need to take into account that beginners in the gym do not want long duration of strength training. An hour or an hour and a half is enough. But girls can pump up their buttocks every day. We talked about this in detail here.
Required equipment
To start training, you need equipment:
- shells;
- wall;
- mat, karemat;
- musical equipment;
- sportswear;
- place for sports.
To assess the clarity of the movements performed, you need to install a mirror. It is for this purpose that in many gyms group classes are held opposite the mirror wall.
The equipment should cover all the needs to decide how to build muscle in a month:
- dumbbells with removable weights;
- barbell;
- Hula Hup;
- jump rope;
- stops for pumping individual muscle groups;
- scales;
- stopwatch;
- circle.
Doing exercises can damage a tendon or pull a muscle. For this reason, there should be a first aid kit in the training room.
Desired content set:
- anesthetic gels;
- warming ointments;
- elastic bandage.
Paying attention to your health will help you achieve unprecedented results, just by taking the right pace. Before deciding on a training program, undergo a medical examination. Collect information on contraindications. Then get advice from an experienced trainer, or better yet, work with him individually for at least the first couple of months.
How many times a week should you train muscles to lose weight?
How many times a week should a girl or man exercise to lose weight? To quickly lose excess body weight, you can exercise daily. The minimum amount of strength training for weight loss is three times a week.
For those people who come to the gym just to pump up the muscles of their legs, arms, abs, back, buttocks, strength training should be less intense. A regime of 3 workouts per week is suitable for them. The strength load will depend on how many times a week and what muscles need to be pumped.
How many times a week should girls train to lose weight?
Speaking about training for weight loss, you need to remember about aerobic training for girls. Daily aerobic training while reducing calorie intake can have the opposite effect than desired. Instead of speeding up your metabolism and losing weight, your body may increase the amount of fat it produces instead of burning it.
Losing weight should always start with proper nutrition. Exclusions of fast carbohydrates and excessively high-calorie foods. Physical training for fat burning will only be a way to normalize metabolism and equalize blood sugar levels, and not at all a mechanism for getting rid of excess calories and “burning” fat.
How many times a week to pump your legs
The leg muscles are one of the largest muscle groups in the human body. Therefore, it is advisable to train the leg muscles no more often than once every 72 hours. In other words, if you did heavy barbell squats on Monday, your next leg workout would be Thursday or Friday. However, if you only trained your calves or inner thighs, the time will be reduced.
At the same time, the final number of days required to restore the leg muscles also depends on the person’s body type. Athletic mesomorphs can train more often. They usually build muscle quickly. Whereas the body of thin ectomorphs or overweight endomorphs requires an increased amount of time to replenish energy reserves.
Choosing the right equipment for training at home
It is very important to choose the correct dumbbell weight when pumping your arms. Since there are many types of sports equipment, it will be quite difficult to make a choice. Moreover, the weight of dumbbells for girls and boys is different.
To choose the right equipment, you need to focus on the number of repetitions that you can perform with it:
- Too heavy - less than 6 times.
- The optimal weight is from 6 to 12 times. At first the load will be moderate, and the last repetitions will be difficult.
- Too light - 15 times or more without much muscle tension.
You should not buy very heavy shells, as the equipment will suffer due to the heavy weight. Then the necessary muscles will not be able to pump well.
For home workouts, it is recommended to purchase collapsible dumbbells to regulate the load on different muscle groups.
How many times a week should you pump your abs?
Beginning athletes can pump up their abs 5 times a week in the first months of strength training. The presence of “delayed” pain will help you literally feel your abdominal muscles. This will dramatically increase the effectiveness of your abdominal workout. However, we are talking about performing single exercises without additional loads or simple training at home.
Complete sets of exercises for developing abdominal muscles will require about 48-60 hours for recovery. Separately, we note that more frequent training of the abdominal muscles is completely incapable of removing fat from the abdomen. This requires exceptionally proper and balanced nutrition.
The optimal workout plan for pumping muscles throughout the body
One day the legs and buttocks sway; back and arms. The second day you can pump your legs and buttocks; press. On the third day, you can pump your legs and buttocks again; back and arms.
This is done because the leg muscles recover faster and require more time to train them. Abdominal muscles usually take a very long time to recover. Therefore, you can pump your abs once a week. It is better to train the arm and back muscles no more than 2 times a week.
It is best to train in the gym of a fitness center or health center with a personal trainer. He will help you create a training plan. He will tell you which muscles to train how many times a week and will monitor the execution of the exercises. You can learn about this in our publication “What is personal training in sports.”
You can find out how to exercise at home in quarantine during self-isolation “here”.
Important points that will help you achieve your goal
Avoiding injuries
The complex should be performed very carefully and technically correctly to avoid injury:
Take care of your wrists This is the weak link in strength training. Minimal pain requires immediate cessation of exercise. There is no reason to train through pain. Moreover, it can lead to inflammation or result in serious injury.
Strengthen your hands With the help of a compact expander, you can strengthen your hands at any time convenient for the athlete.
Do not use belts Natural training without belts significantly increases grip strength and increases the effectiveness of the exercise. Moreover, there is an opinion that training beginners with belts leads to a decrease in forearm and grip strength.
