Good day, my dear readers. Today I have again prepared for you interesting information about your idols, bodybuilders.
When we talk about the beautiful, sculpted body of a jock, the image of a handsome man who raises his arm up and shows everyone the biceps brachii muscle appears before our eyes. Today you will find out who has the largest biceps in the world.
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Biceps muscle anatomy
When people talk about biceps, they are talking about a muscle known as the biceps brachii, which is the biceps brachii muscle that looks like this:
The biceps brachii muscle grows from any exercise in which it is involved. Its growth is affected even by static load when performing a barbell deadlift.
If you want to build really big biceps, you need to know that there is another muscle that affects the size of your arms.
It is called the brachialis muscle (biceps brachialis), located under the biceps muscle and helps it bend the arm at the elbow joint.
Here's what it looks like:
The significance of this muscle, if it is well developed, is as follows:
- It separates the biceps and triceps.
- It lifts the biceps, increasing its size, width and height (“peak”).
The brachialis is a small muscle that increases the peak of the biceps.
Here's what I mean:
There are exercises that will help you grow your biceps, and there are variations you can do to tone your brachialis muscle (i.e. brachialis).
I advise you to do both types.
Start with mass-building exercises for a short head
Biceps curls are almost always single-joint exercises, so the standard recommendation of starting with a multi-joint movement is not appropriate here. Instead, choose an exercise in which you can lift the most weight. For most people, this will be a standing curl. Standing curls generate a little momentum from the lower body and are great for starting an arm workout.
Standing curls generate a little momentum from the lower body and are great for starting an arm workout.
As mentioned, a slightly wider grip on the bar (or EZ bar, if you prefer) will help shift the focus to the short head. The strategy I use is 2 sets with a narrow grip and 2 more with a slightly wider grip (or 3 and 1) instead of 4 sets with a shoulder-width grip. This will allow you to put more stress on both the short and long heads in different sets early in your arm training.
Let's not forget that at the beginning of the workout you are full of strength, and therefore you can hang a few extra weights on the bar and test your muscles for strength. Work at the lower end of the rep range for mass: after warming up, use a weight that will allow you to reach failure in 6-8 reps. If you can lift the barbell more than eight times, add a couple of plates.
Simple ways to increase muscle size
There are a lot of theories about how to build bigger biceps.
Some people say to focus on doing frequent repetitions and really feeling the burn in your muscles.
Others believe that it is enough to exercise only a few times a week.
There is also an opinion that there is no need to pump the biceps brachii muscles at all. Instead, it's better to focus on performing heavy compound exercises like deadlifts and bench presses.
Well, I've experienced all of the above, I've also worked with thousands of people, and here's what I've learned:
- Many people need to train directly on their biceps in order to achieve the size and definition they want.
Performing complexes on the back muscles will help in the formation of strong arms, but it is unlikely that this will be enough to achieve the desired size and definition.
- Barbell exercises and dumbbell curls are great for increasing the size and strength of the biceps muscle.
High-repetition and isolated exercises in a block machine can be included in the training complex, but they do not replace working with free weights.
- One intensive pumping of the arms per week is enough.
An important part of what you need to do correctly and consistently is volume, that is, the total number of repetitions you do each week.
This is especially important when you exercise with iron (especially when exercising with heavy weights), the main rule of which is:
The heavier your reps, the less you can do per week without experiencing symptoms of overtraining.
The heavier the weight in an exercise, the longer it takes your body to recover after performing it.
Now that I've tried many different split workouts and regimens, here's what works best for muscle growth.
If your workout involves heavy weight exercises (80-85% of one rep maximum weight (or 1RM) you can lift), the optimal volume should be on the order of 60-70 repetitions every 5-7 days.
This applies not only to the biceps, but also, as a rule, to any other groups of skeletal muscles.
In the case of the biceps, we also have to take into account the fact that they are actively involved in all pulling exercises.
If you're doing, say, about 60 reps of weight lifting exercises per week for your back, then an additional 60 reps for your biceps will likely be too much of a load.
I've worked with thousands of people and have found that 30-40 reps per week for the biceps alone (in addition to other workouts for other muscle groups) is sufficient.
However, every day I meet people whose biceps do not want to grow even with the right training. In this case, I recommend that they do the following every week:
- 9 sets (4-6 reps) of weight lifting/latt rows, plus 3 sets of dumbbell lifts of 8-10 reps.
- 6 sets of dumbbell curls after a few days.
This small increase in weekly volume, of course, will not have an instant magical effect, but it will help overcome the “plateau” of muscle growth.
Now that we've covered the basics of theoretical training, let's look at the best exercises for training biceps.
What rep scheme do you recommend for biceps?
I start with standing barbell or EZ barbell curls. I do two warm-up approaches and two working approaches. Then I move on to some variation of dumbbell curls, Scott curls, or concentration curls—and do 3 sets of each. I usually reach muscle failure around the 10th rep. About six weeks before the Mr. Universe competition, I used a high-rep pattern because I wanted to enhance the definition of the arms. And even earlier, I trained for weeks with a weight that I could not lift more than 6 times - this is a fairly serious working weight.
What exercises are best to do?
Don't pay attention to magazines with articles about muscle mass. You don't need to do 50 types of biceps curls and 100 curls to get big arms.
In fact, of the many exercises you can do, only a small handful will be truly beneficial.
For example…
Standing biceps curl
Barbell curls have been used to train the biceps brachii since before the popularity of Arnold Schwarzenegger, and remain one of the best biceps-building exercises you can do today.
EZ-bar lifting
Bent barbell lifts are a safer form of barbell lifts. Its benefit is that it allows you to rest your wrists and elbows from barbell exercises.
Alternating dumbbell curls while standing
Like barbell curls, dumbbell curls have been used to tone the biceps since the dawn of bodybuilding.
And it's actually effective.
Hammer Grip Dumbbell Curls
The Hammer is my favorite exercise for the brachialis, which is why many bodybuilders use it to increase their biceps peak.
Reverse grip pull-up on bar
The reverse grip pull-up on the bar is one of the few multi-joint basic exercises for pumping up the biceps.
As you get stronger, you can use a weighted belt or vest.
Body type
The scientist considers the constitution to which a man belongs to be the main parameter:
- ectomorph (thin);
- mesomorph (muscular);
- endomorph (prone to being overweight).
The easiest way to create an athletic figure with voluminous biceps is for mesomorphs, who have the ability to build muscle mass with minimal fat deposits. Ectomorphs by nature, in principle, are not inclined to increase muscle mass, and in endomorphs, predominantly the fat layer grows.
You can determine which genetic type a man belongs to at home by the girth of his wrist. The size of the wrist is measured at the widest point along the bone. In thin ectomorphs, the wrist width is less than 18 cm, in athletic mesomorphs - 18-19 cm, in large-boned endomorphs - over 19 cm. It should be noted that this test is valid for men at least 160 cm tall and is not a 100% accurate assessment.
Progressive loads are key
And the last necessary condition for muscle growth is a constant progression of loads.
It is important not to just do the exercises, but to do them in progression.
For a true weightlifter, it is important to know that an important type of progression is overload.
This is a gradual increase in how much weight you can lift at one time.
If you want to make any part of your body bigger, you need to make it stronger. This is your number one goal. Add weight to the bar gradually.
If you do this and maintain a calorie surplus diet with the right ratio of protein, fat, and carbohydrates, your muscles will grow.
Training program
A good biceps pumping regimen includes the following:
- Exercises to increase biceps and brachialis muscles
- Progression of loads, that is, an increase in working weights
- Concentration on the work of target muscles when lifting weights
I’ll give you a few simple sets of exercises so you can see how well my advice suits you.
I would like you to train as follows once every 5-7 days for the next 8 weeks.
- Standing Barbell Raise - Warm up and 3 sets of 4-6 reps
- Hammer grip dumbbell curls - Warm up and 3 sets of 4-6 reps
- Alternating standing dumbbell raises - 3 sets of 6-8 reps
That's all.
And in case you don't know how to choose the right weight for your approach:
- If you can do more sets than you expected, your weight is too light. Increase the load.
- If you can't do the minimum of your rep range, the weight is too heavy. Take less weight.
That is, if you, for example, perform 8 reps of barbell lifts with a given weight, but want to train in the 4-6 rep range, you should add weight.
If you added 30 pounds to the barbell and were only able to do 2 reps, you might want to reduce the weight.
When performing maximum repetitions in one approach, feel free to add weight.
For example, if you performed 6 reps on your first set of barbell lifts, add 2 kilograms to each side of the bar for the next set and work with that weight until you can press it for 6 reps, and so on.
So your weekly goal is to add more sets of exercises that will eventually translate into adding weight.
Names of the owners of the largest biceps
The names of great bodybuilders who have achieved great success in strength sports appear on the pages of the Guinness Book of Records. And Greg Valentino and Mustafa Ismail take pride of place in it.
A beautiful, pumped up, sculpted body can be the result not only of long-term work on oneself, but also of uncontrolled steroid use, which over time can lead to irreversible consequences.
The very first record holder among the owners of large biceps was Larry Scott - the first Mr. Olympia, who basked in the glory of his sports glory in the 60s, and the volume of the biceps muscle of his shoulder in a tense state was 54 cm.
Of course, today such biceps will not surprise anyone, and “natural” large muscles are quite a rarity these days. Now, I would like to tell you about the success story of the famous jocks who became famous for their biggest biceps.
Workout scheme for building biceps
With these six challenging but highly effective exercises that incorporate isolation and compound movements, you can noticeably increase the size of your biceps.
You can significantly increase your arm size if you follow our workout, which consists of only six exercises. We won't lie - the workout is hard, your biceps will burn and your heart will jump out of your chest. But as practice shows, shocking the muscles and performing exercises are much more effective than following the same exercise program. To achieve the best results, the most important thing is to focus on the quality of the movements, so that the target muscle groups are included in the work.
How to do the workout
The complex consists of six exercises, which are divided into two simple sets and two supersets. First, do the first exercise, strictly adhering to the specified number of approaches, repetitions and rest, then do the second exercise. Then, to pump up your muscles efficiently, do exercises 3A and 3B using the superset principle, and the same for exercises 4A and 4B.
Warm up thoroughly by performing seated lat pull-downs and standing barbell curls. Start with very light weights and high reps, then gradually increase the weight and decrease the reps with each subsequent warm-up set until your muscles are fully ready for the workout.
Pull-up
Sets: 4 Reps: 8 Rest: 60 seconds
The pull-up is a classic exercise for building biceps with body weight.
Grab the bar with an underhand grip and straight arms. Lift your chest and tighten your abs, then pull yourself up until your chin reaches the bar. Pause, then lower yourself all the way down.
For beginners, we have a detailed guide on how to learn how to do pull-ups on a horizontal bar from scratch.
Scott Bench Curl
Sets: 4 Reps: 12 Rest: 60 seconds
Bend over the bench while holding an EZ bar (curved bar), gripping the bar tightly with an underhand grip. Start with your arms fully extended, then lift the barbell to your chin. Pause at the top, then lower the bar, squeezing your triceps.
Superset 1
These two exercises look almost identical at first glance, but making slight adjustments to your wrist position makes a big difference in the stress placed on your muscles. Moreover, the second exercise is even easier, but due to fatigue after the rather intense first part of the workout, more and more muscle fibers are activated, and this leads to their rapid growth.
3A. Curling arms with dumbbells while sitting on an incline bench
Sets: 4 Reps: 12 Rest: 30 seconds
Inclining allows for increased range of motion.
Lie on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward. Without swinging, without inertia or jerking, lift the dumbbells to your shoulders. Pause and squeeze your biceps at the top of the range of motion, then slowly return to the starting position.
3B. Hammer curls with dumbbells
Sets: 4 Reps: 12 Rest: 60 seconds
The exercise works the biceps from a new angle and engages the brachialis and forearms.
Everything is exactly the same as 3A, except your palms face each other throughout the entire set. A neutral grip makes the movement a little easier.
Superset 2
Crossover exercises are great for quickly developing biceps, as they maintain tension in the working muscles throughout the entire set. The cable also reduces your ability to "swing" the weight up and down, where momentum does most of the work. This means your muscle fibers work even harder.
4A. Bending arms in a block
Sets: 4 Reps: 15 Rest: 30 seconds
Using a block maintains tension in the muscles both as you lift and lower each rep.
Stand directly in front of the machine, holding the handle with a reverse grip. Raise it to your chin, pause and squeeze your biceps, then return to the starting position.
4B. Bend the arms in a block while kneeling
Sets: 4 Reps: 15 Rest: 60 seconds
This is a rare but very effective option for working out the biceps brachii muscle.
Kneel in front of the machine, grasping the straight handle of the barbell from below. Keeping your chest up, move your hands behind your head and down. Squeeze your biceps at the top, then return to the starting position.
If you train like this once a week and follow the right diet to gain muscle mass, your arms will definitely increase in size.
What do you recommend to enhance the effect of curls on the Scott bench?
I like to do 1-2 sets to force the pump, and then several working sets of 10-12 reps each. I periodically resort to drop sets - when I reach muscle failure, I reduce the weight by about 25% to continue the set - and partial repetitions: I do six repetitions in the lower phase of the movement and six more in the upper half of the movement. When I train with a partner, on the last set I ask him to push the bar while I resist its downward movement. This makes the eccentric phase a real challenge and leads to some of the most brutal muscle pressure you've ever felt.
Scott Bench Curls
As my partner presses down on the bar, I focus on the often-overlooked eccentric, or negative, phase of the movement. And since you are stronger in the eccentric phase than in the concentric phase, this allows you to more fully work the muscle fibers and squeeze them to the last drop. I am convinced that the eccentric phase is just as important as the concentric phase, although many athletes neglect it. With the help of negatives, we can achieve much greater damage to muscle fibers.
What about supplements for muscle growth?
I left this until last because, frankly, it's less important than proper diet and exercise.
You see, supplements will not create a great physique, but proper training and nutrition will.
Unfortunately, the supplement industry is flooded with pseudoscientific recommendations, ridiculous hypotheses, confusing commercials, and the supplements themselves contain many useless or, on the contrary, important components, but in too small doses.
Many supplement companies make a cheap, gimmicky product and try to push it through silly marketing hype, big (and usually expensive) celebrity endorsements, pseudoscientific tales, fantastical stories about proprietary blends, and flashy packaging.
While supplements don't play a vital role in building muscle and burning fat, and many are nothing but a waste of money...the right supplements can help.
The truth is that there are safe, natural substances that have been scientifically proven to benefit strength, muscle growth, fat loss, etc.
Creatine
Creatine is a substance that is found in the human body and also in foods such as red meat. This is perhaps the most studied supplement available. And the reason is quite clear:
Creatine supplements help:
- Build muscle mass and increase strength;
- Improve anaerobic endurance;
- Reduce the risk of muscle damage and inflammation
You may have heard somewhere that creatine harms the kidneys, but this statement has been categorically and repeatedly refuted. In matters of health, creatine has not shown any harmful side effects, both short-term and long-term use.
People with kidney disease, however, are not recommended to supplement with creatine.
Protein
You don't need protein supplements to achieve muscle growth, but considering how much protein you need to eat every day (0.8 to 2 grams of protein per 1 kg of body weight) to achieve maximum muscle growth, getting it from food may simply be impractical .
