Do you want to unveil the secret of how to grow Biceps and Forearms in 2024? No need to worry about that anymore as we dived deep to cover it here.
Every individual wants their arm muscles to look stronger. Therefore, growing arm muscles is one of the main priorities in bodybuilding.
People train biceps or forearms muscles according to their schedule. But, training these muscles after back exercise are highly preferred by most of the trainers.
Preferences for training these muscles vary depending on individual aims and objectives. In this blog, we have covered the top-notched exercises with complete details.
Table of Contents
How To Grow Biceps and Forearms Together
As discussed earlier, have improved biceps and forearms muscles contribute in various aspects such as physical appearance, gripping, performance, strength, etc. However, below are important points for considering to improve your upper and lower arm:
- Improved Aesthetics — Well-developed biceps and forearms can enhance the overall appearence of your arm, contributing to more muscular physique. This can help you improve your body image and self-confidence.
- Grip Strength — Strong forearms can strengthen your grip that can contribute for activities like grappling, arm wrestling, rock climbing, and weightlifting, etc.
- Functional Strength — Strong biceps and forearms are essential in most sports that involve arm strength and functional moments like lifting, carrying, pulling, and gripping objects, etc.
- Injury Prevention — Building biceps and forearm can allow you to prevent from injuries by having a strong grip during tough exercises or any other physical activity.
To learn how to grow biceps and forearms, it is essential to note that training these muscles should be done in a very precise and gentle way to avoid injuries and promote intensity.
1. Biceps Barbell Curl
In Biceps Barbell Curl, Wide, Standard, and Short grips can be performed to practice different brachii muscles. While barbell curl trains brachii muscles, these three ultimate grips can develop various muscles that usually called as long, middle, and short heads OR upper, middle, and lower heads. Training such a muscle depends on individual preferences. Sometimes, trainers suggest to pump a single muscle (long, middle, or short) while they can suggest two of them or even all muscles to be trained during biceps barbell curl. Here’s how this exercise can be performed:
Usually, this exercise is performed while standing up with a single rod in both hands. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Adjust your hands with a wide, standard, or short grip, according to your preferences. Lift up the barbell curl with your both hands in a very controlled way upto your shoulder, keeping upper arms still, bend your elbow, and only moving your forearms.
When releasing the barbell, it is advised to slowly lower the weight back to its starting position. Do not forget to squeeze your brachii muscles when doing this exercise.
Sets
3-5
Repetitions
8-12
Rest Time
- For Beginners: 60-90 seconds of rest between each set is a good starting point.
- For Mediocre: 45-60 seconds will be a good target to rest between each set.
- For Advanced: 30-45 seconds of rest is enough to feel the intensity of the workout and allow more pump to brachii muscles.
2. Incline Dumbbell Curl
When learning how to grow biceps and forearms, it is usually recommended to not skip incline dumbbell curl that targets brachii muscles, mainly long head. This exercise involves an incline bench, a bench usually at 35 or 45 degree angle, that places more emphasize on the long head of the biceps and reducing the involvement of the front deltoids compared to a traditional standing curl.
How to do: Adjust an angle of the bench to around 30-45 degrees, sit on the bench with your back against the pad, feet flat on the floor, and dumbbells in hands. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms fully extrended down, palms facing forward, and elbows must be close to your torso. Continue lifting the dumbbells until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level. Hold the contraction for a moment to allow bicep get pumped.
In lowering phase, release the dumbbells slowly to its starting position and continue until your complete set is done.
Sets
3-4
Repetitions
8-12
Rest Time
Rest time depends on an individual recovery capabilities. Normally, 60-90 seconds of rest time is enough for sufficient recovery while still maintaining intensity during workout.
3. Cable Biceps Curl
Cable Biceps Curl is another important exercise comes under the domain of biceps that allows more pressure on the brachii muscles, the largest muscles on the front of your upper arm, throughout the exercise. As compared to free weights, cable biceps curls leads to greater growth and muscle activation. However, here’s how the exercise can be performed:
Set up:
Attach a straight or EZ-curl bar to a low pulley cable machine. Adjust the weight to a suitable level to your strength and fitness level. Stand close enough to the cable curl machine to maintain proper grip and range of motion. Ensure that you are facing the machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Bar Grip:
Grip the straight or EZ-curl bar with an underhand grip (palms facing upward), slightly wider than your shoulder-width apart.
Curl Motion:
Pull up the bar slow and steady towards your shoulder by flexing your elbows. Hold the bar for about 1-2 seconds to and squeeze your biceps to feel the maximum intensity. Once you learned how to raise the bar in a proper position, release the bar slowly to its starting position.
Sets
2-4
Repetitions
8-12
Rest Time
Make sure to rest for only 1-2 minutes between each set for adequate recovery.
4. Seated Dumbbell Biceps Curl
If you are searching for how to grow biceps and forearms, dumbbell curl must not be ignored. Biceps dumbbell curl is one of the leading exercises suggested by trainers across the world to emphasize on the biceps brachii muscles that are located on the front of your upper arm. Flexing elbow joints are involved in the exercise to target the desired area in a more proper way. However, the steps are listed below:
Set up:
Find a seat that is designed for your back to rest on. Sit on it and choose two desired dumbbells must be equal in weight. Rest your feet on the floor, slightly closed, not much apart. Relax you arms straight while holding dumbbells in your hands with underhand grips (palms facing forward).
Curl Motion
When ready, lift the weight using a single arm first (arm slightly bend) about shoulder-width apart. Make sure your upper arm (brachii muscle) is relaxed and only move the lower arm. Once the weight is raised, put some extra pressure on your bicep brachii muscle by squeezing it.
Release the weight back to it’s normal position and repeat the exercise with another arm.
Sets
3-4 (each hand)
Repetitions
8-12
Rest Time
Rest for about 1-2 minutes between sets
5. Dumbbell Concentration Curl
Usually, Dumbbell Concentration Curl is practiced at last that targets biceps brachii muscles, especially the long heads. The exercise involves a dumbbell and a flat bench to sit on and perform desired sets and repetitions. To execute the exercise, it is important to follow the instructions given below:
Set up:
Sit on a flat bench with your feet planted firmly on the ground. Hold a dumbbell in your hand with an underhand grip (palm facing up).
Positioning:
Place the elbow of the arm holding the dumbbell against the inner thigh of the same side. Your arm should be fully extended towards ground, elbow pressed against your inner thigh, and the dumbbell should hang down between your legs.
Curl Motion:
Lift the dumbbell towards your shoulder-width apart while your upper arm should be fixed against your inner thigh and allow only wrist area to move. Hold the dumbbell for about a second or two, squeeze the brachii muscles, and release slowly to its starting position. Once you are done with the first arm, repeat the exercise with the other arm.
Sets
2-4
Repetitions
8-12
Rest Time
Normally, gymers do not prefer to take a rest in between each set. This is because your first arm is already relaxed when performing exercise with the other arm. But, if the intensity is too high, you can take about 30-45 seconds of rest between each set.
How to grow biceps and forearms together is continued – We are done with biceps, now let’s move on to
6. Barbell Wrist Curls
When searching for how to grow biceps and forearms, undoubtedly, strengthening wrist or forearm muscles is important for strengthening grip, enhancing wrist stability, appearence, etc. There are many forearm exercises. But, when aiming to execute forearm with biceps on the same day, it is a good practice to do only a few exercises so that you do not tire yourself out too much.
However, doing a barbell wrist curls is one of the leading forearm exercises that is executed with the help of a rod. This exercise targets forearm muscles, especially the wrist flexors. Below is the guideline on how to do it:
Set up:
Find a suitable rod, start with a lighter weight, and a bench that has a flat surface to place your forearms. Rest your both arms on the edge of the bench while your wrists should be hanging off the edge, and palms facing up. Hold the barbell in your hands > shoulder-width apart.
Curl Motion:
Curl your wrists, holding the barbell, by flexing them towards up and keep your forearms stationary on your thighs or on the edge of the bench. Try squeezing your forearms in every repetition to allow them get pumped. Release the barbell to it’s normal state.
Sets
4-5
Repetitions
8-10
Rest Time
60-90 seconds between sets
To learn how to grow biceps and forearms, the combination of these exercises will truly help you get bigger arms. But, we are not done yet. Let’s jump to other forearm exercises.
7. Reverse Barbell Wrist Curl
Unlike Barbell Wrist Curl, Reverse grip targets mainly wrist entensors. It is recommended to execute this exercise after done with the barbell wrist curl. However, this exercise also required a barbell and a flat bench. It can be performed similar to the barbell wrist curl but here your wrists should be opposite, palms facing down.
Note: Avoid common mistakes that are followed such as, heavy weight, not using full range of motion, and fast movements.
8. Wrist Roller
Wrist Roller is an exercise that targets wrist flexors and extensors with the help of weight attached to a roller. Typically, the exercise is done by standing straight on the floor, with your arms straight as if riding a bike. Smaller people can use a seat or a bench and exercise standing on it.
Equipment Needed:
Wrist roller device, a bar with a rope and weight attached.
Set up:
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, hold the wrist roller with both hands, arms extended at front of your shoulder height.
Curl Motion:
Using your wrists, palms facing down, roll the weight up by turning the wrist roller. Keep turning until the weight reaches the top. In lowering phase, release the roller by rolling back/reverse until the weight reaches the bottom.
Sets
- Beginners: 2-3
- Intermediate: 3-4
- Advanced: 4-5
Repetitions
- Beginners: 1-2 minutes
- Intermediate: 2-3 minutes
- Advanced: 3-4 minutes
Rest Time
90-120 seconds between each set is recommended.
This is how to grow biceps and forearms together with the help of different equipments in the gym. If you want to know how to grow biceps and forearms together without going to the gym, do let us know in the comment below or using our contact form. We will be happy to assist you with more.
