Bulging biceps and strong, toned triceps provide both aesthetic and functional benefits. Bigger, more powerful arms are also a key part of the desirable, muscular, masculine upper body shape known as the V-taper look.
We use our arms every day more than we realize, and developing our strength doesn’t just give us more props in the gym; it also offers a range of benefits, from improving posture to helping us carry the groceries or the kiddos. Staying dedicated to your strength training plan generates results over time, and you’ll see your arm muscles grow. We asked fitness expert and certified personal trainer, Rachel Pieroni, to share her top tips on how to use strength training to grow bigger biceps and triceps. Pieroni is also the Operations Manager for Pure Barre.
Fitness pro shares top tips to build those biceps and triceps
The Manual: When did you first start strength training and building your arms?
Rachel Pieroni: I started to seriously strength train in October of 2013. I was 24 years old at the time, and decided I wanted to build a stronger body. I’ve always had very muscular legs because I’ve studied dance for my entire life and still do. I hired a personal trainer, and I remember discussing with him that one of my main goals was to build upper body strength because I truly felt I had none. I was all legs.
TM: What are your top three exercises for building bicep power?
Rachel Pieroni: My top three exercises for building bicep power are:
- Dumbbell bicep curls
- Dumbbell concentration curls
- Incline dumbbell bench curls
You can also expect to see all three of the exercises in a Pure Barre Define class. Since the biceps are a relatively easy muscle to activate, in terms of power, all three exercises can be performed two to three times per week, while progressively overloading the muscle. This includes increasing weight, repetitions, and sets.
To keep power and endurance up, focus on reducing rest time between sets and aim to bring muscles to fatigue. I prefer using dumbbells, as you can work each side individually, without too much reliance on other muscles, when the biceps start to fatigue. Focus on form and technique by moving fully through the eccentric and concentric parts of the bicep curl, meaning find just as much tension and control on the curl itself as well as the release back down to the starting position.
TM: What are your top three exercises for strengthening the triceps?
Rachel Pieroni: My top three exercises for strengthening the triceps are:
- Tricep bench dips
- Overhead dumbbell tricep extensions
- Cable tricep pushdowns
All three target the triceps in a different fashion, making them my top three to truly build your triceps. Note that the triceps is a three-headed muscle. The three heads include the long head, lateral head, and short head. The triceps are fully contracted when the arm is fully extended at the elbow joint.
In terms of strength for triceps, all three exercises can be performed two or three times a week, while progressively overloading. It’s also important to fully control each exercise on the concentric and eccentric parts of the movements.
TM: Why is arm strength important in everyday life, and what are the benefits of incorporating arm exercises into a workout routine?
Rachel Pieroni: All strength is incredibly important in everyday life; think about how many times you pick something up, like groceries, packages, holding your purse, picking up your child, or even brushing your teeth or hair. From a functional standpoint, upper body strength improves stability, balance, and coordination. It can also contribute to better posture, reducing the risk of injuries and keeping your bones healthy and strong.
Arm strength plays a vital role in creating and maintaining an independent life, especially as we age.
TM: Could you share more about how to safely and effectively incorporate progressive overload to enhance muscle power?
Rachel Pieroni: First, let’s chat about what progressive overload is. Progressive overload is a method of strength and hypertrophy training, where you gradually increase the intensity by placing added stress on the musculoskeletal and nervous systems, which stimulates muscle growth and strength gains. This is necessary to achieve a strong body.
Progressive overload has many layers and variables, including:
- Adding weight and lifting heavier
- Increasing repetitions and sets
- Doing more in a singular workout session
- Increasing the frequency at which you train and exercising on more days of the week.
When you’re looking strictly at enhancing muscle power, you can focus on reducing rest between sets, while simultaneously increasing the number of repetitions for a given exercise. Meaning, work on increasing volume along with an increase in the pace of your movement.
TM: How do you prepare for an intense arm strength training session? For example, what do you eat or drink, and how do you fuel your body?
Rachel Pieroni: Fueling your body prior to a training session is crucial. In my professional opinion, as a certified nutrition coach, I recommend eating a balance of carbs and protein about one or two hours before an intense arm training session. Prioritizing carbs and protein prior to training can help improve performance and recovery.
My go-to pre-workout meal is two or three rice cakes with Greek yogurt and protein powder or a piece of fruit and a protein shake. The goal is to eat something that isn’t going to bog you down; instead, it gives you energy and digests in your system relatively quickly.
Staying hydrated pre-/intra-/post-workout is also important. I recommend adding electrolytes or branch-chain amino acids (BCAAs) to your water while you train to keep your body hydrated. For an additional boost, you can also incorporate creatine, caffeine, or another pre-/intra-workout.
TM: How do you prevent and improve muscular imbalances for well-rounded arm strength?
Rachel Pieroni: A balanced strength training program. In addition to the strength training itself, it’s also important to focus on maintaining good posture and the technique of each exercise.
Focus on how you’re performing each exercise instead of your speed or going for a heavier weight too soon. As you continue to gain strength, train the weaker muscles first and then match that with the stronger ones. For example, if your left bicep is weaker than the right, train the left one first to fatigue and then match the same amount of repetitions and sets on the right side. Continue to build until you become more balanced on each side.
TM: Do you prefer kettlebells, machines, dumbbells, bands, or bodyweight exercises, or do you prefer variety?
Rachel Pieroni: Dumbbells all the way. Not only do we use them constantly in Pure Barre, but dumbbells offer greater flexibility, range of motion, and freedom of movement. They also allow you to work each side of your body independently, thus preventing muscular imbalances.
You’re not limited to the range of motion on a machine, so the dumbbells allow for a wider range of motion during exercises, which can lead to enhanced muscle growth and activation. Dumbbells can also improve stability because they require more stabilization compared to barbells or machines. Lastly, they’re versatile and compact, and you can measure your progress in terms of strength, which is challenging to do with resistance bands.
TM: Do you recommend switching up arm exercises for the best results? How often should our readers change their arm exercises?
Rachel Pieroni: In my professional opinion, I recommend changing your workout routine every six to 12 weeks, especially for beginners. The goal is to get really good at the exercises you’re doing while progressively overloading to increase strength and power.
Stick to the basics because it’s always proven to be the best method for overall strength gains. Your fitness goals determine how often you switch up your training routine or when you take a break. The overall best recipe is to stay consistent — it’s the answer for seeing results over time.
TM: How often or how many times a week do you recommend our readers work out their arms?
Rachel Pieroni: I recommend training arms two or three times a week. The biceps and triceps are relatively smaller muscles that can take longer to fatigue, compared to other muscle groups. With that said, it is important to note that this is all dependent on how hard you’re training, including the intensity of the workouts and your recovery.
TM: Are rest days important?
Rachel Pieroni: Without a doubt, rest days are incredibly important for physical health and mental health. Rest, in general, is how the body repairs and rebuilds. Every time you strength train, your muscles break down, creating tiny tears within the muscle fibers. When you rest, you give your body the chance to repair the tears, replenish glycogen stores, and reduce stress, making your muscles stronger. Without rest and recovery, you’d be stalling your progress.
