Biceps and Triceps Muscle Mass Building Workouts

Building muscle mass is the dream of any bodybuilder whether amateur or professional particularly the biceps and triceps. Muscle mass can only be developed, maintained, and achieved under the right conditions which will be discussed later.

The biceps and triceps muscles are easily the most recognizable muscles in the body. The triceps being the largest of the two while the biceps being the strongest.

In this article we are going to discuss about the biceps and triceps muscles and how you can build up muscles mass through target workouts and healthy practices.

What are the Triceps and Biceps?

The triceps are a group of muscles which lies on the back of the humerus. It then connects to the back of the scapula or popularly known as the wingbones. It lies just below the biceps. The biceps are another group of muscles which forms a recognizable bulge when someone flexes their arms.

The triceps like the name suggests are composed of three muscles which are the triceps brachii lateralis, triceps brachii medius, and triceps brachii longus.

They are responsible for the extension of the forearm, shoulder, as well as the adduction (towards the midline) of the arm. The Triceps composes the a majority of the arm muscles as compared to the biceps.

Biceps are well-known since they are easily the most recognizable of all the muscles in the arms. They are composed of two muscles which are the biceps brachii and the brachialis.

The biceps is a double-headed skeletal muscle responsible for the movement of the elbow. Its main function is in flexing the elbow, supinates the radioulnar joint of the arm, also for flexing and abducting the shoulders.

It is the strongest muscle of the arm which is involved along with the back and chest muscles in lifting.

Building Muscle Mass

Things to Consider

There are a few things to consider before diving in and starting to build muscle mass. Listed here are the five considerations before you start planning and doing your muscle-building regimen.

1. Diet

   • A healthy diet with a large variety of protein sources is a good way to start.
   • Having a good supply of nutrients are essential to building muscles as they help facilitate its growth and development.
   • Eat carbohydrates as needed and avoid consuming too much as the extra carbohydrates are stored as body fat.
   • Eating foods rich in anti-oxidant and omega oils help in muscle growth and recovery.

2. Stress
   

   • Avoid becoming too stressed-out when working out, the more you put stress on your body the more it produces cortisol which prevents muscle growth.
   • Engage in a myriad of activities to soothe and calm your body and mind whenever you are not working out.
   • Get adequate sleep and avoid overexertion or overexhaustion as this leads the body’s cortisol levels to spike.

3. Level of Activity

   • Avoid doing the same exercise routine everyday as it prevents the muscles from gaining mass since it has no time to build it.
   • Choose your exercise routines specifically for that particular muscle type and your level of strenght and proficiency.
   • Avoid doing exercises you are not prepared to do, this often leads to muscle damage and strain which prevents the muscles from growing.

4. Body Considerations 

   • Get a full physical exam before deciding to start a workout routing.
   • Certain people find it easier to achieve the desired results, while others find it is as hard as it gets.
   • If you suffer from any illness which may cause problems when working out, always have a list of emergency numbers handy and inform the gym staff. It is also good to have a workout buddy with you just to make sure you can workout safely.
   • Limit your exercise to what your body needs and gradually develop from that, never attempt to rush a workout just because someone develop the results faster. You must take into consideration that some people can build muscle faster than others.

5. Mental Presence

   • Do research and ask for advice whenever starting out on a new workout, never second guess and leave it to chance. You’ll just be wasting time and effort.
   • Develop a habit of exercise and discipline, these two goes hand-in-hand together if you want to build muscles.
   • Do not dwell too much time on negativity on the first few weeks of working out when you are not able to get the desired outcome. There are other things at play here such as genetics, metabolic rate, diet, age, and so on.

Optimal Muscle Growth Environment

One of the key factors we need to focus is in building muscle mass is providing it with the necessary environment to grow, develop, and enhance.

Aside from the list state above there are certain biological environments where the body can foster muscle growth. These includes hormone levels, protein absorption, basal metabolic rate, lastly body fat breakdown.

Hormone Levels

• Affects muscle growth as testosterone and several other growth hormones are responsible for maintaining good muscle definition, tone, and mass.
• On the other hand having too much cortisol prevents the creation of muscle tissue.
• It does this by putting the body in conservation mode and preventing the creation of testosterone and growth hormones.

Protein Absorption

• It varies from person to person and no substantial research has been in the area. This leaves the question open for debate. It is unlikely you can die from consuming too much protein, a lot of misconception also arises from it.
• One misconception states that excess protein is changed into glucose then stored as body fat. It is false. The process responsible for protein being synthesized to glucose called “gluconeogenesis” is hormone activated and only occurs as needed. It is not affected by the presence of free proteins in the blood or in the gut.
• The extra protein is broken down into amino acid, transported to the kidneys, and excreted in urine.

Basal Metabolic Rate

• Is body specific and refers to the metabolic action when the body is at rest. This is different for each person as some have higher metabolic rates than others.
• It also includes how our bodies make use of the food which we eat during, after, and before working out or doing physical activities.

Body Fat Breakdown

• The ideal body fat breakdown ratio differs from age groups with it growing smaller as we age. In males the hormone testosterone encourages body fat breakdown.
• Testosterone is produced in abundance during the adolescent years and lessens as the body ages.
• Certain diets such as ketogenic diets also encourages body fat breakdown through the process of ketogenesis in a maintained state of ketosis.
• Body fat breakdown is also accelerated during regular and consistent exercise as the body uses them up the extra glucose stored in the adipose tissues.

In order to gain optimal muscle mass and muscle growth the four necessary components needs to be met and maintained. This can be further explained in detail by your doctor, a healthcare professional in sports medicine, and experts.

Biceps Muscle Mass Workouts

Alternate Incline Dumbbell Curl

1. Start by sitting on an inclined bench with a dumbbell in each hand being held at arms length.
2. Then while holding the upper arm stationary start to curl the right weight forward while you contract the biceps. Then rotate the hand so that the palm is face up.
3. Continue doing the movement until your biceps is fully contracted and the dumbbells within shoulder level.
4. Hold the contracted position for a few seconds as you squeeze the biceps while maintaining the movement solely on the forearms.
5. Then slowly begin to bring the dumbbell back to the starting position.
6. Repeat the movement with the left hand.
7. Alternate between the left and the right hand until you complete the recommended amount of repetitions.

Alternate Hammer Curl

1. Stand with your torso upright with a dumbbell in each hand held at arms length.
2. Make sure the elbows are close enough to the torso with your palms facing your thighs.
3. Then hold the upper arm stationary, then curl the right weight as you rotate the palm of the hands until they are facing forward.
4. Continue to contract the biceps until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are within shoulder level.
5. Hold the contracted position for a second as you continually squeeze the biceps while maintaining the only the moving part of the body is the forearm.
6. Slowly begin to bring the dumbbell back down while twisting the palms and making sure it is facing your thighs.
7. Repeat the movement with the left hand.
8. Alternate between the left and the right hand until you complete the recommended amount of repetitions.

Drag Curl

1. Grab a barbell using a supinated grip or with your palms facing forward.
2. Proceed to get your elbows as close to your torso and back.
3. Curl the bar up while keeping the elbows to the back as you drag the bar up while keeping it in contact with your torso.
4. Don’t keep the elbows pinned to your sides, instead bringing them back while making sure not lift the weights with your shoulders.
5. Slowly go back down while keeping the bar in contact with the torso.
6. Repeat as necessary to complete the repetitions needed.

Effective Triceps Muscle Mass Workouts

Kneeling Triceps Extension

1. Place a bench sideways in front of a high pulley machine.
2. Hold a straight bar attachment above your head with your hands about 6 inches apart with your palms facing down.
3. Face away from the machine and kneel.
4. Place your head and the back of your upper arms on the bench.
5. The elbows should be bent with the forearms pointing towards the high pulley.
6. Maintain keeping the upper arms as close to your head at all times with the elbows in.
7. Press the bar out in a semicircular motion until the elbows are locked with the arms are parallel to the floor.
8. Contract the triceps really hard and hold the position for a few seconds.
9. Slowly return to the original position.
10. Repeat as necessary to complete the repetitions needed.

Close-Grip Dumbbell Press

Cable One Arm Triceps Extension

1. With your right hand, grasp a single handle attached to the high-cable pulley using a underhand grip with the palms facing upwards while standing directly in front of the weight stack.
2. Now pull the handle down so the upper arm and elbow are locked in to the side of your body.
3. The upper arm and forearm should form an acute angle of no less than 90-degrees.
4. You can choose to keep the other arm by the waist with one leg in front of you and the other one back for better balance and stability.
5. As you contract the triceps, move the single handle attachment down to your side until the arm is straight while maintaining the movement focused on the forearm, the upper arm should remain stationary.
6. Squeeze the triceps and hold for a few seconds in a contracted position.
7. Then Slowly return the handle to its original.
8. Repeat as necessary to complete the repetitions needed and then perform the same movement with the other arm.

Note:

The workouts stated in the article is not an exhaustive lists and there are various hundreds of variations and workout regimens for improving muscle mass of the biceps and the triceps available which have not been included due to certain limitations.

Additional Reading:

• Basal Metabolic Rate Calculator
• Dietary Fat Absorption
• Digestion and Absorption of Food Fats
• The Truth about Protein Absorption
• The Truth about Glucogenesis and Hyperprotenemia