Did you know that the average medium-sized T-shirt has a 4.6 inch diameter sleeve? That means you need a minimum of a 14-inch unflexed arm to fill it! And if you’re wearing a large or XL shirt, you’ll need even bigger arms to prevent that ugly bagginess.
If you’re tired of your shirts looking too loose and you want to change the way your arms look, it’s time to revolutionize your arm training. In this article, I will guide you through five essential steps to transform the effectiveness of your biceps and triceps workouts, ensuring bigger and more impressive arms in just 30 days. And to make it even better, I’ll provide you with a step-by-step routine that removes all the guesswork. Let’s dive in!
Step 1: Understanding the Sleeve-Filling Requirement
Before we delve into the specific steps, it’s crucial to understand the sleeve-filling requirement. You need to measure your arm size accurately to determine the minimum size needed to fill different shirt sizes. For example, a medium-sized shirt requires a 14-inch unflexed arm, while a large size necessitates a 15-inch unflexed arm. If you’re sporting an XL shirt, you’ll need almost 16-inch arms to avoid baggy sleeves.
Knowing these measurements gives you a clear goal to work towards. So grab a measuring tape and find out your current arm size. This way, you can track your progress and ensure you’re on the right path to achieving sleeve-filling arms.
Step 2: Avoiding the 5 Big Mistakes in Arm Training
To see significant gains in arm size, it’s crucial to address the common mistakes many people make in their biceps and triceps training. One of the most critical points to understand is that building arm strength alone won’t necessarily lead to bigger arms. While strength is important, it’s equally vital to intensify your arm workouts.
Instead of focusing solely on the weight you’re lifting, emphasize taking your sets to failure. Push yourself beyond your limits, using techniques like drop sets, run the rack, and mechanical drop sets. By taking each set to the point of failure and even beyond, you’ll maximize the effectiveness of your workouts and experience substantial gains in arm size.
Step 3: Eccentric Overload for Muscle Growth
Now let’s discuss the power of eccentric overload, a concept that can revolutionize your arm training. Eccentric overload refers to emphasizing the lowering phase of each repetition. By slowing down and controlling the lowering portion, you provide additional tension and stress to your muscles, leading to greater muscle growth.
Contrary to popular belief, controlled eccentric movements are incredibly safe when performed correctly. For example, in a lying tricep extension, you can enjoy a slow eccentric movement on the way down and safely drop the weight behind you if needed. Applying eccentric overload stretches and damages the muscles, stimulating them to grow back stronger and bigger.
To incorporate eccentric overload into your arm training, choose exercises that allow you to focus on the eccentric portion. This can include exercises like dumbbell curls, tricep pushdowns, or skull crushers. Remember, controlling the eccentric phase is key to maximizing muscle growth and achieving those coveted bigger arms.
Step 4: Don’t Forget the Brachialis Muscle
When it comes to arm training, many people solely focus on their biceps and neglect an essential muscle—the brachialis. The brachialis is a separate muscle located beneath the biceps, and developing it is crucial for achieving maximum arm size.
The brachialis plays a vital role in pushing up the biceps, contributing to the peak and overall width of the arm. If you want those shirt sleeves to be filled out properly, it’s time to incorporate brachialis exercises into your routine. Sprinkling in the occasional brachialis exercise won’t be sufficient; you need to make it a consistent part of your arm training.
To target the brachialis effectively, consider exercises like hammer curls or reverse curls. These movements isolate the brachialis and provide the stimulus necessary for its growth. By incorporating specific exercises that focus on the brachialis, you’ll achieve not only impressive bicep size but also enhanced arm width and fullness.
Step 5: Maximizing Tricep Growth
While biceps often steal the spotlight, neglecting your triceps can hinder your progress towards bigger arms. The triceps play a significant role in arm size and shape, and it’s crucial to provide them with dedicated training for optimal growth.
Although triceps receive indirect work from chest and shoulder exercises, direct tricep training is necessary to achieve maximum growth. While the triceps have the capacity to handle more volume than the biceps, adjustments in training need to be made to stimulate their growth effectively.
Incorporating bodyweight exercises can be an excellent way to maximize tricep growth. Push-ups, bench dips, and tricep extensions can significantly increase tricep volume and provide a different stimulus compared to traditional weightlifting exercises. These exercises can target different heads of the triceps and help achieve a more complete contraction or stretch.
Remember, high repetition ranges combined with proper form and intensity are key to maximizing tricep growth. Don’t be afraid to push yourself to failure during these exercises, as metabolic fatigue and intensity are crucial for hypertrophy gains.
Step-by-Step 30-Day Plan for Bigger Arms
Now that we’ve covered the essential steps to bigger arms, let’s put it all together into a comprehensive 30-day plan. This plan will guide you through specific workouts for biceps, triceps, and what we’ll call the “missing pieces” to ensure a well-rounded approach to arm training.
Biceps Workout:
Incorporate exercises that emphasize intensity and eccentric overload. Perform exercises like incline dumbbell curls, concentration curls, or preacher curls. Use techniques such as drop sets, mechanical drop sets, or 21s to maximize the effectiveness of your sets. Aim for 3-4 sets per exercise, targeting the biceps from various angles.
1A. DB Incline curls x 5 reps (20 seconds)
1B. Seated DB curls x 5 Reps (20 seconds)
1C. DB drag curls X 5 Reps (20 seconds)
Triceps Workout:
Focus on exercises that maximize the contraction and extension of the triceps. Include exercises like lying dumbbell extensions, tricep pushdowns, or dips. Utilize techniques like 21s to divide the range of motion into different sections. Perform 3-4 sets per exercise, aiming for a complete triceps workout.
1A. DB Incline extensions x 21*
1B. Incline DB kickbacks x 1 minute 
1C. Eccentric only DB skull crushers x 1 minute
*Performed in 21 style (7 top rom/ 7 bottom rom/ 7 full rom
Missing Pieces Workout:
Incorporate exercises that target the brachialis and other supporting muscles. Include hammer curls, reverse curls, or brachialis-specific exercises. Perform 2-3 sets of brachialis exercises, ensuring a proper stimulus for growth.
Bodyweight triceps variation – 2-3 x F
Hammer curl variation – 3-4 x 10-12 rep failure
Conclusion
By following these five steps and implementing the 30-day plan, you are guaranteed to see noticeable gains in your arm size. Remember, consistency and dedication are key to achieving your desired results. Measure your progress, track your arm size, and continue to challenge yourself throughout the process.
Say goodbye to loose shirt sleeves and hello to sleeve-filling arms. With proper arm training techniques, you’ll achieve the impressive arm size you’ve always desired. So, roll up your sleeves, commit to the journey, and get ready to showcase your bigger and stronger arms to the world!
