Introduction
If you’ve ever stood in front of the mirror and flexed, you know exactly why so many people want to figure out how to get bigger arms. Arms are one of the most visible muscles, and whether you’re wearing a t-shirt, a tank top, or even just carrying groceries — big arms make a statement.
But here’s the truth: most people go about it the wrong way. They spend hours doing endless curls, chasing a pump, and wondering why their arms aren’t growing. I’ve been there. When I first started training, I thought if I just did biceps curls every day, my arms would explode. Spoiler alert: they didn’t.
The good news? Building bigger arms isn’t complicated once you understand what actually works. It comes down to a smart mix of compound lifts, targeted arm exercises, proper nutrition, and progressive overload. In this post, I’ll break down the 7 best tips and arm exercises that will help you grow arms that not only look good — but are strong and functional too.
A Little Science Lesson: Understanding Arm Anatomy
Before we jump into the exercises, let’s do a quick science lesson. If you really want to know how to get bigger arms, you need to understand what you’re actually training. Your arms aren’t just “biceps” — there are a few key muscles that all play a role in size and strength.
👉 Biceps (front of the arm): The muscle everyone loves to flex. They’re made up of two heads — the long head and short head. Their main job is to bend your elbow and help with pulling movements.
👉 Triceps (back of the arm): The muscle that actually makes up about two-thirds of your arm size. If you want your arms to look big, you can’t skip triceps training. Their job is to straighten your elbow and help with pressing movements.
👉 Forearms: These often get overlooked, but strong forearms not only improve your grip but also make your arms look more balanced. You’ll train them indirectly with most lifts, but a little extra work goes a long way.
The takeaway? If you only train biceps, you’re missing the bigger picture. Balanced arm training means hitting biceps, triceps, and forearms with the right mix of compound and isolation exercises.
Tip 1: Train Your Triceps (They’re 2/3 of Your Arm Size)
When most people think about how to get bigger arms, they immediately picture biceps curls. But here’s the truth: your triceps make up about two-thirds of your arm size. If you want your arms to look big, you can’t afford to skip them.
You’ve probably heard the old saying: “Tris for the guys, curls for the girls.” And while it’s a little cheesy, there’s truth in it — triceps are what really give your arms that thick, powerful look.
👉 The triceps have three heads (long, lateral, and medial), and hitting all of them will give your arms that full, horseshoe shape.
👉 Many pushing movements already target your triceps — bench press, overhead press, and dips all work them hard. But to make them really grow, you need dedicated triceps work.
Personally, I love using cables for my triceps workouts because they keep constant tension on the muscle. One of my go-to moves is the overhead cable triceps extension — it absolutely lights up the long head of the triceps and gives me a deep stretch I don’t get with dumbbells.
Pro tip: Don’t treat triceps like an afterthought at the end of your session. Prioritize them, load them heavy, and watch how much thicker your arms look.
Tip 2: Build Biceps the Right Way
I get it — when people think about how to get bigger arms, they immediately imagine flexing their biceps. And yes, training your biceps matters. But the key is to train them the right way.
The biceps are made of two heads — the long head and the short head. To build them properly, you need to hit both. That means mixing up your exercises instead of just doing endless curls with no plan.
👉 Long head: best targeted with moves like incline dumbbell curls or hammer curls.
👉 Short head: best targeted with barbell curls or preacher curls.
Here’s where most people go wrong: they focus only on the pump. I used to hammer out sets of curls until my arms were burning, but I wasn’t tracking weight, reps, or form. Once I started training biceps with progression in mind — going heavier, slowing down the reps, and focusing on the mind-muscle connection — that’s when I finally saw real growth.
One tip I swear by is standing with your back against the wall when you curl. It keeps you honest and prevents you from swinging the weight up with momentum. And while hammer curls are great for the long head, they also hit your forearms indirectly — which we’ll talk about more later.
And of course, I can’t forget my favorite biceps exercise: the Bayesian cable curl. You guys know how much I love using cables, and this one keeps constant tension on your biceps. Stretch your arms back, pull hard through the rep, and you’ll feel a burn you don’t get with dumbbells. Its one of the best exercises to build bigger arms.
Pro tip: Don’t just swing the weights. Control the curl, feel the squeeze at the top, and lower slowly. A clean, focused set of 8–12 reps will always beat sloppy 20-rep curls.
Tip 3: Don’t Neglect Your Forearms
When people ask me how to get bigger arms, they usually just mean biceps and triceps. But here’s the thing — your forearms complete the look. Thick, veiny forearms not only make your arms look more powerful and intimidating, but they also serve a very practical purpose. A strong grip helps you in and outside the gym — whether you’re crushing pull-ups, holding heavy deadlifts, or just carrying groceries up the stairs.
The good news? You don’t need to spend hours doing wrist curls. Most compound and arm exercises already work your forearms. Remember what I said earlier about hammer curls? That’s one of the best ways to hit your forearms indirectly while still training your biceps.
That said, a little direct work goes a long way. Some of my favorites:
- Farmer’s carries (simple, brutal, effective)
- Reverse curls
- Dead hangs — I love holding onto a pull-up bar for a minute to a minute and a half. It makes your arms feel like they’re on fire and gives you an insane pump.
I’ll be honest with you — sometimes I neglect training forearms at the gym, especially when I’m short on time. That’s why I like to carry a forearm grip strengthener and even keep one at my desk at work. A few quick sets during the day are an easy way to sneak in extra training without adding time to your workout.
👉 Check out this affordable forearm grip strengthener on Amazon.
Pro tip: Train forearms at the end of your arm day or pull day. They don’t need much, but 2–3 sets of focused work will make a huge difference over time.
Tip 4: Use Progressive Overload
If you take nothing else away from this article, remember this: progressive overload is the secret to getting bigger arms. It doesn’t matter if you’re curling dumbbells, pressing on a bench, or doing pushdowns on a cable — if you’re not slowly increasing the challenge over time, your arms won’t grow.
Progressive overload simply means giving your muscles a reason to adapt. That can be as simple as:
- Adding 2.5–5 pounds to the bar
- Doing one more rep than last week
- Adding an extra set
- Slowing down your tempo for more time under tension
When I was younger, I’d grab the same weights week after week and just “go through the motions.” Sure, I got a pump, but I wasn’t actually stronger. Once I started tracking my lifts and making small improvements every session, that’s when I noticed my arms really growing.
And here’s the part most people don’t realize: progressive overload is the key to everything you do in the gym, but especially for your arms. Arm muscles respond really well to being put under that extra stress. Even small improvements add up quickly and can completely change how your arms look over time.
Pro tip: Don’t feel like you have to jump 10 pounds at a time. Even the smallest increases — one more rep, a 2.5-pound plate, or an extra squeeze at the top of the curl — add up over months of consistent training. That’s what separates lifters who spin their wheels from those who actually grow.
Tip 5: Build a Strong Mind-Muscle Connection
There’s some debate about the mind-muscle connection — research is mixed on whether focusing on a muscle actually makes it grow faster. But here’s what I know from experience: when I really lock in and focus on the muscle I’m training, my form is better, my reps are cleaner, and I feel the burn exactly where I’m supposed to.
For arms especially, this makes a huge difference. When I’m doing curls, I’m not just moving the weight up and down. I’m thinking about squeezing the bicep as hard as possible at the top and controlling the weight all the way down. When I’m training triceps, I’m focusing on locking out and feeling the stretch in the long head.
The mind-muscle connection keeps me honest. It forces me to slow down, concentrate on my form, and put the tension on the right muscles instead of letting momentum or other body parts take over.
Pro tip: Next time you curl, don’t just count the reps. Close your eyes, move slowly, and think about your biceps doing all the work. You’ll feel the difference immediately.
Tip 6: Eat for Bigger Arms
You can train as hard as you want, but if your nutrition isn’t right, your arms won’t grow. Muscle is built from protein, fueled by carbs, and supported by healthy fats. If you’re serious about learning how to get bigger arms, you have to eat like it.
When I was younger, I used to think just hammering curls was enough. But I wasn’t eating nearly enough protein or total calories. Once I started tracking my nutrition, that’s when I noticed my arms finally filling out my sleeves.
Here’s what to focus on:
- Protein: Aim for at least 0.8–1 gram per pound of bodyweight. Stick to lean sources like chicken, turkey, fish, salmon, Greek yogurt — and yes, even beef liver if you want a nutrient powerhouse. And if you’re short on time, a high-quality protein powder is your best friend. I personally recommend MyProtein Whey, which has been my go-to for over a year now. You can even get 40% off your first order with code MYPAFF
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- Carbs: Don’t fear them. Carbs fuel your workouts and give you the energy to push harder. Think rice, oats, potatoes, and fruit.
- Fats: Keep healthy fats in your diet for hormone support — avocados, nuts, olive oil.
Personally, I like to keep it simple. I meal prep high-protein meals, and when I’m busy, I’ll grab a protein shake to help me hit my daily goal (I’ve already ranked my Top 10 Protein Drinks if you need ideas).
Pro tip: Track your food — whether it’s with MyFitnessPal, Cronometer, or just a notebook. If you’re not gaining size in your arms, odds are you’re not eating enough to grow.
Tip 7: Train Arms Often, Stay Patient, and Be Consistent
One of the biggest mistakes people make when learning how to get bigger arms is thinking one or two arm days will magically blow their sleeves up. The truth? Frequency matters.
You don’t need to blast arms every day, but hitting them 2–3 times per week — either directly or through compound lifts — is a smart move. For example:
- Push day = chest + triceps
- Pull day = back + biceps
- Arm-focused accessory work = curls, pushdowns, or extensions at the end of a workout
But here’s the harsh reality: even with the perfect training split, arm growth doesn’t happen overnight. Building bigger arms takes months (and years) of consistent work. I’ve had stretches where progress felt painfully slow — but every rep, every tracked workout, and every meal adds up.
If you stay consistent, the results will come. Don’t panic if your arms don’t blow up in 30 days. Think long-term. Combine the right frequency with patience, and you’ll look back one day and realize your arms have completely transformed.
Pro tip: Track your lifts, your food, and even progress pictures every month. Progress happens slowly, but when you stay consistent, it compounds into huge changes over time.
FAQ: How to Get Bigger Arms
Q: How do I get bigger arms fast?
A: There’s no magic shortcut, but the fastest way to build bigger arms is combining progressive overload, a high-protein diet, and hitting both triceps and biceps multiple times per week. Focus on compound lifts for overall growth, then add in isolation work for definition.
Q: How many times a week should I train arms?
A: For most people, 2–3 times per week is ideal. This doesn’t always mean separate “arm days” — triceps get worked on push days, and biceps on pull days. Adding extra accessory work on top will help speed up growth.
Q: What builds bigger arms, biceps or triceps?
A: Triceps actually make up about two-thirds of your arm size, so they play a bigger role in overall thickness. But for balance and shape, you need to train both biceps and triceps — plus forearms.
Q: Do forearms really matter for arm size?
A: Yes. Forearms give your arms a fuller, more powerful look and improve your grip strength for all lifts. Strong forearms also carry over into everyday life — from carrying groceries to doing pull-ups.
Q: Can I get bigger arms without lifting heavy?
A: Lifting heavy helps, but it’s not the only way. You can grow arms with lighter weights if you use proper form, progressive overload, and focus on the mind-muscle connection. That said, a mix of heavy compound lifts and moderate isolation work gives the best results.
Conclusion
So there you have it — the 7 best tips on how to get bigger arms. From focusing on your triceps, to dialing in progressive overload, to eating the right foods, it all comes down to one thing: consistency. Your arms won’t blow up overnight, but if you train smart, eat enough protein, and stay patient, you’ll be amazed at the progress you can make in just a few months.
I’ll be honest with you — getting bigger arms isn’t easy. It takes dedication, tracking your workouts, and making sure you fuel your body the right way. But if you put in the work, the payoff is worth it every time you look in the mirror and see the results of your effort.
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Remember: Action Creates Greatness. Go apply these tips and start building the arms you’ve always wanted.
