How to Build Your Biceps — and the Best Exercises to Try

Not only are toned biceps a sign of strength, but they look pretty excellent in a tank top, too.

The biceps are one of two primary muscle groups in your arms: the biceps brachii, which act on both the elbow and shoulder joints, and the triceps, the muscles on the backs of your arms, according to the American Council on Exercise (ACE).

The main functions of the biceps are to flex the arm, or bend the elbow so that the forearm moves closer to the body, and supinate — outwardly rotate — the forearm, Amanda Asaro, instructor at Barry's Bootcamp in New York City, tells LIVESTRONG.com.

Having strong biceps will offer more than just aesthetic benefits; there are a slew of activities that demand biceps strength, including any pulling movements like grabbing or lifting bags from the floor, opening doors and hoisting yourself up toward a pull-up bar.

"Strong biceps also help to prevent conditions such as bicipital tendonitis of the shoulder or elbow tendonitis, as well as other tears or ruptures," Asaro says.

FYI, bicipital tendonitis occurs when there's inflammation from micro tears in the long head of the biceps tendon, according to the Mayo Clinic. Elbow tendonitis happens when the tendons in the elbow are overloaded by repetitive movements of the wrists and arms. By having rock-solid biceps, you can prevent muscle imbalances and shoulder instability that usually accompany biceps tendonitis.

Research suggests that building stronger biceps as part of a broader muscle-building routine can also benefit other aspects of your health. Strength training for at least one hour per week was linked to a reduced risk for heart disease and death from any cause in a March 2019 study in Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise, for example.

To get bigger arms, you're going to need to gain muscle mass. This process, called hypertrophy, is best achieved with a specific rep and set scheme in your arm workouts.

The ACE recommends 6 to 12 reps per set at 67 to 85 percent of your one-rep max, which is the heaviest weight you can lift at once for any given exercise. (The closer you get to 85 percent of your one-rep max, the fewer reps you'll do.) Aim for 3 to 4 sets at this weight if your goal is to see a difference in the size of your biceps, according to the ACE.

For example, if you can do one heavy biceps curl at 50 pounds, you'd use a 35-pound weight for 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 12 reps of curls.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to how frequently you should train your biceps, says Dan Castillo, founding trainer at Grit Boxing and certified nutrition coach.

"Since the biceps are a smaller muscle group, especially when compared to the triceps, it's recommended that you don't train them every day," Castillo says. "In fact, you are already training them whenever you grab dumbbells, a barbell, etc. and bend your arms, so it's crucial to be mindful not to overtrain them," he says.

That's why he recommends training your biceps twice a week and filling your other workouts with moves for complementary muscles that aid in biceps function, like triceps exercises.

Overtraining, or working the same muscles too hard too often, can lead to overuse injuries, according to a December 2018 review in the Journal of Orthopedic Surgery and Research. To stay safe, the ACE recommends taking at least one full rest day in between sessions where you'll train the same muscles.

"When your body recovers and you get adequate sleep, you'll be able to see the gains," Castillo says. "Working out the biceps involves constantly gripping a dumbbell, barbell, bar or pulley, so you should be sure to massage the forearms, wrists, shoulders and the actual biceps itself for optimal recovery," he says.

There are loads of different exercises you can do to build the biceps. A July 2014 study from the ACE revealed that some of the best exercises for your biceps involve lifting or curling weights up toward your shoulder. Here are the best exercises for building bigger biceps.