How to build biceps

What are some ways to quickly build my biceps and triceps? I don’t want to be jacked, but i do want to be defined. Any tips?

Replies

  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 2,214 Member
    Defined is more about diet. You must first build the arms with consistent, proper training and a slight calorie surplus and once you’ve built enough muscle you diet down to lower bodyfat to make muscles more visible

    What is your height and weight as that makes a difference diet wise.
  • ryanlafortune
    ryanlafortune Posts: 2 Member
    There is no way to quickly build muscle. Eat a slight caloric surplus, do curls, extensions, presses and pulls. "Toning" is a fake word from the diet industry for slight caloric deficit. You need to choose a goal... do you want bigger arms or do you want smaller arms with vascularity... your post is two different goals.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,978 Member
    edited July 2023
    b8rm6b55jn wrote: »
    What are some ways to quickly build my biceps and triceps? I don’t want to be jacked, but i do want to be defined. Any tips?
    THERE ARE NO QUICK WAYS unless you want to go under the knife. This sounds like a "summer look" thing.
    Post a pic of your arms now.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,183 Member
    @b8rm6b55jn, please consider doing strength training for your whole body, not just your arms. Speaking as a fellow woman (your profile says female) but (I would bet) much older (age 67): Building muscle is easier when younger, and it will help you stay independent, functional, and have strong bones as you age. Those are huge boons. It will also improve your appearance at every age.

    Full-body training, especially the compound exercises, will do great things for your arms, and it needn't be super time-consuming. For sure, it won't inherently make you jacked or bulky, just "toned" or "defined" all over. That's good stuff, functionally, for health, and absolutely for best appearance.

    Tom's post, up there a couple in the thread, is spot on: "Defined" means patiently increasing muscle mass, plus losing enough overlying fat layer to make the muscles show in the way you personally find aesthetically pleasing. It will take time and patience, but you can do it. Getting good overall nutrition, especially but not exclusively adequate protein, will be a help toward those goals.

    Best wishes for success!
    There is no way to quickly build muscle. Eat a slight caloric surplus, do curls, extensions, presses and pulls. "Toning" is a fake word from the diet industry for slight caloric deficit. You need to choose a goal... do you want bigger arms or do you want smaller arms with vascularity... your post is two different goals.

    It's not impossible, but it would be rare for a woman who wants to be "defined" but not "jacked" to want to have vascularity, seems like.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    In 2003, I was a full time yoga teacher. My classes and personal practice included bodyweight exercises, but was not as intense like Power or Ashtanga style yoga. I added weight lifting, and within probably a month, my friends were commenting that my arms were more defined.

    That was 20 years ago, and I've since got a more structured routine, so can't remember exactly what I was doing. But I've always been a fan of dumbbells, so it likely included bicep curls, tricep extension, and chest fly and press. I was likely working out 3 times per week, plus yoga every day, often more than once per day.

    Do you already belong to a gym? Every gym I've ever joined included 1-3 sessions with a personal trainer for free, and many had free or very cheap small group training sessions (not the same as a group fitness class with weights.)

    I suggest you hire a PT and discuss your goals with them.

    (We see a lot of posts regarding strange nutritional advice from trainers, so if they offer that, don't accept unless they are actually qualified.)