Push-Ups for Bigger Arms: What to Know

 Push-ups target many different muscles of the upper body. Depending on how we vary certain details in the technique we can go to work certain muscles more intensely.

 

Are pushups helpful for building bigger arms?

 

There is a ton of information on the Internet that advocates that pushups can buildbigger arms. To your surprise, pushups don't primarily target biceps. 

 

Can Push Ups Build the Biceps? Here's the Truth

 

Pushups work on your chest muscles, shoulders, and triceps. But they are not that effective for the biceps. This is because pushups are "push" exercises while the biceps need you to "pull". 

 

 

 Biceps are muscles that extend from the inside of the upper arm from the elbow to the shoulder. They are used for pulling the forearm, so in movements that bend your elbow, such as curling or drinking a glass of water.

 

 So while push-ups fully engage some of the muscles in your arms, it's actually the triceps (the muscles at the back of the upper arm, the muscles opposite the biceps) that benefit the most, along with your pecs. and shoulders.

 

 The biceps are not very useful in pushing movements (like push-ups or bench press), because they will intervene only very slightly to help stabilize the arm. Your triceps are the muscles used in these pushing movements, not your biceps.

 

Out and out, pushups can only impact your triceps, but they might not activate the biceps which is equally important for building bigger arms. After all, both bicep and triceps work to give you a bigger arm. 

  

Can Pushup Variations Help Build Biceps?

 

Sure, pushups primarily target chest muscles, triceps, and deltoids. But certain variations can affect the bicep areas. Here are some of them. 

 

 

 

Tweaks in the Position:

 

If our goal is to train the biceps often, it is suggested to rotate the supporting hands 180 °, turning the fingers towards our body. From this position perform the flexion movement.

 

However, we know that to train the biceps the arm must be flexed, while in this case, the movement continues to favor the involvement of the chest, shoulders, triceps, and elbow joint. It is possible in this variant to feel intense work on the biceps, but it is more due to the discomfort of the position than to its real effectiveness.

 

Sure, the biceps work in this exercise, but the load is mainly exerted on the classic muscle groups involved in push-ups.

 

If you like this exercise and you have good mobility of the limbs you can do it, but be careful because it puts pressure on certain joint structures. To gradually approach this exercise, you can rotate your hands less initially.

 

Pump in close position:

 

Bringing your hands together allows you to target your biceps more directly. To perform these bicep push-ups, get into a standard push-up position, making sure your torso is straight and your neck is neutral.

Bring your hands together, leaving only a few inches between them. The closer they are, the more difficult this exercise will be to perform, so adjust them accordingly! Lower your body to the floor, allowing your elbows to flare out at a 45-degree angle.

Push back to do your first rep and repeat, doing as many reps as you can (or working until failure ) for three sets.

 

Reverse Hands Push Ups:

 

Shifting the alignment of your hands along your torso and reversing their position will produce more of an arm curling motion. This is essential for targeting the biceps! This is an advanced movement, so consider starting on your knees rather than a full plank. For this pump biceps, start with the standard pump position.

 

Turn your hands so that your fingers are facing the wall behind you. Move your hands so that they are aligned with the middle of your back. A little lower, bend your elbows towards your body as much as possible. Once your chest reaches close to the floor, push up to start. Again, complete three sets until failure.

 

One Arm Pushup:

 

Explicit in its name, a one-arm push-up is done with one arm resting on the back: it is not used at all during this bicep push-up movement. This is another advanced exercise, so consider kneeling or playing on an elevated surface to start. Start in a classic push-up position. Widen the distance between your feet to create more stability, then lift one hand off the ground and place it behind your back. Lower until your chest comes closer to the floor. 

 

A Word of Caution!

 

It is equally true that push-ups are one of the most difficult exercises to perform correctly because they require a lot of postural control and strength since with this exercise you will lift at least 50% of your body weight. If you do not believe yourself capable or try and cannot, the recommendation is to perform the variation on your knees. Otherwise, you could be injured. 

 

How Often Should You Do Push-Ups for Biceps?

 

If you are doing pushups only to build and shape your arms, then do them at least 2-3 times per week. But that doesn't mean you should do them in excess as it might over-train your muscles and lead to muscular imbalance. 

 

You can combine pushups with other bodyweight exercises.