You can get cut biceps by participating in a muscle-building weight training program that includes exercises that isolate your biceps. How long it takes to see a noticeable difference in your biceps depends on your sex, hormone levels and training volume -- but with appropriate techniques, you will see improvements in your biceps.
High Volume Workouts
Performing a high number of reps and sets in your workout will help you build the size of your biceps. After a few weeks, increase the workout volume to four sets. Some advanced lifters complete up to five sets of each exercise. Each set should consist of eight to 20 repetitions, notes Dr. Lee E. Brown of the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
Standing Biceps Exercises
Include exercises that isolate your biceps, such as biceps curl, in-and-out curl, hammer curl and dumbbell isolation curl. Biceps curl, in-an-out curl and hammer curl are performed while standing. For biceps curl, with the weights held down in front of your thighs and palms facing forward, bend your elbows to bring the weights up to your shoulders and then return the weights back down. For in-and-out curl, perform one rep of regular bicep curl and then a rep with your hands held out wider than your shoulders. Switch back and forth between the two types of curls. For hammer curls, curl the dumbbells while your palms are facing each other.
Sitting Biceps Exercise
Dumbbell isolation curls require you to sit on the edge of a bench and lean forward, placing one elbow against the inside of your thigh so your forearm is perpendicular to your leg. Straighten your arm to lower the dumbbell down to the floor and then curl it back up to your shoulder. After you’re done with your set, switch arms.
Training Schedule
Because your workouts are going to take a significant amount of time and will completely overload your biceps, your muscles will need about 72 hours of rest in between each session. Therefore, a bicep building workout technique would be to do your workout twice per week with two to three days of rest in between. Your biceps are going to be broken down and damaged following each of your workouts and it’s this damage that stimulates their development. It’s during the two days in between workouts that your biceps will heal and get bigger, so giving them the 72 hours they need is imperative for maximizing your results.
Lower Body Fat
Consistently following a high volume biceps weight training workout will develop size and tone in your biceps. However, if you currently possess an excess in body fat, this fat will be stored over the top of your biceps muscle. To achieve the cut muscular look, lower your body fat percentage with calorie burning activities. Incorporate regular bouts of cardiovascular exercise into your workout regimen to support a healthy body composition.
References
Writer Bio
Kim Nunley has been screenwriting and working as an online health and fitness writer since 2005. She’s had multiple short screenplays produced and her feature scripts have placed at the Austin Film Festival. Prior to writing full-time, she worked as a strength coach, athletic coach and college instructor. She holds a master's degree in kinesiology from California State University, Fullerton.