Biceps vs. Triceps

For anyone who lifts weights regularly, or even once in a while, knows the age old debate over whether working your biceps or triceps are more important. For most people who are not regular gym-goers, the answer is biceps. Similarly, if a person were asked how you get big arms, the answer would most likely be working your biceps. Many believe that exercising the triceps is useless because it doesn’t change the appearance of the arm as much as the bicep. THIS IS WRONG. Triceps are the secret to putting muscle mass onto your arms. In a recent poll, people were shown two pictures of an arm; one arm with an exceptionally large bicep, and the other with an exceptionally large tricep. The arms measured the same size, and yet over 80 percent of people said the arm with the muscular tricep was larger. The absurd stereotype that has built up is that bodybuilders get the arms they have by pumping out a thousand biceps curls. The truth is that you’re better off with a quick set of 30 tricep extensions. I am not out to say it’s not good to increase size and strength in your biceps. Rather, I propose that one should spend an equal amount on working each muscle. You wouldn’t build a home without a back, don’t do it to your arms.

Dylan Scully