Build bigger biceps by squatting
October 14th, 2011 // 7:30 am @ Chris
If your goal is bigger biceps then you want to make sure that squats are implemented in to your exercise schedule.
No, I haven’t gone crazy by recommending a ‘leg’ exercise to help build bigger arms, the science behind it is pretty simple.
Full body exercise
Whilst the back squat (where a weighted barbell is placed on the top of your back) is often seen as a leg exercise and will obviously target your leg muscles greatly, it’s actually one of the best compound exercises you can do to target muscle growth throughout your whole body.
The squat is a full body exercise, it gets your core muscles working overtime to stop you from collapsing under the weight, your chest and back are working together in a isometric contraction (without movement) with the arms to support the bar and hold it in place and obviously your leg muscles are all working throughout different phases of the squat.
Release of extra Growth Hormone
The benefit of squatting (as it is with deadlifts, cleans etc) is that because your larger muscles are being placed under stress the bodies release of growth hormone and Testosterone is greater. Its these to hormones that get your muscles growing.
If you was to work out each week without targeting these big muscle groups and solely worked on smaller muscles (like the bicep) your body will not release as much of these hormones, which will limit your growth potential .
Furthermore, your body is pretty complex and clever, it will limit the amount of growth in certain areas to prevent your body become too out of balance and misshaped. Therefore by doing that squats, your body is being worked as one and will grow all over and allow for bigger gains in your biceps (or other muscles).
Keep this in mind
“You’ll never meet a man who can squat 2x his bodyweight and doesn’t have big biceps”
Category : Blog &Exercise &Weight Gain &Weight Training
