Should You Train Triceps Before or After Biceps

man flexing biceps and triceps muscle
So you're at the gym, and you've decided it's time to start toning your arms. You know that you should be training your triceps and biceps separately, but you're not sure which comes first. Should you train triceps before or after biceps? Here's what you need to know.

What does the biceps muscle consists of?

The biceps muscle is made up of two different heads, the long head and the short head. The long head originates from the top of the shoulder blade, while the short head originates from the front of the shoulder. The biceps muscle is responsible for flexing the elbow and supinating the forearm.

The long head of the biceps muscle is the primary mover when the arm is flexed from a position where the elbow is higher than the shoulder.

The long head of the biceps muscle is also called supraglenoid tubercle and you can primarly train this head with overhead movements. Such as , Seated Alternating Dumbbell Curls, Standing Resistance Band Hammer Curls and Cross Body Hammer Curls.

The short head of the biceps muscle is the primary mover when the arm is flexed from a position where the elbow is lower than the shoulder.

The short head of the biceps muscle is also called the coracobrachialis and you can primarly train this head with curl variations that keep the elbow close to the body. Such as, Seated Dumbbell Curls, Standing Resistance Band Hammer Curls and Cross Body Hammer Curls.

What does the triceps muscle consists of?

The triceps muscle is made up of three different heads, the long head, the lateral head, and the medial head. The long head originates from the back of the shoulder blade, while the lateral and medial heads originate from the front of the shoulder. The triceps muscle is responsible for extending the elbow.

The long head of the triceps muscle is the primary mover when the arm is extended from a position where the elbow is higher than the shoulder.

The long head of the triceps muscle is also called the infraglenoid tubercle and you can primarly train this head with overhead movements. Such as, Lying Triceps Extensions, Seated Overhead Dumbbell Extensions, and Standing Resistance Band Kickbacks.

The lateral head of the triceps muscle is the primary mover when the arm is extended from a position where the elbow is lower than the shoulder.

The lateral head of the triceps muscle is also called the great triceps brachii and you can primarly train this head with pushdown variations. Such as, Seated Dumbbell Triceps Extensions, Lying Triceps Extensions, and Standing Resistance Band Kickbacks.

Medial heads are not significantly activated in either position.

Benefits of training biceps first

One of the benefits of training biceps first is that you can fully exhaust the muscle before moving on to triceps. This is because when you train your biceps, your triceps are also engaged as they help to stabilize the weight. However, when you train your triceps first, your biceps are not engaged and therefore will not be as tired.

Another benefit of training biceps first is that you can use lighter weights. This is because the biceps are a smaller muscle group than the triceps. Therefore, you won’t need to lift as heavy in order to exhaust the muscle.

Benefits of training triceps first

One of the benefits of training triceps first is that you can use heavier weights. This is because the triceps are a larger muscle group than the biceps. Therefore, you can lift more weight in order to exhaust the muscle.

Another benefit of training triceps first is that you can fully focus on the muscle group. This is because when you train your biceps, your triceps are also engaged as they help to stabilize the weight. However, when you train your triceps first, your biceps are not engaged and therefore you can focus all of your attention on the triceps muscle group.

Benefits of switching from biceps to triceps every exercise

One of the benefits of switching from biceps to triceps is that you can fully focus on each muscle group.

Another benefit is you have longer rest periods between each biceps exercise and tricep exercise. This is because after you are done with a bicep exercise your biceps are most likely to be very tired. Now you can focus on the triceps, and the triceps had enough time to almost fully recover.

This way of switching every exercise can also be done in a very fast tempo this is called a super-set. This will lead to an even higher heart rate and more fat burning. Super-sets can lead to less time in the gym while still getting great results.

What is better for overall arm development?

There is no definitive answer to this question as it depends on your individual goals. If you are looking to develop your biceps more, then training them first would be more beneficial. However, if you are looking to develop your triceps more, then training them first would be more beneficial.

However, studies have shown that when people switch back and forth between training biceps and triceps, they see more overall growth in both muscle groups which leads to an increase in recovery time. Therefore, if you are looking for overall arm development, it is best to switch between training the biceps and triceps.

Eventually it all comes down to what you prefer and what works best for you. You might find that you see better results by training biceps first, or you might find that you see better results by training triceps first. Ultimately, it is up to you to experiment and find out what works best for you.

Conclusion on Should You Train Triceps Before or After Biceps

There is no definitive answer to this question as it depends on your individual goals. However, studies have shown that when people switch back and forth between training biceps and triceps, they see more overall growth in both muscle groups which leads to an increase in recovery time. Therefore, if you are looking for overall arm development, it is best to switch between training the biceps and triceps. Experiment and find out what works best for you.

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