How often you should do arm workouts is a common question in the fitness world. To some extent, the answer depends on what you are trying to accomplish with your fitness regime. We tend to think more is better, but that is not always the case. Your muscles need time to recover, but they also need a lot of work to get stronger and bigger. Finding the balance between working out and resting is the key to the best muscle growth. The timing of how often to do arm workouts, as well as working on other parts of your body, is as important as the workout itself.
Finding the balance
Doing arm workouts every day will stunt the growth of your arm muscles. Not doing workouts enough, or not using enough weight, will also hamper growth. The key is to find the sweet spot for the best muscle growth. This is true for arms as well as all other parts of your body. This balance may be a little different for individuals, so it may take some time to find the best balance for yourself.
Types of workouts
Experts disagree on the timing. Some say it is ok to workout every day, as long as you do different workouts. Most say it is best to take at least one day off per week completely, but there are differing opinions on how many days to take off. Doing only a few reps per day means you can take fewer days off, but if you do a lot of reps, you need more time off for your muscles to recover and grow. The same is true for heavy lifting. Some say you should only do the heavy lifting a few days per week for the best growth.
Range of motion
Another important aspect is to do “full range of motion” in your arm workouts. This means doing the exercise to the fullest extent or the complete motion that your arm can make. This creates the most stress on the muscle and causes the most growth. Making sure you do the full range of motion is actually more important than how much weight you lift. Part of this is to also lift slowly and under control. Try to feel the muscles as they work in your arms.
Stages of growth
It is important to get started with a good foundation. If you are a beginner and do not see positive results, you may get discouraged and quit. Make sure you are doing your routines correctly to get the best results. Beginners also need more time to recover, so you should work out with less frequency. As you progress, you can adjust your routine to what works best for you. For the best results, start with basic lifting and pay attention to doing it the right way.