Put simply, anyone who claims that women shouldn’t have strong biceps is wrong.
It’s a common misconception that training your upper body is all about biceps curls, gains, and how much you can bench-press. But it goes way beyond that. Good muscle foundation has so many benefits, especially for women. So next time the guys ask why you’ve joined them in the gym on arm day hit them with the science:
Improve in other sports
Stereotypical as it might be, the numbers prove that activities like yoga pilates and gymnastics are particularly popular among women. But that doesn't mean that these are 'soft' sports. On the contrary. These activities require considerable upper body strength, stability, and mobility. And that’s not all: strong arms support the core during sports like running, hiking and volleyball as they relieve the load on the legs, allowing you to perform harder for longer.
Protect against injury
Good arm muscles (including good bone density) will protect you from fractures and injuries, should you have a fall or accident.
They look great
Don’t be afraid of what you think others find attractive. Having a strong and defined set of biceps looks really damn good. And since women tend to have a lower proportion of their lean tissue distributed in the upper body, you shouldn’t worry about developing upper arms like a bodybuilder.
How To Do Bicep Curls
Bicep curls are a basic and most helpful exercise for toning your arms. They work the biceps brachii, brachialis, and brachioradialis muscles. All you need is two 5-pound dumbbells. Follow these steps to do it correctly.
- Stand straight with your feet hip-width apart.
- Hold the dumbbells. Keep your elbows close to your body, and your palms facing forward.
- Now, without moving your upper arms, exhale, flex your elbows, and bring your palms close to your shoulders.
- Inhale and slowly lower your forearms to bring them back to the initial position.
- Repeat this 9 more times (1 set – 10 reps).
- Take a 1-minute break and do 2 more sets.
Let's recap:
Biceps aren't just for the boys. There's plenty of reasons why it's beneficial for women to develop upper body strength and fear of not conforming to stereotypes shouldn't be a reason not to.