How Big Are Your Biceps? Compare With The Average Bicep Size Data

Your biceps brachii are a large muscle group in your upper arm between your shoulders and forearms. They are highly influential in elbow flexion and forearm rotation. As a result, they are prime movers in many upper-body workouts and daily activities involving lifting, pulling, and carrying.

Bicep isolation exercises are beneficial for building bicep strength and size as they don’t elicit much support from surrounding muscles. These exercises encourage bicep muscle hypertrophy, which increases muscle cells to stimulate growth.

The chart below lists average bicep sizes for men and women in different age brackets. Large biceps can be subjective based on opinion or personal preference. Therefore, we also provide a baseline reference for what we consider big.

Read on for details on average bicep sizes by age and gender and methods to measure your biceps. You will also discover information on popular bodybuilder bicep sizes for reference.

Average Bicep Size By Age And Gender

Age	Men	Women
Young Adult (18–30)	13–15 inches	12–13 inches
Middle Age (30–50)	13–14 inches	11–12 inches
Older Adult (50+)	12–13 inches	10–12 inches

This chart depicts average bicep size data by gender in the following age groups: young adult, middle-aged, and older adult. The information demonstrates that young adult and middle-aged males generally have the largest bicep sizes of the groups. Women have smaller average biceps than men, and both genders show a progressive decline in average size with age.

Many factors influence average bicep size. The main ones include body mass index, strength training, age, gender, and diet. 

Your BMI refers to the amount of body fat you have based on your weight and height. This impacts bicep size as a higher BMI contributes to a larger arm width, increasing bicep size. 

Age has a significant impact on bicep size and muscle mass in general. As we age, we become more susceptible to loss in muscle mass if we don’t prioritize strength training for muscle health. 

Gender influences differences in bicep muscle size due to factors like hormonal variations, diet, body fat profiles, and activity level. Men typically have higher muscle mass levels than women due to increased levels of testosterone which directly influence muscle growth.

Average Bicep Size By Age 

As the chart above demonstrates, the greatest muscle mass levels generally occur between ages 18 and 30. This is when the body produces its highest levels of hormones like testosterone and human growth hormone. These hormones directly influence the body’s ability to build and maintain muscle mass, which regular strength training enhances.

After age 30, muscle mass begins to decline in many individuals due to a muscular degenerative disease called sarcopenia. This condition results in a progressive loss of muscle mass and strength and primarily affects elderly populations. 

As we age, the rate of muscle loss increases, with an average of individuals losing around 10% –14% of muscle mass per decade. This rate can increase after age 70 without preventative measures like strength training and regular physical activity. This is why strength training is so important to maintaining muscle and joint health and preventing degenerative muscle loss.

Average Bicep Size By Gender

As noted above, men have larger biceps on average than women due to several factors. The main ones include hormonal differences, muscle fiber composition, and body fat distribution. 

Men have higher quantities of testosterone than women, which directly impacts muscle growth. This hormone plays a key role in building muscle, enabling men to develop larger biceps than women naturally.

Another contributing factor is muscle fiber composition. Men naturally have higher levels of lean body mass and lower body fat levels than women. This can directly influence muscle cell count and size, enabling men to grow larger biceps than women more easily.

Although men generally have larger biceps than women, women can effectively increase their bicep size with targeted arm workouts. Incorporating some bicep workouts for women into your routine will significantly support your goals of building larger and stronger arms.

What Bicep Size Is Considered Big? 

A bicep size that is considered big is subjective to personal opinion and preference. However, as we saw above, young adult men’s average biceps range from 13–15 inches, and women’s range from 12–13 inches. By these standards, biceps measuring 15+ inches for men and 13+ inches for women are generally classified as big.

Ways To Increase Bicep Size

Many powerlifters, strength athletes, and fitness enthusiasts want to increase their biceps size. Strength training is one of the most effective methods for this. When we lift weights, we create micro-tears in our muscle fibers, which stimulate growth as the muscle rebuilds. 

Performing bicep strengthening exercises consistently leads to stronger and larger biceps. Bicep peak exercises are beneficial for increasing the size of the largest part of the bicep. In the next section, we explain how to measure this part of the muscle.

Below are some suggested options for programming bicep workouts into your routine, depending on goals and fitness levels.

1. Upper Body Pull — Include bicep exercises such as bicep curls or EZ bar curls into the upper-body pull day of a 3 day workout split. These are effective after other pull-focused exercises like deadlifts, seated rows, and lat pulldowns.
2. Arms And Forearms — Bicep workouts like hammer curls and Zottman curls are great for bicep isolation in an arms and forearms routine. Program them with other exercises, such as tricep dips and skull crushers for a targeted upper-arm workout.
3. Back And Biceps — Compound movements like upright rows and bent-over rows are a valuable part of a balanced back and biceps workout. These exercises target multiple muscle groups at the same time. Incorporate them after exercises like pull-ups and lat pulldowns for a comprehensive back and bicep routine.

Using your one repetition maximum is a beneficial method for finding the maximum weight you can handle for one repetition. The recommended load ranges below serve as a guide depending on your training routine and goals:

• Endurance load range: 40%–60% of your one repetition max. 
• Hypertrophy load range: 60%–80% of your one repetition max. 
• Strength and power load range: 80%–100% of your one repetition max.

Your diet is also a key to building muscle and larger biceps. Incorporating sufficient protein into the diet contributes to muscle maintenance and gain due to protein’s amino acid composition. It’s particularly important to consume adequate protein soon after lifting weights while the damaged muscle fibers are working to repair.

How To Measure Biceps

There are several ways to measure upper arm size based on the resources and tools you have available. Below we discuss methods for measuring with your arms relaxed or flexed.

Measuring Biceps In A Relaxed State

1. Stand up straight with your arms relaxed at your sides.
2. Locate the bicep as the midpoint between your shoulder and the top of your elbow.
3. Have someone else wrap a soft measuring tape around your biceps. This is your relaxed bicep measurement.

Measuring Biceps In A Flexed State

1. Sit at a table and rest your arm on the tabletop.
2. Make a fist and curl your forearm towards your shoulder like during a bicep curl. Squeeze it as tightly as possible to activate the muscle maximally.
3. Have someone hold the end of the soft measuring tape over the peak of your bicep until both ends meet. This is your flexed bicep measurement.

The Bicep Sizes Of Popular Bodybuilders For Reference 

The bicep sizes of popular bodybuilders will typically be much larger than the average fitness enthusiast or even powerlifting athlete. They follow specialized, intensive training programs with strict diet plans, sometimes including supplementation. Professional male bodybuilders have average bicep sizes ranging from 20–24 inches, and female bodybuilders’ average bicep ranges from 15–18 inches.

Below are some general measurements of well-known bodybuilders to give you a reference for big biceps:

• Arnold Schwarzenegger, professional bodybuilder, politician, actor, and Mr. Universe title holder, had biceps measuring 20.5 inches at his peak.
• Ronnie Coleman, professional bodybuilder and 8-time Mr. Olympia title holder, had biceps measuring approximately 24 inches in his prime.
• Iris Kyle, professional bodybuilder and 10-time Ms. Olympia title holder, had biceps ranging from 16–17 inches at her peak.

This just goes to show that large biceps very much depend on personal opinion and preference. Measurements that are considered big by average standards are still no match for the professionals. If you are seeking to grow your biceps, the sky is the limit. 

Conclusion

As discussed, multiple factors contribute to average bicep size, including age, gender, and lifestyle behaviors. On average, men have larger biceps than women and younger adults generally have larger biceps than middle-aged and older adults. There are ways to increase bicep size, with regular strength training and increasing protein intake being among the most effective.  

As the biceps have two heads, they are frequently activated and support multiple upper-body movements. Training them requires a targeted structure and focused approach. By programming tailored arm workouts and diet alterations into your routine, you can work towards developing larger, stronger biceps.