At age 17, I started my gym journey and my main goal was to increase my bicep size. I did some quick research to find out what the average bicep size for a 17-year-old, and I found out that I was slightly under average.
So, this motivated me even more to get bigger biceps, so as well as sharing you what the average bicep size is, I’m going to share some tips and tricks which I used to drastically increase my bicep size within the first year.
For a 17-year-old, the average bicep size is 31.1 inches for males and 29.5 inches for females. Through weight lifting, discipline, eating right, and getting enough sleep, I’m confident that anyone can increase their bicep size.
Average Bicep Size For 17 Year Old
The average bicep size completely depends on gender, males will usually have larger biceps than their female counterparts at around 13 years old. This is typically due to males starting puberty around this time.
By age 16, a male teenager has stopped going through puberty, and their muscles will continue to grow, so, at age 17, the average boy should be able to put on muscle in their biceps with relatively no issue at all. Testosterone should not be an issue.
For females it’s different, ladies don’t produce as much testosterone as a male, so their bicep size will be smaller, and they will find it harder to put on muscle compared to a man.
By age 17, it doesn’t mean your biceps will stop growing naturally, over time, your biceps should increase in size, and it slows down around the age of 40! So, you have a lot of time to grow physically, there’s no rush.
Table For Average Bicep Size For Teens (11-19):
| Age | Average Male Bicep Size(cm) | Average Female Bicep Size(cm) |
| 11 | 24.6 | 24.9 |
| 12 | 24.6 | 25.9 |
| 13 | 27.5 | 26.7 |
| 14 | 28 | 28.1 |
| 15 | 30 | 27.8 |
| 16 | 29.8 | 28.7 |
| 17 | 31.1 | 29.5 |
| 18 | 30.9 | 29.7 |
| 19 | 32.5 | 30.6 |
Source: https://criticalbody.com/average-bicep-size/
How To Effectively Measure Bicep Size
To measure your biceps, you only really require two things, so it isn’t a difficult task. All you need to know is how to properly flex your biceps, and you need to have a measuring tape.
Ensure that you measure by biceps consistently whilst working out, this allows you to understand the progress you are making. This can save you a ton of time, and help you maximize the results from your efforts by adding and removing workouts.
Step 1
The first step is to lay your arm on a flat surface, this allows you to keep the arm steady, and you will also get a consistent measurement.
Step 2
Now, I want you to flex your biceps as hard as possible, and wrap the measuring tape around the highest point of your bicep. Now, read where the measuring tape overlaps, this will be your measurement and the size of your bicep.
Step 3
Repeat this measurement multiple times, this helps you get an accurate measurement, you don’t want any inaccuracies as this can cause confusion. Trust me, I’ve been there, and it’s annoying when you think your biceps are shrinking.
Step 4
Measure every month to track progress as you age and work out. With consistent discipline, you should notice that your biceps are growing in size.
Also Read: Average Dumbbell Curl Weight For 15 Year Olds
Can A 17 Year Old Put On A Bicep Muscle?
By age 17, males should have fully gone through puberty, so I fully believe that the average 17-year-old should have no issues with putting on the bicep muscle. But some individuals will definitely have a harder time, and some will have an easier time putting on muscles.
Remember, genetics play a huge role in muscle gain, and so does hormonal, dietary, and lifestyle factors. There are some factors you can directly control such as lifestyle and diet, but the factors you can’t change are your genetics.
You often hear people throw around “I have bad genetics”, but this doesn’t mean it’s impossible for you to put on muscle, it just means you’ll have a harder time, and you will have to put in more work compared to your peers.
How To Increase Bicep Size As A 17 Year Old?
If you’re 17 and want to increase your bicep size, then chances are that you can do it with relatively no issues. If you were 14 or 15, then I’d understand the difficulties, but a 17 year old should be mostly done with puberty.
The best way to increase your bicep size is undoubtedly exercise, this is the most straightforward way to forcefully make your muscles grow. What this does is break down your muscles and rebuild them stronger and larger.
Along with ensuring that you’re getting enough calories in, I will recommend my favourite workouts that helped me build muscles during this difficult time. The goal is to put your biceps under stress which will force the muscles to grow.
The best workouts for your biceps are resistance workouts such as pull ups, chin ups, and lifting heavy weights such as dumbbells.
After an intense workout, sleep is almost as important as the workout itself, this is because sleep helps promote muscle growth. When you sleep this is the time where the body rebuilds and heals after a workout.
Eating Tips For A 17 Year Old
But just training alone isn’t enough to build biceps, you need to ensure that you get enough rest, and eat enough protein-rich foods. When I was 17, my favorite food was chicken breast, it’s extremely lean and affordable.
When building muscle, you want to be in a calorie surplus, this is what bodybuilders often refer to as “bulking”. You may put on some fat, but you will also put on muscle. This means you are burning fewer calories than you are consuming.
It’s also important that you create a structured meal plan, this is so you can track your calorie intake, and most importantly, you’re able to track how much protein you need, and how much protein you’re consuming each meal.
Creating a meal plan has worked especially well for me compared to when I used to eat whatever I wanted. I feel healthier, and I also feel stronger in the gym, this has helped me immensely in building muscle as a 17 year old.
Common Workouts That Increase Bicep Size
Down below, I’m going to discuss some of the most helpful workouts that I personally used as a 17 year old. Hopefully, it has the same effect on you so you’re able to build the biceps you want.
Pull Ups & Chin Ups
Pull ups and chin ups are some of the best workouts for a beginner athlete, this is because they can be performed almost anywhere. Pull ups and chin ups are compound workouts which means they target multiple muscles including the bicep.
Chin ups are slightly better for biceps, this is because they involve more biceps muscles than regular pull ups. This is when your grip is facing you, this will activate more of the bicep.
Bicep/Hammer Curls
Hammer curls are performed with dumbbells, they target primarily the biceps, but they will also work out your forearms. Just ensure that you use a weight you are comfortable with, this ensures that you do not injure yourself.
Hammer curls focuses on the biceps brachii which are the muscles on the outside of the biceps. These muscles are important for elbow flexion. This is why hammer curls are good, it focuses on a neglected part of the biceps.
Barbell Curls
Barbell curls are a great workout to use in combination with the workouts above, this is because they target the muscles responsible for arm flexion, The reason why I recommend barbell curls is that they can help fix any imbalances.
Bicep curls are also considered compound movements which means they will focus on many of the smaller muscles around the biceps. This is important for making your arms look bigger. These smaller muscles are often neglected.
Also Read: Benefits Of Barbell Curl
End Note
In conclusion, 17 year olds should have relatively no issues with building biceps, especially 17 year old males. This is because you’re mostly done through puberty, and with testosterone, you should be able to put on muscle fairly easily.
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