Category: Fitness

When Is a Man’s Arm Considered Big?

When Is a Man’s Arm Considered Big?

davidpwahr

Over the years I’ve often wondered how do my overall measurements compare to the average guy – specifically my arms (I know how my weight compares). As I probably  stated before, I’ve always wanted to get my arms to 18″ (flexed, cold) and always seem to fall just short of my goal. Yeah, sometimes life just works out that way.

Size Matters

Now 18″ sure seems a reasonable size when you read about pro bodybuilders with 20, 21, or even 22″ arms. Granted, the pros are more than likely exaggerating their size to maintain a certain mystique, maintain their ego, and even to “psyche” out the competition.  Also, their size is very likely beyond the normal, non-chemically enhanced person. There are also experts, such as Ellington Darden – one of my favorite workout “gurus” of the eighties, who say that because of improper measuring almost all arm sizes are exaggerated (especially with a cloth tape which can add a quarter of an inch to the circumference because of the width of the tape itself).

What is Average?

Anyway,  finding out the stats on the average male arm was tougher than I thought! There are several articles and discussions on the web and they mostly point back to the same one or two sources – Men’s Health magazine among them – and the answer seems to be that an American man of 5’9.5″ at a body weight of 175 has arms which are 13″ in circumference. What I can’t find is if that’s a flexed or unflexed measurement. My guess is unflexed since 13″ seems a bit on the small side to me for a flexed arm of a fully grown man, but I could be wrong.

Now granted I’m a little taller and a lot heavier than the so-called “average” man I’ve referred to above, but in any case my arms are significantly larger than 13″ even unflexed (about 14.75″ unflexed – 16 flexed as of this morning). I, of course, don’t think my arms look that big, but I imagine that’s common among those of us who workout to get both bigger and stronger, and hanging around gyms and guys who workout does mean that I tend to be around people who are, on average, larger than average. Heck, my former training partner’s arms taped at around 18″ and I’ve compared myself to him for years – even when his arms where “only” about 16″ and mine where in that average neighborhood of 13″ (was I really that “small” once?).

My Experience and Opinion

My own personal obsession with big arms, and bodybuilding in general,  was probably strengthened when I was first diagnosed with Crohn’s and my weight dropped to below 140 lbs and my arms shrank to 11″ (flexed! – I was literally skin and bones at that point).

However, all the above are just statistics. I think ultimately, a man’s arm is considered big simply when it looks big. I know men who are relatively short (below 5’10”) and have arms that appear massive (Google any male gymnastic team). But in reality, they don’t tape over 16″. Likewise, there are tall men (6′ or more) who appear thin, but their arms tape at over 17″ (think basketball players). Perspective plays a big role in appearance. That along with bodyfat percentage and muscle shape (see examples below). 

To Sum it Up

Keep lifting, watch your diet so that your bodyfat stays low and ignore the tape. You’ll be surprised at how big your arms look. If you want to find out how big you are compared to other lifters and “recreational” bodybuilders check out my blog post How Do My Arms Stack Up to Other Gym Bros and participate in my survey to add to the data I’ve collected on this topic.

Oh, and wear shirts one size smaller than you usually do. That’s the fastest way to get big arms. But for the secret to building big arms (which isn’t a secret) check out my post on the subject here.

I’m curious as to what other people think. When do you think an arm is “big?” And I, of course, mean in a solid, muscular way.

Onward!

NOTE: In September 2018 I researched average arm size again and found that 13″ still appears to be the standard for a 20 – 29 year old man. However, this number moves closer to 14″ in middle age (50+) presumably due to an increase in body fat however, not an increase in muscle mass. The 13″ arm is also based on a man of average height (in the USA about 5’9″. No doubt taller men may have naturally larger arms and there’s always that one guy out there who never trains but has the arms of a Mountain Gorilla anyway).

P.S. Do you wonder when a man’s chest is considered big? Check out my blog on that subject HERE!

Olympic gymnast Jake Dalton. Noted for the size of his biceps – but at a height of 5’5″ his arms likely do not tape over 16″ (note: since this post was first put up I have actually been in contact with Jake. As of 2021 his arms tape in at about 16″ (40.64cm). Though he still trains it’s likely his arms were larger when he was an Olympic gymnast). However, proportionately to his physique his build is impressive. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
The impressive arm of Peter K. Vaughn (@peter.kv on Instagram – check out his website ). On it’s own it appears big, but check the tape. At 16″ it’s not big by most traditional bodybuilding standards. However, excellent definition and muscle shape – particularly the peak of the bicep – contribute to the appearance of appearing larger than it is.
Here’s my arm at about the same size as Peter’s. It doesn’t appear as big due to my much higher bodyfat percentage and the relatively flat shape of my biceps. My forearm looks good though. For reference Peter and I are just about the same height (5’10” and 5’11” respectively).
Here’s my friend Ty Clifton, who is 6’3″ with a long, lean overall physique. On the left his arm measures 18″ and on the right 17.5″. Notice that the smaller arm looks larger due to the increased definition. Because of his height his arm needs to be larger than any of the others I’ve used as an example to appear to be big – which they are! (Photo courtesy of Ty Clifton on Instagram @bigcherryfit).

Changes…

davidpwahr

Well, for those of you who are friends of mine on Facebook and longtime friends here you already know this but this is for anyone else who happens to stumble upon my infrequent blogs…

About 30 years ago I started to lose weight for now reason. This was accompanied by an intense pain in my gut that seemed nearly constant. Within a matter of 2 or 3 months I went from a relatively healthy 180 pounds (at 5’11”) to a clearly unhealthy 140. All the muscle mass I had worked a couple years to put on was gone almost overnight. Vomiting and diarrhea were the norm for me. Well after many medical tests – most of them uncomfortable at the very least – the diagnoses was in. I had Crohn’s.

Now this was much better than my worst fear which was that I had cancer. My family was worried, my co-workers were worried, my friends were worried, and so on. The good news is that I was given some pills (sulfasalazine and prednisone) reacted well to the medicine and within weeks started to put the weight back on – and then some. My doctor’s instructions at the time were to take one of the sulfasalazine pills each day and the prednisone only for my worst flare ups. This treatment seemed to work and unlike so many other Crohn’s sufferers – some who are friends here on Bodyspace – my life was pretty normal. I’ve actually gained too much fat (along with a fair amount of muscle by the way) and flare ups have been few and far aweigh.

My treatment was coming from my primary care doctor and I never saw a gastroenterologist in all those years until last week. And he pretty much rocked my world. After discussion he said, “I’m not sure you have Crohn’.” I said something along the lines of “Whaaaaaa?” and he went on to explain that though my symptoms are Crohn’s like that the dosage of the medicine I took at best had a placebo effect and that there are many other conditions which mimic Crohn’s and we know so much more today. My colonoscopy a few years ago was so good (yay) that there is no indication of anything odd in my gut.

We are starting from scratch. I have a CT Scan scheduled for next week. IF there’s evidence of Crohn’s I get to have a biopsy taken. If I don’t, well, we don’t know yet.

So this thing, as bad as it has been, has been part of my life for three decades. I didn’t like it but it had a name and in many ways has become part of my identity. I’m not really sure how I feel about possibly not having it any more, but if what I do have can be cured…well, I’m all for that.

Oh, and once again my job is in jeopardy. The College I work at is about to go under a “fiscal watch” by the state, we are all getting another pay cut and lay offs will be announced in January. So, I’ve got some interesting stress in my life right now.

How’s everything with everyone else?

Moving forward…

Fitness Quest: Game On!

davidpwahr

My workout and diet needed a kick start so I’m now involved in a little friendly competition with not one friend, but two.

I’ve had a long standing competition with a colleague who I see 2 – 3 times a year. Basically, we take a few key measurements (waist, chest, arms, weight) and then see who can improve the most between meetings. Well, we’ve both slacked off a bit over the last couple so I got the idea that if two of us competing is good, three is better. Enter my one time lifting partner, long time inspiration, and brother-in-law.

Interestingly, he (the bro-in-law) has the potential to be the largest of us as he’s the tallest (6’1″ ) and to my knowledge has actually been the biggest – with a nearly 49 inch chest and 18.5 inch arms (solid) at one point.  My friend is a little shorter – six foot – but also can get pretty big in the arms and chest. Me, I’m the shortest at 5’11” (if I stretch and in the morning) and am the only one who has never gotten his arms over that 18″ mark (yet).

This time out though my focus is a little different. In the past I’ve been keen on building the biceps and chest. Now, I’m focusing on getting the waist down since I learned that at this moment my brother-in-law and I are now the same weight, have the same size chest, and there’s less than a quarter inch in our respective arm size. In other words, except for height, we are right now about equal. His waist though is smaller which I think gives him an overall “strong” look while I look mostly just fat. Of course, this may also be my best chance to build my arms larger than his….hmmmm. Decisions, decisions. Perhaps I need to go for both?

Anyone care to join us?

Proportions and Records

Proportions and Records

davidpwahr

While looking through my old training stuff I discovered that I weigh just about the same as I did in 2002 but much more than I did in 1995 (I’ve been keeping training/body comp records it seems since the mid 1980s). Kind of fascinating to be able to look back and see how far I’ve come and/or regressed over the years. Anyone else keep records from when they first
started? Do they motivate you today or depress you?

This look through my past also reminded me that many years ago I saw an article on “ideal bodybuilding proportions” which included a calculator (for men) to use based on wrist size to determine your “ideal” proportions. Well, a Google search failed to find the original article but I found a calculator which I think is close. If anyone is interested it is at:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/drobson207.htm

Interestingly enough I never quite got to my ideal measurements but a lot closer than I thought I had. Just another half an inch on my arms and about 2 on my chest (and a couple off my waist) and I would have been there!

Fitness Quest: 5K Results

davidpwahr

Just a brief updated: I survived my 5K this morning and did not finish last either overall or in my age group (hurray).

Next year I’m aiming to improve my time some as I move into a different age group and based on this year’s times I would have placed 3rd in that group. So now I’ve got a little more motivation and a realistic goal. The overall winner came in at about 15 minutes – and I know that’s not going to happen (he ran about a 5 minute mile).

Onward!

Fitness Quest: 5K’s and Me

davidpwahr

So, a few months ago I signed up to run in a 5K which is held in my home town – and oddly enough in Los Angeles as well – called the Rose Run (more info at http://www.theroserun.com). It’s for cancer research which is a cause I whole heartedly support since in the past three years my father, mother, and sister were all diagnosed with various cancers (I supported funding for research before as well, just not as earnestly). My intention at the time I signed up was, of course, to train all out for the event. But, as so often happens with me it seems, my good intentions were for naught and now the date is quickly approaching and I’m afraid that not only won’t I break my previous time but that I’ll have trouble finishing the race. It will be a little embarrassing because a good friend, who regularly runs marathons, will also be running in the race as well. Don’t worry – I will still show up and “do it” as Nike urges and since it’s for a good cause I’m not really to concerned about my time anyway.

So why do I bring this up you ask? Well, it occurs to me that though I set a goal for myself I failed (or will fail) because I really did not take the goal seriously. I think that this is a trap that many of us may fall into with our training. We say “I’m going to get in shape” or “I’m going to be huge” or “I want to be ripped” or whatever but with out a definite and specific end in mind or a plan to get there. What’s more is that we are often unrealistic in our expectations. For example, if I wanted to do well in this 5K I should have started training months ago during the dead of winter. I remember back in my early lifting days I would somehow have in my head that I could work out hard for a couple weeks and I’d have to start buying new shirts. Ours is a lifestyle of patience. Biceps don’t grow overnight (well, they kind of do along with other muscles but not very quickly) and races aren’t won the week before. Fitness is a lot of small activities and commitments which add up to big changes in months and years not in days and weeks.

How many people have started a training program only to quit in a couple weeks because they weren’t seeing results? Then blame genetics or some factor outside their control for failing. News flash folks – genetics comes into play only at the elite levels of any given sport. We maybe can’t all be Mr. Olympia but we can all be a whole lot fitter than we are today and certainly fitter than the guy chowing down on Fritos and watching TV all weekend.

So, join me in getting out there and just doing it!

Planet Fitness or Planet Fatness

davidpwahr

I don’t know if I’ve discussed this but what does everyone think regarding Planet Fitness’ philosophy. At least their ad?

I’m torn – on one hand I think that no one should be intimidated going to the gym. Everyone starts somewhere and the gym should ultimately be a supporting place and no one who is trying to improve themselves should be teased or humiliated (unlike, oh I don’t know, a high school locker room). But, it also seems to me that they are encouraging people to put limits on their progress especially when I read reports of them telling people to leave because their t-shirts are too tight and making other people feel intimidated (this happened to a young woman). I agree that people shouldn’t be rude/loud/obnoxious in the gym (and those folks – usually guys – are there) but if there aren’t a few “after” folks around will the “before” gang ever move forward?

Granted, there is a time and place that showing off may be acceptable (see my earlier blog on “When to Show Off and When Not to Show Off” if you want my thoughts/rant on this) but the gym is not it. The gym is the place to do the work which leads to the beach, being asked all the time to help people move, etc.

I’d love to read everyone else’s thoughts.

Onward!

Fitness Quest: General Update

davidpwahr

It’s been a while since I’ve added a new blog entry, so I thought I better add one before I forget how!

Nothing exciting to add, just some more of the usual I’m afraid, but the past few months have been okay for me but not great health-wise and workout wise. I’m mostly back to normal life since the passing of my father on Christmas Day (you never really recover fully from the loss of a family member but I’m coping better now) and I’ve kept busy with my theatre. I just finished playing “Big Daddy” in Tennessee William’s “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.” One of the most demanding roles I’ve tackled – even though I’m still more than a decade to young for the part – and one of the most gratifying in many ways. Great cast mates and the opportunity to work off some “off stage” aggression and depression. Audiences seemed to enjoy the performance and I was even recognized while out a week later (fans, you gotta love them).

Unfortunately, I’ve used theatre as an excuse to stay away from the gym – after all “Big Daddy” doesn’t need to be thin – but that’s past now. I’m busy with work and family activities but now is time to start training for another 5K this summer. I still do my tap dancing once a week but I’ll need more cardio to get my time down from my last effort two years ago (has it really been that long? Yes!).

Looking to drop about 20 lbs this summer and actually add some muscle back to this old frame. Wish me luck! I hope everyone else is reaching their goals.

Onward!

Fitness Quest: Back In The Saddle Again

davidpwahr

Okay, to say that I’ve been slacking lately would be an understatement. I’ve had a rough fall and winter emotionally (my father passed away on Christmas day following a several month battle with cancer) and otherwise. I’ve kept my self to busy doing “things” and not really focusing on any one thing. Naturally, based on my old habits, exercise and fitness fell to the wayside. The last couple of months, my diet has taken a definite down turn as well. I don’t know if it’s the cold, snow, or combination thereof, but frankly I haven’t cared about much of anything for well over two months now (I’m sure that Dad’s passing was a huge factor and on top of it my entire family seems to be susceptible to clinical depression).

So, this week while at a work conference I run into a friend who has always been in great shape and he’s finding some difficulty staying motivated as well (though from my perspective he’s still in good shape – big solid arms, chest larger than his waist, broad shoulders, etc.) so we renewed an old competition to see who can make the most progress to reaching former “glory” before our next meeting in June. He actually has the stats we recorded from the last time we had a friendly wager and we are going to use those as our goal. Of course, this will mean recording some probably depressing stats (I’m afraid to measure my waist and to find out how much I’ve lost in the arms and chest) but enough is enough!

I realize that I may not improve as quickly as I used to back in my 30s or 40s but I’m still pretty pain free without arthritis and other joint problems (not counting my Crohn’s which has been mercifully quiet for some time now – knock wood) so I should do okay even though my friend is 9 years younger. He’s the father of an active 7 year old son though so he has some scheduling issues which I don’t have.

Anyway, wish me luck! I hope I can show the young whippersnapper that the old man still has it.

Onward and upward!

Fitness Quest: Ugh…

davidpwahr

Okay, so after a pretty long and busy couple days -I had to wake up at 3:30 AM to catch a flight this morning after my flight home was canceled yesterday evening- I finally got around to using some of my new found motivation to take a few stats.

First, and the biggest surprise, though my weight was up my bodyfat was way down. Some of this is because I weighed myself after I had been up a few hours and I think that when I’m properly hydrated my bodyfat registers lower than when I first wake up in the morning. But, I’m going to take this as a good sign anyway because I can!

The rest of my stats were not as encouraging. My waistline has hit an all time high, but my chest is still a couple inches bigger. However, that’s probably also due to too much fat. Arms still feel hard but I’ve lost some ground, not as much as I thought, by the way I still measure my arms flexed and not unflexed as the video says I should. Trust me, when someone says that they have 19″ arms they aren’t measuring unflexed unless they are truly obese! I’ll need some help to get my shoulder measurements and my calves are actually significantly larger but still hard and defined. No doubt from carrying all the weight around from my gut!

So, my work is cut out for me but I know I can make big improvements if I just keep my head in the game and the doughnuts out of my mouth!

Onward and upward!