Men’s Classic Physique competitor, Terrence Ruffin won the 2025 EVLS Prague Pro to secure his place at the 2026 Olympia final, but while the man they call “Ruff Diesel” has built an impressive pair of biceps, the former Airforce Senior Airman says that his arms have been one of the biggest challenges in terms of growth. Fortunately, Ruffin shared the three moves that now have his sleeves running scared.
“Arms have taken the longest time to grow for me,” shared the experienced competitor who earned his IFBB Pro Card back in 2014, while just 21-years-old. “But by focusing on 2 to 3 movements (to hit the biceps brachii and brachialis) twice a week, I’ve been able to make great progress.”
Ruffin shared on social media that relies on a unilateral approach to arm day, making sure that both limbs are balanced in terms of strength and mobility, by working each side separately. The big man also uses a slow and controlled movement for added time under tension.
What Are Terrence Ruffin’s Top 3 Bicep Exercises for Muscle Mass?
Single Arm Curls
Leaning against a preacher bench for stability, Ruffin goes super heavy on single arm curls, a move that primarily targets the biceps brachii, the two-headed muscle at the front of the upper arm used for elbow flexion. And, since the brachialis under the bicep is also used to flex the elbow, this muscle is activated too.
Single Arm Preacher Curls
Taking a seat, Ruffin’s second move is a single preacher curl to seriously isolate the biceps brachii once again, while the brachialis is also recruited to help lift the load.
Single-Arm Cable Hammer Curls
Unlike the regular bicep curl, hammer curls require the palm to be facing towards your torso as you bring the weight up. And, this subtle change in hand placement has a big effect, since the movement will now put greater emphasis on the brachialis and forearm.
“As for sets, I usually do 2 to 3,” explained the two-time Arnold Classic winner. Ruffin also went on to tell his almost 100,000 Instagram followers that for determining reps, he uses the “Double Progression” method a term coined by coach Paul Carter. Essentially the two-step process focuses on finding progressive overload by starting out with around 8 reps to determine form, and then bringing the reps down to 4 to 8 in order to ramp up the intensity in the final set.
To follow Terrence Ruffin on Instagram, click here.
