Can't get biceps sore anymore

**bRKBEATz** · 06-17-2005, 12:38 PM

I've always had trouble getting my biceps sore the next day but lately I don't feel anything the day after I workout. I know that soreness does not equate to building muscle, but I feel like I did something wrong if I'm not sore the next day at all.

I do 4 sets of hammer curls to failure and 3 sets of straight bar curls to failure for my bicep workout, it seems like most people on this board recommend a workout similar to that. When I leave the gym my arms are dead, but I don't feel anything the next day. Is something wrong?

**chest6** · 06-17-2005, 01:35 PM

The same thing was starting to happen to me and i was reading on here a couple of different tips. Make sure you arent helping the weight at all (swinging with the back whatsoever) Keep your back straight and make sure it doesnt go back during the lift at all. Also make sure you go all the way down where your arm is straight. You can also try the 3/2 tempo discribed in Swolecat's leg routine where the bar travels 3 seconds down and 2 seconds up

**devil1** · 06-17-2005, 01:48 PM

i say change it up for a while, hit the easy curl bar wide and close grip and some alternating incline dumbell curls. try doing preachers too they always leave me sore the next day, just make sure like chest said to do full movements

**bRKBEATz** · 06-17-2005, 02:13 PM

I'm pretty sure my form is perfect and I'm not using momentum at all. If I do around 12 sets I'm somewhat sore the day after but everyone says that is overtraining for biceps.

I've tried switching up the excercises, but it doesn't really help. Like I said, my arms are completely exhausted when I leave the gym, even turning the steering wheel to drive home is hard, but the next day I feel nothing.

**SwoleCat** · 06-17-2005, 02:15 PM

Try static holds on the last rep of each set of each exercise.

That usually does it.

~SC~

**bRKBEATz** · 06-17-2005, 02:20 PM

Not sure what that means, does it mean hold the bar at the top of my curl and squeeze bicep?

**SwoleCat** · 06-17-2005, 02:21 PM

You would hold the d-bell or b-bell stationary exactly halfway down the movement on the negative portion. Usually when your forearms are parallel to the ground.

~SC~

**bRKBEATz** · 06-17-2005, 02:26 PM

Cool, thanks.

**SwoleCat** · 06-17-2005, 02:29 PM

Try 7-10 second holds on the last rep of each set.

It'll kill.

~SC~

**chest6** · 06-17-2005, 03:46 PM

Those are painful..I usually almost drop the bar after that..they sure do work tho.

**hellapimpin** · 06-17-2005, 04:23 PM

hrmmm..ima try that too. 996!!!

**sparticus 1** · 06-17-2005, 05:05 PM

you can also try contracting your bi's at the top of every rep. you should probably be doing that anyway to maximize your efforts. It works great for me and i get really sore along with great pumps!

**bRKBEATz** · 06-18-2005, 09:46 AM

I already try to contract my biceps at the top of each rep. I can only imagine how hard the static hold is gonna be, I'm can't wait to try it. Gonna be real hard on my wrists though.

**JAYROD** · 06-18-2005, 10:02 AM

incline db curls burn my bi's to the bone. i usually do 3 sets between wide e-z curls and concentration curls and usually feel it the next day.

**MASTER** · 06-18-2005, 11:03 AM

Do u train biceps after ur back workout? Coz I onli get sore if i do barbell curls and hammer curls on back day after everything else. If I train bis n tris 4 a workout, no matter how heavy a weight I use, how many sets of wot exercises I do, my biceps wont be sore the next day.

**bRKBEATz** · 06-18-2005, 02:30 PM

I do biceps and forearms in 1 day, it's my shortest day at the gym, just 11 sets.

I'm gonna try the static holds first, if that doesn't work I may try changing my schedule to do bis after my back.

**robkesl** · 06-18-2005, 02:43 PM

thats weird i train the sh*t out of my biceps, atleast 16 sets, and my arms having been growing like crazy, for the past year or so! i couldnt imagine only doing 7 sets all together.
i usually hit my tris and forearms too, the workout usually runs an 1 1/2 hr.

**SwoleCat** · 06-18-2005, 03:53 PM

Dayum! 16 sets is a ton.

I only do 12 for chest/back/legs, and those are BIG bodyparts.

Well, I guess we all have what works for us.

~SC~

**robkesl** · 06-18-2005, 04:57 PM

Originally Posted by SwoleCat

Dayum! 16 sets is a ton.

I only do 12 for chest/back/legs, and those are BIG bodyparts.

Well, I guess we all have what works for us.

~SC~

how much do you do total for biceps, hmm thats weird, i use to not do much, but it wasnt untill i started really hitt'in them that they grew. maybe ill give my bi's a week off and try doing less see if that helps!

**SwoleCat** · 06-18-2005, 05:19 PM

I do 6-8 sets for biceps, same for triceps.

They are small muscles that get used with bigger bodypart training. Hence, they only need to be hit directly so hard. It's the bigger movements that make a person bigger as a whole, thus allowing the smaller bodyparts to get bigger as well. Directly taxing the living shit out of the smaller bodyparts will only serve to over-train them, not encourage them to get bigger. They will only want to get bigger when the PERSON is getting bigger.

~SC~

**abstrack** · 06-18-2005, 06:28 PM

Originally Posted by SwoleCat

I do 6-8 sets for biceps, same for triceps.

They are small muscles that get used with bigger bodypart training. Hence, they only need to be hit directly so hard. It's the bigger movements that make a person bigger as a whole, thus allowing the smaller bodyparts to get bigger as well. Directly taxing the living shit out of the smaller bodyparts will only serve to over-train them, not encourage them to get bigger. They will only want to get bigger when the PERSON is getting bigger.

~SC~

I totally agree 100%

**Hilesy** · 06-18-2005, 06:39 PM

Before I started powerlifting I trained the shit out of my arms, only to have them resemble a soda can. They actually measured around 14 inches (ouch) at 210 lbs. For 6 years I never trained biceps and did light extensions once a week for about 4 sets. The last time I measured my arms were 19 cold at 275. (biceps need some peak work, but tri's are a nice horseshoe). I measured to see if my arms would get much smaller as I lost weight. Over the last 6 weeks I have found myself training my arms like a mad man. I'm always afraid of my arms shrinking back up (mental I know) so I have to cut back my arm training. I was getting carried away and training like I did when they were 14". Hell they grew 5" w/out even trying, but like Swole said, I was moving big weight on my compound movements.

So with that in mind, I'm sticking to big exercises, with big weights. I don't think this answers anyone's questions but I'm just emphasis what Swole said (not that he needs my backing).

**SwoleCat** · 06-18-2005, 07:09 PM

Thanks for the backing though, I appreciate it none-the-less bro!

~SC~

**bRKBEATz** · 06-29-2005, 02:22 PM

Just got a chance to try it because I was on vacation last week, and I'm fairly sore today, so good advice

**TCEL300** · 06-29-2005, 03:02 PM

what are "static holds"

**love 2 lift** · 06-29-2005, 10:55 PM

I'm going to have to try those static holds. Every month or so I do an bi workout where I go fast up with the weight and very slow down. Its a killer pump not to mention you know it the next day. LOL

21's are fun for something different too.

**S.P.G** · 06-30-2005, 03:56 AM

Originally Posted by bRKBEATz

I've always had trouble getting my biceps sore the next day but lately I don't feel anything the day after I workout. I know that soreness does not equate to building muscle, but I feel like I did something wrong if I'm not sore the next day at all.

I do 4 sets of hammer curls to failure and 3 sets of straight bar curls to failure for my bicep workout, it seems like most people on this board recommend a workout similar to that. When I leave the gym my arms are dead, but I don't feel anything the next day. Is something wrong?

It could be, the reason there not sore any more is that the have adapted to what your doing, just miss biceps for one week and they will be sore the next time you workout….being sore does not mean that you have used and recruited more muscle fibbers during that workout…

**S.P.G** · 06-30-2005, 04:02 AM

Originally Posted by TCEL300

what are "static holds"

A static contraction of the muscle where you hold the position. the top of a dead lift could be considered a static lift, or as other people have said in the middle of a bicep curl no movement

**S.P.G** · 06-30-2005, 04:05 AM

Originally Posted by SwoleCat

I do 6-8 sets for biceps, same for triceps.

They are small muscles that get used with bigger bodypart training. Hence, they only need to be hit directly so hard. It's the bigger movements that make a person bigger as a whole, thus allowing the smaller bodyparts to get bigger as well. Directly taxing the living shit out of the smaller bodyparts will only serve to over-train them, not encourage them to get bigger. They will only want to get bigger when the PERSON is getting bigger.

~SC~

You said it swoll, that’s what I preach constantly..

**beachbum28** · 07-07-2005, 04:34 PM

7 7 7 try those! They get me sore when nothing else does, whic is most of the time. Do these on the preacher pad.. they are 21 rep sets that put a lot of blood in the bis. Start with 7 reps from the strating position and only go up half way, then without stopping hit the next 7 from mid way point to full contraction, and the last seven in full rep mode. I do these as my final iso set and damn I'm sore afterwards..

**collar** · 07-07-2005, 10:15 PM

they dont always have to hurt tho.......
it doesnt mean u train well.......
sometimes it just doesnt hurt no big deal for me anyway...........
but others might worry bout it not hurting........

**homeboybonanza** · 07-08-2005, 03:18 PM

For some reason, years of powerlifting made my torso thick and muscular (back/chest) but my arms are NOT on par. I recently posted a question as to how I can rectify this problem. I'm doing more direct work now for them. My arms are about 18" on a 260lb frame. I've comp. benched 425 and deadlifted 475. I'm so much stronger than I look it actually sucks. I've been doing 12+ sets, changing the exercises often, using all the tricks! I find that it's helpful as of late to use strict form and go slowly.

**Nixter** · 07-13-2005, 12:32 AM

I've found that doing about 6 sets on the seated curl machine always produces soreness. On the last set I drop the weight 3 times and go to failure for each.

What's nice about the machine is that you get a constant resistance throughout the entire movement. Doing barbell/dumbell curls, the resistance is less near the top and bottom of the movement. Both should be used for best results though. I'd do the machine last.

Nix

**bRKBEATz** · 07-13-2005, 06:54 AM

I used machines for my biceps for the first time on Monday because the dumbell room at my gym was closed for renovation. I hated it, but maybe thats just because I'm not used to it. They all felt very awkward.