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  1. #1
    BIGPHIL's Avatar
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    What adds length to your biceps

    What exercises are best for adding length to the biceps. So that they come down close to the elbow joint..
    Last edited by BIGPHIL; 11-29-2005 at 06:50 AM.

  2. #2
    Dubsta is offline Junior Member
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    To be honest, I dont think you can. Try some spider curls, or preacher curls, at least they seem to hit the biceps lower.

    I think your genetic makeup is the way it always will be. I think once you get your biceps bigger, it will help. But if you want to be like those guys who biceps drop all the way down, I think you are hopeless....

    I know mine are right in between, not too high, but not low at all, when I was dieting down last year and got really lean I start to wear tank tops to the gym, I had so many people come up to me to tell me how big my arms looked, and that they never thought they were that big...but I think because my biceps are a little higher up, you could just not tell...

  3. #3
    Flexor is offline Banned
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    Quote Originally Posted by BIGPHIL
    What exercises are best for adding length to the biceps. So that they come down close to the elbow joint..
    NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING...

    Just build up the brachialis muscle that extends from the ulna at the elbow joint to midway up the humerus, this will fill the gap there, but your biceps length is pre-destined.

    Do preacher curls (any type of grip), because they slacken the long head of the biceps shifting load onto the brachialis.

    Do hammer curls, preferably with a t-curl bar.

    Pullups and rows with and overhand grip will automatically hit the brachialis effectively also. Make sure you do biceps on back day so that you can take advantage of these exercises.

  4. #4
    S.P.G's Avatar
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    you cant add length to the biceps or any other muscle.

    read this....

    whats best for back width??

  5. #5
    Flexor is offline Banned
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    Quote Originally Posted by S.P.G
    you cant add length to the biceps or any other muscle.

    read this....

    whats best for back width??
    Yeah, we PIMPed that post

  6. #6
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    Think ill give them preahers a shoot or two

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    Quote Originally Posted by BIGPHIL
    Think ill give them preahers a shoot or two
    go for it bro......

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    so what adds mass to the top end of the bicep? or should i start new thread..

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    Quote Originally Posted by spittin' 'n cussin'
    so what adds mass to the top end of the bicep? or should i start new thread..

  10. #10
    transform is offline Associate Member
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    Quote Originally Posted by BIGPHIL
    What exercises are best for adding length to the biceps. So that they come down close to the elbow joint..
    . i used to really envy people who had a fuller look to there biceps, but i like it now because it seems to make them look bigger or have a greater peak or somethin

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by transform
    at least your paying attention bro…

  • #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Flexor
    Yeah, we PIMPed that post
    do we ever do anything ells

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    you cant actually make the muscle longer, but if u hit hammers and reverse grip curls hard, ull enlarge the long head of the biceps which will make it appear that they are longer and at the same time will work the brachialis hard which will also give the impression of a longer bicep. Other than that, synthol or implants are the only option!

  • #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by JamesC
    which will make it appear that they are longer
    agreed.....

  • #15
    transform is offline Associate Member
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    Quote Originally Posted by S.P.G
    at least your paying attention bro…
    yep, thats why i went to college

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    Quote Originally Posted by S.P.G
    at least your paying attention bro…
    flexor is tellin that dude to do hammers, pullups and stuff to build the lower part of the bi, why cant there be exercise to build the upper part there hoss?

  • #17
    Flexor is offline Banned
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    Quote Originally Posted by spittin' 'n cussin'
    flexor is tellin that dude to do hammers, pullups and stuff to build the lower part of the bi, why cant there be exercise to build the upper part there hoss?
    That ain't what I said. Hammers, pullups and stuff will build the brachialis which is a separate muscle underneath and to the side of the biceps, giving the appearance of more bicep at the bottom even if there isn't.

    As for the upper part of the biceps, there is nothing you can do because the is no other muscle there that can be increased in size to give the appearance of a bigger upper bicep portion. The genetics will dictate whether you have a lot of upper bicep, and in this case there is no way to hide it. You can get bigger biceps and therefore you should get better shape, but still there is no guarantees it will help the problem. Besides who in the world wants bigger upper biceps?!?!

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    Shape and length are 100% genetic......all you can do is get bigger. The bigger your biceps and forearms are the less you will knotice the gap.....

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tyrone_Biggums
    Shape and length are 100% genetic......all you can do is get bigger. The bigger your biceps and forearms are the less you will knotice the gap.....
    Yeh this is a good point 2, lee haney always said he had a big gap, so he built up huge forearms to hide the gap, tho we all know this is rubbish, the haney upper body was faultless

  • #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by spittin' 'n cussin'
    flexor is tellin that dude to do hammers, pullups and stuff to build the lower part of the bi, why cant there be exercise to build the upper part there hoss?
    ^^^^

    Quote Originally Posted by Flexor
    That ain't what I said. Hammers, pullups and stuff will build the brachialis which is a separate muscle underneath and to the side of the biceps, giving the appearance of more bicep at the bottom even if there isn't.

    As for the upper part of the biceps, there is nothing you can do because the is no other muscle there that can be increased in size to give the appearance of a bigger upper bicep portion. The genetics will dictate whether you have a lot of upper bicep, and in this case there is no way to hide it. You can get bigger biceps and therefore you should get better shape, but still there is no guarantees it will help the problem. Besides who in the world wants bigger upper biceps?!?!
    Quote Originally Posted by Tyrone_Biggums
    Shape and length are 100% genetic......all you can do is get bigger. The bigger your biceps and forearms are the less you will knotice the gap.....
    you said it ....

  • #21
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    I can hear the incoming missiles now, but...

    If you do curls with a full range of motion and stretch your biceps, you will get a longer, smoother, smarter muscle than if you are doing short, jerky half-reps. Bad technique can shorten your muscles. This is very obvious when you compare the hamstrings of someone who does full range of motion and stretches and compare them with someone who does not.

    A strong, smart muscle needs stretching. How much is a matter of taste and I don't even want to go there.

    The ultimate shape of your muscle is controlled by your genetics, but good training practices, will make the muscle as long as is possible for your physique.

  • #22
    Flexor is offline Banned
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    Quote Originally Posted by znak
    I can hear the incoming missiles now, but...

    If you do curls with a full range of motion and stretch your biceps, you will get a longer, smoother, smarter muscle than if you are doing short, jerky half-reps. Bad technique can shorten your muscles. This is very obvious when you compare the hamstrings of someone who does full range of motion and stretches and compare them with someone who does not.

    A strong, smart muscle needs stretching. How much is a matter of taste and I don't even want to go there.

    The ultimate shape of your muscle is controlled by your genetics, but good training practices, will make the muscle as long as is possible for your physique.
    No man I agree! People shorten their calves and hamstrings and I reckon its the same for biceps if you don't go to full elbow extension. However, most people do go to full extension so the problem is just genetic afterall. Also I'm not sure how visible it would be if the biceps did shorten, its not as if they are going to shorten by a cm.

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    Hit the hammers as opposed to isolation curls.

  • #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by znak
    I can hear the incoming missiles now, but...

    If you do curls with a full range of motion and stretch your biceps, you will get a longer, smoother, smarter muscle than if you are doing short, jerky half-reps. Bad technique can shorten your muscles. This is very obvious when you compare the hamstrings of someone who does full range of motion and stretches and compare them with someone who does not.

    A strong, smart muscle needs stretching. How much is a matter of taste and I don't even want to go there.

    The ultimate shape of your muscle is controlled by your genetics, but good training practices, will make the muscle as long as is possible for your physique.

    Full renge of motion is KEY. When you perform your curls ensure that your arm/bi is at full extention before bringing the weight up. If you think about the bottom 1/2 of the motion when you are doing 21's, that is what hits the lower end of the muscle the hardest. At least that is where I feel it when I am hammering out my 21's.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Hard Head
    Full renge of motion is KEY. When you perform your curls ensure that your arm/bi is at full extention before bringing the weight up. If you think about the bottom 1/2 of the motion when you are doing 21's, that is what hits the lower end of the muscle the hardest. At least that is where I feel it when I am hammering out my 21's.
    The bottom half of the motion is not targetting the bottom part of the biceps. The myofibrils contract uniformly along the length of the muscle fibre, the top part as much as the bottom at all times. Partial reps simply leave the whole muscle in a state of incomplete contraction and it effectively mimics static training because you have a small range of motion. What you are feeling lower down on your arm during 21s is the brachialis becoming lacticated. This muscle is underneath the biceps and to the side of it and it will fatigue before the biceps doing 21s because it is activated more during static type partial rep exercises.

  • #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by Flexor
    The bottom half of the motion is not targetting the bottom part of the biceps. The myofibrils contract uniformly along the length of the muscle fibre, the top part as much as the bottom at all times. Partial reps simply leave the whole muscle in a state of incomplete contraction and it effectively mimics static training because you have a small range of motion. What you are feeling lower down on your arm during 21s is the brachialis becoming lacticated. This muscle is underneath the biceps and to the side of it and it will fatigue before the biceps doing 21s because it is activated more during static type partial rep exercises.

  • #27
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    Thanks for the info Flexor!
    HH

  • #28
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    So the answer to BigPhil's question is that he can lengthen his biceps to the maximum of his genetic potenial by doing full range of motion curls, which is a slightly different answer than was given in the body of this tread.

  • #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by znak
    So the answer to BigPhil's question is that he can lengthen his biceps to the maximum of his genetic potenial by doing full range of motion curls, which is a slightly different answer than was given in the body of this tread.
    genetic potential is what its all about, these exercises give the muscle the impression of lengthening.

    There are exercises that may work better than others.

    You cannot lengthen or change the shape of a muscle out of your genetic potential.
    Last edited by S.P.G; 12-01-2005 at 03:37 AM.

  • #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by znak
    So the answer to BigPhil's question is that he can lengthen his biceps to the maximum of his genetic potenial by doing full range of motion curls, which is a slightly different answer than was given in the body of this tread.
    Not really. I think he probably does full range of motion. The point is if you have a long biceps tendon, no matter how much you try to stretch out the muscle e.g. with incline dumbell curls etc, you will still have a long biceps tendon. The only way to go is to work the brachialis and push out the lower end of the long head of the biceps.

  • #31
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    Quote Originally Posted by S.P.G
    genetic potential is what its all about, these exercises give the muscle the impression of lengthening.

    There are exercises that may work better than others.

    You cannot lengthen or change the shape of a muscle out of your genetic potential.
    I don't think that it is an issue of exercises, but of approach. Look at a ballet dancers hams. They are very strong, large and very flexible. Same for a good long jumper. They stretch the muscles and work full range of motion.

    You could take the same ballet dancer and have him do only dead with a limited range of motion.

    The SHAPE of HIS muscle would change, I agree that would be within HIS genetic potential, but the shape and (I like your word) impression of length would be different.

    You cannot change your genetic potential, but you can OPTIMIZE it for the shape you want by using the exercise and techniques that support your goal.

  • #32
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    Quote Originally Posted by znak
    I don't think that it is an issue of exercises, but of approach. Look at a ballet dancers hams. They are very strong, large and very flexible. Same for a good long jumper. They stretch the muscles and work full range of motion.

    You could take the same ballet dancer and have him do only dead with a limited range of motion.

    The SHAPE of HIS muscle would change, I agree that would be within HIS genetic potential, but the shape and (I like your word) impression of length would be different.

    You cannot change your genetic potential, but you can OPTIMIZE it for the shape you want by using the exercise and techniques that support your goal.
    That is exactly what I’m saying

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