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curl bar:
a bro goes up to Two plates of 45lbs on each side. Starting out with one plate at each side and eventually making his way two two plates.
He does approximately 5-7 sets and in the process does only one rep per each set. does this seem logical thing to do for arm growth. Looks to me like strength increase would be more proper.
i am asking because the bro rocking 20"+ guns and it seems like i can not increase size for the past 7 months being stock on 18"s.
No this routine is rubbish. He hasn't got to that size by doing that, that would purely be for strength training. You want 6-8 sets for the biceps in the 8-12 rep range for size, as this stimulates the different types of fast twitch fibres, and the total work load is quite high.
He is definitely working towards max strength, for his biceps. Not very common for someone to go with 1 rep on standing barbell curls. Is this the only exercise he does for biceps?Quote:
Originally Posted by Sage
Showin Off - That's my 2 cents.
Prolly one of those half-rep benchin SOB's that act like they're really puttin up the weight.
i too think its was strength related, i am starving for more boost in my arms therefore am willing to test out some new theories. I am one of the bros whose shoulders overpower in size compare to my arms. I measure them just to make sure i am not deceiving myself, but the shoulders just make my arms look small, at least to me.
Do you have a workout partner?Quote:
Originally Posted by Sage
while not the norm....some guys to gain on singles training...especially if u look at the writings of Brooks Kubik (ie. Dinosaur Training) and others. Not sure of Brooks' biceps, but he is one big guy and in his 40's...no supps or anything
no bro, i lift alone and prefer that way as well. I do have a few good spotters at the gym though, especially for my chest day.Quote:
Originally Posted by Papi93
What does your biceps routine look like? I could give you some suggestions.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sage
The reason I asked about the training partner is that they could help you with forced reps, negatives, etc. (for your biceps workouts).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Papi93
when i do dedicate a day strictly for arms, i work bice doing
3 sets standing bb curls 6-8 reps
3 sets seated db curls 6-8 reps
2 sets seated hammer curls 6-8 reps
(all my sets are heavy)
but i do realize that trice is where you gain the arm mass.
only have a spotter for arms when doing skull crushers since i tend to go extremely heavy on those.
i usually incorporate ether bice or trice with another major body part when training, therefore resulting in approximately six sets total instead of eight when doing arm day. Majority of the time i do get out six heavy sets out of bice/trice using strictly free weights.
the bice routine above is just one of the combos, i try to rotate using curl bar and even cables at times.
Do you do any weighted reverse, close-grip pullups during your lat work? The reason I ask is because these are a good mass builder for the biceps. If your bulking, you should get an excellent pump in your biceps. They are like doing dips or close-grip bench presses for the triceps.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sage
Standing bb curls and seated db curls are basically the same exercise. The upper arm is parallel to the trunk. The only difference would be if went from hammer to supinated, on the concentric, and then supinated to hammer, on the eccentric, on the seated db curls.
The reason I say this is I believe Preacher Curls would be a good addition as a replacement for either seated db curls or standing bb curls. The upper arm is out at a 45 degree angle to the torso. You stress different heads of the biceps by having the upper arms at different angles. Flexor will bust my balls on this exercise but he and I will have to disagree on this one.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Papi93
i do one set of pull-ups just as a warm up set for any body parts i train, but do not dedicate it to either bice or traps.
standing bb curl and seated db curl is a gray area, but logically they do seem similar hitting the same area. i may actually try to step away from doing both on same day
preacher and concentration curls do give out good pumps, but a pump is only temporary. For Example: as if you were doing 21s with curl bar thereby making your bice bulge out without actually adding realistic mass over period of time, but on the other hand it may work for others.
I would take out either barbell curls or db curls and add reverse, grip pullups to your biceps workouts. On your arm only days you should be able to build up to weighted pullups. Trust me, I not a meathead bodybuilder reading from Flex magazine. I have a BS in Sports Medicine and have two certifications in personal training (CSCS & NSCA-CPT). I have been strength training for over 15 years.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sage
Using strict form, you can build up to some massive weight, using the preacher curl. Cheating is minimized heavily on this exercise. Once you reach failure, have a partner assist you with forced reps and negatives. This is no fluffer exercise like concentration curls. I will stake my reputation on that one! This is a very intense stretch on the biceps and you have to be careful not to cause to much muscle fiber damage :evil2: .
[QUOTE=Sage]i do one set of pull-ups just as a warm up set for any body parts i train, but do not dedicate it to either bice or traps.
What do you do for your lats and upper back? This is very important because your biceps will get their greatest stimulation from this exercises.
A great bicep builder for horizontal pulling movements (rows) is whenever a supinated-grip is used (bent-over rows, seated rows, etc.).
For the vertical pulling movements (pulldowns, pullups), again, a supinated grip is king.
Do this along with a solid biceps program and you should attain the results you desire. Unless you have high insertion points :frown: . Then you would have to blame your parents for that.
Using an alternated-grip on deadlifts would also stress the bicep of the supinated hand. Just make sure to switch the grip on each set and try to balance the sets out set-wise and weight-wise, as well.
Common-on bros, help me out here!
Agreed, excellent exercise and often neglected by many who do not understand that compound exercises apply to the bicep as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by Papi93
Haha :lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by Papi93
Preacher curls will give your long bicep head a very good working as long as you don't reverse your grip. This is because it is the short head that becomes actively insufficient and cannot shorten enough to complete elbow flexion (because it also performs shoulder flexion, that is raising the arm up to the front - the preacher style elevation).
The short head becomes redundant at the top of a preacher curl, whereas the long head is still able to fully contract. In this position, the brachialis is highly active because it takes up the load of the short head which is not active, but the long head is strongly used. Preacher curls are for the long head and the brachialis, but reverse preacher curls are solely for the brachialis!!
So Papi, we do agree!
Technically, there is no stretch of the biceps during preacher curls, this occurs during hyperextension of the shoulder with the upper arm behind the back. However, there is a definite stretch feeling in the biceps with preacher curls and I believe this is because with the shoulder flexed, the bicep is already shortened partially at the beginning of the preacher. So in esence you are performing an abbreviated or partial curl in which stresses on the muscle are far more constant than a standing curl. Biomechanics and muscle tension is different because you have moved your position relative to the pull of gravity.Quote:
Originally Posted by Papi93
So Papi, I think we both agree with each other totally. We have always been the ones that have pushed the use of underhand grip pullups. I just can't understand why people would dismiss them when so much weight can be used in a very clean exercise that allows a great bicep contraction, and yet those same people love the close grip bench press and dips.
Actually there are a lot of people who neglect compound tricep exercises as well, they really are hopeless and they won't listen.
You are right about the stretch on the biceps. Thanks for claifying.Quote:
Originally Posted by Flexor
Sage, what do you think? Also, what country is that flag from (if you don't mind me asking)?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Papi93
finally got around for the arms day and did the following this week for bice:
standing curl bar 3 sets 6-8 reps
standing db preacher curl 3 sets 7 reps
seated hammers 3 sets 8 reps
over all it was a good bice routine, I will try to stay with preacher curl for a few months as one of the basic routines for bice and leave out bb curl for a while. thanks allot for the contribution to the thread and for giving me a few pointers, lol
btw,
the flag is from Moldova
Flat bar 21's, no cheating, slow and steady both directions, pause and contract at the top of each move. You should be ready to puke at the end of each set. 3 sets.
Alternating Standing Hammer Curls, 3 sets, minimum of 8 reps per side.
One handed dumbell preacher curls. 3 sets to failure with forced reps, no fewer than 8 reps per side per set.
Do this bicep workout, if you have anything left at the end, you didn't work hard enough. This will make you grow if you can handle it.
You guys all know that the key to bigger arms is triceps right?
True but his question was about biceps :wg: .Quote:
Originally Posted by madflabby