Training arms....

**Hellmaskbanned** · 01-03-2006, 01:38 PM

How many times a week should someone be training there arms while being natural?

I am currently training my arms twice a week.
Bi's with back, tri's with chest/shoulders.

I have small arms. Between 16-17inches and it's starting to really piss me off when someone under 180lbs arms look similiar to mine. Oh yeah and I'm a lean 245lbs so I look very unproportioned because of the rest of my body being so much larger compared to my arms.

Any suggestions about helping me pack on some beef to my arms is welcome.

**Flexor** · 01-03-2006, 01:44 PM

Originally Posted by Hellmask

I am currently training my arms twice a week.
Bi's with back, tri's with chest/shoulders.

This sounds like once to me. Do you have a separate arm day as well?

**Hellmaskbanned** · 01-03-2006, 01:46 PM

Originally Posted by Flexor

This sounds like once to me. Do you have a separate arm day as well?

I do those twice a week.(both of them) Back bis, chest tris.

**Flexor** · 01-03-2006, 03:17 PM

Originally Posted by Hellmask

I do those twice a week.(both of them) Back bis, chest tris.

When people have lagging bodyparts, it is not necessarily the answer to hit them twice a week. What does your back/bi and chest/tri routine look like? I suggest if you like hitting arms twice a week, do them once with back and chest, and once on their own. This would allow you to utilise different exercises, but you would have to make sure there is adequate rest between.

What do you think of a split like this. It would avoid shoulder overtraining and you could train arms twice a week without too much overlap.

M chest, tris
T back, bis
W rest
T legs
F shoulders, arms

If something like this is not working for you though, perhaps training arms twice a week is not the answer. What is your split like, and what type of exercises are you doing?

**doby48** · 01-03-2006, 03:51 PM

What type of exerciese are you doing for your bis and tris? Different people respond to different exercises, maybe just need to mix it up a little bit. Also, how many sets and reps are you doing and are you doing them to failure or not quite to failure?

**Hellmaskbanned** · 01-03-2006, 04:18 PM

Originally Posted by Flexor

When people have lagging bodyparts, it is not necessarily the answer to hit them twice a week. What does your back/bi and chest/tri routine look like? I suggest if you like hitting arms twice a week, do them once with back and chest, and once on their own. This would allow you to utilise different exercises, but you would have to make sure there is adequate rest between.

What do you think of a split like this. It would avoid shoulder overtraining and you could train arms twice a week without too much overlap.

M chest, tris
T back, bis
W rest
T legs
F shoulders, arms

If something like this is not working for you though, perhaps training arms twice a week is not the answer. What is your split like, and what type of exercises are you doing?

Thats a nice split right there. I actually like it. Probably because it's alot like the one I'm doing now.

I like the idea of hitting them on there own. Thats what I was going to start doing ,just working out bis and tris only in one day and see what happens.

My split is considered to much by many , but here it is.
It's been working for me so I will just stick with it. Except it's not working for my arms as much as everything else.

M-chest/shoulders/tris
T-back/bis
W- either running or squats
R-chest/shoulders/tris
F-back/bis
S-Rest day if needed, if not needed Squats or running
S-chest/shoulders/tris

ABS done everyday/full body stretching everyday and just started running sprints every other day.

My split is not the problem ...or maybe it is

But everything else is growing great , never have been bigger or more cut up in my entire life.

Bicep routine- barbell curls , hammer or dumbell alternating curls, barbell reverse curls.

Tricep routine- Incline nosebusters ez-curl bar , dumbell or ez-curl bar tricep standing extensions, tricep cable pushdowns.

**Hellmaskbanned** · 01-03-2006, 04:20 PM

Originally Posted by doby48

What type of exerciese are you doing for your bis and tris? Different people respond to different exercises, maybe just need to mix it up a little bit. Also, how many sets and reps are you doing and are you doing them to failure or not quite to failure?

I might need to mix it up a bit. BAM!
But with what exercises? I'm doing the best ones for arm growth. ( i think)?
usually around 5 sets with under 10 reps for each exercise as well.

**Flexor** · 01-03-2006, 04:24 PM

That looks like hellish ovetraining, but if its working for you then that's a good thing.

Give the other split a try and go for higher intensity so you don't need to hit bodyparts 3 times a week.

One reason your arms may be laggin is a lack of compound exercises. Try to get dips and close grip in there, and for biceps underhand grip pullups, and get some supinating (rotate your palm towards you as you flex your biceps) curls in there.

**SwoleCat** · 01-03-2006, 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by Hellmask

M-chest/shoulders/tris
T-back/bis
W- either running or squats
R-chest/shoulders/tris
F-back/bis
S-Rest day if needed, if not needed Squats or running
S-chest/shoulders/tris

I see this as gross over-training.

Biceps twice a week is okay I suppose, but not Tues then again Friday. That's just too close IMHO.

As well, being that the TRICEP makes up 2/3 of your entire arm when you "make a muscle" or "flex your bicep" the tricep is responsible for making the arms bigger more-so than that of the bicep. Seeing as how you train triceps three times per week with only 2 days rest in between, I don't see how they have any chance to grow at all. That's probably hindering your arm growth more than the bicep work two times per week.

You grow out of the gym when you are resting/eating/sleeping, not taxing the living shit out of your CNS.

~SC~

**Flexor** · 01-03-2006, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by Hellmask

I might need to mix it up a bit. BAM!
But with what exercises? I'm doing the best ones for arm growth. ( i think)?
usually around 5 sets with under 10 reps for each exercise as well.

5 sets for each exercise? I would say no more than 6-8 in total for the biceps, or triceps. If you need more sets, the intensity isn't high enough.

**Flexor** · 01-03-2006, 04:28 PM

I have to agree with Swole, although you are making gains on this routine of yours. You will probably gain more doing the other split as you have time for rest and CNS recovery. The CNS gets overtrained with 3 consecutive days in a row, it should never be worked hard more than 2 days in a row. The CNS is also linked with muscle recovery, so its important to rest it.

**Hellmaskbanned** · 01-03-2006, 04:28 PM

Originally Posted by SwoleCat

I see this as gross over-training.

Biceps twice a week is okay I suppose, but not Tues then again Friday. That's just too close IMHO.

As well, being that the TRICEP makes up 2/3 of your entire arm when you "make a muscle" or "flex your bicep" the tricep is responsible for making the arms bigger more-so than that of the bicep. Seeing as how you train triceps three times per week with only 2 days rest in between, I don't see how they have any chance to grow at all. That's probably hindering your arm growth more than the bicep work two times per week.

You grow out of the gym when you are resting/eating/sleeping, not taxing the living shit out of your CNS.

~SC~

I was waiting for someone to say this. When I don't lift I feel like I'm shrinking....Might be some mental disorder who knows.

My CNS must be one hell of a system, cuz aint nobody gonna hold me down.
On a serious note. Everyday my arms are being used for some sort of training more than my other muscles, and must need alittle more rest to grow.

**Hellmaskbanned** · 01-03-2006, 04:30 PM

Originally Posted by Flexor

5 sets for each exercise? I would say no more than 6-8 in total for the biceps, or triceps. If you need more sets, the intensity isn't high enough.

The intensity is there.
So less sets will make them grow more? Wouldn't that give less pump and make them grow less?

**Flexor** · 01-03-2006, 04:37 PM

Originally Posted by Hellmask

The intensity is there.
So less sets will make them grow more? Wouldn't that give less pump and make them grow less?

I can get a pump from one set, using rest pause. Once you've got a great pump, you don't need to take it so far that you feel like someone is taking your blood pressure. You don't need 6 sets to get a good pump. If you are training with intensity with huge numbers of sets, you should lower the number so that you don't overtrain. Rest is the key.

**SwoleCat** · 01-03-2006, 04:47 PM

Well lookie here...

Today's "OBVIOUS" training reminder!!

~SC~

**Flexor** · 01-03-2006, 04:50 PM

Originally Posted by SwoleCat

Well lookie here...

Today's "OBVIOUS" training reminder!!

~SC~

That is a personal referral favourite of mine bro! It tells people exactly what they need to know, that is why its a sticky.

**SwoleCat** · 01-03-2006, 05:07 PM

Thanks!

~SC~

**Hellmaskbanned** · 01-03-2006, 06:09 PM

Originally Posted by SwoleCat

Well lookie here...

Today's "OBVIOUS" training reminder!!

~SC~

Well LOOOOKKKIEEEE HERE!

Nice info.
Compound exercises is not the problem, I concentrate on compound movements for all my size. Squats,Cleans,Benches,Presses all barbell...well somtimes dumbell but not much.

So do you think I'm training my arms with to many sets and need to cut down and focus more on the contracting of the bicep/tricep more? With that 2-3 second pause technique you mentioned?

The weird part with me is that my arms aren't growing with my body.

**SwoleCat** · 01-03-2006, 06:22 PM

Originally Posted by Hellmask

The weird part with me is that my arms aren't growing with my body.

There is your answer right there.

What is happening when a muscle is not growing/progressing?

Right, over-training.

So, the big/compound movements are what make the entire body grow, you only need so much "direct" stimulation before you over-do it.

It's obvious that is what is occurring, especially since you said your issue is not a lack of compound movements.

This was an easy one.

Cardio time!

~SC~

**Hellmaskbanned** · 01-03-2006, 06:30 PM

Originally Posted by SwoleCat

There is your answer right there.

So, the big/compound movements are what make the entire body grow, you only need so much "direct" stimulation before you over-do it.

~SC~

Getting to much "direct" stimulation and am actually over doing it. That sucks.
I guess I'm gonna let up on the arms some and see what happens. I wish my arms grew like my legs.

Thanks for the help guys.

**LILG** · 01-04-2006, 06:41 PM

sorry for hijackin the thread and not startin my own and for that the reason is thats exactly the same routine i follow:
M-chest/shoulders/tris
T-rest
W- back/bis
R-cardio
F-legs
S-rest
S-cardio
and i kinda have same Q about gainin mass on arms,
"3 sets of HAMMERS curls done straight up and down by your sides, and 3 sets of STRAIGHT BAR curls". So thats good enough when u do arms on back day or need to add 1 more exercise like incline supinating dumbell curls
just need a lil advice on this one
thnx

**Flexor** · 01-05-2006, 04:46 AM

Originally Posted by LILG

sorry for hijackin the thread and not startin my own and for that the reason is thats exactly the same routine i follow:
M-chest/shoulders/tris
T-rest
W- back/bis
R-cardio
F-legs
S-rest
S-cardio
and i kinda have same Q about gainin mass on arms,
"3 sets of HAMMERS curls done straight up and down by your sides, and 3 sets of STRAIGHT BAR curls". So thats good enough when u do arms on back day or need to add 1 more exercise like incline supinating dumbell curls
just need a lil advice on this one
thnx

It would depend on what back exercises you did. If you did underhand grip pullups I would drop the barbell curls, if not you can keep them. The incline supinating curls are always of benefit, try to get them in somehow. You want 4 sets after back if you worked your bis hard during back. If you didn't work your bis hard, then I suggest 6-8 sets. Something including incline supinating curls, hammer curls and barbell curls. I would personally drop the barbell curls if I did underhand close grip chins.