Can't Get Bicep Contraction!

[Stormrider]

When ever I work my biceps I can't get that contraction that is allways stressed when doing your reps. When I get the barbell up to finish position I try and squeeze my bicep but I can't get any feeling from it at all. Not from barbells or dumbells. After the set I still get the burn but it just bugs me. Also, I can't even get a burn from using dumbells for my biceps. I've allways kept my form very good and have tried basically every bicep dumbell movement and none work. I've even lowerd weight and added weight? Can some explain this?

[Warrior]

Alright...

Take a couple 5 lbs plates and hold them against your body inbetween your elbows and ribs. Now grab a straight barbell and curl that at 50% one rep max for about 10 in perfect form. If you brake form you will get a nice welt on your foot from the weights (trainers - do not do this to your clients). Try shoulder width, wide and narrow grips.

Now try it with a cambered bar. Same thing with the elbows holding the nickle plates. Again, try shoulder width, wide and narrow grips.

See if you can find which helps generate now that you will know your form is perfect.

If you still can not find one feels good... then wake the fuckers up with a workout including some giant sets of barbell and dumbell work at full intensity.

Warm up to. 10 minutes on a bike or power walking on a treadmill would be good to get your blood pumpin'. And never jump straight into a working set without warm up sets. Warm up sets help to localize blood flow and help you generate the form you will strive to maintain through out.

[THE BIG RED MACHINE]

I found that turning my wrists in at the top of the excercise aided in feeling the "contraction". I'm having a little trouple understanding how you're achieving a pump without feeling the muscle contract. Where are you feeling the pump? I found that when I was a begginer that I used to curl my wrists in at the top of a dumbbell movement and all I basically achieved from that was sore forearms. So if you aren't already doing so keep your wrists parallel with your forearm. If worst comes to worst in a bicep workout and I don't feel as though I've thouroughly blasted my arms enough, I'll usually end the w/o with 21's. It's pretty hard not to feel it with those. Otherwise I don't know what to tell you.

[Warrior]

Originally posted by THE BIG RED MACHINE
I found that turning my wrists in at the top of the excercise aided in feeling the "contraction".

Pulling the wrist in is commonly done to increase the load. It pulls the weight into the fulcrum (your elbows) thus allowing heavier sets.

[THE BIG RED MACHINE]

Originally posted by Warrior


Pulling the wrist in is commonly done to increase the load. It pulls the weight into the fulcrum (your elbows) thus allowing heavier sets.

Sorry, my bad, I meant turning my wrists outward with my pinky finger ending closest to my shoulder.

[Warrior]

Ahhh... yeah that deffinitly does add to the contraction.

[Stormrider]

Maybe I didn't explain it as well as I could have. I can't squeeze the muscle at the top of the movement. I get the burn from the negative portion of the lift I believe. My arms are growing still though even with out that squeeze at the top. I'll try the thing with the 5lbs. plates next time.

[palme]

I dont have this problem but i will try the 5lbs plates thing just for a good dare.

[mekler]

i'm gonna give the plates idea a try tonight, i wanna see how good my form really is. i'm gonna let one of my friends try it too, he's one of the know it alls who doesnt care about form, only weight, and he cheats on curls so bad... so i wanna see what happens when he tries it with 5lb plates under his arms

[defdaz]

Stormrider, do you let your elbows drift forward when curling, so that your upper arms are pointing forward and aren't in line with your body at the end of each rep?

If so give warriors tip a try, or just remember to keep those upper arms still!

The primary action of the biceps muscle is supination - turning the forearm so your linger finger comes towards you (at the top of each if you are fully supinated your palm of your hand would be pointing at or just past your shoulder). Unfortunately there aren't many exercises available that fully work this function. You can try to supinate against a barbell as you curl it though.

Daz