Thickness of biceps...Any secrets?

[you.can.do.it]

Was just curious if anyone could give me a hand with understanding how to properly obtain a thicker bicep. My arms are always growing but just not the way i want them to at the moment. thanks.

[Mr.Rose]

Yeh stop targeting your brachii and start targeting the real muscle, the brachialis, which is the one underneath, responsible for the bulk, where as the brachii is responsible fore the 'peak' look.

[you.can.do.it]

okay so what exercises target the brachialis i was told preacher curls and concentration curls any others?

[bucks_243]

I'm in the same boat as you I guess. PM me if you get a answer. I have a good peak and nice smiley face but not very much "mass" to my arms and I am eating properly. I also have been doing a lot of preacher and concentration curls.

[you.can.do.it]

yeah i have only just started back with preacher and concentration. have you seen results from these?

[terraj]

If you want to target the brachialis -


Hammer curls, Reverse grip EZ-bar curls, Zottman curls.

[YoungGunsNY]

If you want to target the brachialis -


Hammer curls, Reverse grip EZ-bar curls, Zottman curls.

zottman curls? and those are?

[terraj]

zottman curls? and those are?

Start as a standard dumbbell curl. As you simultaneously begin to curl the dumbbells upward, rotate your hands to be in an underhanded grip position. When you reach the top of the movement and are ready to return to the start position, slowly rotate your wrists prior to descending so that your palms now are facing outward. Return to the start position and repeat. I have seen it writing that they can be preformed with a single cable curl...but I have not mastered this without wrist pain.

[Venom111]

I always liked a technique larry scott used to advocate in one of his seminars. As grip strength is so important to build good arms he recommends doing simultaneous dumbbell preacher curls. The important part is letting the dumbbell roll to the tips of the fingers at the bottom then using primarily the forearms at the bottom of the movement and effectively handing the weight over to the biceps half way up. Try it out, since strong forearms and thick biceps go hand in hand.

[Arian]

I personally try to use my forearms as little as possible when doing biceps. Why let the forearms do some of the work when you're trying to get bigger biceps? And screw concentration curls, preacher curls and all the other crap. If you are wanting mass, just stick to barbell curls or ez bar curls. As heavy as you can go for 6-12 reps. I find the barbell works my biceps a lot more but will hurt my wrists some times. Oh, and any time you do a curl make, sure your hand is away from you, not towards you. Make sense? If you have your hands pointed in front of you at the top of the curl instead of pointing to the ceiling, you will feel it in your biceps much more. This makes it so you can't really rest at the top. Don't be scared of big weight. I'm still not up there with the big boys, but I can barbell curl 155lbs for 6 reps or so.

[Venom111]

Don't get me wrong Arian, I love barbell curls too, they are a big part of my bicep workout. But your forearms are connected to you upper arm no matter which way you look at it. For certain exercises (ie.heavy hammers) it only makes sense to incorporate your forearms into the movement. EZ bar curls may put less stress on your wrists but the angle takes so much away from the biceps. I say mix it up and see what works for you "you.can.do.it"

[Arian]

Don't get me wrong Arian, I love barbell curls too, they are a big part of my bicep workout. But your forearms are connected to you upper arm no matter which way you look at it. For certain exercises (ie.heavy hammers) it only makes sense to incorporate your forearms into the movement. EZ bar curls may put less stress on your wrists but the angle takes so much away from the biceps. I say mix it up and see what works for you "you.can.do.it"

I understand. I just try to focus on one muscle group at a time. And yes, it's pretty impossible to not use forearms when doing hammer curls or reverse ez bar curls. But if I'm trying to focus solely on my biceps, I'll use straps so I don't have to focus on my grip as much. I like big forearms, but don't want them freaky big.

[you.can.do.it]

I personally try to use my forearms as little as possible when doing biceps. Why let the forearms do some of the work when you're trying to get bigger biceps? And screw concentration curls, preacher curls and all the other crap. If you are wanting mass, just stick to barbell curls or ez bar curls. As heavy as you can go for 6-12 reps. I find the barbell works my biceps a lot more but will hurt my wrists some times. Oh, and any time you do a curl make, sure your hand is away from you, not towards you. Make sense? If you have your hands pointed in front of you at the top of the curl instead of pointing to the ceiling, you will feel it in your biceps much more. This makes it so you can't really rest at the top. Don't be scared of big weight. I'm still not up there with the big boys, but I can barbell curl 155lbs for 6 reps or so.

did you mean when at the top of a curl to have your wrist extended so they are pointed away from you?

[Venom111]

did you mean when at the top of a curl to have your wrist extended so they are pointed away from you?

This had me scratching my head too, how can you have the palms of your hands facing forwards at the top of a barbell curl? unless you've got some crazy flexibility in your wrists.

[thisbmine]

This had me scratching my head too, how can you have the palms of your hands facing forwards at the top of a barbell curl? unless you've got some crazy flexibility in your wrists.

I believe he means.. as you are doing the curl, rotate (not twist, turn) your wrists so your thumbs go from outwards, to inwards.

Try it (now, without weights). Try a normal curl. Try this method again. Note the difference? Im going to give this a go on my next arm day (just had it today... so..)

[Jahcuree]

did you mean when at the top of a curl to have your wrist extended so they are pointed away from you?

This is how i do curls, i believe he meant at the top of your curl dont bend your wrists in toward the body, keep them open like you are holding a cup of water in the palm of your hand.

[ocnorb40]

Good exercise. Can be performed seating or standing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_MzS...1&feature=fvwp