Biceps and Triceps?

[T-Man007]

Re: Biceps and Triceps?

pullups!

Yeah, I even added those. I do reverse grip too, to make sure to really bring the biceps into it.

[supasaiyan99]

Re: Biceps and Triceps?

Well, I 'feel' it on any of them if I use good form and concentrate. Maybe I need to get my arms in different positions. For instance, one exercise with incline db's to lengthen the bicep, one exercise of normal ROM and one with the elbows elevated to shorten the bicep. To be honest, I don't do much preacher stuff at all. Maybe I need to focus on that more. Thanks for the input.

Yeah, I was going to suggest preachers. Do you do hammer curls? Those really get my bi's growing.

[supasaiyan99]

Re: Biceps and Triceps?

Good point! It's hard to expect to have big arms if you are weak at chest and back, but I'm not that weak on those. I'm not super strong, but I'm not weak either. I usually hit 275 for 6 good slow reps on bench. Now, on back, I do my pull downs with about 160 for 8 and I do bent over rows with 225 for 6. I don't know, is that weak, average, or what?

You said you weigh around 240ish right? If so I think you should be doing more on pull downs. 160 seems too light for your weight. Try pulling down weight as close to your weight as possible.

[BIGMOFO]

Re: Biceps and Triceps?

I do very minimal for them. Max is 6 working sets for biceps once a week. It's high intensity, but low volume.

It's always been this way as long as I can remember. You know how some people just can't build calves, that how I feel about my biceps. Two of my strongest muscles are delts and calves and they used to grow like weeds from drop sets. Maybe I should hit drop sets on my biceps for several weeks and see if that will do the job.

MAYBE YOU SHOULD GIVE UP...MAYBE YOUR NOT CUT OUT FOR ALL THIS....AND SEND ME YOUR GEAR!

[Phreak]

Re: Biceps and Triceps?

t-man i think genetics play the largest role in your bicep's development. coleman's bis would grow from starting up a lawnmower...

i used to do 3-4 exercises for bis, barbells, dumbells, cables, all that bullshit.

i have learned that if anything, all that volume inhibits my growth more than stimulates it.

if i were you, i would pick 1 exercise (the one that you have found works best for you) and throw that in after your back workout. i usually pick barbell curls.

do 1 set of 15
do 1 set of 8

neither one of the first two sets should fatigue you at all, they are just for warmup.

you will then do three working sets:

1 set with a weight that you cannot do more than 10 reps
1 set with a weight that you cannot do more than 5 reps
1 set with a weight that you cannot do more than 15 reps

your biceps will be fried after this. if you have truly gone to failure on each set then you will not be able to do another exercise.

since i started doing this my biceps have grown more than ever before

for me, low volume and high intensity stimulates the most growth

[T-Man007]

Re: Biceps and Triceps?

Yeah, I was going to suggest preachers. Do you do hammer curls? Those really get my bi's growing.

I alternate them with reverse curls but I read that incline hammer curls were one of the best exercises to do so I'm going to switch to that.

[T-Man007]

Re: Biceps and Triceps?

You said you weigh around 240ish right? If so I think you should be doing more on pull downs. 160 seems too light for your weight. Try pulling down weight as close to your weight as possible.

That would probably have something to do with my arms. LOL I could do more, but this is 160 with perfect form. If I did the BS most guys in my gym do I would easily be up 40 pounds. I don't use any momentum at all. Maybe I sould start cheating on back a little more to get the poundage up. However, I have noticed that I do not respond well to anything but very strict form. As a matter of fact, Tempo training has probably been the best thing for me because of the time under tnesion. 160 may not sound like a lot, but if my lats are under tension 2-3 times longer than the guy doing 200 then I'm getting more muscle recruitment and greater fatigue. I go real slow on my negatives and I will usually hold the contraction on back for 1 full second. This requires I do less weight but it has yielded better back deveolpement for me over the years.

[T-Man007]

Re: Biceps and Triceps?

t-man i think genetics play the largest role in your bicep's development. coleman's bis would grow from starting up a lawnmower...

i used to do 3-4 exercises for bis, barbells, dumbells, cables, all that bullshit.

i have learned that if anything, all that volume inhibits my growth more than stimulates it.

if i were you, i would pick 1 exercise (the one that you have found works best for you) and throw that in after your back workout. i usually pick barbell curls.

do 1 set of 15
do 1 set of 8

neither one of the first two sets should fatigue you at all, they are just for warmup.

you will then do three working sets:

1 set with a weight that you cannot do more than 10 reps
1 set with a weight that you cannot do more than 5 reps
1 set with a weight that you cannot do more than 15 reps

your biceps will be fried after this. if you have truly gone to failure on each set then you will not be able to do another exercise.

since i started doing this my biceps have grown more than ever before

for me, low volume and high intensity stimulates the most growth

I'm better with low volume and high intensity too. I will give it a try, but I just have to find that magical exercise and I know it's not bb curls. At least, not for me. I keep coming back to them with no results. Thanks, I will give that a try.

[a-bomb83]

Re: Biceps and Triceps?

2 things i have found really get the muscles from being stubborn are static holds and negatives. i'll usually use the db's on a preacher curl to do them. i'll do usually 3-4 working sets of 4-8 reps (depending on the weight used) then i'll do a few negaties and or static holds. i'll get a weight i KNOW i can't do for a solid rep on the preacher curl. usually a 50pounder. so i'll lower it down usually a 10-15 second count, then use my other arm to hoist it back up and do for about 4-6 reps. if you want to use a static, you could lower it to about halfway and hold for about 10-15 seconds. good shit. i know its not best to measure growth based on how sore you are, but i swear these things will kill you. i try and incorporate negatives in any exercise. easy to do with the exception of back.

[supasaiyan99]

Re: Biceps and Triceps?

That would probably have something to do with my arms. LOL I could do more, but this is 160 with perfect form. If I did the BS most guys in my gym do I would easily be up 40 pounds. I don't use any momentum at all. Maybe I sould start cheating on back a little more to get the poundage up. However, I have noticed that I do not respond well to anything but very strict form. As a matter of fact, Tempo training has probably been the best thing for me because of the time under tnesion. 160 may not sound like a lot, but if my lats are under tension 2-3 times longer than the guy doing 200 then I'm getting more muscle recruitment and greater fatigue. I go real slow on my negatives and I will usually hold the contraction on back for 1 full second. This requires I do less weight but it has yielded better back deveolpement for me over the years.

Very true! Nothing beats proper form and concentration!

[DJDIGGLER]

Re: Biceps and Triceps?

I mix it up myself. I usually do 3 workouts, 4 sets, no higher than 8 reps and till failure. each set I go really heavy. EZ curl, DB curl, and TRI bar curl. Then I do a final workout of Concentration curls light 3 sets 10 reps each.

The only trick that seems to net me the most gain is I treat every workout and rep like a concentration curl. I go up real slow, squeeze and hold for 2 seconds, then go really slow down. That makes my arms want to pop.

I always do things back to back to so I always to Bi's with Tri's. Alternating throughout the whole workout to give each one adequate rest so I can give every set all my energy! As the old saying goes "NO PAIN NO GAIN!"

GOOD LUCK BRO!

[DJDIGGLER]

Re: Biceps and Triceps?

Oh I forgot to say I use the same routine for my tri's on that day so it's a total of about 30 sets total on my arms (bi's & tri's combined)

[NATE]

Re: Biceps and Triceps?

I dont know if this will work for you but its the best for me.

3 movements- bb curl-ez bar curls- reverse bb curl

all following a 10-8-6-4-2-2- rep method.

I hit bi's on chest day (tuesday) and then again on saturday. On saturday i only do 2 movements, cable concentration curls and standing double bicep cable curls. I do three sets per and shoot for 15 reps on each set. light weight high intensity burnouts really...kind of like a pump and go. i aslo hit my tri's that day in the same fashion.... usually only takes about 30 minutes...

[Stout1]

Re: Biceps and Triceps?

Bi's and Tri's are small muscles. They get hammered on back and bench day, so don't forget about that. They shouldn't need 10 sets unless of course you have really good genetics.

More sets do mean more growth, and this is a BIG if. IF you can handle it. Is any Pro going to grow of off low volume? Heck no. But is any average gym goer going to turn pro? Heck no. So why train like one when you are not even in the same league.

I personally only do 2-3 sets for bis/tris and usualy do NOT go to failure each time. They are a small muscle, if it takes you 10+ sets, pre-exhaustion techniques, strip sets, etc to "work" them, then you need to pick it up a notch IMO. Drop the fancy shit and stick to the basics:

Barbell Curls
Dumbell Curls
Cambered Bar Curls
Hammer Curls

Close Grip Bench Press
Barbell Skull crushers
Dumbell Skull Crushers
Pushdowns

Thats all I do and I do as your friend does. CHANGE IT UP ALL THE TIME! Dont give your body a chance to adapt.

For instance

Wk1 --- 3 x 10 Barbell Curls not to failure
Wk2 --- 4 x 6 Dumbell Curls not to failure
Wk3 --- 3 x 8 Hammer Curls not to failure

Now of course depending on your split is how you want to do things.

[Stout1]

Re: Biceps and Triceps?

FYI: It takes about 20-25 lbs to add 1" to your arms if you are growing proportionaly