I have no problem getting my triceps to grow but I just can't get much mass in my biceps. Any hints?

Current plan:
Tricep workout: flat/incline/decline benches, flys, tricep extension negatives
Bicep workout: Single-arm isolation curls, bicep curl negatives on pulley, lotsa back stuff with biceps as secondard mover

3/25/2007 4:35:33 PM

Preacher curl, drag curl, hammer curl, good old standing bicep curl. Do some chinups too.

3/25/2007 4:37:54 PM

Quote :

"Single-arm isolation curls, bicep curl negatives on pulley"

where are the big movements, like barbell curls, preacher ez-bar curls, dumbbell curls, hammer curls, pronating dumbbell curls, etc?

also, have you heard of zottman curls? those are great and they burn out your arm. look them up on the intranets!


[Edited on March 25, 2007 at 4:40 PM. Reason : dang you ^ beat me to it while i was typing!]

3/25/2007 4:39:57 PM

Quote :

" also, have you heard of zottman curls?"

That's where you sit on an incline, do the bicep curl, rotate palms forward, lower arms then repeat, right?



PS ^ Your nutrition threads kick ass dude - I've started subbing out all my fats for EVOO!

[Edited on March 25, 2007 at 4:45 PM. Reason : .]

3/25/2007 4:42:26 PM

The bench is not necessary.

3/25/2007 4:44:34 PM

i mean i do those three bench presses for chest but the triceps are working as secondary movers

3/25/2007 4:46:17 PM

yup that's the movement, and i do it standing up.

i also do it so that my arms are staggered, that is, when my right arm is coming up while facing up, my left is going down facing down.

hmmm... i have never tried it like this: come up while facing down, and go down while facing up. let me try.

ok, feels a bit weird, and take a bit of getting used to, but i bet it is good for the arms to shock them to do something like that.

3/25/2007 4:48:00 PM

Hahaha you type an lift at the same time, eh?

3/25/2007 4:50:42 PM

haha no! just have a couple of dumbbells here so i tried it out!

Quote :

"PS ^ Your nutrition threads kick ass dude - I've started subbing out all my fats for EVOO!"

thanks, and good for you!

3/25/2007 4:58:12 PM

seated countdown curls on an EZ bar are working miracles for me right now

it takes a lifting buddy to remove the weights for you, so that you don't rest, and just keep going.
basically start with whatever your max is for 5 reps, then drop 5lbs, do 5 more, drop another 5, do 5 more, and keep going until you've dropped 4 weights of 5lbs (20 lbs) off each side. If you're new to the weight game, like when i started, you'll be down to just the bar... and that bar will be heavier than anything in your life.

i usually do 3 sets.

3/25/2007 4:59:10 PM

Quote :

"Tricep workout: flat/incline/decline benches, flys, tricep extension negatives Bicep workout: Single-arm isolation curls, bicep curl negatives on pulley, lotsa back stuff with biceps as secondard mover "

you do heavy compound movements for triceps and your triceps grow. you do a ton of isolation stuff for your biceps and they don't grow.

what does your back day look like? how about leg day?

3/25/2007 6:11:50 PM

Obligatory Pull-Ups, Deadlifts, Reply

3/25/2007 6:48:09 PM

^ AND THE VARIOUS ROWS

[Edited on March 25, 2007 at 7:11 PM. Reason : omg it's bicep day haha]

3/25/2007 7:03:53 PM

Quote :

"Obligatory Pull-Ups, Deadlifts, Reply"

Squats.

3/25/2007 8:20:45 PM

Haha, I have Tuesday which is "beach muscle day." I do biceps, abs, and cardio.

3/25/2007 8:26:51 PM

Masturbation works fine for me.

3/25/2007 8:45:45 PM

didn't read the rest so i don't know if it's been said.
but incorporate big movements... especially barbell and preacher curls. Stay away from the isolation curls and what not if you're looking for size. Also through in some reverse curls. You don't need much, especially if you're doing back stuff.

3/25/2007 11:04:56 PM

underhand Bent over rows
weighted chin ups

3/25/2007 11:37:39 PM

^^you don't need curls either

3/26/2007 12:04:14 AM

whats the links to the nutrition threads?

3/26/2007 12:15:15 AM

Squats

3/26/2007 12:24:40 AM

^^^ so you're saying if you wanted to add mass to your biceps, you wouldn't do any actual exercises that directly hit the biceps?

what exactly would you do?

3/26/2007 1:00:10 AM

I'm saying I pretty much do all compound movements (and eat a shit ton) and my entire body has added mass--triceps and biceps included.

3/26/2007 1:11:26 AM

i see, i think that's a good rule of thumb for adding overall mass. Also for increasing power and strength. But it seems like his goal is more aesthetic in nature and specifically geared to his biceps

That being said, there's no reason you shouldn't do 1-2 exercises for your biceps (those one or two exercises should be big movements). A lot of people over do it though. The biceps and triceps are very small muscle groups compared to say your back or legs. You don't need much. Over-training could be a contributing factor to a lack of growth.

also do bar movements, not dumbbells or one handed stuff.

3/26/2007 1:49:15 AM

If i wanted advise, I'd ask for it. I'm not exactly in need of any.

[Edited on March 26, 2007 at 3:31 AM. Reason : A lot of people also are misguided and do stupid shit in the gym]

3/26/2007 3:30:34 AM

Quote :

"weighted chin ups"

that's a good way to hurt your back

3/26/2007 7:42:05 AM

curls.

3/26/2007 8:49:53 AM

^^so are deads, goodmornings, oly lifts, squats, bench, military presses and just about any worthwhile lift if done incorrectly




[Edited on March 26, 2007 at 11:44 AM. Reason : ]

[Edited on March 26, 2007 at 11:44 AM. Reason : OOOMMMGGG YOU MIGHT HURT YOURSELF HAHAHAHAHAHA]

3/26/2007 11:35:58 AM

wow seriously? hurt my back...

you can hurt yourself doing ANY exercise if you do it improperly

3/26/2007 12:12:50 PM

OOOMGG YOU MIGHT HURT YOURSELF, WOULDN'T IT BE EASIER IF YOU.....

3/26/2007 12:22:00 PM

i agree. in fact, you shouldn't do any bicep workouts because you might hurt your bicep.

3/26/2007 12:25:44 PM

Quote :

"that's a good way to hurt your back"

yeah, that's silly to say as so many have pointed out, but more pertinently, it was said in regards to an exercise which is very safe, one of the safest there is.

chinups (weighted or otherwise), are extremely safe. if you can't pull yourself up, you can't. it is nearly impossible to hurt yourself doing them.

now if he had said that in regards to deadlifts, clean and jerk, snatch, etc, he would have a point, as those are some of the most dangerous ones where it is easy to hurt yourself.

3/26/2007 12:38:43 PM

21s always work well for a good burn.

3/26/2007 1:52:37 PM

that would be awesome if a "good burn" had anything to do with a "good workout"

burn means nothing

3/26/2007 3:35:34 PM

^ Burn to me = sore the next day = good workout. I'm just offering suggestion like everyone else.

3/26/2007 3:40:26 PM

Too bad you are misinformed.

3/26/2007 4:17:42 PM

Quote :

"If i wanted advise, I'd ask for it. I'm not exactly in need of any."

the advice wasn't for you, it was for the original poster. Thought that was clear from the way it was written and the things mentioned , but I can see how you may have misunderstood.

3/26/2007 4:29:28 PM

^^ Whatever Captain America. I've been lifting for about 10 years now and have no concerns over my personal workouts or the way I'm built. Some of you assholes on this thread act like a bunch of fucking PhD in working out when most of you probably can't even bench your fucking body weight.

3/26/2007 4:37:34 PM

Look at me--I'm captain america.

3/26/2007 4:49:35 PM

^^there's no need to get angry

I was merely pointing out the fact that you were wrong so as not to confuse other people

3/26/2007 5:10:24 PM

well if he is wrong, correct him.

otherwise no point in pointing it out.

3/26/2007 5:13:05 PM

Fine

"Muscle burn" is largely the result of lactic acid. The acid concentration increases when you exceed the “lactate threshold” or the point at which acid waste production > acid waste removal from the body.

Crossing the lactate threshold for a sustained time leads to acid accumulation in the muscles and can lead to cramping (and "the burn") which can severely compromise performance

what it gomes down to is progress...are you lifting more weight each week? more reps? higher intensity? Base whether or not something is effective on progress and growth, instead of whether or not you can "feel the burn"

3/26/2007 5:33:49 PM

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned squat rack curls yet...

3/26/2007 5:57:42 PM

burn does mean a good workout for muscle building.....its what Arnold S. calls "the pump".

When you lift, your actually causing harm to your muscles. The more you tear them, the bigger they will grow back. After a good muscle building workout, you should cause as much breakdown as possible. There are two different types of burns your guys are talking about. The lactic acid burn is not the same thing as "the pump" as Arnold would say.

3/26/2007 6:41:05 PM

Quote :

"That being said, there's no reason you shouldn't do 1-2 exercises for your biceps (those one or two exercises should be big movements). A lot of people over do it though. The biceps and triceps are very small muscle groups compared to say your back or legs. You don't need much. Over-training could be a contributing factor to a lack of growth. "

I can give you a really good reason for why you shouldn't do additional bicep work after a back workout. every single muscle in the back is larger than your bicep, and every major back exercise you do incorporates the bicep (yes, even deadlifts). Now, you're telling me that you can perform a couple extra movements for your biceps without overtraining when they are used for everything else you do that day? bullshit. the best thing you can do for making your biceps grow is to get the fuck out of the gym after you're done with the heavy compound movements on back day and go immediately chug down a hefty amount of dextrose and whey protein.

if you're one of those stubborn types that thinks you have to do a ton of isolation work for biceps, then dedicate a second day during the week for biceps. The bicep is the fastest healing muscle in the body, but at the same time it hits your training threshold very quickly. Doing 12-16 sets of various exercises for the bicep is only going to result in you tearing down the muscle past the point that your body is capable of building back up.

3/26/2007 8:41:10 PM

Quote :

"burn does mean a good workout for muscle building.....its what Arnold S. calls "the pump". When you lift, your actually causing harm to your muscles. The more you tear them, the bigger they will grow back. After a good muscle building workout, you should cause as much breakdown as possible. There are two different types of burns your guys are talking about. The lactic acid burn is not the same thing as "the pump" as Arnold would say. "

muscle burn comes from lactic acid, and you don't need lactic acid buildup or a pump to have a successful workout. if you preload your body with baking soda prior to working out, your blood will buffer out the lactic acid and allow you to do more reps than normal. it will also give you severe stomach cramping and a case of the runs 60 minutes later.

also, a pump is not what causes your muscles to grow. it just happened to be one of the things Arnold enjoyed the most about lifting. there is a trend growing in Japan now where people will train their bodies with incredibly light weights at high reps while wearing tourniquets around the muscles they are training to PREVENT blood flow and a pump from occurring. numerous studies have confirmed that this method of training is incredibly effective for causing a massive increase in the cross sectional areas of muscle fibers trained - moreso than from typical pump training.

[Edited on March 26, 2007 at 8:47 PM. Reason : and furthermore, Arnold never called that burning sensation "The Pump"]

3/26/2007 8:46:47 PM

^That's why I do biceps on Tuesday and back on Thursday.

3/26/2007 8:47:12 PM

^that's a good way to split it up.

3/26/2007 8:48:01 PM

Quote :

"I'm surprised nobody has mentioned squat rack curls yet..."

you bastard - don't encourage someone to tie up the squat rack doing curls.

3/26/2007 8:49:35 PM

Quote :

"I can give you a really good reason for why you shouldn't do additional bicep work after a back workout."

When did i say to do them after back exercises? Have you read anything else that I've said (did you even read that post?). It pretty much goes along with everything you said in that post (i.e. don't do isolations exercises, or a lot of sets/reps)

[Edited on March 26, 2007 at 9:10 PM. Reason : .]

3/26/2007 9:04:27 PM