Bicep Excercises: Which is best and how much do you lift?
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MindOverMatter
Master Don Juan
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weighted chin-ups / barbell curls / alternating dumbell curls via strip method
as for the amount lifted, it varies on the set.
as for the amount lifted, it varies on the set.
Nightwing
Master Don Juan
Curls are great for building up your biceps, but if you're going for overall size for your arms, remember that your triceps compose most of the muscle size of your arms. Don't neglect them either.
TheCaptain21
Don Juan
straight bar curls (not olympic bar but straight curl bar) alternate DB curls and straight bar preachers are great for growth......im not a big fan of the ez curl bar the pumps aren't as great and the olympic bar is frankly too long, the straight curl bar has given me the best results....
rob
rob
If I want to build strength in the biceps, I'd stick with the standing barbell curl. (Straight or EZ, I don't think it will make a world of difference. Just choose whichever you like better.) If you want to focus on hypertrophy, I thinka range of exercises is your best bet; no real one "best" here, imo.
(And yes, chins and other back exercises will also build your bicep strength. Quite significantly. I didn't do any direct biceps work for a couple of months once, and when I eventually did, I was able to add 11lb to my 10 rep barbell curl max.)
(And yes, chins and other back exercises will also build your bicep strength. Quite significantly. I didn't do any direct biceps work for a couple of months once, and when I eventually did, I was able to add 11lb to my 10 rep barbell curl max.)
upsidedownside7
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Listen to the captain. Concentration barbells are awesome. I am up to 70 pounds 4 reps each set. Ya gotta make sure to go down all the way. Get a spotter to make sure you can bring the weight back up.
belividere
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Mindovermatter, exactly what is the strip method? Drop sets?
I lifted for 4 years and took a very long hiatus that just ended a few months ago. For what it is worth when I was working out frequently I never actually concentrated on my arms after the first year or so. I would agree that heavy back excercises done with good form gave me good bicep development. And heavy chest exercises, including weighted dips gave me good tricep development. Since starting back up I have done arms after either back or chest workouts. My results have been good so far but I plan to drop this schedule soon and pick one up that isolates arms. But either way I do some heavy back work and then afterwards give all that I have in 3-4 sets of either seated dumbell curls or standing db curls. I dont lift much, today I got 6 reps with 40lbs, doing standing db curls with good form. Usually after chest workouts I have done either 3-4 sets of skullcrushers or tricep extensions.
With that in mind though I will take the re-beginners growth until it lasts and then specifically set a day for arms. I plan to do 5-6 heavy sets each for biceps and triceps when the time comes. I think most excercises that are common for these muscles are effective if done with proper form. So instead of worrying about weight I will focus on using the most weight with the best form each week.
I lifted for 4 years and took a very long hiatus that just ended a few months ago. For what it is worth when I was working out frequently I never actually concentrated on my arms after the first year or so. I would agree that heavy back excercises done with good form gave me good bicep development. And heavy chest exercises, including weighted dips gave me good tricep development. Since starting back up I have done arms after either back or chest workouts. My results have been good so far but I plan to drop this schedule soon and pick one up that isolates arms. But either way I do some heavy back work and then afterwards give all that I have in 3-4 sets of either seated dumbell curls or standing db curls. I dont lift much, today I got 6 reps with 40lbs, doing standing db curls with good form. Usually after chest workouts I have done either 3-4 sets of skullcrushers or tricep extensions.
With that in mind though I will take the re-beginners growth until it lasts and then specifically set a day for arms. I plan to do 5-6 heavy sets each for biceps and triceps when the time comes. I think most excercises that are common for these muscles are effective if done with proper form. So instead of worrying about weight I will focus on using the most weight with the best form each week.
If you are doing your compounds, you shouldn't have to do any direct bicep work.
Hopefully you are doing a variety of "ups" meaning pullups and chinups.
For rows, I suggest upright rows for your medial delts and bis and bent over rows for your back(row to stomach),delts(row to chest/collar), and bis.
Do the standing ones if you can, try to sit as little in the gym as possible ironman.
Hopefully you are doing a variety of "ups" meaning pullups and chinups.
For rows, I suggest upright rows for your medial delts and bis and bent over rows for your back(row to stomach),delts(row to chest/collar), and bis.
Do the standing ones if you can, try to sit as little in the gym as possible ironman.
My wrists get fukked up quite a bit from heavy lifting.. if anyone knows a cure for this i am all ears (could be not right hand positioning on bench or something)..
My $2 on biceps.
First of all, FORM IS ALL. I see so many guys swinging the weight, rocking his body front and back with every pull.. that is gonna fukk up your back, when doing biceps, it should be all arms, nothing else.
I use EZ curl bar, becuase of the wrists.. i start with 30's on each side, then usually drop to 25. It gets a lil rough at times
Then i move to hammer curls, those the ones that stretch your bicep,making it longer (am i correct here?) i use dumbells.
Then i move to ALT dumbless curls.. those are usually a b1tch and i get the 4-5 rep range for each arm with 35's. If i am too tired, ill sit on a bench and put my arm agains my leg, curling that way, i do 40-45 this way (this is easier than ALT Db's by a longshot)
overall, i try to stay within 5-7 sets for biceps.
Im open to any suggestions..
Remember to work not only your biceps, but tri's, traps, delts, back and legs
My $2 on biceps.
First of all, FORM IS ALL. I see so many guys swinging the weight, rocking his body front and back with every pull.. that is gonna fukk up your back, when doing biceps, it should be all arms, nothing else.
I use EZ curl bar, becuase of the wrists.. i start with 30's on each side, then usually drop to 25. It gets a lil rough at times
Then i move to hammer curls, those the ones that stretch your bicep,making it longer (am i correct here?) i use dumbells.
Then i move to ALT dumbless curls.. those are usually a b1tch and i get the 4-5 rep range for each arm with 35's. If i am too tired, ill sit on a bench and put my arm agains my leg, curling that way, i do 40-45 this way (this is easier than ALT Db's by a longshot)
overall, i try to stay within 5-7 sets for biceps.
Im open to any suggestions..
Remember to work not only your biceps, but tri's, traps, delts, back and legs