Is This Bicep Session Too Much?

[GodsGiftToFatBirds]

I was interested to see in Diesel's Bulking Guide that he reccomends 4-6 sets is the max you should do in one week on biceps. This seems quite low to me as, on a bicep day, you'd do no more than two lots of 3 x 8 (or 3 x 6 or whatever)

But I'm starting to think that my bicep session might be a bit over the top, towards the end of the session (particularly on 21's and on my left arm especially, which is a bit weaker), my bicep muscle can completely seize up and i'm unable to move the weight from the start position.

Have a look at the session i did today, and tell me if you think its too much, and if so, how much i should cut it down.

Alternate DB Curls 3 x 7 20kg (4 mins between each set) (my 1 rep max is 23kg/24kg).
Completed this exercise fully

5 mins recovery

Close Grip Pull Ups w/5.5kg DB between feet
Attempted 3 x 8
Managed 8,7,7
(4 mins between each set)

10 mins recovery

3 sets of 21's 16kg (2 mins between each set)
Failed to complete 2nd and 3rd sets on left hand, and 3rd set on right hand

10 mins recovery

Alternate DB Curls
Attempted 3 x 6 17.5kg
Managed 4, 4, 5 on left hand, 6,6, 8 on right hand (maxed out on last set)
(3 mins between each set)

 

[AmazingTricks]

your names great...
do you enjoy mine?
i have nice biceps...
if you can do it, it's never too much

 

[GodsGiftToFatBirds]

if you can do it, it's never too much

Well i haven't been doing it, thats what i'm saying, if you look at the session i did yesterday, you'll see i only actually managed to fully complete the first exercise.
Its been a bit of a recurring theme with my bicep session: i've been doing the session i laid out above every week for the past few weeks, albeit building up the first 2 exercises (Alternate DB Curls & Close Grip Pull Ups) with more reps and weight week by week if i've managed to complete it the previous week.
But I consistently end up failing when i get to the 21's, which leads me to think i'm doing too much.
Anyone else got any opinions?

 

[Anhslaught]

Originally posted by GodsGiftToFatBirds
Well i haven't been doing it, thats what i'm saying, if you look at the session i did yesterday, you'll see i only actually managed to fully complete the first exercise.
Its been a bit of a recurring theme with my bicep session: i've been doing the session i laid out above every week for the past few weeks, albeit building up the first 2 exercises (Alternate DB Curls & Close Grip Pull Ups) with more reps and weight week by week if i've managed to complete it the previous week.
But I consistently end up failing when i get to the 21's, which leads me to think i'm doing too much.
Anyone else got any opinions?

I think that's a pretty good amount. Only problem I see is the 10 minute rest. That sounds a lot to me. There's really no set limit to a resting time, but when I wrest 10 minutes, my body gets pretty relaxed and testosterone level tend to go down and I get sore during the work out or what not. Other than that, it seems like the bicep session works.

Me, I do 3 sets of hammer curls, 3 sets of concentration curls and finish off with one arm preacher curls. I change my work out plans every 3 months to avoid getting bored or become too use to the workout. I usually do strength training for about 2 months, and then change off and do sets of 10-12 for sculpting. After that, time for a new workout plan to shock the plateau.
I use a reverse pyramid scheme when I'm strength building. From all the methods I've done so far, I adapted to this one best.

 

[semag]

That does look like a little much... and you're doing "alternate DB curls" twice? If you're gonna do it twice, change the grip and do a hammer curl once and a different curl the second time.

Here's my thoughts.

Move the Chinups to another day (*cough* back day *cough*) and you'll cut your sets to 9. 21's are tough anyway, so after all that they'd be brutal. Biceps you can work twice a week, and the best way to do it is a day of biceps, then something else, and then back (which indirectly will work your biceps again).

Here's what I was doing a few months ago, and I considered it a high volume bicep workout.

1 warmup set x 15 straight bar curls
3 sets x 6, heavy (straight bar)
1 set x 6, heavier, (cheat a bit, straight bar)

3 sets x 15, 12, 10 reverse grip cable curls, increasing weight each set

2-3 sets of DB hammer curls, 6, 8... or 6, 6, 8 (if 3 sets)

That'll hit several different grips, which will alternate the pressure on your biceps, brachialis, and forearms.

 

[GodsGiftToFatBirds]

Thanks for the advice

This is my new bicep session which i did for the first time yesterday:

Alternate DB Curls 3x8 20kg (4 mins between each set)

5 mins recovery

3 sets of 21s 16kg (2 mins between each pair of sets - Left hand then right)

5 mins recovery

Alternate Hammer Curls 3x6 17.5kg (4 mins between each set)


I completed the full session successfully so i'll be building it up next time i do a bicep session:
the next step i reckon is to reduce the time betwen sets on the alt DB curls before increasing the weight in a couple of sessions, and also increasing the reps on the hammer curls, as i felt i could have done a bit more on that one. 21's i intend to keep the same for a couple of sessions as i only very narrowly completed that exercise, and want to be able to do it more comfortably before increasing the weight.

Any further opinions, feel free to comment.

 

[semag]

Rest less between sets... between 1-2 mins, closer to the 1 side.