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nevergiveup92
07-11-10, 11:18 pm
Everything on my body grows at a very good speed except for my biceps! I get stronger but they don't get bigger. Is it just genetics or what? I work out all three heads with great intensity and try to get as much pump as possible by doing supersets and what not. Confused on what to do! I want big biceps!

BryanSmash!
07-12-10, 1:11 am
Genetics isnt going to have anything to do with the size of your biceps (to a certain extent) but only to the shape. Give more info on what your training and diet looks like so the people here can give you a better answer.

Legacy
07-12-10, 9:29 am
Maybe your training them too much?

Aggression
07-12-10, 9:42 am
This thread comes at the right time. My biceps have struggled in growth when everything else seems to do pretty well. I changed up my routine as of the last few weeks and I've noticed something coming from it; a LOT more soreness and more density in the biceps, especially during the workout. The fix? Lowering the weight and eliminating the shoulder from being too involved. I lean forward just a bit when doing a standing curl; it helps eliminate the shoulder taking too much control. Also, lower the weight. I'm grabbing 20's and 25's for preacher bench curls and incline db curls, really squeezing each rep and focusing on pulling with nothing but the bicep. It's done wonders during the last few weeks. Typically soreness sets in at 24hrs from the workout. I hit biceps last night around 630 and they're already sore. Try 'em out.

IronWilson
07-12-10, 10:22 am
I agree with lowering the weight. Think about it. Your biceps are a relatively small muscle. Therefore, the answer to stimulating them is not to use large amounts of weight, because the biceps won't be handling them.

I believe that when training biceps, it is okay to use a lot of isolation exercises when you generally wouldn't focus so much on them when training other bodyparts. This is your other muscle groups can handle large loads of weights. But for your biceps, you will be doing more for them if you focus on the contraction rather than moving weight. You have to remember that your biceps are involved in your back training as well as many other exercises and movements.

So to train biceps, use isolation and lighten up the weight. And don't believe it when people tell you not to train biceps to make them grow. It just doesn't work.

RogueLion
07-12-10, 11:54 am
2 heads or 3? I think bi=2. Inner or outer? Hmmmm...

I wonder

Birdman
07-12-10, 12:08 pm
Simplicity is key. I currently hit biceps with shoulders and do only 3 exercises balls to the wall. Barbell curls, Dumbbell hammer curls, Barbell reverse curls. You hit the bicep from every angle with simple effective lifts and the gains will follow. Incorporate drop sets and very short breaks between sets. Intensity adds the inches, not the weight.

prowrestler
07-12-10, 1:22 pm
Everything on my body grows at a very good speed except for my biceps! I get stronger but they don't get bigger. Is it just genetics or what? I work out all three heads with great intensity and try to get as much pump as possible by doing supersets and what not. Confused on what to do! I want big biceps!

- there are 2 heads in the "BI"cep...
- your either training very low reps, or your form sucks if you can only move more weight without growth.
- try doing db curls up against a wall, leaning your weight into the wall. slow negative and hard contractions. 3 sets of 8-10.
- do not do over 8 sets for biceps. they do not need it.

Razor
07-12-10, 2:01 pm
This thread comes at the right time. My biceps have struggled in growth when everything else seems to do pretty well. I changed up my routine as of the last few weeks and I've noticed something coming from it; a LOT more soreness and more density in the biceps, especially during the workout. The fix? Lowering the weight and eliminating the shoulder from being too involved. I lean forward just a bit when doing a standing curl; it helps eliminate the shoulder taking too much control. Also, lower the weight. I'm grabbing 20's and 25's for preacher bench curls and incline db curls, really squeezing each rep and focusing on pulling with nothing but the bicep. It's done wonders during the last few weeks. Typically soreness sets in at 24hrs from the workout. I hit biceps last night around 630 and they're already sore. Try 'em out.

This is THE ONLY way i've managed to increase my size. For years and years i went heavy only to find myself going stagnant for all that time. Once i changed my structure and enabled my arms to feel every 1lb and really focus on the squeeze it was then and only then that i noticed dramatic increases.

nevergiveup92
07-12-10, 2:09 pm
I train them every 4 days so they get plenty of rest. My diets near perfect. I have HUGE and strong forearms and I think that i need to focus more on not letting them do all the work , should i do more iso exercises and maybe lean forward on the standing curls. I can lift a lot of weight on curls but have never really thought about the facts my forearms could be doing a lot of the work.

LegendKillerJosh
07-12-10, 7:02 pm
dumbell 21s - the heaviest dumbells you can use to get all 21, they are brutally painful and my biceps are always incredibly pumped after.

another high intensity technique that will destroy - warm up your back and biceps with the lat pulldown - palms in. Before your last set, do 1 heavy set of dumbell curls and immediately go into the pulldowns with no rest and let your back assist destroying those biceps.

Machine
07-12-10, 9:04 pm
I am going to tell you something that won't be popular, it won't be well received, and you almost certainly won't follow my advice - WHICH WILL WORK.

Not withstanding all of that; I will give it a go anyway...

You must utilize only three exercises for biceps, and only 3 sets of each movement. It is quite incidental which movements you perform.

The real deal is that people who deadlift, squat, and benck press extremely heavy almost always have well developed biceps and triceps.

Maximum effort in these lifts potentiate growth in the biceps and triceps for more than one reason. Think about how much strain is on the biceps proper during the deadlift, squat, and bench press...if you can really conceive of this...you will understand that you are standing too close to the problem...when one is too close to the problem...all one sees is the problem...there is no room for the solution. You are too close to this problem and you are looking for the solution to the simplest physiological problem known to the iron athlete.

Try this approach...or you could always add another 30 sets of biceps work in there...


MACHINE

The Misfit
07-12-10, 9:19 pm
I am going to tell you something that won't be popular, it won't be well received, and you almost certainly won't follow my advice - WHICH WILL WORK.

Not withstanding all of that; I will give it a go anyway...

You must utilize only three exercises for biceps, and only 3 sets of each movement. It is quite incidental which movements you perform.

The real deal is that people who deadlift, squat, and benck press extremely heavy almost always have well developed biceps and triceps.

Maximum effort in these lifts potentiate growth in the biceps and triceps for more than one reason. Think about how much strain is on the biceps proper during the deadlift, squat, and bench press...if you can really conceive of this...you will understand that you are standing too close to the problem...when one is too close to the problem...all one sees is the problem...there is no room for the solution. You are too close to this problem and you are looking for the solution to the simplest physiological problem known to the iron athlete.

Try this approach...or you could always add another 30 sets of biceps work in there...


MACHINE

Agreed. A truth I have come to realize. Thank you dearly for that Machine.

mcbeast
07-13-10, 11:01 am
I am going to tell you something that won't be popular, it won't be well received, and you almost certainly won't follow my advice - WHICH WILL WORK.

Not withstanding all of that; I will give it a go anyway...

You must utilize only three exercises for biceps, and only 3 sets of each movement. It is quite incidental which movements you perform.

The real deal is that people who deadlift, squat, and benck press extremely heavy almost always have well developed biceps and triceps.

Maximum effort in these lifts potentiate growth in the biceps and triceps for more than one reason. Think about how much strain is on the biceps proper during the deadlift, squat, and bench press...if you can really conceive of this...you will understand that you are standing too close to the problem...when one is too close to the problem...all one sees is the problem...there is no room for the solution. You are too close to this problem and you are looking for the solution to the simplest physiological problem known to the iron athlete.

Try this approach...or you could always add another 30 sets of biceps work in there...


MACHINE

Someone like minded. Thank you.

Stick to the basics, and your biceps will naturally adapt to the heavy weights and grow.

I think I directly train biceps once every 2 weeks, just a few sets. If that. If your rowing, and doing your compound lifts then bicep growth shouldn't be a proble. Btw, you are young, right? Don't worry about your biceps, train hard and heavy on the bassics, with proper form of course.

On the other hand, if you do want to curl away, use light weights+strong contractions with negatives and resistance.

Goliathus
07-13-10, 12:32 pm
Couldnt have said it any better.

I directly train mine once every 2 weeks, on a normal split.

Barbell Curls and SLOW db curls.
That's all I'll do.

Sprint
07-15-10, 9:00 pm
just to throw in something ive been doing a bit lately for mine, now I read this somewhere & its good to throw in along the way here & there as a shocker or just to mix things up. If i read it on here & am actually pinching a fellow animal's idea I apologise, im pinching somebody's idea from somewhere, i just cant remember who & where... but here goes.

taking into account your biomechanics place your body in a position where its at a biomechanical disadvantage & therefore weaker. example being reverse bicep curls. bang out ur reps on reverse curls then when you're done, flip your grip to standard bicep curls & keep on reppin, using the same weight. cos you've just taken away the biomechanical disadvantage, you can squeeze out some extra reps.
Like i say, i do this myself, not every session but its good to have in ur back pocket to bring out here and there.