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solomon_caine
12-03-11, 9:46 pm
I began wondering about one thing I noticed way back. I was pretty fair when it comes to presses and pulls but I couldn't say the same when I'm curling. I mean, I can bench a few pounds and make it look okay; I can row a hundred and see results. But when I'm doing bicep curls, I'm at a weight set that's paperweight for most heavy guys. Is it a genetic limitation or did I spend more time on pressing and pulling rather than curling?

would like to know your opinions about this.

Phil800101
12-05-11, 3:36 pm
If bicep strength is lacking, but you're seeing progress in other areas, it is likely an issue with your training, not you physically.

How often do you train biceps? You could be hitting them too frequently or not frequently enough.

Do you do other work on them besides curls? Variety is important.

When in your workout do you do curls? Any kind of pulling will activate the biceps, if you're hitting them after doing rows or deads, it's quite possible they're gassed. You might also be using more bicep than back when doing back work.

Carrnage
12-05-11, 6:38 pm
I began wondering about one thing I noticed way back. I was pretty fair when it comes to presses and pulls but I couldn't say the same when I'm curling. I mean, I can bench a few pounds and make it look okay; I can row a hundred and see results. But when I'm doing bicep curls, I'm at a weight set that's paperweight for most heavy guys. Is it a genetic limitation or did I spend more time on pressing and pulling rather than curling?

would like to know your opinions about this.

Genetic limit? Lol you gota be kidding me, have you been training for over 20+ years?

If your bicep strength is lacking, heavy hammer grip chins, 1-2 sets full range of motion, 1-2 sets top half of the movement, 1-2 sets at the bottom half of the movement, and keep your barbell/dumbbell curls around 5-7 reps. Elbows close to your body, 3 second negative. Then with a barbell use a weight that you can't do any reps with and have your partner pull up the positive and you control the negative.

If I may ask, why do you care about bicep strength?

BigChrisF
12-05-11, 11:45 pm
Everybody had different leverages that they have to work with. These will make you better at some movements and worse at others. I wouldn't call them a limit, so much as advantages and disadvantages.

C.Coronato
12-06-11, 12:49 pm
Genetic limit? Lol you gota be kidding me, have you been training for over 20+ years?

If your bicep strength is lacking, heavy hammer grip chins, 1-2 sets full range of motion, 1-2 sets top half of the movement, 1-2 sets at the bottom half of the movement, and keep your barbell/dumbbell curls around 5-7 reps. Elbows close to your body, 3 second negative. Then with a barbell use a weight that you can't do any reps with and have your partner pull up the positive and you control the negative.

If I may ask, why do you care about bicep strength?

Agreed. I think it takes a VERY long time to reach genetic limits. Increase your training and follow Carrnages ideas.

solomon_caine
12-07-11, 8:41 am
If bicep strength is lacking, but you're seeing progress in other areas, it is likely an issue with your training, not you physically.

How often do you train biceps? You could be hitting them too frequently or not frequently enough.

Do you do other work on them besides curls? Variety is important.

When in your workout do you do curls? Any kind of pulling will activate the biceps, if you're hitting them after doing rows or deads, it's quite possible they're gassed. You might also be using more bicep than back when doing back work.


I'll admit my lack of variety because I train with two body parts a day for three times in a week. I'll have to look that up again; I may be doing more work on the one that's already there rather than the one I need to work on some more.

solomon_caine
12-07-11, 8:47 am
Genetic limit? Lol you gota be kidding me, have you been training for over 20+ years?

If your bicep strength is lacking, heavy hammer grip chins, 1-2 sets full range of motion, 1-2 sets top half of the movement, 1-2 sets at the bottom half of the movement, and keep your barbell/dumbbell curls around 5-7 reps. Elbows close to your body, 3 second negative. Then with a barbell use a weight that you can't do any reps with and have your partner pull up the positive and you control the negative.

If I may ask, why do you care about bicep strength?


I started around 17 years old. Had more stops than none due to a banged up schedule way back in high school. The free time that I get when I used to live in my old house before, I was mainly concentrated on my back and legs, chest if ever I can squeeze it in, considering the fact that I still had my father's old barbell. I'm 28 but still working my way around it. It's a never ending quest for learning. But about the bicep strength,...man, you had me thinking. The only thing I could relate it with is the heavy sugar cane stalks that I carry every time harvest month comes. More of endurance, you see. Hope I got to answer that one.

solomon_caine
12-07-11, 8:49 am
Everybody had different leverages that they have to work with. These will make you better at some movements and worse at others. I wouldn't call them a limit, so much as advantages and disadvantages.

Better if I exceed myself and train harder. man, this thread I started has me learning...and scratching my head.

solomon_caine
12-07-11, 8:53 am
Agreed. I think it takes a VERY long time to reach genetic limits. Increase your training and follow Carrnages ideas.

Come to think of it, Chief, I may have used the wrong choice of words on that. I guess it's my mind messing with me again. But thanks, I will increase my training and will follow the exercise Carrnage suggested once I fully recover from my hemorrhoid attack, yep, I finally have one. Once I'm done recovering, I'll take it back to the gym and re-assess everything point by point and figure out where I go wrong.

Then, the usual step, right or wrong, is to go back to the FORVM and ask again.