Bicep width

just_lift · 06-27-2003, 05:21 PM

What lifts will make your biceps thicker.

Fit Freak · 06-27-2003, 05:55 PM

For overall development I like alternating curls and heavy barbell curls...as for working specifically on thickness do lots of hammer curls....try them using dumbbells as well as cables holding a rope attachment.

**Mudge** · 06-27-2003, 06:11 PM

http://www.exrx.net/Muscles/BicepsBrachii.html
http://www.exrx.net/Muscles/Brachioradialis.html

neanderthal · 06-27-2003, 11:40 PM

for biceps thickness i like to do preacher curls with a close grip. to the point where your hands are almost touching. this really hits your outter biceps

tjwes · 06-28-2003, 05:33 AM

Incline curls,Wide grip barbell curls are both great for width .

**Mudge** · 06-28-2003, 01:21 PM

Traditionally, using a wide grip requires utilizing the insides of the muscle to stabalize, and vice versa. So a narrow grip would be what is traditionally recommended, same for squats.

tjwes · 06-28-2003, 01:52 PM

Mudge, What does that mean?Whether you increase either side of the biceps wouldn`t that make them wider.I must also respectfully disagree with you about wide VS. close grip.The wider the grip the wider the biceps will be.Wider grip =outside head .

**Mudge** · 06-28-2003, 01:53 PM

I never said in the first place to change grips to make the biceps wider, which is why I posted the brach. IMO, to make the arm wider just make it bigger. Your arm is not going to look big from front or behind until it gets pretty big, and the bicep hardly plays into this effect at all.

neanderthal · 06-28-2003, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tjwes
I must also respectfully disagree with you about wide VS. close grip.The wider the grip the wider the biceps will be.Wider grip =outside head .

no, your wrong. wide grip will hit on the inner biceps. try it out with a bb and tell me where u feel it more. short grip hits the outter. i am right on this.

Fit Freak · 06-28-2003, 05:34 PM

narrow grip will hit the inner portion more than wider grips...trust me

Now....to make the biceps appear thicker...other than the recommendation to get them larger overall including triseps growth you need to train the brachialis and brachioradialus...which is why I originally mentioned hammer curls...that is the foundation you shoud use.

**Prince** · 06-28-2003, 06:03 PM

I believe that bicep thickness comes with overall bicep development, saying that certain exercises will make them thicker is walking on the 'muscle shaping' line, which we all know is impossible. I also see bicep thickness as mostly genetic just as a bicep peak is.

OceanDude · 06-28-2003, 07:24 PM

I am no expert here since I have a long way to go on bicep development still. However, I have experienced noticeable growth in thickness/width by doing combinations of exercises hitting both inner and outer heads in conjunction with intense isometric flexing against an immovable object (such as a horizontal bar) for 30-60 secs on each arm between sets. As well all know, to make your “arms” look larger overall, the biggest bang for your gym time is to get the triceps as large as possible since they represent 2/3’s of the total arm size in the classically proportioned male physiology. Also, I didn’t note anyone mentioning concentration dumbell curls. These can be a very effective exercise also for the bicep overall. Good Luck.

**Mudge** · 06-28-2003, 07:33 PM

I like a bent over one arm concentration curl as a finisher sometimes. Very intense with a light weight, hold at the top.

tjwes · 06-28-2003, 08:35 PM

Prince do you think you can isolate certain portions of a muscle a little more by changing angles or foot stance or grips?What`s your opinion on this ?Thanks.

**Mudge** · 06-29-2003, 12:48 AM

Myself, I dont think you could call it isolation, but favoritism.

firestorm · 06-29-2003, 01:17 AM

you can't spot reduce as well as spot induce(meaning a SPECIFIC AREA OF A SINGLE muscle or in this case 2 muscles. The only way to make the bicep wider and or thicker is to make the 2 muscles bigger. It's shape is genetic and can not be altered other then making it larger. The only prayer in giving a bicep the appearance of being thicker is to do hammer curls to prioritize the Brachialis muscle. The muscle that runs down the outer arm.

Same goes for "How do you get one of those really high peaks" you may never be able to get one of those major peaks because of where your bicep attaches to the bone and whatever other genetic reasons there may be. I'm not saying you can't get 20 inch arms because maybe you can(maybe you can't either without drugs). Take a look at Arnold for example. At his best,, you can notice a difference in his biceps. One bicep peaked much better then the other. The inovator and master gun blaster, Larry Scott had huge arms but never had the peak of lets say an Arnold. Oh well I'm done.

firestorm · 06-29-2003, 01:43 AM

So as to not piss anyone off with my opinion, below I'm posting a routine for those that believe you can isolate a specific area of an individual muscle(s). give it a try:
Overall mass:
1. Standing barbell curls 5 x 8
2. Preacher curls 4 x 8
3. Seated dumbbell curls 3 x 8

Lower biceps:
1. Preacher dumbbell curls 4 x 8
2. Preacher barbell curls 4 x 8
3. Standing barbell curls - 3 x 8

Upper biceps:
1. Seated supinated dumbbell curls 4 x 10
2. Vertical preacher curls - 3 x 12
3. Concentration curls - 3 x 12

Inner biceps:
1. Wide grip barbell curls - 4 x 8
2. Inclined bench seated dumbbell curls 4 x 8
3. Dumbbell curls (hold dumbbells as if you hold a barbell with so wide grip as you can) - 3 x 12

Outer biceps:
1. Very narrow grip barbell curls (up to 5 inch) (if you feel pain in your wrists using standard bar, use EZ bar) - 4 x 10
2. Very narrow grip preacher curls - 4 x 10
3. Concentration curls - 3 x 12 (also for PEAK)

**Prince** · 06-29-2003, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by tjwes
Prince do you think you can isolate certain portions of a muscle a little more by changing angles or foot stance or grips?What`s your opinion on this ?Thanks.

Absolutely not, it's physiologically imposssible. People think this because often times you will feel sore in different regions of a muscle due to using a different exercise or angle. Although it is true that more damage was done in that portion of the muscle, the muscle itself will still grow as a whole. To say otherwise would be saying that you could shape a muscle, which you cannot.

Robboe · 06-29-2003, 10:38 AM

What a rather horrid thread.

Biceps = two heads.

Some of the advice in this thread defies basic physiology.

firestorm · 06-29-2003, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by The_Chicken_Daddy
What a rather horrid thread.

Biceps = two heads.

Some of the advice in this thread defies basic physiology.

Such as????

**Mudge** · 06-29-2003, 05:51 PM

I believe in the case of chest, where the attachment points differ, that you can favor upper vs lower chest, which I know TCD disagrees with. If I stop doing upper chest work, I notice it within two weeks, easily.

Robboe · 06-30-2003, 04:08 AM

Actually, my upper/lower chest stance has changed ever so slightly in the past 4 months.

Firestorm - your bicep will get wider as it gets bigger as a whole muscle.

**Prince** · 06-30-2003, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by The_Chicken_Daddy
Actually, my upper/lower chest stance has changed ever so slightly in the past 4 months.

LMFAO! How so?

Quote:

Firestorm - your bicep will get wider as it gets bigger as a whole muscle.

Yup, I think I said this already.

**Mudge** · 06-30-2003, 11:12 AM

Yep people still ask how do I get a thicker arm, flat out make it bigger. Its not going to be that wide typically until it gets a bit large, thats just how it is. A 15" arm is not big.

Robboe · 06-30-2003, 01:09 PM

Ok, maybe i worded my post a little incorrectly.

More accurately, my stance on inclines has changed. I now like them, or more accurately again, i like the cybex-esque incline machine press in my gym.

firestorm · 06-30-2003, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mudge
I believe in the case of chest, where the attachment points differ, that you can favor upper vs lower chest, which I know TCD disagrees with. If I stop doing upper chest work, I notice it within two weeks, easily.

Yea but with Chest, we're not talking about just the Sternal Head (the larger of 2 muscle groups that make up the pecs).
That muscle is the larger of the two and covers the greatest area of the pec area.

Incline benches and such angled excercise isolates the Clavicular Head(located at the upper pec region a BIT more then the middle chest without a doubt so you are NOT wrong and that point can't be argued.
In short, Incline benches will make a noticeable difference in chest development because of the 2nd (forgotten about muscle) Clavicular Head.

firestorm · 06-30-2003, 06:50 PM

06-27-2003, 05:21 PM	#1
just_lift Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 20	Bicep width What lifts will make your biceps thicker.
just_lift Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 20

06-27-2003, 05:55 PM	#2
Fit Freak Fit Freak Elite Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Halifax Posts: 1,797 Photos: 6	For overall development I like alternating curls and heavy barbell curls...as for working specifically on thickness do lots of hammer curls....try them using dumbbells as well as cables holding a rope attachment.
	Searching for the right balance...

06-27-2003, 06:11 PM	#3
Mudge Pizza the Hut Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 23,027 Photos: 1	http://www.exrx.net/Muscles/BicepsBrachii.html http://www.exrx.net/Muscles/Brachioradialis.html
	Kinesiology Vote @ Top 25 Deads Comp Bench Motivation Bench form MaxCalc Charles Poliquin When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. Lao-Tzu I don't know any sources so don't ask - thanks

06-27-2003, 11:40 PM	#4
neanderthal Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: ILLINOIS Posts: 108	for biceps thickness i like to do preacher curls with a close grip. to the point where your hands are almost touching. this really hits your outter biceps
	"Losers always whine about their best, winners go home and f*ck the prom queen." "Every man has an animal inside. Some men have a domestic animal, and others a wild animal."

06-28-2003, 05:33 AM	#5
tjwes "You Can`t Flex Fat" Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Upstate New York Posts: 456 Photos: 8	Incline curls,Wide grip barbell curls are both great for width .
	My Website: http://www.geocities.com/timbuktuweights/ My Forum: http://timwescott.proboards18.com/index.cgi

06-28-2003, 01:21 PM	#6
Mudge Pizza the Hut Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 23,027 Photos: 1	Traditionally, using a wide grip requires utilizing the insides of the muscle to stabalize, and vice versa. So a narrow grip would be what is traditionally recommended, same for squats.
	Kinesiology Vote @ Top 25 Deads Comp Bench Motivation Bench form MaxCalc Charles Poliquin When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. Lao-Tzu I don't know any sources so don't ask - thanks

06-28-2003, 01:52 PM	#7
tjwes "You Can`t Flex Fat" Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Upstate New York Posts: 456 Photos: 8	Mudge, What does that mean?Whether you increase either side of the biceps wouldn`t that make them wider.I must also respectfully disagree with you about wide VS. close grip.The wider the grip the wider the biceps will be.Wider grip =outside head .
	My Website: http://www.geocities.com/timbuktuweights/ My Forum: http://timwescott.proboards18.com/index.cgi

06-28-2003, 01:53 PM	#8
Mudge Pizza the Hut Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 23,027 Photos: 1	I never said in the first place to change grips to make the biceps wider, which is why I posted the brach. IMO, to make the arm wider just make it bigger. Your arm is not going to look big from front or behind until it gets pretty big, and the bicep hardly plays into this effect at all.
	Kinesiology Vote @ Top 25 Deads Comp Bench Motivation Bench form MaxCalc Charles Poliquin When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. Lao-Tzu I don't know any sources so don't ask - thanks

06-28-2003, 05:34 PM	#10
Fit Freak Fit Freak Elite Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Halifax Posts: 1,797 Photos: 6	narrow grip will hit the inner portion more than wider grips...trust me Now....to make the biceps appear thicker...other than the recommendation to get them larger overall including triseps growth you need to train the brachialis and brachioradialus...which is why I originally mentioned hammer curls...that is the foundation you shoud use.
	Searching for the right balance...

06-28-2003, 06:03 PM	#11
Prince the one & only Administrator Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Colorado Posts: 33,753 Blog Entries: 25 Photos: 320	I believe that bicep thickness comes with overall bicep development, saying that certain exercises will make them thicker is walking on the 'muscle shaping' line, which we all know is impossible. I also see bicep thickness as mostly genetic just as a bicep peak is.
	SBMuscle.com - Discount Supplement Superstore AlltheWhey.com - Bulk Protein Powders CEM Products - Research Chemicals & Supplements MusclePharm - Complete Nutritional Arsenal BigBackGrips - If you lift weights you've got to try these grips! HumaneVoLabs - Foaming Transdermal Delivery System.

06-28-2003, 07:24 PM	#12
OceanDude Well Read Elite Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Cape Canaveral, FL Posts: 1,853	I am no expert here since I have a long way to go on bicep development still. However, I have experienced noticeable growth in thickness/width by doing combinations of exercises hitting both inner and outer heads in conjunction with intense isometric flexing against an immovable object (such as a horizontal bar) for 30-60 secs on each arm between sets. As well all know, to make your “arms” look larger overall, the biggest bang for your gym time is to get the triceps as large as possible since they represent 2/3’s of the total arm size in the classically proportioned male physiology. Also, I didn’t note anyone mentioning concentration dumbell curls. These can be a very effective exercise also for the bicep overall. Good Luck.
	"Doc, If I had known I was going to live this long I would have taken better care of myself..." Est unusquisque faber ipsae suae fortunae. We Americans scoff at the likes of African witch doctors yet spend 100's of millions of dollars on fake reducing systems. The only regular exercise he gets is stretching the truth. His intellect is not replenished, he is only an animal, only sensible in the duller parts...

06-28-2003, 07:33 PM	#13
Mudge Pizza the Hut Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 23,027 Photos: 1	I like a bent over one arm concentration curl as a finisher sometimes. Very intense with a light weight, hold at the top.
	Kinesiology Vote @ Top 25 Deads Comp Bench Motivation Bench form MaxCalc Charles Poliquin When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. Lao-Tzu I don't know any sources so don't ask - thanks

06-28-2003, 08:35 PM	#14
tjwes "You Can`t Flex Fat" Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Upstate New York Posts: 456 Photos: 8	Prince do you think you can isolate certain portions of a muscle a little more by changing angles or foot stance or grips?What`s your opinion on this ?Thanks.
	My Website: http://www.geocities.com/timbuktuweights/ My Forum: http://timwescott.proboards18.com/index.cgi

06-29-2003, 12:48 AM	#15
Mudge Pizza the Hut Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 23,027 Photos: 1	Myself, I dont think you could call it isolation, but favoritism.
	Kinesiology Vote @ Top 25 Deads Comp Bench Motivation Bench form MaxCalc Charles Poliquin When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. Lao-Tzu I don't know any sources so don't ask - thanks

06-29-2003, 01:17 AM	#16
firestorm P/RR/S Advisor Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: New Jersey Posts: 7,765 Photos: 3	you can't spot reduce as well as spot induce(meaning a SPECIFIC AREA OF A SINGLE muscle or in this case 2 muscles. The only way to make the bicep wider and or thicker is to make the 2 muscles bigger. It's shape is genetic and can not be altered other then making it larger. The only prayer in giving a bicep the appearance of being thicker is to do hammer curls to prioritize the Brachialis muscle. The muscle that runs down the outer arm. Same goes for "How do you get one of those really high peaks" you may never be able to get one of those major peaks because of where your bicep attaches to the bone and whatever other genetic reasons there may be. I'm not saying you can't get 20 inch arms because maybe you can(maybe you can't either without drugs). Take a look at Arnold for example. At his best,, you can notice a difference in his biceps. One bicep peaked much better then the other. The inovator and master gun blaster, Larry Scott had huge arms but never had the peak of lets say an Arnold. Oh well I'm done. Last edited by firestorm : 06-29-2003 at 01:47 AM.

06-29-2003, 01:43 AM	#17
firestorm P/RR/S Advisor Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: New Jersey Posts: 7,765 Photos: 3	So as to not piss anyone off with my opinion, below I'm posting a routine for those that believe you can isolate a specific area of an individual muscle(s). give it a try: Overall mass: 1. Standing barbell curls 5 x 8 2. Preacher curls 4 x 8 3. Seated dumbbell curls 3 x 8 Lower biceps: 1. Preacher dumbbell curls 4 x 8 2. Preacher barbell curls 4 x 8 3. Standing barbell curls - 3 x 8 Upper biceps: 1. Seated supinated dumbbell curls 4 x 10 2. Vertical preacher curls - 3 x 12 3. Concentration curls - 3 x 12 Inner biceps: 1. Wide grip barbell curls - 4 x 8 2. Inclined bench seated dumbbell curls 4 x 8 3. Dumbbell curls (hold dumbbells as if you hold a barbell with so wide grip as you can) - 3 x 12 Outer biceps: 1. Very narrow grip barbell curls (up to 5 inch) (if you feel pain in your wrists using standard bar, use EZ bar) - 4 x 10 2. Very narrow grip preacher curls - 4 x 10 3. Concentration curls - 3 x 12 (also for PEAK)

06-29-2003, 10:38 AM	#19
Robboe Designer Supplements Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Newcastle Posts: 5,151	What a rather horrid thread. Biceps = two heads. Some of the advice in this thread defies basic physiology.
	Being held down by The Man

06-29-2003, 05:51 PM	#21
Mudge Pizza the Hut Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 23,027 Photos: 1	I believe in the case of chest, where the attachment points differ, that you can favor upper vs lower chest, which I know TCD disagrees with. If I stop doing upper chest work, I notice it within two weeks, easily.
	Kinesiology Vote @ Top 25 Deads Comp Bench Motivation Bench form MaxCalc Charles Poliquin When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. Lao-Tzu I don't know any sources so don't ask - thanks

06-30-2003, 04:08 AM	#22
Robboe Designer Supplements Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Newcastle Posts: 5,151	Actually, my upper/lower chest stance has changed ever so slightly in the past 4 months. Firestorm - your bicep will get wider as it gets bigger as a whole muscle.
	Being held down by The Man

06-30-2003, 11:12 AM	#24
Mudge Pizza the Hut Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 23,027 Photos: 1	Yep people still ask how do I get a thicker arm, flat out make it bigger. Its not going to be that wide typically until it gets a bit large, thats just how it is. A 15" arm is not big.
	Kinesiology Vote @ Top 25 Deads Comp Bench Motivation Bench form MaxCalc Charles Poliquin When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. Lao-Tzu I don't know any sources so don't ask - thanks

06-30-2003, 01:09 PM	#25
Robboe Designer Supplements Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Newcastle Posts: 5,151	Ok, maybe i worded my post a little incorrectly. More accurately, my stance on inclines has changed. I now like them, or more accurately again, i like the cybex-esque incline machine press in my gym.
	Being held down by The Man

06-30-2003, 06:50 PM	#27
firestorm P/RR/S Advisor Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: New Jersey Posts: 7,765 Photos: 3