Thread: What's with my arms?

What does the rest of your workout look like ?? Maybe you are overtraining your arms?? Consider doing Back and Bis on the same day and Chest and Tris together on another day. This way you will have a few days or a full week for recovery (that's when your muscles grow)

When did you last measure your arms and what measurements are your goals?

ive found that from popular opinion from fellow forums users and others that training my arms on their own day is actually more beneficial... is this not true? Also, i am afraid that overtraining may be the culprit.
As for measurements... My arms started at 16" and have increased to 16.65" almost exactly. Less than an inch in over 3 months?

Originally Posted by Pizzer

ive found that from popular opinion from fellow forums users and others that training my arms on their own day is actually more beneficial... is this not true? Also, i am afraid that overtraining may be the culprit.

If you think overtraining might be the reason, can you post your entire split for the week including your other exercises for the rest of the week?

ill surely do that in a minute...

I have many questions -_-

* How many days a week are you training your biceps.

*What is the weight variation with each set

* Describe how you do your reps

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What it comes down to is I think based on what you said and listing your "typical bicep workout" you should refrain from typical and try to hammer it different ways. Forget typical, constantly switch it up someway somehow to shock your arms.

I would say if it's your arm's you want to focus on then don't do 3 sets. Do 5 sets. Maintain proper form and try to keep the cheating to a minimum. Do everything slow and controlled (meaning positive and negative aspects of the lifting) Pause at the peak of your contraction on curls. With 5 sets, lift either 10-12 reps per with incremental rise in weight by 10-5 lbs (depends on your comfort zone) Your first set is more of a warmup set. If you find toward the 5th set you can't possibly do 10-12 at the heaviest rep weight possible. Drop it down 10 lbs and do 10-12.

Another way which I also like is to pyramid it.

5 sets
Set 1 = 12xRep (most comfortable starting weight)
Set 2 = 10xRep (raise by 10)
Set 3 = 8 xRep (raise by 10)
Set 4 = 6 xRep (raise by 10)
Set 5 = 10xRep (drop 10)

At any point you feel uncomfortable meaning that there is too much pain or your too tired or unable to lift that weight, drop the poundage and adapt the sets to that drop in poundage, if you find the weight gain of +10 is too easy, hammer out 10-12 reps.

Refrain from curling your wrist too much to help curl weights unless your really worn out and you want to get in the last few vital reps.
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Some recommended bicep excercises to switch with the ones you listed.

Inclined partially sitting positon , SEATED Barbell curls.
* 5 sets x 10-12 reps or Pyramid.

Take the Bar from the Bench or Squat rack and do standing curls with them.
* 5 sets x 10-12 reps or Pyramid.

Single one arm preacher curls to focus and isolate.
* 5 sets x 10-12 reps or Pyramid. For each arm.

Standing EZ curls
* Repeated Set/Rep parameters as already listed.



Cable curls
- many variations from lower pully cable curls , 1 handed, 2 handed, to
my fav - upper pulley curls , Attach one grip for the left upper pully and right upper pulley. Then proceed to curl as if you were posing in a muscle magainze and flexing both guns to show off :

I have more suggestions, but the nutrition aspect seems to be sound so it would be a matter of resting, and proper excercise. There comes a point where 3sets just doesn't cut it anymore, you need to do at least 4. And you really need to burn your arms.

another suggestion : after you do your workout , get back to biceps and get your maxbicep lift weight and lift away til you cant anymore. then cut that weight in half and rep x 50, Cut that weight in Half and rep x 75, Use just a bar from squat/bench and rep x 100. Tell me how it works out. When your at the point where you arms and forearms are automatically flexed and your fingers can't grip and you feel the acid in your biceps then hollar real loud and do a goldberg

If you really want to grow your arms. Triceps are the way to go for maximum gains.

I'll pause here and give everyone else a chance But at most 2 weeks of using the methods described above should help you out with your biceps. Tho if you really want to grow your arms, the triceps get much much bigger. You only notice biceps really when flexed. At any other point it's the triceps that make the arm so huge.

well... now that was a mouthfull... BUT GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!
I do mix it up often and try to refrain from "typical". I listed that b/c those are the primary exercises that I come back to as an overall standard bi/tri workout. i only train my arms once a week usually midweek.
I couldnt agree with you more about the tri's... when ppl used to say how big my arms were... they always pointed out the curve of my tri's (which seem to grow easily for me, but i want bigger!!!)
THANKS For the Advice!!! keep it coming!!!

To gain an inch on your arms, you need to add 10-15 lean pounds of weight to your whole body.

Personal example...

I do arms on a day with shoulders. My direct arm work consists of 2 (maaaaybe 3) exercises for biceps and triceps, for a total of 6-9 sets each group.

My arms also get worked when I do chest and back. It's working well. I'm also gaining weight. My arms went from 16.5" to 17" in about 2 months, which corresponds to the weight I've gained. Scale weight has gone up; I'm sure I've gained some fat, but my pants fit the same and my waist measures the same.

Originally Posted by Pizzer

I am becoming very disappointed with my progress in developing my arms. I schedule a full day for my Arms workout once a week. I just havent seen very much development. Its been over 15 weeks since i started working out religiously... i currently take protein shakes on a daily regimented basis and supp. creatine monohydrate post-workout. I just am really stumped on what i can do to gain size.
I'm 22, and in the past, my arms have always been my strong point for both strength and appearance (ex 2 years ago..."Dude, your arms are huge!"... and i didnt workout nearly as often) So im turning to the people here for some advice or clues... any thoughts?

Typical Arm Routine: (in the order i do them)
Bi's - BB Curls - 3sets 6-12 reps
Tri's - Curl bar Skull Crushers - 3sets 6-10 reps
Bi's - Preacher Curls - 3sets 6-8 reps
Tri's - Tricep Pushdown - 3sets 6-12 reps
Bi's - Hammer Curls - 3sets 8-10reps
Tri's - Tri Extension - 3sets 6-8reps

T.I.A.

are your other body parts growing ? if the answer is yes than that means your caloric intake is high enough and the problem lies in your training routine and/or rest & recovery. if none of your body parts are growing then your simply need to increase your caloric intake...

Good Q about the calorie intake... My other body parts are growing pretty well. I always could use some more desired size. But overall, i have been growing. But i am concerned about my diet (caloric intake/value)
I try to stick to as much of a balanced protein/fat/carb diet geared towards bulking but its tough b/c im a little uneducated on how to develop a good diet and what to eat and the such. I recall someone, i think it was Robert Dimaggio? that offered a website where the admins will help me set up a diet plan... anyone have the forum site?

Originally Posted by Pizzer

...My arms started at 16" and have increased to 16.65" almost exactly. Less than an inch in over 3 months?

Are you a natural bodybuilder?? (no steriods/no over the counter steriods)
Is that .65" on your arms new lean mass of fat??

If you are natural and that .65" on your arms is lean then you shouldn't expect to gain any faster. If you were to add a full 1" to your arms every three months then you are on track to gain 4" to your arms in a year!!!

Bodybuilding is about patience. Keep training smart/hard and the gains will come.

I am currently a natural bodybuilder and have been always so far... but i am considering possibly taking an M1T/4AD stack soon, though i am worried about that type of PS/PH combo at my age... Any one with more advice... And i thought that less than an inch wasnt alot... i understand what your saying... but bodies have natural limits and i dont think that i have even begun to breech mine.

Originally Posted by Pizzer

I am currently a natural bodybuilder and have been always so far... but i am considering possibly taking an M1T/4AD stack... bodies have natural limits and i dont think that i have even begun to breech mine.

If you think you haven't come close to your bodies natural genetic limit why bother with nasty over the counter steriods. Don't complicate things by messing with your hormones.

Stay natural!!

i would like very much to stay natural and plan on doin just that as best i can... its just the self-pressure to see immediate gains is killing me. its been over 3mnths and i want to start to see more fat loss and a lot more size... And i know its diet diet diet DIET and proper training... Im doin my best to pick out the good advice and lose the bad... but its tough... THanks for the help!!!

It's a long, slow road, my friend. I'm having the same problems as you in a way. My arms look pretty big, but I've been stuck on the same weight for months. It gets frustrating.

Slow and steady wins the race. In the end, patience will pay off.

Originally Posted by Minotaur

To gain an inch on your arms, you need to add 10-15 lean pounds of weight to your whole body.

Personal example...

I do arms on a day with shoulders. My direct arm work consists of 2 (maaaaybe 3) exercises for biceps and triceps, for a total of 6-9 sets each group.

My arms also get worked when I do chest and back. It's working well. I'm also gaining weight. My arms went from 16.5" to 17" in about 2 months, which corresponds to the weight I've gained. Scale weight has gone up; I'm sure I've gained some fat, but my pants fit the same and my waist measures the same.

overtraining may be a possibility, as minotaur said the arms get a lot of secondary work on other exercises, such as for back and chest. I find that when i do my back exercises hardcore my biceps get toasted also, same goes for chest.

I guess itz your genticz I have good armz 1but itz my weak point 16 inch at 17 yrz old arnold was only one inch bigger but how do ppl say they gain 4 inch in one year ,,, on avg. 1 inch gain is about 8 to 15 pounds of body depending on height and frame. So to say you gain 4 inchz in a year could be 40 poundz if lean thatz nearly impossible to do. And if you did It may came in your 2 intense workout year were you have alot of room to grow... Which alot of ppl do not work out hard intense so to say you gained 4 inchz of lean muscle in one yr natural is retarted..... thatz the low down on this topic

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My advice is to try everything. You have to test different methods until you find something that works. I often suggest trying any one of the following things to mix up your training routine:

Increase your rep range to 4-12 (Maybe even broader), alter your tempo, change your exercises more frequently, and try shock mechanisms (Supersets, dropsets, burnouts, etc.).

Specific to your routine, I might try finishing one muscle before proceeding to the next instead of alternating them. Reduce the number of sets to 6 for each muscle. Try putting biceps on back day and triceps on chest/shoulder day. Do a lot of compound movements involving those muscles: bench press, military press, bent rows, chinups, etc. For tris do CG bench press; for bis do CG underhanded chinups.

when im just doing arms, i like to do all my biceps ex. together before i start tris

Thanks for all the help with my arms fellas.. good advice... im gonna write them all down and evaluate before i make any decisions. some really good quality advice here. some of it i knew, some of it i didnt.
RIP to your boys man... sorry to hear. I havent decided definitely yet, but i most likely will be sticking to natural.
My goals will be reached... THEY WILLLLL BEEE REACHED!!!!!!

Originally Posted by madden player

Bodybuilding is about patience. Keep training smart/hard and the gains will come.

This is so true. The body does not like change. That is the fun part ... forcing the body to transform into what you want to be. Hang in there and keep trying until you find your groove.

Your arm routine looks fine to me, I don't think oyu're overtraining. But if you do back and bi's together and chest and tris together you get more recovery time as mentioned bc if you do back one day then bi's the next you are actually hitting your bi's two days in a row.
Going from 16 in to over 16 1/2 is a nice gain, don't worry that's good progress !!