Thread: Arms

Whats ur current routine?

Common thing to do:
1) Change up your routine regularly
2) Change when you work your arms (biceps, triceps)

a) Try to work them on the same day
b) Try Bis with Chest, and tris with Back
c) Try Bis with back, and tris with chest.


The key is to change it up. Increase number of exercise, different exercise. Different rep schemes... pyramid, drop sets, etc.

Care to layout your routine for us? I disagree that changing things up is necessary. I used to think so, but I really don't now. As long as you are overloading your body in some form or fashion you will make gains.

Hi

My routine is Monday, chest and tri's, for tri's i do skullcrushers (25kg), 5x5, and close grip bench press (30kg) 4x8, on tuesdays I do back with bi's, for bi's I do barbell curls (30kg) 5x5, and concentration curls (10kg) 4x8.

I know the weights are not spectacular but working on increasing those slowly, working on good form and intensity.

Would welcome any further advice.

Thanks all

Stop doing direct arm work and do more heavy compound exercises. On push day (What you call chest/tri day) do bench presses, dips, and overhead presses. On pull day (What you call back/bi day) do rows and pullups of various types. Just today I shattered an old record with curls (95 x 7) by hitting 10 repetitions at the same weight. This is after doing one set of curls approximately every 10-12 days and no other direct arm work for the past couple of months. My previous record at the same weight was 5 repetitions, which I surpassed and hit 7 by doing NO direct bicep work period.

Lift some weights; excessive arm work is for pussies.

I started wtih Shoulders/Tri's/ and Chest on the same day, because I was hitting a little shoulder and tri with bench work. Then, someone gave me the theory that if you hit it that day a little, and then hit shoulders and tri's on their own day when they're not pre-fatigued from chest work, you're actually going to be able to hit them more.

What works? Both. I'll do tri's on chest day sometime. I missed a bi and tri workout yesterday, so maybe today I'll go nuts, and do shoulders/chest/bi's and tri's? Why not? Diffent theories everywhere on splits. If your arms look small, try hitting them more than once a week.

speaking of arms, ive given up on isolating biceps! back work actually works them better!

I agree with Cowpimp about more compound exercieses. I found that I got the best gains in my arms when doing movements that involve the use of more than one joint, as opposed to single joint movements. My triceps responded best to increased poundages in the bench and in the military and push press, and all i really needed is two or three sets of either close grip bench or the mammer pressdown machine. Be patient, work the whole body. You will succeed. Good luck.

I got good gains when I was adding 5 lb to my lifts each week, starting with a weight I did 10 reps with then slowly was doing 6 reps as the weight got heavier, I hit a max after about 3 months, but then cut back a bit a climb again. Don't stay with the same weight each workout.

i disagree with most of you guys, i think in order to get bigger arms you must work them, try using barbell and dumbell curls, and cg and dips. go heavy- 6-10 reps 2-3 sets and keep uping the weight. i think you must do direct work to get them bigger
ALONG WITH DOING THE HEAVY BASIC MOVEMENTS- squats, deads, bb rows, mil. press, etc., etc.

Squats 1 x 20 reps

Dumbbell Pullovers 1 x 20 reps (Immediately after squats)

Barbell or Dumbbell Bench Presses 3 x 6 to 8 reps

Chins 2 x as many reps as possible

Bent Over Barbell Rows 2 x 8 to 10 reps

Seated or Standing Dumbbell Press 2 x 8 to 10 reps

Barbell or Dumbbell Curls 2 x 6 to 8 reps

Standing Calf Raises 2 x 15 to 20 reps

Sit up
lay on floor with feet (legs bent) on a chair hands clasped behind head, touch right knee with left elbow, return to start and alternate. 1 x 25 to 30 reps

and drink loads of whole milk.

Originally Posted by swordfish

i disagree with most of you guys, i think in order to get bigger arms you must work them, try using barbell and dumbell curls, and cg and dips. go heavy- 6-10 reps 2-3 sets and keep uping the weight. i think you must do direct work to get them bigger
ALONG WITH DOING THE HEAVY BASIC MOVEMENTS- squats, deads, bb rows, mil. press, etc., etc.

I agree with Swordfish, you have to do both.
For me personally I do 10 sets of lats then 4-5 sets of bicep work.
Hammer curls 3x6-8
preacher or cable curls 2x8-10

Originally Posted by CowPimp

Lift some weights; excessive arm work is for pussies.

If u want to add some size, try the Muscle and Fitness 4 week arm workout in the august issue. im on week 3, and my arms feel stronger than ever before(im not TOO serious a weight lifter...just started last year) it works your a`rms frequently and intensely, and you never do the same arm exercise. Give it a try also, has anyone else tried this program and has any feedback?

Originally Posted by CowPimp

Care to layout your routine for us? I disagree that changing things up is necessary. I used to think so, but I really don't now. As long as you are overloading your body in some form or fashion you will make gains.

This could just be another way of changing things up though. I've been on the same routine (3x3, 3x2) for months now and I'm still making gains. I agree with you, it's just that adding more weight itself can be considered a way to change things up, not that you don't realize that already though.

Originally Posted by swordfish

i disagree with most of you guys, i think in order to get bigger arms you must work them, try using barbell and dumbell curls, and cg and dips. go heavy- 6-10 reps 2-3 sets and keep uping the weight. i think you must do direct work to get them bigger
ALONG WITH DOING THE HEAVY BASIC MOVEMENTS- squats, deads, bb rows, mil. press, etc., etc.

When you say "you must work them," I agree. However, I feel my arms get plenty of work without doing direct work. The reason I always preach this to people is because the majority of people do too much arm work, or have never tried cutting out direct work. However, it seems to work quite well for a lot of people. If it doesn't, then you can continue to do 5 different types of curls in one workout.

Buildingup. Heavy compound movements can and will keep the arms at the same growth.and possibly add a little arm sizre. But it will take some isolation movements to help maximize strength and tear the muscle fibers so the arms may continue to grow to there full potential.

Originally Posted by buildingup

speaking of arms, ive given up on isolating biceps! back work actually works them better!

its all about form slow reps and after evey set do a negative rep . With every exercise or work out make sure you feel the burn during and after the exercise then after you accomplish this you rest for the benefits

Originally Posted by smallfry

its all about form slow reps and after evey set do a negative rep . With every exercise or work out make sure you feel the burn during and after the exercise then after you accomplish this you rest for the benefits

i never feel the burn but make constant gains!