Thread: Chin ups / help with bicep growth

If you are so fixated on the bicep.. just isolate the bicep at end of your pulls.

IMHO, I would suggest laying on a bench propped up at 45 degrees hanging your arms down with dumbbells you can curl for 5-8 reps max.

So do you want to gain mass or get a "pump?"

If you want a pump, do a shit load of curls. If you want them to grow, do more than 6-7 chin ups for starters, but ...no Ill start from scratch.

Pre exhausting your back isnt going to do anything but..pre exhaust your BACK. Also, if you do rows, your biceps are going to be working big time too! Anytime the elbow is flexing, the bicep is put to work. The elbow flexes on rows, chin ups, and curls.

When you take that into consideration, think about how many times you use your bicep. You may be over working it.

Plus...I know it feels good to have a pump and to be sore, but its not necessary for growth, so is it necessary to worry about it?

"...Every other muscle involved will be sore, but never my biceps...."

No such thing as overworking just over training, train smart.

Semantics...

Well, I don't know if it is true or not, but for me if my muscles don't get a pump to it when I am working out, I feel like they aren't doing anything enough work.

When I do isolation work for biceps, they get a pump, and they feel fatigued. But when I do chin-ups, rows, etc., they don't feel fatigued. Yet, it seems to be common knowledge that those compound exercises are what makes the bicep grow. But I can't get the damn things to grow either way I go.

Should I add weight assistance to my chin-ups and do more than 6-7 reps? Maybe at a slower, more controlled pace? I have basically been the same strength level on chin-ups for about a year now, and can't get over the hump, and feel like my biceps strength is what is holding me back.

The pump means nothing. It is just blood rushing to an area that needs it, to function.

If you say you've tried "everything" to make your biceps grow, then that leads me to believe your diet isnt geared towards mass gain. Caloric surplus is what makes you grow.

Then again, you shouldnt really concentrate on your biceps. They are a small muscle, probably the smallest in the upper body. Dont worry about them. Concentrate on overall development and they will grow to suit. Ive never seen anybody with a large overall upper body and small arms.

Dont worry about the pump in the gym, dont even worry about fatigue in the gym too much, fatigue can happen for a number of reasons (lack of sleep, not enough energy from food etc etc). I can do the same workout on two separate days, one day itll be easy as hell and ill blast through it, another day it seems like an uphill struggle.

Just keep consistant, use the big lifts, and eat a lot. For the love of god stop overthinking this stuff, thats really all there is to it.

For all you nonbelievers who think your biceps (or whatever other bodypart) isn't fatiguing from compound work, set an 8RM for preacher curls. Next day, do a set of chin-ups to failure and a set of rows to failure. Now try to get your 8RM at the preacher curls again.

whats 8RM?

I agree with everything stated above. In addition I believe in diversity. Keep changing your routine so your muscles never know what's coming. Here is another exercise that will give you a good pump and build strength. Standing alternating dumbell curls with weight that you can manage 7-8 reps. On the first rep with one arm, stop the weight when your elbow is at a 90 degree angle with the weight in front of you. Do 7-8 reps with your other arm while holding your first arm in the isometric position. Switch arms, holding the arm you just did your repititions with in the 90 degree isometric position. This should give you a super pump and done with the correct weight will make your arms feel like dropping off. I also like reverse grip barbell curls with an e-z bar at the end of my bicep workout.

8 repetition maximum

Originally Posted by highpockets

I agree with everything stated above. In addition I believe in diversity. Keep changing your routine so your muscles never know what's coming. Here is another exercise that will give you a good pump and build strength. Standing alternating dumbell curls with weight that you can manage 7-8 reps. On the first rep with one arm, stop the weight when your elbow is at a 90 degree angle with the weight in front of you. Do 7-8 reps with your other arm while holding your first arm in the isometric position. Switch arms, holding the arm you just did your repititions with in the 90 degree isometric position. This should give you a super pump and done with the correct weight will make your arms feel like dropping off. I also like reverse grip barbell curls with an e-z bar at the end of my bicep workout.

No. Increase calories and increase your pullup #'s

If you can manage 7 reps, do 2-3 a day. In a month, take a few days off and test your max. You will be pleasantly suprised.