Biceps once or twice a week?

[Cletis2000]

When I first started lifting five years ago I put way to much emphasis on biceps and they grew somewhat out of proportion to the rest of my body. I made the newbie mistake of doing bench and bicep curls every other day, with no concept of rest or nutrition. Im suprised they grew looking back.

Anyways I did some research and my routine is much better now. I work every muscle group once a week and have put on 20 lbs. of muscle (okay some fat too, but i still have a four pack) in a year. I have been focusing on the standby coumpound exersices and somehow have let my biceps fall behind. My question is should I start working them twice a week to bring them up or will that be too much? I train very intense and am taking creatine, multi vits, and lots protien (bulking right now).

Thank you so much

 

[MeatheadSam]

Once per week has always seemed suficient for me. Remember that the bi's are also worked pretty hard with back training also.

Tris are similar in that chest and shoulder (pressing movements) training will hit them pretty hard too.

 

[Cletis2000]

good point, but I could work back/biceps on the same day.

 

[MeatheadSam]

You could at that, I have always used a weird program something like this...

Heavy Legs.

Heavy chest/light back.

Light Shoulders and heavy arms.

Rest.

Light legs.

Heavy back/light chest.

Heavy shoulders no arm work.

Rest.

I know combining chest with back sounds insane but I love how it works for me. I have always used unconventional workouts.

When it is primary chest then my back workout is pretty much to get a good pump but no huge effort, vice versa for primary back day where chest is just moderate. I find combining these two keeps my torso really pumped and supersetting them is a rush.

 

[Cletis2000]

Do you mean light as in number of sets/reps or intensity. Like not going all the way to failure? I find I can only get results lifting super intense, making sure I progress each week in strength. That might be a good way to lift each muscle twice a week without overtraining.

 

[MeatheadSam]

Light in my programs is usually around 70% of one rep maximum for one set to failure. I pyramid up from 50% of 1rep max after warmup in three sets. 50,60,70% respectably.

My primary muscle group will get around 12-15 total sets and the secondary will get 8-10. Small muscles like the biceps I will only work for 6-9 sets max. If the trainig intensity is right you will be hard pressed to do this.

However, what works for me may not suit you. Experiment with different things. But in this process you must stick to a particular routine plan for about 4 weeks before you can accurately guage what it is doing for you.

I am merely throwing out some things that have worked for me.

I do not train for bodybuilding, I train to maintain balance in my body. I cycle a lot and do not want great legs with a noodle upper body as the typical cyclist has. Winter is my weight lifting season with a basic maintenance program during the cycling season.

All sets beyond warm up are till you die unless I am focusing on increasing my absolute power. But that program is very different from the one above.

 

[Dante B.]

If you lower your total volume and itensity per workout, or at least make certain that you're avoiding failure and working with too many sets, it is definitely possible to train any bodypart two to three times per week.

 

[Cletis2000]

For strength gains it seems training bis once a week with max. intensity is best. Maybe for bodybuilding it is more effective to train twice a week with moderate intensity? Ill see what works best for me.

 

[BUSTINOUT]

Why train them twice moderately when you can train them once intensely? Once a week will bring the arms back pretty quickly. Muscle memory is an amzing thing. I took a nine year layoff and within a year had put on 25lbs naturally, with a drstic loss in bodyfat. Twice moderately is not necessarily the best route even for bodybuilding.

 

[Dante B.]

Oh do explain why.

Also explain why few people cycle their volume and intensity, speaking as if there's one way train, constantly.

 

[HoldDaMayo]

Here's my attempt at decoding Dante's last post... How'd i do?

diversity in your training routine is a necessity for continuous improvements in size and strength, muscle memory is amazing, yet annoying at the same time

 

[Dante B.]

Yes

When it comes to learning (memory/recall), sometimes more is more, and occasionally it's to the contrary.

It's finding a personal balance---what works for you---that's the key to all of this.

 

[BUSTINOUT]

Originally posted by Dante B.
Oh do explain why.

Also explain why few people cycle their volume and intensity, speaking as if there's one way train, constantly.

Is this meant condescendingly?

I agree. I believe in varying intensity levels as well. I include it in my own workout. I was stating that lower intensity/more frequent w/o per bodypart is not necessarily beneficial in and of itself.

 

[MeatheadSam]

Muscles grow and become stronger to adapt to change. So either a change in its use or increase in weights can stimulate growth.

Changing exercises is more important In my opinion than just constantly going heavier.

As a matter of fact I will develop a program with a list of exercises to do for each group and select a few from the list each workout. No two workouts back to back that are facsimiles of each other.

 

[Dante B.]

No, it's actually my general tone.

I was stating that lower intensity/more frequent w/o per bodypart is not necessarily beneficial in and of itself.

Indeed. Unfortunately, most people want a ready-made formula as to what they should do, instead of an active process of thought that leaves them to make decisions.

 

[BUSTINOUT]

Originally posted by Dante B.
No, it's actually my general tone.

Cool. It is so damn hard to tell on these boards. I'm kinda sarcastic sounding at times and it get's me in my share of scrapes. lol

Indeed. Unfortunately, most people want a ready-made formula as to what they should do, instead of an active process of thought that leaves them to make decisions.

Exactly! As a youngster, I would gain from ANY routine. Now that I am ALOT older, variety is a must for any significant stimulation. Over time I had just lost the mind/muscle connection when the workouts became same old same old. Variety in rep range, sets, and the movements themselves keeps emotional and physical boredom to a minimum.

 

[nas]

Twice / week, hard and to failure. Do them along with back once / week and on that day do biceps second. This will help to make sure you get a good back workout in first. Arnold said biceps are the fastest muscles to recover. I have noticed if I really slam my shoulders, triceps, chest, etc, I can get any of those to stay not only sore but a little weaker for 2-3 days. My biceps are almost always ready to go again within 48 hours.

With more training, you obviously also need more:
water
rest
nutrients
protein