Best for Excercise for Bicep?

[alexl2]

The EZ-bar puts MORE stress on your wrists. That's why I brought it up. There are two ways to hold an EZ-bar.

Since we seem to have so many here with more muscle than brains, I made a video today to demonstrate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zx7PXwVw8sk

Another good way to hit the bicep is the reverse preacher curl with dumbells. This may be the best way because it is almost impossible to cheat the movement and because you can rotate your hand into whatever position you want.

I think you are being way to scientific, JUST CURL HEAVY and for at least 6 reps and cheat a little if you have to, it does not make much difference on how your hands are positioned. And almost every back exercise works your bis hard too.

 

[Synpax]

I think you are being way to scientific, JUST CURL HEAVY and for at least 6 reps and cheat a little if you have to, it does not make much difference on how your hands are positioned. And almost every back exercise works your bis hard too.

I can't help being scientific. And I do a lot of back work. Today it looked like

5x5 EZs
2x20 DB curls
2x10 reverse preachers

5x5 Deads
2x20 lat pulldown
2x20 cable rows (wide bar with a wide grip)
2x20 DB shrugs

 

[Synpax]

Touche - although I have doubts that many people would be unable to hold the bar like that. I also wonder how much weight you could put on the bar holding it in that fashion. I couldn't tell if those were 10s or 25s that you were using...

Tomorrow is my next pull day, so I'll grab the EZ bar and see if I can even gets my wrists to face away from one another. It's possible that you have a lot more flexibility in your joints that most people do...

The video is low quality - it's actually 73 lbs total and go 5x5. The bar is 18s and I have a 25 and a 2.5 on each side. Next week I increment t up to 78.

I worked up gradually and while it had caused some wrist pain before it didn't cause any today.

I am considering dropping this as my 'heavy' bi and going with the reverse preacher curl which is pretty much impossible to cheat on and allows you to rotate the dumbell.

Anyway, let us know how it goes for you.

 

[ceo]

I think you are being way to scientific, JUST CURL HEAVY and for at least 6 reps and cheat a little if you have to, it does not make much difference on how your hands are positioned. And almost every back exercise works your bis hard too.

I agree. Synpax is WAY OVER-FUCKING-ANALYZING this. Ever heard...Keep It Simple? This isn't rocket science, it's bodybuilding. You're the only one I've ever seen use an EZ-Curl bar like that. Oh, and reverse grip curls are more of a forearm exercise brainiac.

I can't help being scientific.

How's that working for you? You look like a ton of average dudes in any gym any day of the week. If that is your goal, then great. If you're trying to get huge, might I suggest you EAT BIG, workout heavy focusing on the basic compound lifts, and make sure you keep a logbook so you KNOW you are progressing with weights (lifting heavier every time).

Tatyana has some GREAT advice in here that you seem to have ignored. All you seem to want to hear is how great your ass-backwards EZ-Curls are.

LOL @ your skinny ass saying, "Mark Rippetoe doesn't know what the fuck he is talking about." Who are all the national level competitors you've coached???

 

[deathdroprob]

HOW TO SQUAT FOR HUGE ARMS

By Stuart McRobert

Adapted from his best-selling book BRAWN

To build muscle mass, you must increase strength. Its that simple. You will never get huge arms, a monstrous back, a thick chest, or massive legs without lifting heavy weights. I know that probably doesnt come as a revelation to anyone. But despite how obvious it seems, far too many people (and not just beginners) neglect power training and rarely make increasing the weights lifted in each successive workout a priority. You must get strong in the basic mass building exercises to bring about a significant increase in muscle size. One of the biggest mistakes typical bodybuilders make is when they implement specialization routines before they have the right to use them.

It constantly amazes me just how many neophytes (beginners), near neophytes, and other insufficiently developed bodybuilders plunge into single-body part specialization programs in the desperate attempt to build big arms. I dont fault them for wanting big arms, but their approach to getting them is flawed. For the typical bodybuilder who is miles away from squatting 1 times their bodyweight for 20 reps (if you weigh 180 lbs., that means 20 reps with 270 lbs.), an arm specialization program is utterly inappropriate and useless.

The strength and development needed to squat well over 1 times bodyweight for 20 reps will build bigger arms faster then focusing on biceps and triceps training with isolation exercises. Even though squats are primarily a leg exercise, they stress and stimulate the entire body. But more importantly, if you are able to handle heavy weights in the squat, it logically follows that the rest of your body will undoubtedly be proportionally developed. Its a rare case that you would be able to squat 1 times your bodyweight and not have a substantial amount of upper body muscle mass.

This is not to say that you dont need to train arms, and squats alone will cause massive upper body growth. You will still work every body part, but you must focus on squats, deadlifts, and rows the exercises that develop the legs, hips, and back. Once you master the power movements and are able to handle impressive poundages on those lifts, the strength and muscle you gain will translate into greater weights used in arm, shoulder and chest exercises.

In every gym Ive ever visited or trained in, there were countless teenage boys blasting away on routines, dominated by arm exercises, in the attempt to build arms like their idols. In the 70s, they wanted arms like Arnold Schwarzenegger, in the 80s Robby Robinson was a favorite and currently Mr. Olympia, Ronnie Coleman, has set the standard everyone wants to achieve. Unfortunately the 3 aforementioned men as well as most other top bodybuilders have arm development far beyond the reach of the average (or even above average) weight trainer. But arm size can be increased. However, not in the way young trainers, with physiques that dont even have the faintest resemblance to those of bodybuilders are attempting to make progress. Thin arms, connected to narrow shoulders, fixed to shallow chest, joined to frail backs and skinny legs, dont need body part specialization programs. Lets not have skewed priorities. Lets not try to put icing on the cake before the cake has been baked.


Priorities
Trying to stimulate a substantial increase in size in a single body part, without first having the main structures of the body in pretty impressive condition, is to have turned bodybuilding upside-down, inside-out and back to front.

The typical bodybuilder simply isnt going to get much meat on his arms, calves, shoulders, pectorals and neck unless he first builds a considerable amount of muscle around the thighs, hips and back. It simply isnt possible for the typical drug-free bodybuilder, that is to add much if any size to the small areas unless the big areas are already becoming substantial.
Theres a knock-on (additive) effect from the efforts to add substantial size to the thigh, hip and back structure (closely followed by upper body pushing structure-pecs and delts). The smaller muscle groups, like the biceps, and triceps will progress in size (so long as you dont totally neglect them) pretty much in proportion to the increase in size of the big areas. Its not a case of getting big and strong thighs, hips, back and upper-body pushing structure with everything else staying put. Far from it. As the thigh, hip, back and upper-body pushing structure grows, so does everything else. Work hard on squats and deadlifts, in addition to bench presses, overhead presses and some type of row or pulldown. Then you can add a little isolation work curls, calf raises and neck work (but not all of this at every workout).


The Driver
The key point is that the engine that drives the gains in the small areas is the progress being made in the big areas. If you take it easy on the thigh and back you will, generally speaking, have trouble making gains in the other exercises, no matter how hard you work the latter.

All this isnt to say just do squats, deadlifts and upper back work, quite closely followed by some upper-body pressing work. While such a limited program will deliver good gains on these few exercises, with some knock-on effect throughout the body, its not a year after year program. Very abbreviated routines are great for getting gains moving, and for building a foundation for moderately expanded routines. They are fine to keep returning to on a regular basis. The other training isnt necessary all in the same workout but spread over the week. This will maintain balance throughout the body and capitalize upon the progress made in the thigh, hip and back structure.

Just remember that the thigh, hip and back structure comes first and is the driver (closely followed by the upper-body pushing structure) for the other exercises. These other exercises, though important in their own right, are passengers relative to the driving team.


Big Arms
To get big arms, get yourself on a basic program that focuses on the leg, hip and back structure without neglecting the arms themselves. As you improve your squatting ability, for reps and by say 100 pounds, your curling poundage should readily come up by 30 pounds or so if you work hard enough on your curls. This will add size to your biceps. While adding 100 pounds to your squat, you should be able to add 50-70 pounds to your bench press, for reps. This assumes youve put together a sound program and have worked hard on the bench. That will add size to your triceps.

If youre desperate to add a couple of inches to your upper arms youll need to add 30 pounds or more over your body, unless your arms are way behind the rest of you. Dont start thinking about 17 arms, or even 16 arms so long as your bodyweight is 130, 140, 150, 160, or even 170 pounds. Few people can get big arms without having a big body. Youre unlikely to be one of the exceptions.

15 sets of arm flexor exercises, and 15 sets of isolation tricep exercises with a few squats, deadlifts and bench presses thrown in as an afterthought will give you a great pump and attack the arms from all angles. However, it wont make your arms grow much, if at all, unless youre already squatting and benching big poundages, or are drug-assisted or genetically gifted.

As your main structures come along in size and strength (thigh, hip and back structure, and the pressing structure), the directly involved smaller body parts are brought along in size too. How can you bench press or dip impressive poundages without adding a lot of size to your triceps? How can you deadlift the house and row big weights without having the arm flexors not to mention the shoulders and upper back to go with those lifts? How can you squat close to 2 times bodyweight, for plenty of reps, without having a lot of muscle all over your body?

The greater the development and strength of the main muscular structures of the body, the greater the size and strength potential of the small areas of the body. Think it through. Suppose you can only squat and deadlift with 200 pounds, and your arms measure about 13. Youre unlikely to add any more than half an inch or so on them, no matter how much arm specialization you put in.

However, put some real effort into the squat and deadlift, together with the bench press and a few other major basic movements. Build up the poundages by 50% or more, to the point where you can squat 300 pounds for over 10 reps, and pack on 30 pounds of muscle. Then, unless you have an unusual arm structure, you should be able to get your arms to around 16. If you want 17 arms, plan on having to squat more than a few reps with around 2 times bodyweight, and on adding many more pounds of muscle throughout your body (unless you have a better-than-average growth potential in your upper arms).

All of this arm development would have been achieved without a single concentration curl, without a single pushdown and without a single preacher curl. This lesson in priorities proves that the shortest distance.

Ive Squated, Squated and Squated, then done a fdew more squats, then came back and squated, spuersetted with Squats with warm up squats. I consider my arms (16 inches) big. not huge but quite big comparing them to most average joes and alot of lifters. But I still dont have awseome Developed Biceps. My arms are all triceps, If I had decent Bis I reckon my arms would be around 18-19 inches maybe.

Also to everyone that say curls are shit? Why not do curls and isolation work? If your allready big and dont do them, imagin what youd look like with them? Even bigger I guess, youd probably even see some better progress with weight in your rows/bench/OHP etc.

 

[Synpax]

I agree. Synpax is WAY OVER-FUCKING-ANALYZING this. Ever heard...Keep It Simple? This isn't rocket science, it's bodybuilding. You're the only one I've ever seen use an EZ-Curl bar like that. Oh, and reverse grip curls are more of a forearm exercise brainiac.



How's that working for you? You look like a ton of average dudes in any gym any day of the week. If that is your goal, then great. If you're trying to get huge, might I suggest you EAT BIG, workout heavy focusing on the basic compound lifts, and make sure you keep a logbook so you KNOW you are progressing with weights (lifting heavier every time).

Tatyana has some GREAT advice in here that you seem to have ignored. All you seem to want to hear is how great your ass-backwards EZ-Curls are.

LOL @ your skinny ass saying, "Mark Rippetoe doesn't know what the fuck he is talking about." Who are all the national level competitors you've coached???

Gosh, where to begin. I can't tell if you are stupid or ignorant. Maybe both.

1) I take Tatyana's advice and I do squat and I do deadlift, however her advice is not completely correct for someone looking to get larger bicep. How many pro BBers don't do curls or cable rows of some kind?

2) I am a marathon runner and triathlete first. I do this excercise to support it, for strength and health, and for aesthetics. I have no desire to be 'big' and am close to where I want to be.

3) Yes, Mark Rippetoed doesn't know what the fuck he is talking about in the article mentioned. At least PoweredUp acknowleged there are more than one way to handle the EZ-bar in a way that does hit the biceps and Rippetoe doesn't acknowledge that.

4) You are stupid. I could be a cripple in a wheel chair and that still doesn't mean I wouldn't know what I'm talking about.

5) I don't care how big or small you are around here, there is always someone bigger/stronger than you. I don't see the purpose of you ripping my physique although it suggest, on a psychological level, you are probably no where near most of the guys on this board and saw my runner/swimmer build as a chance to FINALLY call someone out.

6) You are illiterate. I never mentioned reverse grip curls. I don't even do them. I mentioned reverse preacher curls (you use the preacher curl bench but flip it around so your arm can hang down straight).

6) You have no class. I've been a member for longer than my join date but have never seen anyone actually rip someone on a pic or video, particularly one that was posted not to brag but to demonstrate technique. Everyone is always very encouraging when someone posts the 'look at me' pics.

6) I don't see any pics of you in your profile. I'm going to wager you are a fatass and I have a higher power-ratio than you and can do more dips/pullups/pushups even though you can lift more.

Maybe you should stick to C&C.

 

[ceo]

Gosh, where to begin. I can't tell if you are stupid or ignorant. Maybe both.

1) I take Tatyana's advice and I do squat and I do deadlift, however her advice is not completely correct for someone looking to get larger bicep. How many pro BBers don't do curls or cable rows of some kind?

2) I am a marathon runner and triathlete first. I do this excercise to support it, for strength and health, and for aesthetics. I have no desire to be 'big' and am close to where I want to be.

3) Yes, Mark Rippetoed doesn't know what the fuck he is talking about in the article mentioned. At least PoweredUp acknowleged there are more than one way to handle the EZ-bar in a way that does hit the biceps and Rippetoe doesn't acknowledge that.

4) You are stupid. I could be a cripple in a wheel chair and that still doesn't mean I wouldn't know what I'm talking about.

5) I don't care how big or small you are around here, there is always someone bigger/stronger than you. I don't see the purpose of you ripping my physique although it suggest, on a psychological level, you are probably no where near most of the guys on this board and saw my runner/swimmer build as a chance to FINALLY call someone out.

6) You are illiterate. I never mentioned reverse grip curls. I don't even do them. I mentioned reverse preacher curls (you use the preacher curl bench but flip it around so your arm can hang down straight).

6) You have no class. I've been a member for longer than my join date but have never seen anyone actually rip someone on a pic or video, particularly one that was posted not to brag but to demonstrate technique. Everyone is always very encouraging when someone posts the 'look at me' pics.

6) I don't see any pics of you in your profile. I'm going to wager you are a fatass and I have a higher power-ratio than you and can do more dips/pullups/pushups even though you can lift more.

Maybe you should stick to C&C.

What's wrong Sally Curls? Can't stand a dose of your own medicine? You are the one who started calling people out. You told poweredup that he, "clearly doesn't know what he's talking about." You're the one who insulted everyone who already posted by saying, "we seem to have so many here with more muscle than brains..." You are the one who said, "Mark Rippetoe doesn't know what the fuck he is talking about."

I bet you didn't even know who Ripptoe was (maybe you still don't). So again, what are your credentials Mr. Scientist? What gives you the authority to call everyone else who is posting in your thread trying to help you out, stupid? You'd better at least be sitting on some advanced science degrees and have a strong kinesiology background along with your CSCS in order to be calling people out like this.

Tatyana is a competitor who "clearly" KNOWS what she's talking about. She has posted an article about how to get huge arms, from Stuart McRobert - another well respected name in the business...but in YOUR expert opinion, that "advice is not completely correct!" But, you're a runner, you don't want to be big, and you only lift to support that (and strength, healt, aesthetics), but still not to be big. So why do you want bigger arms? More mass is only going to slow you down ya know.

Mark Rippetoe doesn't know how to handle an EZ-Curl bar? Well, at least his way (the proper way) doesn't make someone's wrists hurt...ya know...like YOUR WAY does!!! An EZ-Curl bar is designed to take stress off the wrists genius, not add more stress to them. But yes, you can use it more than one way. I see people using equipment incorrectly all the time in my gym.

Face it, you were out of line calling everyone stupid, saying we all had more muscle than brains, and I e-bitch slapped you. Now you're all hurt and crying and trying to lash out yet again. You are isolating yourself in your own thread. People here are helpful. They were trying to help you because you asked for help. You just didn't like their answers.

Don't fucking ask for advice if you're not going to take any of it into account. And especially don't ask for advice if you're going to berate everyone who tries to help you. Now who is stupid and ignorant?

 

[PoweredUp]

At least PoweredUp acknowleged there are more than one way to handle the EZ-bar in a way that does hit the biceps and Rippetoe doesn't acknowledge that.

When you first cracked me by saying that I didn't know what I was talking about because the straight bar emphasized the biceps LESS than the EZ bar, that came off as an idiotic comment because it wasn't made clear that you were referencing an alternate grip.

I will acknowledge that holding the bar the way you did in that video will target the biceps more than the straight bar, but like I mentioned before - I don't think that many of us can do that. I'm also not so sure how friendly it is to your wrists and forearms. I was in the gym today and picked up a dumbbell and I couldn't even rotate my wrist outward the way that you did (and I would consider my wrists pretty flexible as well from years of front squats and power cleans). It was kind of painful. I'm just not built that way I guess.

I'll stick to the occasional 3 sets of straight bar curls and hammer curls...

 

[Tatyana]

This thread is really amusing me now

 

[needtogetaas]

This thread is really amusing me now

It caught my eye now to. It better get cleaned up fast. I don't even care who started it. Lets just all end it. There is no room for name calling,down talking and fighting in this forum. Take that shit to chat.