Q for guys with big guns

[Tim_Bass]

Allright, this one is for the big guys.

How long do you rest between sets on arms? I usually rest 90 seconds to 2 minutes. Some people have told me this is too long to cause adequate muscle fatigue for growth. But I'll typically only do 3-4 sets for biceps for the sake of low volume, just with highest possible intensity and no cheating. Do you think this will continue to work? How do you rest between sets?

 

[louden_swain]

45 seconds. Arms are comprised of small muscles. Low sets and exercises are all you need to complete the workout.

 

[Citruscide]

I'm with Swain... when i do arms I can hit the iron alot quicker after each set... even when I go heavy... I also do about 1/2 the number of sets that I'll do for back, chest, or legs.

C-ditty

 

[Thaibox]

I certainly don't have "da big guns," but like LS and C said, I feel that 45-60 seconds is best, no more than that.

Well, I do have a HK45 usp, thats a pretty big gun

 

[sean34]

for me its prolly a 1-1:30 minutes...

my arms recover quickly but I dont time myself or anything...i just get that feeling that Im ready for more.

what is your rep range and #'s of sets? also do you train bis and tris on the same or different days? for me if i do em separately they appear to recover more quickly...could be from handling all those bent over rows and bench presses

best of luck

Sean

 

[needsize]

I'd say my guns are a godd size, and I take as much rest as i need. I superset between bis and tris, and take around 1 1/2 minutes between sets, which has to work out to at least 3 or more minutes between sets for the same bodypart

 

[bignate73]

i'll take anywhere from 1-1.5 between sets. usually 2 exercises 3 sets each,(2bi's priority, 1-2 tris they grow easy for me)

 

[Legion Kreinak2]

I don't have big guns, but was curious...

I do 5x5, curls and closegrip benches being the 5x5 exercises. I rest 2 minutes between each set of 5x5 with them. Should I lower that? I thought the point was to get a good amount of rest time on heavy, taxing 5x5 lifts.

 

[SAGAT]

I don't have big guns, but was curious...

I do 5x5, curls and closegrip benches being the 5x5 exercises. I rest 2 minutes between each set of 5x5 with them. Should I lower that? I thought the point was to get a good amount of rest time on heavy, taxing 5x5 lifts.

sure it's always important to get enough rest but don't overdo it. IMO 2 minutes is too much for arms.

 

[Legion Kreinak2]

So, I shouldn't go by the sets/reps I'm doing to determine rest periods, but by bodypart?

If so then...

2 Minutes for chest/back/traps/legs
1 minute for arms/shoulders/calves/abs ?

 

[needsize]

I've gone up to 4 minute rest periods for arms and still grown from it, so there is no set rule about how long to rest, it's whatever works for you, but heavy compound exercises like barbell curls, close grip bench, weighted dips, etc, will require longer rests

 

[Tim_Bass]

Ya, I'll try 60 second range. Now that I think back, this is what I did way back when I first started and experienced the most growth. Then I started going heavier, and I felt like I needed to rest longer. I'll try going back to 1 minute range and see if that works.

I do my split like this:
1 Chest, tris, abs
2 Quads, calves
3 Back, bis
4 Hamstrings, shoulders

5, 6, 7 off (cardio when on cycle)

repeat

This was reccomended to me by a trainer a long time ago. I like it because it is similar to a few pros regiments. He wanted me to train abs every other day, and calves twice a week, but I don't believe you should train some muscles any differently than others.

I used to superset bis/tris a long time ago, back when I believed some of that Weider stuff. Now I mostly use HIT.

 

[Thaibox]

"1 Chest, tris, abs
2 Quads, calves
3 Back, bis
4 Hamstrings, shoulders

5, 6, 7 off (cardio when on cycle) "
------------------------------------------------
Whoa bro, you're doing a 4 on split with Back in the middle of quads and hams?

Maybe I'm wrong, but this is a bad idea IMO. Think about it....hitting back hard the day after squats is not good. And, if you do deadlifts, there's no way you can do them the day after squats. Not to mention you'll be hitting hamstrings again the next day. Whomever this trainer was needs to find a new profession.

 

[Scaggs]

What worked for me was 3 sets of standing curls,8-12 reps failing at around 10 and getting forced reps to about 12. On my final set i would get the cheat forced reps to 12 then i would quick drop the barbell, strip off 2 plates and do as many as i could, when i failed, i would strip off another 2 plates and do as many as i could, and again one final time strip off some wieght adding smaller plates if needed and do as many as i could. with no rest in between each. Decending sets. 90sec to 2 minute break in between sets.

After that I would take 2 minute break and do one set of Decending sets in the stretch position on an inclined bench. Pick three sets of dumbells and do as many curls as possible on the heaviest set, and quick drop the dumbells and pick up the one step down lighter set and finally decend to lightes set. Make sure you pick dumbell sets to put you somewhere between 8-12 rep range.

So here you have 4 total sets on bi's

I use the same principle for Tri's -- Close grip bench presses and jump into pushdowns.

I even alternate exercises for both bi's and tri's week to week giving me all around target.

I let my compound moves give my arms all the other work they need. So for me, 4 total arm sets is all i need.

My arms arn't huge, but they are huge on me, all heads are developed and visible.

Scaggs

 

[Cobin]

What worked for me was 3 sets of standing curls,8-12 reps failing at around 10 and getting forced reps to about 12. On my final set i would get the cheat forced reps to 12 then i would quick drop the barbell, strip off 2 plates and do as many as i could, when i failed, i would strip off another 2 plates and do as many as i could, and again one final time strip off some wieght adding smaller plates if needed and do as many as i could. with no rest in between each. Decending sets. 90sec to 2 minute break in between sets.

After that I would take 2 minute break and do one set of Decending sets in the stretch position on an inclined bench. Pick three sets of dumbells and do as many curls as possible on the heaviest set, and quick drop the dumbells and pick up the one step down lighter set and finally decend to lightes set. Make sure you pick dumbell sets to put you somewhere between 8-12 rep range.

So here you have 4 total sets on bi's

I use the same principle for Tri's -- Close grip bench presses and jump into pushdowns.

I even alternate exercises for both bi's and tri's week to week giving me all around target.

I let my compound moves give my arms all the other work they need. So for me, 4 total arm sets is all i need.

My arms arn't huge, but they are huge on me, all heads are developed and visible.

Scaggs

Looks like a good bi routine, I am gonna try that, thanks scaggs!