regular_john Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 Not happy with my bicep exercise. I'm going to see if I can get a better one. At the moment I'm sitting back on a 45° bench with arms hanging, bringing both up at the same time. I'm tiring without feeling like the arm has been worked enough. I'd hope and expect that the bicep would feel like it's about to explode afterwards; like my tricep does for it's exercise; but it doesn't feel anything like that and I'm seeing no progress with it either. Other than that, I need to re-visit my bent over dumbbell raise as I think I'm slightly botching the stance/technique. The rest is all good though. Apart from managing to tweak a back muscle when I lost concentration/technique doing my shoulder presses yesterday Two options... 1. Use more weight 2. (Much better) Ditch the crappy isolation exercises and work your biceps using pull-ups, chin-ups, Pendlay rows, power cleans etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted July 24, 2012 Moderator Share Posted July 24, 2012 Cheers rj. Chin-ups might be the answer. I'm not keen on the pendlay or power cleans because it looks like they put a fair amount of unnecessary pressure on the lower back. I've had occasional sciatica in the past from my American Football days, so I don't want to put any undue pressure there if I'm just trying to work the bicep. I see the chin-up works the lats too so that's something I don't mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted July 24, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted July 24, 2012 I wouldn't say ditch the curls. They should only be used as an accessory, so the exercises john has suggested will help. BUt I think for biceps and triceps, at least one exercise per week (you probably don't need more than that) of direct stimulation helps. BOF, my suggestion for yours is try raising the bench so you're sitting a bit more upright. And try curling each arm one at a time. If you're not feeling it, it's most likely to do with your form. Make sure you're elbows are tucked in and you're getting the full range of motion. So from nearly completely hanging (but not completely, try and keep constant tension in there) all the way to the top of the curl. At the top, really squeeze the bicep for a second whilst turning your hand outwards (so twisting the wrist with pinky finger moving upwards). That will really hit your bicep at the top of the curl. Make sure when you lower it back down you're doing it controlled. Don't let i fall. Again the constant tension is important. There's also your mind muscle connection. Sounds corny, but it's important. You really need to focus your mind on the muscle you're working. It helps to isolate it from the muscles you shouldn't be using. Decent article on it here That's how I do mine, and I can definitely feel it. Again, John is right to an extent. Biceps and triceps need very little direct stimulation. But I do think there's a place for an isolation exercise on each per week. What I don't agree with, john, is to use more weight. Even if you're lifting too light it should still be your bicep that you feel it. This suggests that it's a form thing rather than a weight thing, in my eyes. Again, form > weight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted July 24, 2012 Moderator Share Posted July 24, 2012 Oh I never let anything fall. I know that to keep it controlled at all times is very important whether going up or coming down. Everything you're saying to do are things that I think I am already doing - apart from the bench angle which I was told prevents the temptation to 'swing' the dumbbell. I'm very conscious to keep technique right. I'll add the squeeze at the top and I'll maybe bring the weight up as far as I possibly can - even past the point where there is no resistance from the weight. I'll also give the chin-ups a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dante_Lockhart Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 Bent Over Rows = Massive bicep workout. I love them and can really feel it afterwards. Chin-ups are amazing too. We can recommend loads of exercises but you have to be the one willing to do them. If you're worried about your lower back then just start on a light weight and build yourself up. Strengthen it. I have / had really bad knees. I started doing squats, just the bar weight to start off with, I'm now squatting a 1rep max of 120kg and have had no knee issues since I've been doing them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted July 24, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted July 24, 2012 The squeeze at the top is helpful, I think. And if you're arms are hanging (which they should be by the way, i was just thinking mayb you're lying too far back which might bring your shoulders into play more) then the weight should still be adding resistance. Just try it now. Tense your bicep normally (like a pose) and feel it. Then squeeze it all the way and twist your hand outwards and feel how much more the bicep tenses Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted July 24, 2012 Moderator Share Posted July 24, 2012 Yeah, leave it with me. I'll tinker in the gym on Wednesday. I'll do the others and then experiment with bicep exercises. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regular_john Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 Cheers rj. Chin-ups might be the answer. I'm not keen on the pendlay or power cleans because it looks like they put a fair amount of unnecessary pressure on the lower back. I've had occasional sciatica in the past from my American Football days, so I don't want to put any undue pressure there if I'm just trying to work the bicep. I see the chin-up works the lats too so that's something I don't mind. Bent over rows put loads of pressure on the lower back, Pendlay rows do not. In a Pendlay row your lower back should be parallel to the floor, as oppose to slightly diagonal as with a bent over row. If you execute them correctly, Pendlay rows shouldn't cause you any trouble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted July 24, 2012 Moderator Share Posted July 24, 2012 OK I'll take a look at the pendlay rows. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeepDish Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 This blog is both entertaining and has opened some eyes for me. The statistics all point towards the same conclusion: we have a global outbreak of fuckarounditis 12. You want that Tyler Durden look. Whenever I hear a client say this, alarm bells go off. There's nothing wrong in having ideals. The problem is all the pain I feel after seeing the dumb shit that follows in the questionnaire, under the part where I ask them about their current training routine. I'll often see some horrifying cardio/pump'n'tone hybrid, some celebrity workout variety or the kind you'd expect to see in those kind of routines. Nothing more faddish than made-up "celebrity workouts". God damn, how I hate those. Want to look like Tyler Durden? Then you need to build up some modest amount of muscle and then you need to lose fat, period. The muscle is best built with heavy weight training, not 15-25-rep set flyes followed by an hour in the pec deck machine. Your gut is best lost with a good diet, not "fat burning workouts"/tons of cardio/pump'n'tone crapola. All those will do is leave you under-muscled, weak and with a severe case of fuckarounditis. The Tyler Durden look, brought to you by squats, deadlifts, bench, chin-ups and a good diet. When this client told me that he was "closing in on his goal" of achieving a physique similar to that of Brad Pitt, AKA Tyler Durden in "Fight Club", I told him to gain some fat, start smoking, get into a fight, and stop training his arms and shoulders. (The implication of that being that he had already surpassed his goal.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted July 24, 2012 Moderator Share Posted July 24, 2012 "You're using belts, gloves and straps for no good reason." I happened to have a pair of Easton receiver gloves lying around so I wore them because I found that my grip; and not my muscle; was the limiting factor in pulling down on the lat machine. With the gloves, my previously sweaty* grip didn't slip. That's a fun read though * because at that point, that was the last machine I was working out on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeepDish Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 I have started to work on my chins/pull ups and deadlifts. I have not been doing them because I am so got damn weak (chins) and I have been afraid of hurting my back. Have started the chins with some help (dont have a chance in hell to have reps with my body weight, so I use some sort of help which take off kilos). Will just do several series of 2-3 reps and write down what I do, so I can see the improvements. Have also worked on technique for the deadlift, so will start to see some improvements there soon (I hope). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regular_john Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 I have started to work on my chins/pull ups and deadlifts. I have not been doing them because I am so got damn weak (chins) and I have been afraid of hurting my back. Have started the chins with some help (dont have a chance in hell to have reps with my body weight, so I use some sort of help which take off kilos). Will just do several series of 2-3 reps and write down what I do, so I can see the improvements. Have also worked on technique for the deadlift, so will start to see some improvements there soon (I hope). You could also try doing negative chin ups, i.e. jump to the bar and then slowly lower yourself, until you have the strength to do a full rep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted July 24, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted July 24, 2012 john's right again. I struggle with pull ups (and dips). Mainly because I've never had strong arms and I'm pretty heavy. Even now at a relatively modest bf% I'm 15 stone. So pull ups and dips in the past have been tough. Anyway, long story short, negative reps helped massively in being able to do some pullups and dips Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pas5898 Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 Out of interest, Which Gyms do some of you go too? Some of us Brummy natives might be training in the same gym without knowing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted July 24, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted July 24, 2012 I'm at Tudor Grange. But it sucks, so I'll be moving to Virgin in about a month, maybe 2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dante_Lockhart Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 I hit a PB on deadlifts last night. 140kg x4 I think I'm ready to move up to 150kg, even if it's just as a 1 rep max. Feels good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted July 25, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted July 25, 2012 I hit a PB on deadlifts last night. 140kg x4 I think I'm ready to move up to 150kg, even if it's just as a 1 rep max. Feels good! Great work buddy! Past the 300lb mark!! I'm stuck on 130kg. Hit it for 4 reps 2 weeks ago, but weekend just gone I only managed 1 rep, when i had the intention of going for 140. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dante_Lockhart Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Nothing worse than getting stuck. How much of a warm up do you do? Last night I did 5x 90kg, 5x 110kg, 1x 140kg then the 4x 140kg. I reckon I could have got the 5 out but my grip was failing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted July 25, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted July 25, 2012 I normally do a few warm up sets of 8-10 reps. Probably 70-80kg. Then I ramp up to my final set. So at the weekend, for example, I did a set of 8 at 110, then 6 at 120 then went for the 4 at 130. I'm half expecting to get stuck though, or at least for progress to be slow, as I'm cutting at the moment so there won't be much muscle growth. I'm starting a bulk in about a month so that's when I expect to see real progress. Have you stuck with Leangains? How you finding it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts