what bicep movement would contribute to growth?

[willc86]

Hey guys I know...general question...

Ive been lifting for about 4 years with success. 170lbs to 230lbs and stuck there. Anyhow, my weakness is my biceps when you are looking at them as if you are in front of me.

I have 19in arms, but that is because if you look at my arm from the SIDE (viewing my triceps as well), it is wide due to my triceps and biceps growing horizontal. Anyhow seems to be genetics (lucky me) but I can not stand how my arms look when i face towards the mirror straight on front (not the side) I do have long arms, which is probably why my biceps look pretty slim when facing in front of me looking at my biceps or facing yourself in the mirror.

I was wondering what exercises I should do to get better thickness from that angle as if you are standing in front of me. I have a good peak and when I flex, I have long arms; and biceps extend outwards (horizontal) as if you were looking at me from the side which is my strong side. So in that concept my biceps are long and stick out which is why i have a 19 inch bicep.

sorry for blabbing a lot, I am just trying to get you guys to understand which position/and would be my problem when looking at my biceps

here is an image of what I am trying to perceive

http://hookedoniron.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/BICEPS.jpg

 

[kenpoengineer]

Check out CT Fletcher's arm routine. Some hate his methods but the man built a reputation around his arms.

 

[TheMovement]

Heavier Bb curls

 

[smith_69]

its not so much as the particular exercise that will add size, it is also the movement and contraction.
incline db curls seat at 45- do you let your arms go all the way down with no bend at the elbow? At the peak, are you holding with a squeeze before releasing? Are you bringing the wgt down on the negative motion faster than the positive?

straight bar curls- no bend in the elbow and as you curl up- the bar needs to be brought up higher, almost to the forehead- in essence, its like doing a seated preacher curl, except you are standing with a barbell. no swinging motion and a pause with a squeeze at the peak- you are almost making a reverse C or ) movement

1 arm db curls- using the backside of a preacher bench or 45 bench, position your arm for a curl- full extension and contraction- also use this method with a single arm hammer curl on the same bench.

for all of these check your ego at the door and get the form down correctly. practice with no bar, watch your form in the mirror, then use light wgt until you feel the muscle being worked.

on the preacher exercises, if you start gripping the pad with your other hand to tightly or pulling with your shoulder, your using to much wgt.

you also need to start doing more wrist curls (barbell and db) followed by throttle curls. as your arm gets stronger, you don't want to be lagging behind on your forearm. if so you will overstress your flexor muscles. when they are stronger, this will allow you to completely focus on your peak contraction especially when doing hammers and looking for that bicep peak with fullness.

 

[banjobounce]

I would recommend learning the full ROM for the biceps and using multiple (at least three) exercises to overload each portion of the strength curve.

Ie. supine incline curl for the fully lengthened portion

overhead cable curl for the fully shortened position (which will put your hand behind your head in a supinated position)

Barbell curl for the middle range of motion.

I would also recommend overloading the fully shortened range first. Also, whatever your range of motion is, I would recommend contracting your tri's at the bottom of the movement (in order to fully lengthen (relatively) the antagonist, your bicep, within that particular range). I also agree with smith that the contraction is of utmost importance.

 

[jaces]

banjobounce basicly said it all... just start adding hammer curls(rope,dumbell etc) for the brachialis and dont be the douche that swings up a 30kg dumbell to prove his dick size... it would just take tention away from the brachialis

 

[BlockBuilder]

There's no such thing as a movement that contributed to growth. You think your biceps say "oh look he's doing concentration curls finally we can grow" **** no that's all bro science. Really deadlifts, barbell bent over rows and weighted pull-ups would probably add more size than any of these routines designed to pound away at a small muscle group for no apparent reason. Curls are fun but they aren't what's making your arms grow. I will add if you aren't focusing on progressive resistance you probably aren't going to grow. I hear too much about getting a pump. A pump in no way correlates to muscle growth. You need to be adding heavier, new stimuli to the muscle to allow for adaptation, strength and growth to occur hence progressive resistance. You need to have a strategic plan outlined to some degree

 

[smith_69]

There's no such thing as a movement that contributed to growth. You think your biceps say "oh look he's doing concentration curls finally we can grow" **** no that's all bro science. Really deadlifts, barbell bent over rows and weighted pull-ups would probably add more size than any of these routines designed to pound away at a small muscle group for no apparent reason. Curls are fun but they aren't what's making your arms grow. I will add if you aren't focusing on progressive resistance you probably aren't going to grow. I hear too much about getting a pump. A pump in no way correlates to muscle growth. You need to be adding heavier, new stimuli to the muscle to allow for adaptation, strength and growth to occur hence progressive resistance. You need to have a strategic plan outlined to some degree

i get your point, but you really just contradicted yourself- if there is no such thing as a movement, then why offer deadlifts, bent and pull-ups? they are all movements correct?

if you focus solely on the growth with one specific routine, then that person is an idiot. I do agree with you that lifts, rows and pull-ups can add more size. the other issue is form, we have no idea how strict or how much of a cheat is being used.

my suggestions (not that they are better than yours) offer ways to strengthen the muscle. You have to ask, what good is an arm that is 19' that is bloated?
19" arm that looks like a baseball was implanted in the arm is impressive.

 

[banjobounce]

You also have to consider that weight does not have to increase in order for progressive overload to occur. The most important concept is tension, imo. As long as one could contract a greater percentage of fibers in any lift, he would not have to increase the weight. Also, varying tempo in order to increase TUT is often overlooked. Other variables could include overall volume, frequency at which the muscle group is hit, rest periods(shorter for more workout density), as well as lactic acid buildup.

Furthermore, consider that there are more mechanisms for hypertrophy than mechanical damage. Cell swelling and metabolic damage both cause hypertrophy as well.

But this is coming from a guy whose arms suck.

 

[Abraham67]

There's a lot of evidence that eccentrically training any muscle will lead to great damage of the myobril and inturn leading to greater hypertrophy. They are actually applying this technique to astronauts so that they don't lose muscle mass and atrophy in space

 

[smith_69]

There's a lot of evidence that eccentrically training any muscle will lead to great damage of the myobril and inturn leading to greater hypertrophy. They are actually applying this technique to astronauts so that they don't lose muscle mass and atrophy in space

that is actually pretty interesting. you stop and think about, I know they do some sort of physical activity, but to keep from muscle wasting.

how long is the study for, another words amount of time spent in space? come to think of it, I would assume the testing would be done in a controlled atmosphere -gravity controlled- what type of ex--cer-cises are they doing?

 

[Abraham67]

Il talk to my grad assistant as he is he is heading the study. It's taking place at our university and NASA has given us millions in funds to look into it. The study isn't over yet but so far they have found we are stronger eccentrically and the eccentric movements break down the fibers more. Which is necessary to keep building muscle in space as their is no gravitational field to act as a resistance (causing atrophy) they are looking into building a machine to put onto space craft which only creates eccentric movements or something like that. Il try find out more as I said

 

[smith_69]

Il talk to my grad assistant as he is he is heading the study. It's taking place at our university and NASA has given us millions in funds to look into it. The study isn't over yet but so far they have found we are stronger eccentrically and the eccentric movements break down the fibers more. Which is necessary to keep building muscle in space as their is no gravitational field to act as a resistance (causing atrophy) they are looking into building a machine to put onto space craft which only creates eccentric movements or something like that. Il try find out more as I said

sounds good bro and thanks

 

[LovingtoLift]

Close your eyes next time you are at the gym. Work the muscle, make it burn. The more it burns, the more its working. Three key words are "Mind Muscle Connection." You get that down and you will grow.

Not rocket science here and make sure you pair this with a good diet.

 

[smith_69]

Close your eyes next time you are at the gym. Work the muscle, make it burn. The more it burns, the more its working. Three key words are "Mind Muscle Connection." You get that down and you will grow.

Not rocket science here and make sure you pair this with a good diet.

unless its burning from a tear or separation ;o)

 

[Abraham67]

just over a year of ECCENTRIC biceps training and carb back loading

 

[LovingtoLift]

View attachment 132169 just over a year of ECCENTRIC biceps training and carb back loading

Look amazing. Do you compete or plan on competing in the future?

 

[Abraham67]

Thanks a lot man. And I've thought about it, but it's really something I just do for fun.

 

[LovingtoLift]

Thanks a lot man. And I've thought about it, but it's really something I just do for fun.

Whats your macro ratio per day if you don't mind me asking? How many grams of carbs per day are you taking in on average?

 

[Abraham67]

Right now I'm on about 250g carbs, all backloaded, 300gs of protein and then 70grams of fat! 2830 cals totalish

 

[LovingtoLift]

Right now I'm on about 250g carbs, all backloaded, 300gs of protein and then 70grams of fat! 2830 cals totalish

I see you are a backloading and Ive thought of adopting that philosophy into my own diet plan. So I have one question for you.

If a guy prefers working out in the morning, what is the best way to go about carb backloading? Do you still take in your carbs at night before bed? Or do you eat them post workout in the morning and then have no other carbs during the day? I am allowed 1 gram of carbs per my bodyweight in one sitting correct?

 

[Abraham67]

When I have an early workout I just eat them right after my workout. However I guess you could space them out through the the day more. And yes sir you are correct

 

[double s]

It's also important to change grip width on different exercises to emphasize different heads...

 

[Gutterpump]

Try curling in the squat rack for growth.

 

[Snow3y]

Right now I'm on about 250g carbs, all backloaded, 300gs of protein and then 70grams of fat! 2830 cals totalish

May I ask why are you having so much protein?