How the heck do I get my ARMS to grow?!

Irish Cannon

Legend
Everything else seems to grow on me. Some body parts faster than others. The problem is, my arms NEVER seem to get any bigger. They may change slightly here and there but not much at all. I've tried less reps, more reps, low rep range, high rep range. I don't know what to do. My triceps are the main trouble spot. My biceps will grow somewhat, but my triceps dont really every budge. Any advice would be appreciated.
 
How often do you train your arms? What lifts are you doing, how many sets and what's your split look like? You may want to try and shock your arms by going from one style of training for a time, to a different one.

I wish my legs would grow like my arms do...lol.
 
I like the HST method. If you have never tried it, it will sound a little wierd at first but it will work. First find what your max is on one set of 10 of lets say standing barbell curls. Maybe it's 100lbs break it down over 6 workouts. So monday you would do 75lbs for 2 sets and your biceps are done. Wednesday 80lbs for 2 sets done, Friday 85lbs for 2 sets done. Monday 90lbs, Wednesday 95lbs, Friday 100lbs for 2 sets. Notice you are only going to falure once every two weeks. After you are done with your 10's move down to sets of 8 using the same method for two weeks then move down to 5's but with 3 set's. The most important aspects of this method is to train every 48hrs, progressive load and not training to failure. Here is a link to HST if you are interested. Invalid Link Removed

and here is a pdf describing some of the princibles. Good Luck !!
 

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The number of reps per set really has a lot to do with it. There are studies that show that the total number of reps per excersice for optimum hypertrophy is between 15-20 reps. that is why you only do 2 sets of 10 two sets of 8 and 3 sets of 5. Add in progressive load and changing your number of reps every two weeks and i guarentee you he will see growth. This is not a strength program. You will get stronger but the main objective is for hypertrophy. Heck if you don't want to listen to me do a search on what others here have said about HST. I have yet to find a bad thing said about it. Why because it works.

Now the assumption is that he also has his diet in order, which is a given for any type of growth to happen.
 
I couldn't get mine to grow for like a 8 month period nothing worked my lifts got stronger but they hit a sticking point this past cycle I started a MAX OT workout and they finally started improving.
 
jonesboy said:
The number of reps per set really has a lot to do with it. There are studies that show that the total number of reps per excersice for optimum hypertrophy is between 15-20 reps. that is why you only do 2 sets of 10 two sets of 8 and 3 sets of 5. Add in progressive load and changing your number of reps every two weeks and i guarentee you he will see growth. This is not a strength program. You will get stronger but the main objective is for hypertrophy. Heck if you don't want to listen to me do a search on what others here have said about HST. I have yet to find a bad thing said about it. Why because it works.

Now the assumption is that he also has his diet in order, which is a given for any type of growth to happen.
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You're not looking at what he hasn't told us. He could very well be doing 3 sets of kickbacksand 3 sets of concentration curls at various rep ranges, chewing down a protein bar from GNC, and wondering why he's not growing.


I think it's more important to know WHAT he is doing, before we get into how many reps he does. I'm sure if you went to Hypertrophyspecific.com and read thier info, you'd see that there's more to it than just decreasing your RM by 5 every other week.


BTW, I wasn't trying to down on your HST post (It's worked wonders for me in the past). My previous post was geared more towards Irish Cannon for not being specific enough for his problem.
 
What's your diet and are you progressively overloading your arms? Keep track of your weights and reps, you should always be trying for more even if your only adding 2.5lb plates, it adds up.
 
thesinner said:
You're not looking at what he hasn't told us. He could very well be doing 3 sets of kickbacksand 3 sets of concentration curls at various rep ranges, chewing down a protein bar from GNC, and wondering why he's not growing.


I think it's more important to know WHAT he is doing, before we get into how many reps he does. I'm sure if you went to Hypertrophyspecific.com and read thier info, you'd see that there's more to it than just decreasing your RM by 5 every other week.


BTW, I wasn't trying to down on your HST post (It's worked wonders for me in the past). My previous post was geared more towards Irish Cannon for not being specific enough for his problem.
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I agree we need to figure out what he is doing and how he is dieting. He might need to take a week off due to overtraining we won't know anything i guess until he gives us some more info. If i mentioned or mislead on decreasing your RM by 5 everyweek i am sorry that is not correct your RM should increase every two weeks due to the lower number of reps.
 
I'd recommend an inventory on diet. once that's out of the way I'd suggest MaxOT, HIT, or Dorian Yates' style training (they're all VERY similar). You should train a lagging bodypart less often than you think. Increasing training frequency might be ok for a few weeks to shock the muscles, but long term you may be lagging in recovery.

But I'd bet my bottom dollar that the lack of growth here is coming from the diet.
 
Rocky82 said:
I'd recommend an inventory on diet. once that's out of the way I'd suggest MaxOT, HIT, or Dorian Yates' style training (they're all VERY similar). You should train a lagging bodypart less often than you think. Increasing training frequency might be ok for a few weeks to shock the muscles, but long term you may be lagging in recovery.

But I'd bet my bottom dollar that the lack of growth here is coming from the diet.
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Now i just don't want the guy confused with regards to frequency if you are referring to my posts. At the most he is only going to do two to three sets per workout depending on the total number of reps that he is doing during that week. He is not going to failure but once every two weeks. Over a given week he will have done a total of 6 to 9 sets for that body part. Training every 48hrs will have the following benefits and i quote
"2) Acute vs. Chronic Stimuli
In order for the loading to result in significant hypertrophy, the stimulus must be applied with sufficient frequency to create a new "environment", as opposed to seemingly random and acute assaults on the mechanical integrity of the tissue. The downside of taking a week of rest every time you load a muscle is that many of the acute responses to training like increased protein synthesis, prostaglandins, IGF-1 levels, and mRNA levels all return to normal in about 36 hours. So, you spend 2 days growing and half a week in a semi-anticatabolic state returning to normal (some people call this recovery), when research shows us that recovery can take place unabated even if a the muscle is loaded again in 48 hours. So true anabolism from loading only lasts 2 days at best once the load is removed. The rest of the time you are simply balancing nitrogen retention without adding to it. "

Increasing the frequency while spreading out the total number of sets over a week and not training to failure will be less taxing on his cns and provide a better enviroment for muscle growth.

Since the guy has yet to respond with any details on his diet or current routine we could all sit here and debate which method is best. And why he is not growing. With everything being even it is cool that a lot of people are here to try and help the guy out. NOw if my calves would just grow like the rest of my body i would be a happy man. :)
 
ive already mentioned my diet not being a problem. everything else is growing. my arms wont. my legs are my strong point. always have been. my upper body is a little lagging but is doing ok. shoulders have grown quite well within the past year and so has my chest. back has always been good. my arms just dont seem to grow. i train every muscle group every six days...last week this was my arm day...

triceps
weighted dip - 15,10,8,8
skullcrusher- 10,9,9
pushdown- 8.8.8

biceps
standing bb curl- 10,8,8,7
hammer curl- 10,8,8
preacher curl- 12,10,10

my biceps are better off than my triceps, but still not great. i have been throwing in 2 sets of triceps on my chest day just to add a little more frequency and see what happens. just to add, i am on a test/tren cycle.
 
Ok imo i think you are over doing it. You are doing 91 reps for biceps and 93 reps for triceps. I know that after doing all those reps a suggestion of just doing two sets of 10 without going to failure sounds a little wierd. Give HST a try. It is a workout based on scientific research on how to grow muscle. It works for a lot of people. If nothing else it really can't hurt you.

Good Luck!!
 
You might want to check into HST like jonesboy said...i use it and i have been working out only about a month and a half and i already notice massive increases in my arms and chest
 
Might I suggest doing drop sets or rest-pauses, and less sets?

Also, you might try doing some other exercises such as close-grip bench, or overhead DB press.


For some reason, heavy sets of pullovers (using a curl bar) have really added some major size to my triceps over the past 6 months that I've been doing them.


I don't think HST would be wise while on a cycle, but definitely beneficial when you come off the cycle.
 
Irish Cannon said:
ive already mentioned my diet not being a problem. everything else is growing. my arms wont. my legs are my strong point. always have been. my upper body is a little lagging but is doing ok. shoulders have grown quite well within the past year and so has my chest. back has always been good. my arms just dont seem to grow. i train every muscle group every six days...last week this was my arm day...

triceps
weighted dip - 15,10,8,8
skullcrusher- 10,9,9
pushdown- 8.8.8

biceps
standing bb curl- 10,8,8,7
hammer curl- 10,8,8
preacher curl- 12,10,10

my biceps are better off than my triceps, but still not great. i have been throwing in 2 sets of triceps on my chest day just to add a little more frequency and see what happens. just to add, i am on a test/tren cycle.
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how much do you weigh? and how much protein and carbs are you taking in each day?

and definately cut down on that volume, you're biceps are very small, plus if you are doing rows then you're bi's are getting hit there also
 
great thread and some great info. I'm on a cut, but I've been trying to find a way to increase my use of time. I am waiting for an interview, and i'm on the mon,wen,thur. I would like to hit a specifc muscle group more often. one day on one day off, without going to exhaustion.

This sounds awsome, to bad i'm on a cut......

i'm back to my initial question, big arms while cutting.. For shame. I'm going to look into it some more maybe find a specific workout log.
 
im 5'8, about 185-190lbs. 9% bf. i take in about 350g-400g of protein a day, about 300g of carbs.

i know my volume seems high but like ive said ive toyed with lots of stuff. ive tried doing only two sets, 4 sets, and now i do 10. i wouldnt mind trying another way of training but like i said im on cycle and dont plan on changing my routine while on. i dont want to experiment and waste 2-3 weeks getting used to a new program.
 
Exercise suggestions:

1. Spider Curls-Hammer, Bar, and DB
2. Underhand Grip Tricep Pressdowns

Addition of these will hit the muscles in remarkably different ways than the exercises you listed on your current plan.

The other guys seem to be covering all the other bases.
 
No problem i have used HST while on cycle with good results. I am not sure how much longer your cycle is but here is how i would do it. if you have a month this should be ok. I find that i always have the best results during reps of 8 and 5. Start out doing 3 sets of 8 mwf for two weeks. Always stay just under failure for the 3rd set. I'm not sure what you are using but if it adds to strength then your max will always be increasing and every workout you should be able to increment your weights i.e. progressive load. Make sure you do not hit failure if you do you are using to much weight and will need to lower it. After you finish your two weeks drop down to 3 sets of 5 using the same prinicples i stated earlier. If at this time your cycle is at an end continue with another two weeks of 5's then two weeks of negatives. That should get you through post cycle therapy. After that take 7 to 10 days off from lifting. And start a new HST cycle.
With a good androgen lifting at about 90% of your 3 set max will put the muscle on you and allow for progressive load throughout your training cycle. Duriing 8's you are doing a total of 72 reps and during 5's a total of 45 reps but they are spread out during the course of a week. Hitting peak times for muscle stimuli and allowing for adequate recovery time.

Here is a link to the thread from Blaze and Bryan They suggest you do it a little different but this method has worked for me. Invalid Link Removed
 
should i just try this for arms then? my other muscles seem to be growing with my current routine, and I don't want to fix what's not broken.
 
Irish Cannon said:
Everything else seems to grow on me. Some body parts faster than others. The problem is, my arms NEVER seem to get any bigger.
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Your overworking. Keep in mind your arms get hit indirectly with a lot of torso work.
 
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