Back and Bis Workout Question

[TrumpetLegend]

Hey guys! So I'm a skinny fat hard gainer that has been eating clean and religiously following a modified version of the Jim Stoppani's 12 week shortcut to size for 5 months. Today's back and bicep workout took me over 2.5 hours to finish. It seems like my Biceps are giving out so I've been needing crazy long wait times. Is there anything in my routine that I can get rid of and still work all aspects of the bicep adequately? Thanks! exercises include: Standing Dumbell Rows, Seated Row, Wide Grip Lat Pull Downs and then Barbell Curl, Dumbell Preacher and Hammer Curls. I normally try to throw in a few reverse pull up/rows on the smith machine after wards too....Today each consisted of 3 sets ( 11 reps, 9 reps, failure, wait 15 seconds, failure again.)

 

[PaulBlack]

Lat and or rowing moves already hit the biceps quite well. Probably why they are getting exhausted and will only respond after so much inroad. In fact I only do heavy rowing and back work almost exclusively with a set or so of curls a week at most and my biceps are as big or bigger than when I did direct bicep work 3x per week.
2.5 hours is a long W/O for the whole body, let alone just the back and arms. I'm going to guess you are putting perhaps too much emphasis on the smaller groups, that will only respond if the entire body is getting larger and stronger with mass on the big areas and groups. Also, if you are cutting cals, you will most likely be trimming size some.
That all said, if one has to wait 2-3 mins between sets for some recovery, then fine. Sometimes I might wait up to 4 or so mins. between heavy deads or squats.

 

[EatMoar]

I hate training back/bis and chest/tris. Your arms are already taking a beating from those compounds hence why I moved my arms to a seperate day.

 

[TrumpetLegend]

Thanks guys! I may be switching to a different day soon, but I want to wait till I hit a plateau. Don't fix what isn't already broken, right? Haha!

I want to get rid of either the barbell curls or the preachers. I'm thinking probably barbell curls because the back workout hits the outer bis substantially and the preachers will add size/hit the rest for a rounded look. Am I right? What do you guys think? Thanks!

 

[PaulBlack]

I want to get rid of either the barbell curls or the preachers. I'm thinking probably barbell curls because the back workout hits the outer bis substantially and the preachers will add size/hit the rest for a rounded look. Am I right? What do you guys think? Thanks!

Personally, I do not much buy into the different curls for different shapes bis. I think most arm shape is pretty much genetic and any heavy curling work, will make the bicep grow and most likely be the standard shape that you bicep already is, just larger or fuller.

I know guys like preachers too, but I think they strain the elbows more than a reg standing reg curl or maybe incline DB's. I also think cheat curls have a place, to use heavy weight and with a slow return. That all said, 90% of my arm size and work, comes from heavy back work rowing and chinning/pullups pulldwns, high pulls. I used to use an arm blaster for super sets and all that junk, but my arms are as big or bigger and just as strong in curling now, curling a few sets 2x per month. Funny huh???

 

[TrumpetLegend]

Wow, that's awesome! So basically what you're saying is that I should keep all the back stuff the same and just go real heavy on one or the other because it's not going to make much difference ether way due to genetics?

 

[PaulBlack]

Wow, that's awesome! So basically what you're saying is that I should keep all the back stuff the same and just go real heavy on one or the other because it's not going to make much difference ether way due to genetics?

Well, I can only tell you from my experiences, that doing a few differing kinds of curls and tricep work over the years has not seemed to make much difference in my arm shapes. It still is the same as it was 20 years ago. Over the years, maybe it gets bigger, maybe smaller maybe it looks diff when I lose some weight and vice versa, but to me the muscle still attaches in the same place, has the same length etc. and when I was worrying about it, while perhaps missing putting greater focus on heavy rowing or chinning or back work, seems to have the body fall short of overall mass building. When I stopped worrying about shape in my arms, my overall body grew larger. If you know what i am saying!?

 

[AZMIDLYF]

Just do Chest/Biceps and Back/Triceps with less movements for the Biceps and Triceps since you will sort of be hitting them twice in the week with the other bigger compound movements: Chest(triceps), Back(biceps).