I’ve been running 5x5 with added dips and pulls. It’s working great. I’ve started doing bicep curls (only worked them twice so far). My question is, what are the best exercises to start to develop the biceps? All I’ve used so far is 3 sets of 10 curls, and 3 sets of 10 hammer curls. Is there a better way to start with biceps? Also is there a better set/rep range I should be using? Thanks.
I’ve just read the new article on the site I’ll focus more on the pulls and dips and adding more weight to bring my arms up. But if I do feel like a few curls once in a while what would be the best technique?
Curls, of any sort.
For me, barbell curls give me issues with my forearms, axle curls are a little better, and ez-bar curls are much better. Dumbbell curls, pinwheel curls, hammer curls, etc. all work.
A basic routine:
set 1: base-weight for 15 reps
set 2: base-weight + 10 for 15 reps
set 3: base-weight + 20 for 15 reps
set 4: base weight for 15 reps
Minimal rests between sets.
When you can hit all 15 reps in set 3, increase your base-weight. If +10 and +20 is too much, you can use +5 and +10.
Do this at the end of your session, after you’ve done all the heavier work.
Any type of curls are fine. I sometimes do dumbbell curls, sometimes barbell curls, sometimes cable curls. The only reason I switch it up is boredom. 3x10 is fine, but it doesn’t hurt to change set/rep schemes regularly.
Mainly though, if you lift heavy weights regularly and you eat well, over time your arms will get bigger. The details are not so important. Consistency is key.
One other thing about curls: you don’t have to use a lot of weight. You want to achieve controlled, focused contractions in the biceps. I see guys much smaller than me curling 45-50 lbs dumbbells regularly. I used to do it myself. I always wondered why the big guys were so ‘weak’, using 20-30 lbs. It’s because it works. The heaviest dumbbells I’ve used in the last year for curls were probably 35’s.
[quote]flipcollar wrote:
One other thing about curls: you don’t have to use a lot of weight. You want to achieve controlled, focused contractions in the biceps. I see guys much smaller than me curling 45-50 lbs dumbbells regularly. I used to do it myself. I always wondered why the big guys were so ‘weak’, using 20-30 lbs. It’s because it works. The heaviest dumbbells I’ve used in the last year for curls were probably 35’s.[/quote]
Seconded.
[quote]ActivitiesGuy wrote:
[quote]flipcollar wrote:
One other thing about curls: you don’t have to use a lot of weight. You want to achieve controlled, focused contractions in the biceps. I see guys much smaller than me curling 45-50 lbs dumbbells regularly. I used to do it myself. I always wondered why the big guys were so ‘weak’, using 20-30 lbs. It’s because it works. The heaviest dumbbells I’ve used in the last year for curls were probably 35’s.[/quote]
Seconded.[/quote]
Thirded(?).
Dumbbell curls as described by flip as well as hammer curls should do the trick. Coupled with pull ups and other back work, that will be sufficient to get them to grow.
[quote]flipcollar wrote:
One other thing about curls: you don’t have to use a lot of weight. You want to achieve controlled, focused contractions in the biceps. I see guys much smaller than me curling 45-50 lbs dumbbells regularly. I used to do it myself. I always wondered why the big guys were so ‘weak’, using 20-30 lbs. It’s because it works. The heaviest dumbbells I’ve used in the last year for curls were probably 35’s.[/quote]
Endorsed again.
Pick a curl, any curl that you like or is comfortable for your body design. Do 3 sets. Vary the reps every so often. 10-12 for a few weeks/months, 6-8 (different weight obviously) for a while. etc rinse and repeat. Put it in at the END of your workout as this is simply accessory work. Chinups will be doing a lot for your biceps too.
Chin Ups.
Squats + GOMAD!
Ok no, lol.
But seriously, if you want your biceps to grow you also need eat in a caloric excess.
[quote]dt79 wrote:
Squats + GOMAD!
Ok no, lol.
But seriously, if you want your biceps to grow you also need eat in a caloric excess.[/quote]
Lol. But you’d probably get something out of deads + GOMAD.
One thing I like to do is go to a pully and stack
Start with a weight I think I can do 12 times, go for 8 to 10
Add a plate and go but not to failure
Add a plate and repeat.
Keep going until you 5 reps becomes a bitch.
Take a short rest between adding plates, less than 30 sec, squeeze at the top.
I prefer using a rope as it gets the best squeeze.
You’ll end up doing your 30 reps but it’s interesting and over with fast.
Every month or two, start with more weight for the first set or mix up other variables.
[quote]LoRez wrote:
[quote]dt79 wrote:
Squats + GOMAD!
Ok no, lol.
But seriously, if you want your biceps to grow you also need eat in a caloric excess.[/quote]
Lol. But you’d probably get something out of deads + GOMAD.[/quote]
If you can’t finish a deadlift with a bicep curl, you are clearly under-broing yourself.
[quote]tsantos wrote:
[quote]LoRez wrote:
[quote]dt79 wrote:
Squats + GOMAD!
Ok no, lol.
But seriously, if you want your biceps to grow you also need eat in a caloric excess.[/quote]
Lol. But you’d probably get something out of deads + GOMAD.[/quote]
If you can’t finish a deadlift with a bicep curl, you are clearly under-broing yourself.[/quote]
This only works if you do it in the squat rack. Otherwise you’re wasting your time.
[quote]dt79 wrote:
Squats + GOMAD!
Ok no, lol. [/quote]
In the 1930s, one of the original “squats and milk” plans was 2-3 days a week of squat, pullover, behind the neck press, and barbell curl. Go lol that.
On topic, see pic.
EDIT: Pulled from your thread last month:
[quote]howareyoumeduck wrote:
Weight: 64 kg, body fat around 10% maybe less. Height 5ft 11ish[/quote]
^ This, plus this thread being the third time you’re trying to add something to the program (first was dips, then something “to target the vastus lateralis”, now curls), tells us that you’re losing focus of the big picture. (pun intended)
You need time and calories and consistency. You’re barely 140 pounds. Focus on getting closer to 160+ while building total body strength and see if you need to worry about “starting biceps development.”
(Not trying to hijack, just wanted to point this out.)
Back in August, you were going to start eating 3,000 calories a day.
In November, you were still only “getting about 3,000 calories a day.”
That’s something to fix ASAP. Training is fun to think about, talk about, and plan, but nutrition is the boring, sometimes tedious, gruntwork that gets shit done. If three months go by and you weigh the same, you don’t need to change your training for bigger arms or legs.
[quote]dagill2 wrote:
[quote]tsantos wrote:
[quote]LoRez wrote:
[quote]dt79 wrote:
Squats + GOMAD!
Ok no, lol.
But seriously, if you want your biceps to grow you also need eat in a caloric excess.[/quote]
Lol. But you’d probably get something out of deads + GOMAD.[/quote]
If you can’t finish a deadlift with a bicep curl, you are clearly under-broing yourself.[/quote]
This only works if you do it in the squat rack. Otherwise you’re wasting your time.
[/quote]
Don’t challenge me to a Bro Down, bro. I’ll hog the squat rack and do wrist curls for 20mins just to say I did it.
[quote]Chris Colucci wrote:
[quote]dt79 wrote:
Squats + GOMAD!
Ok no, lol. [/quote]
In the 1930s, one of the original “squats and milk” plans was 2-3 days a week of squat, pullover, behind the neck press, and barbell curl. Go lol that.
On topic, see pic.
EDIT: Pulled from your thread last month:
[quote]howareyoumeduck wrote:
Weight: 64 kg, body fat around 10% maybe less. Height 5ft 11ish[/quote]
^ This, plus this thread being the third time you’re trying to add something to the program (first was dips, then something “to target the vastus lateralis”, now curls), tells us that you’re losing focus of the big picture. (pun intended)
You need time and calories and consistency. You’re barely 140 pounds. Focus on getting closer to 160+ while building total body strength and see if you need to worry about “starting biceps development.”[/quote]
I take it back.
64kg @ 5’11
He really needs to do something drastic like GOMAD at least to kickstart his appetite and get his body used to consuming more calories.
[quote]dt79 wrote:
[quote]dagill2 wrote:
[quote]tsantos wrote:
[quote]LoRez wrote:
[quote]dt79 wrote:
Squats + GOMAD!
Ok no, lol.
But seriously, if you want your biceps to grow you also need eat in a caloric excess.[/quote]
Lol. But you’d probably get something out of deads + GOMAD.[/quote]
If you can’t finish a deadlift with a bicep curl, you are clearly under-broing yourself.[/quote]
This only works if you do it in the squat rack. Otherwise you’re wasting your time.
[/quote]
Don’t challenge me to a Bro Down, bro. I’ll hog the squat rack and do wrist curls for 20mins just to say I did it. [/quote]
CURLZ FOR THE GIRLZZ BRAH
[quote]LoRez wrote:
Curls, of any sort.
For me, barbell curls give me issues with my forearms, axle curls are a little better, and ez-bar curls are much better. Dumbbell curls, pinwheel curls, hammer curls, etc. all work.
A basic routine:
set 1: base-weight for 15 reps
set 2: base-weight + 10 for 15 reps
set 3: base-weight + 20 for 15 reps
set 4: base weight for 15 reps
Minimal rests between sets.
When you can hit all 15 reps in set 3, increase your base-weight. If +10 and +20 is too much, you can use +5 and +10.
Do this at the end of your session, after you’ve done all the heavier work.[/quote]
How big has this made your biceps?