I’ve avoided direct arm work for long time but recently came to a conclusion that avoiding it limits my upper arm development severely. I follow a variation of WS4SB now and have 3-4 sets of biceps exercise (BB/DB curls) in the end of the work-out. However I find it hard to “get the pump” in my biceps (something many mentioned as a good thing to produce growth) since my forearms usually get fatigued first. How could I address this problem? Are there any biceps exercises that use less forearms?
having the same problem…very intrested
[quote]skor wrote:
I’ve avoided direct arm work for long time but recently came to a conclusion that avoiding it limits my upper arm development severely. I follow a variation of WS4SB now and have 3-4 sets of biceps exercise (BB/DB curls) in the end of the work-out. However I find it hard to “get the pump” in my biceps (something many mentioned as a good thing to produce growth) since my forearms usually get fatigued first. How could I address this problem? Are there any biceps exercises that use less forearms?[/quote]
Imo, if your grip gives out before your biceps, you need some serious grip work.
[quote]Sick Rick wrote:
skor wrote:
I’ve avoided direct arm work for long time but recently came to a conclusion that avoiding it limits my upper arm development severely. I follow a variation of WS4SB now and have 3-4 sets of biceps exercise (BB/DB curls) in the end of the work-out. However I find it hard to “get the pump” in my biceps (something many mentioned as a good thing to produce growth) since my forearms usually get fatigued first. How could I address this problem? Are there any biceps exercises that use less forearms?
Imo, if your grip gives out before your biceps, you need some serious grip work.
[/quote]
My forearms are OK if I start with biceps curls. But since biceps comes in the end of the work-out, my forearms are already fatigued by heavy rows, pull-ups or shrugs done earlier. I have an OK crushing strength (can close Heavy Grips 200 for 5 each arm) and I’ve started doing wrist-roller recently, but I definitely lack endurance in my forearms.
Use your legs to bypass the bottom portion of the movement (the part that fatigues your forearms)
i hate to high jack a thread like this but i have a question very similar.
whenever i do bicep curls (dumbell in particular) i find that my forearm does all the work. i really dont get a burn in my biceps much. anyone know how to fix this?
i used to get mad forearm burn doing alt db curls. i’d have to put them down for a few secs then finish my set. but i tried using straps and it really helped.
When you do your DB curls, keep your wrist bent all the way backwards… it should help with the forearm problem
really though it’s a quick fix and they’ll need to get stronger sometime
Can’t you use lifting straps/hooks for the rows/pull-ups/shrugs?
save your forearms for the bicep work?
I work my biceps on chest day and never have that problem.
[quote]skor wrote:
Sick Rick wrote:
skor wrote:
I’ve avoided direct arm work for long time but recently came to a conclusion that avoiding it limits my upper arm development severely. I follow a variation of WS4SB now and have 3-4 sets of biceps exercise (BB/DB curls) in the end of the work-out. However I find it hard to “get the pump” in my biceps (something many mentioned as a good thing to produce growth) since my forearms usually get fatigued first. How could I address this problem? Are there any biceps exercises that use less forearms?
Imo, if your grip gives out before your biceps, you need some serious grip work.
My forearms are OK if I start with biceps curls. But since biceps comes in the end of the work-out, my forearms are already fatigued by heavy rows, pull-ups or shrugs done earlier. I have an OK crushing strength (can close Heavy Grips 200 for 5 each arm) and I’ve started doing wrist-roller recently, but I definitely lack endurance in my forearms.[/quote]
Since you are training using the WS4SB split, and probably not a competing athlete, you could just train arms on one of your off days. That way they will be fresh.
Wrists back, work the biceps not the forearms.
Just get wrist straps for your rows and shrugs.
Don’t ever purposely avoid directly training any bodypart unless it is severly over developed and is causing imbalances. This new theme of avoiding direct arm work is bullshit. Good to hear you stopped.
You may just need to bring your forearms up so they don’t fatigue first. As far as shifting the stress away from the forearms to the biceps, use straps even on shit you wouldn’t normally use them (dumbell curls, etc.), keep your wrists bent back so your palm is up, and also do all curl work with a supinated grip. Stick with using a straight bar over an ez-curl bar. Use a thumbless grip on the bar. Also, stretch movements like lying incline dumbell curls seem to really target the biceps preferentially, especially while keeping the wrists back. All of this will limit forearm contribution, but I would advise you hit some heavy direct forearm work after the bicep work as this may be the issue to begin with. It’s either that or you have poor bicep recruitment from not focusing on the bis enogh, kind of like how some people don’t feel their lats working on pulls, or chest on presses, etc. There is also the possibility that you are putting your anterior delts into the movements by bringing the bells or bar forward and up too much, making your bis less invloved but still stressing your forearms due to grip.
Don’t cock your wrist when you curl.
Out of curiosity, how much do you curl for 8-10 (on whatever curl variation you use) and how much do you deadlift (1-3 reps, 8-10 if you can tell me, too) ? (asking to find out how much your arms are lagging behind)
If your biceps/brachialis are lagging behind the rest of your body, you’ll likely end up cocking your wrists while curling… And the brachioradialis will try to take over, too.
Good that you’ve seen the light now, btw.
#Edit: After seeing your avatar… You have some back-thickness, all right, but your triceps and shoulders look almost untrained… I guess it’s the same with your bis?
You have some serious catching up to do. Not just for looks, but also to avoid future injury…
Thanks everyone for suggestions. I don’t plan to use straps; partially out of principle, partially because I’ve read at some point that not squeezing the palm of the hand can increase the chances of injury.
I did AltDB biceps curls today after a leg WO and forearms weren’t a problem. I found that doing a drop set with 10 sec rest periods (what 1morerep suggested) to let the forearm pump go away allowed me to hit the bicep much harder.
BlackSabbath - thanks for detailed answer. I’ll see what applies to me.
Cephalic_Carnage - my arms do have quite a bit of catching up to do (and I already caught up a bit - avatar is 1 year old). I have an ok strength on compound upper-body movements, but I don’t have upper arm development (they are only 14’ now). My triceps and shoulders were rather untrained in the picture above, but I still could dip BW+110 x 5.
Today I curled 40 x 9 (AltDB). My deadlift is 335 x 5 and I can chin-up BW+80 x 4. I don’t know if these numbers tell you anything, but I definitely need to do some direct biceps work.
I discovered today that doing hammer curls with dumbbell plate resting against thumb and index finger takes forearms out of the movement and lets me keep on training biceps. Is there any downside to this technique? I haven’t encountered it yet.
[quote]skor wrote:
Sick Rick wrote:
skor wrote:
I’ve avoided direct arm work for long time but recently came to a conclusion that avoiding it limits my upper arm development severely. I follow a variation of WS4SB now and have 3-4 sets of biceps exercise (BB/DB curls) in the end of the work-out. However I find it hard to “get the pump” in my biceps (something many mentioned as a good thing to produce growth) since my forearms usually get fatigued first. How could I address this problem? Are there any biceps exercises that use less forearms?
Imo, if your grip gives out before your biceps, you need some serious grip work.
My forearms are OK if I start with biceps curls. But since biceps comes in the end of the work-out, my forearms are already fatigued by heavy rows, pull-ups or shrugs done earlier. I have an OK crushing strength (can close Heavy Grips 200 for 5 each arm) and I’ve started doing wrist-roller recently, but I definitely lack endurance in my forearms.[/quote]
yeah i think this maybe your problem.
doing biceps after your backworkout.
ive stopped doing biceps after i finish doing my back because ive noticed i cant get a good pump, my biceps and FOREARMS get faitgued super quick weights stood the same for sometime and no growth.
so i started doing bi’s after my chest workout and tris after my back workout.
after 3 weeks theyve gotten stronger and boths my bi’s and tri’s have added a small amount of size on. not bad.
thats just from my expierience.
your problem started with not training your arms in the first place. If you want overall strength you have to train every muscle group. Start training your arms on a regular basis and do some forearm curls and grip word lots of grip work.