I guess I’ll echo a lot of the comments here. Best “feel” I ever get in my biceps is doing like EZ bar curls with pretty light weight, but crazy strict form.
If you want to try some really heavy bicep stuff though, I’d suggest you keep yourself in a bit of a restricted range of motion. I’d keep my arms constantly bent somewhat and never fully extend. Seems like that very bottom part of a bicep movement is where the snap action will happen if it’s going to.
I should say what made me think of this topic is the book dinosaur training. Anybody ever read it? As I read I have an emotional battle with what the author is saying. On one hand his romanticized writing of hard training with heavy weights each and every week is appealing. I wish I could train like that, heavy all the time and only compound movements.
However with injuries that I can’t quite figure out how to fix the other side of me says that’s not sustainable. I keep going back and forth on how guys train heavy and hard in the basics non stop for years. That’s how I want to train, but on the other hand I don’t think that’s possible for everyone. Maybe I just don’t know what I’m talking about but its the recurring the!e in !y head for the past year
[quote]bulkNcut wrote:
I should say what made me think of this topic is the book dinosaur training. Anybody ever read it? As I read I have an emotional battle with what the author is saying. On one hand his romanticized writing of hard training with heavy weights each and every week is appealing. I wish I could train like that, heavy all the time and only compound movements.
However with injuries that I can’t quite figure out how to fix the other side of me says that’s not sustainable. I keep going back and forth on how guys train heavy and hard in the basics non stop for years. That’s how I want to train, but on the other hand I don’t think that’s possible for everyone. Maybe I just don’t know what I’m talking about but its the recurring the!e in !y head for the past year [/quote]
you are reading my mind.
whenever i decide to train as heavy as in the past, i injure something.
i think being able to train without pain is the most important thing for me now.
fuck the heavy weights, i can grow by lifting medium weights and stay healthy.
[quote]bigboikivanc wrote:
[quote]bulkNcut wrote:
I should say what made me think of this topic is the book dinosaur training. Anybody ever read it? As I read I have an emotional battle with what the author is saying. On one hand his romanticized writing of hard training with heavy weights each and every week is appealing. I wish I could train like that, heavy all the time and only compound movements.
However with injuries that I can’t quite figure out how to fix the other side of me says that’s not sustainable. I keep going back and forth on how guys train heavy and hard in the basics non stop for years. That’s how I want to train, but on the other hand I don’t think that’s possible for everyone. Maybe I just don’t know what I’m talking about but its the recurring the!e in !y head for the past year [/quote]
you are reading my mind.
whenever i decide to train as heavy as in the past, i injure something.
i think being able to train without pain is the most important thing for me now.
fuck the heavy weights, i can grow by lifting medium weights and stay healthy.
[/quote]
As someone who hasn’t been able to deadlift for a year I hear ya. I hate how things are so divided. Its either “lift heavy or your a pussy” or the equally as aggravating people who tell you lifting heavy is stupid and you’ll just get injured no matter what. I’m sort of a middle gtound , but maybe that’s why I am so frustrated. I loved lifting heavy stuff, absolutely loved it.
I’m only 20 too so I’m no way in hell ready to give that up. But I also miss deadligting and squatting as a MOVEMENT. The other part of me says fuck weight I must want to be able to do those things regularly again .
[quote]bulkNcut wrote:
I should say what made me think of this topic is the book dinosaur training. Anybody ever read it? As I read I have an emotional battle with what the author is saying. On one hand his romanticized writing of hard training with heavy weights each and every week is appealing. I wish I could train like that, heavy all the time and only compound movements.
However with injuries that I can’t quite figure out how to fix the other side of me says that’s not sustainable. I keep going back and forth on how guys train heavy and hard in the basics non stop for years. That’s how I want to train, but on the other hand I don’t think that’s possible for everyone. Maybe I just don’t know what I’m talking about but its the recurring the!e in !y head for the past year [/quote]
I understand exactly where you’re coming from. It’s that romanticized writing that persuaded me to focus on the behind-the-neck press, which was great for several months until the one time I pushed the ROM too far and hurt both shoulders. They’re still recovering and that session was almost 5 months ago. I pushed the barbell curl similarly, until my forearms eventually told me I had enough.
One of the things I’m really glad I incorporated into my training are gradual ramps before getting into the work sets. Besides letting me get my form into the right groove, it lets me feel any twinges with a lighter weight so I can either adjust my form a bit, warm up a joint, or just call it. If things are feeling good, I’ll bump the weight up a little bit more and repeat until I reach the point where everything is strong and my form isn’t breaking down.
My work sets are then based around what I ramped to. So if I’m feeling good at 140, but 150 just doesn’t feel right, I’ll get some volume in at a weight where it still feels good and then call it a day.
I’ve just found it a very good way to actually “listen to your body” and adjust your training accordingly. And even if it doesn’t hammer progression in the same way as those books do, getting a good amount of volume in at the right intensity levels (70%+) will help you grow… and getting a good amount of volume in at a low intensity level if you’re feeling pain, will help you rehab the area.
EDIT: by gradual ramping, I’m talking sets of 1-3, and taking at least 8 sets to get there.
IMO this is one of the best videos to watch about bicep training (and to a fair point, training in general.) Yes, everyone’s built differently and yes, heavy/cheat curls have their place. But this made a huge difference in my training/physique:
I think they are useless and my biceps have improved a lot since I lowered the weights I use
I keep saying it, you can make a 30lbs dumbell feel like 60pounds if you squeeze and flex hard enough thru the whole set
[quote]zraw wrote:
I think they are useless and my biceps have improved a lot since I lowered the weights I use
I keep saying it, you can make a 30lbs dumbell feel like 60pounds if you squeeze and flex hard enough thru the whole set[/quote]
X2 on this!
They were definitely helpful for CT Fletcher
But your mileage will most likely vary.
[quote]Chris Colucci wrote:
[quote]Mad Martigan wrote:
[quote]Chris Colucci wrote:
… squat rack curls…[/quote][/quote]
As entertaining as the running gag is, I’m pretty much of the thought that if someone’s using the rack for something that actually requires effort and can’t be done elsewhere, it’s legit.
55 pound barbell curls in the squat rack? Not kosher. Half-bodyweight or more for reps? Fair game.[/quote]
I’m sorry, but there is no way you can justify that. You can do curls anywhere else in the gym, you can only do squats in the squat rack. It’s just bad form.
[quote]solarFLARE wrote:
[quote]Chris Colucci wrote:
As entertaining as the running gag is, I’m pretty much of the thought that if someone’s using the rack for something that actually requires effort and can’t be done elsewhere, it’s legit.
55 pound barbell curls in the squat rack? Not kosher. Half-bodyweight or more for reps? Fair game.[/quote]
I’m sorry, but there is no way you can justify that. You can do curls anywhere else in the gym, you can only do squats in the squat rack. It’s just bad form.[/quote]
I have to disagree. I did specify working hard on heavier curls, not lighter weights that could certainly be done elsewhere. Front squats, deads, rows, overhead pressing, and a handful of other “legit” exercises don’t need to be done in a squat rack, but they often are.
And again, the technique I mentioned (starting the curl from the top/shoulder-level) does change the exercise a little bit and can’t really be done outside of a rack without interfering in the performance. If it helps anyone sleep better, when I’m in the gym, there are usually less than 10 other people. Out of the 3 racks, I’m not exactly in the way when I do them.
[quote]bigboikivanc wrote:
Should i stop biceps work completely until it %100 heals or should i find an exercise that doesnt hurt and keep pumping the blood into the area with light weights and high reps?[/quote]
Depends on the particulars of the injury (what exactly happened), but the elbow can be tricky once it’s screwed up, so you do always want to keep joint health in mind.
Generally-speaking, I like Eric Cressey’s concept of “when injured, train what you can”, so if you can curl without pain, you might want to keep it up to encourage recovery, maintain mobility, etc. But fixing the underlying issue is pretty much always preferable. If that means ditching direct work for a while, it’s worth it in the long run.
[quote]Did you watch Joe DeFranco’s 21s version 2 video on youtube?
He starts with 7 zottman curls, then does 7 regular curls and completes it with 7 hammer curls.[/quote]
I haven’t seen that particular combo, but a very similar one I’ve liked is reverse curls to “regular” supinated curls to hammer curls. Definitely sneaks up on you by the end, yep.
Relevant Video
“Ain’t bending that back either” -lol
S
Chins. Bodyweights more than what most curl…even half. Strict curls against the wall really isolate. For total armsize growing your tris is priceless. Closegrip bench works like magic for me.
[quote]VTPower wrote:
Relevant Video
[/quote]
Yep, no way you could get big biceps doing that…
[quote]VTPower wrote:
Relevant Video[/quote]
Point… counterpoint:
[quote]VTPower wrote:
Relevant Video
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It’s that hyphy food
I do direct arm training twice a week. I always start with a pressing and pulling, so my arms are generally pumped before I do any direct training.
Bench/Chin
Press/Row
Heavy Barbell Curl - 5 reps x 3-5 sets
Dips - Bodyweight for reps x 3-5 sets
Press/Chin
Bench/Row
Light Barbell Curl - 10 reps x 3-5 sets
Dips - Weighted, 5 reps x 3-5 sets
I haven’t had any issues with elbows/wrists but I think it’s because I keep the volume a lot lower than most people and never train to failure.
I also setup with the bar at the top (in squat stands), lower to a natural angle (don’t force the elbows straight), then raise it back up.
YMMV. I haven’t found a need to go too crazy to get my arms to grow.