Am I the only person that loves BB curls?
That said, I’ve kind of done things backwards, ie as a young’in I worked the muscles you can’t see (back mostly) much more than the mirror muscles. Only recently have I started really hitting chest and biceps. I BB curls twice a week in my current cycle (1 heavy day 2-4 reps and 1 high rep day 6-12 reps) almost exclusively BB because I work out at home and only have DBs for my wife (5-20).
[quote]usmccds423 wrote:
Am I the only person that loves BB curls?
[/quote]
Some of the posters were making the point of the size of the lifter. That is what CT was writing about.
I don’t see many guys with biceps that are really big concentrating on the barbell much.
[quote]Professor X wrote:
[quote]usmccds423 wrote:
Am I the only person that loves BB curls?
[/quote]
Some of the posters were making the point of the size of the lifter. That is what CT was writing about.
I don’t see many guys with biceps that are really big concentrating on the barbell much.[/quote]
Interesting.
I couldn’t stand barbell curls even when I much smaller. The last time I did them was a few years ago, as it was part of Dan John’s 2 day/week program that I was following (I think I’m remembering correctly). I’ve never felt good doing them. Ez curl bars are alright, but pretty much all my arm training now is centered around dumbbells, cables, rubber bands, and TRX straps.
Speaking of which, anybody else here use TRX straps or bands? I like to use my bands for higher rep bi-tri supersets. The TRX straps are a decent way to keep arm training from getting too boring.
Try really hurt my wrist, conversely I have zero biceps, like I have a tricep and a bone sticking out of my t-shirt.
Ricky bruch liked a cheeky cheat curl now and again:
Skip to 1:50 for curl couldn’t find a video of just the lift.
[quote]flipcollar wrote:
I couldn’t stand barbell curls even when I much smaller. The last time I did them was a few years ago, as it was part of Dan John’s 2 day/week program that I was following (I think I’m remembering correctly). I’ve never felt good doing them. Ez curl bars are alright, but pretty much all my arm training now is centered around dumbbells, cables, rubber bands, and TRX straps.
Speaking of which, anybody else here use TRX straps or bands? I like to use my bands for higher rep bi-tri supersets. The TRX straps are a decent way to keep arm training from getting too boring.[/quote]
I prefer rings over TRX straps personally. I’m trying to incorporate more gymnastics type training in my programs. Talk about biceps!
I can cheat curl more than my bodyweight for reps and my arms aren’t that big.
[quote]usmccds423 wrote:
[quote]flipcollar wrote:
I couldn’t stand barbell curls even when I much smaller. The last time I did them was a few years ago, as it was part of Dan John’s 2 day/week program that I was following (I think I’m remembering correctly). I’ve never felt good doing them. Ez curl bars are alright, but pretty much all my arm training now is centered around dumbbells, cables, rubber bands, and TRX straps.
Speaking of which, anybody else here use TRX straps or bands? I like to use my bands for higher rep bi-tri supersets. The TRX straps are a decent way to keep arm training from getting too boring.[/quote]
I prefer rings over TRX straps personally. I’m trying to incorporate more gymnastics type training in my programs. Talk about biceps![/quote]
I use rings for most of my pullups these days. They’re easy to manipulate in terms of width and grip-type.
[quote]Professor X wrote:
[quote]usmccds423 wrote:
Am I the only person that loves BB curls? [/quote]
Some of the posters were making the point of the size of the lifter. That is what CT was writing about.
I don’t see many guys with biceps that are really big concentrating on the barbell much.[/quote]
I’d think this ties into the bench press analogy I mentioned earlier though, no? That they can often serve as a foundation-builder that’s progressed beyond and/or replaced after a certain point.
Like Stu and some other have said, the exercise might work “best” (using the term loosely) as a sort of finisher towards the end of the workout after the biceps are fatigued and the elbows, wrists, and shoulders are more thoroughly warmed up.
Question for anyone who’s ditched them due to pain: “If it hurts, do something else” is 100% valid, but has it been worth addressing the underlying cause of the pain in order to possibly re-introduce BB curls at some point? In the case CT mentioned, for example, trying to improve external rotation in order to increase shoulder mobility.
I’m not trying to “sell” anyone on barbell curls like they’re a must-do. I obviously understand the concept that arms can get built without barbell curls, just like legs can be built without squats and chests can be built without the bench press. Just wondering.
[quote]flipcollar wrote:
Speaking of which, anybody else here use TRX straps or bands? I like to use my bands for higher rep bi-tri supersets. The TRX straps are a decent way to keep arm training from getting too boring.[/quote]
I’ve been enjoying supersetting heavier barbell curls with EZ bar cable curls. Similar to bands, the constant tension of the cable (especially with a slower tempo) is a great contrast to the heavy, lower rep barbell work.
[quote]MAsteve wrote:
Ricky bruch liked a cheeky cheat curl now and again: [/quote]
Sweet Jeebus. That’s well beyond a cheat curl and fully into ‘curl-grip power clean’ territory. I’m sure that’s the point of why he did them, but still.
I’d consider something like this a “legit” cheat curl, in the context of building muscle:
And while I’m in a video mood, some inspiration:
^ Interesting that Dorian does a broomstick stretch after the incline curls/before the EZ curls. Maybe prepping that external rotation mentioned earlier.
[quote]Chris Colucci wrote:
[quote]Professor X wrote:
[quote]usmccds423 wrote:
Am I the only person that loves BB curls? [/quote]
Some of the posters were making the point of the size of the lifter. That is what CT was writing about.
I don’t see many guys with biceps that are really big concentrating on the barbell much.[/quote]
I’d think this ties into the bench press analogy I mentioned earlier though, no? That they can often serve as a foundation-builder that’s progressed beyond and/or replaced after a certain point.[/quote]
That is what most here have said.
I have not said anything about others avoiding the exercise completely…but let’s face it…if the guys with 19+" arms aren’t doing it much, maybe it isn’t that needed to be swole after that foundation is laid.
A newb won’t know one way or the other so no, they shouldn’t just avoid it.
I see mostly guys with smaller arms “cheat curling” their asses off with these.
It’s way harder to cheat curl a 60+lbs dumbbell.
I am a fan of the ez curl bar though
[quote]Professor X wrote:
[quote]Chris Colucci wrote:
[quote]Professor X wrote:
[quote]usmccds423 wrote:
Am I the only person that loves BB curls? [/quote]
Some of the posters were making the point of the size of the lifter. That is what CT was writing about.
I don’t see many guys with biceps that are really big concentrating on the barbell much.[/quote]
I’d think this ties into the bench press analogy I mentioned earlier though, no? That they can often serve as a foundation-builder that’s progressed beyond and/or replaced after a certain point.[/quote]
That is what most here have said.
I have not said anything about others avoiding the exercise completely…but let’s face it…if the guys with 19+" arms aren’t doing it much, maybe it isn’t that needed to be swole after that foundation is laid.
A newb won’t know one way or the other so no, they should just avoid it.
I see mostly guys with smaller arms “cheat curling” their asses off with these.
It’s way harder to cheat curl a 60+lbs dumbbell.
[/quote]
Agreed. It’s not a “must do”
In my case, over the years i never really felt them much in my biceps - and had a lot of the described pain/ailments from doing them … But damn if Joe Weider’s M&F didn’t tell me I HAD to do them if I wanted big gunz …so I slaved away, heavy weight and sloppy form
It wasn’t until I started going lighter and working my way up to heavier weights that I really started feeling them … Now I get a tremendous pump and feel my bi’s working thru the full range of motion
Thinking maybe beginners use too much weight and bad form, a la the bench press, and never benefit? That was definitely true for me
Not to digress, but I’m afraid I don’t really understand the likening of the barbell curl to the bench press on the grounds that it’s something to be “worked up” on and then discarded.
I’m a Louie guy, so from the standpoint that at a certain point special exercises will become necessary to continue progression and that the standard barbell bench press, like all the classical lifts, will become eventually a test of progress rather than the actual instrument of progression itself, I can agree with that.
But to treat it like an antiquated novelty to me is unfair, untrue, and unrealistic. The bench press stands second only to the press in terms of its upper body strength and muscle building potential, and I don’t see how it can be shrugged off as easily as a barbell curl.
However, returning to the topic, I’m also lukewarm on barbell curls. Admittedly I do very little direct bicep work, most of my bicep training comes from rowing and chin-ups, and the curls I do perform are occasional and done only to reduce the chance of bicep injury while deadlifting, or to add size to my arms for the purpose of better stabilizing the eccentric portion of my bench press.
In order to comfortably barbell curl, I need to take a very wide grip, and training with dumbbells just overall feels “better” for me.
Also, though the movements are very different, I will say the barbell cheat curl has had a significant carryover to my log clean.
[quote]NewEnglandPL wrote:
Not to digress, but I’m afraid I don’t really understand the likening of the barbell curl to the bench press on the grounds that it’s something to be “worked up” on and then discarded.
[/quote]
Because once you work up to relative heavy poundages, the risk vs reward just isnt there. At that point its more sport specific (PLing, A.football) than anything else. But people can keep these lifts in the rotation possibly by lowering the weight and getting strong in a higher rep range. BB curls for 12-15 might be blashpemy, but its the best pump I have ever had in the bi’s.
[quote]NewEnglandPL wrote:
Not to digress, but I’m afraid I don’t really understand the likening of the barbell curl to the bench press on the grounds that it’s something to be “worked up” on and then discarded.[/quote]
In my first post, I did try to clarify, “Is it just that barbell curls are like the standard flat bench - useful for beginners, but once you reach a certain level of strength and/or development, you “progress” beyond it in favor of something that better targets the muscle?”
I don’t think that’s calling it an ‘antiquated novelty’ or anything else. I was trying to get to the point that, just like the flat bench press is useful for beginners as a big upper body lift, there very often comes a point where it’s inefficient as a pec exercise, so it gets swapped for something else.
If a beginner is eventually barbell curling (arbitrarily) over half-bodyweight for reps with minimal body english and controlled negatives, but their biceps aren’t filling out, it’s worth examining whether or not they “deserve” to remain a big player in the workout.
Like X and Elvis were saying, curls do lend themselves to some pretty ugly form and it isn’t uncommon for a beginner to use very loose form, whether they realize it or not, for the sake of extra reps or weight, at the expense of actual muscular work.
Also, like Gio and the majority of other people in the thread mentioned, the injury risk becomes a significant factor past a certain point and a simple alternative can be the easiest way to progress safely.
[quote]Chris Colucci wrote:
[quote]MAsteve wrote:
Ricky bruch liked a cheeky cheat curl now and again: [/quote]
Sweet Jeebus. That’s well beyond a cheat curl and fully into ‘curl-grip power clean’ territory. I’m sure that’s the point of why he did them, but still.
[/quote]
Yeah, a few throwers did or do them, I believe they called them ‘power curls’ in all fairness though, ricky had some meaty arms on him. Acctually now i think of it I remember dan John writing about them too.
So when we say cheat curls the real goal is to get through the positive with some body English to really utilise the negative with a heavier weight than normal right? I think a lot of the problem I see is people cheat curling the bar up and just letting it drop down again, missing the whole point.
I don’t care if something is considered ‘essential’ of it hurts my wrist then I ain’t doing it, to continue to do so seems daft to me.
While we’re on it, anyone still do 21s?
Whenever I do barbell curls with enough weight to stimulate my biceps (which isn’t much) my forearms feel like they are going to snap. The only way I can do them is if I go for super high reps like with little to no weight on it. DB’s, cables and the EZ bar work a lot better for me.
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
Chris, I feel that very large, muscular bodybuilders often have problems with the barbell curl because they lack shoulder external rotation mobility. as a result, when they use the straight bar, they have to compensate by supinating more, which can really put a lot of stress on the elbow joint and lead to pain.
An IFBB pro that I train used to rely heavily on barbell curls when he was younger but it’s been at least 5 years since he’s done them because they always mess up with his elbows.
[/quote]
Ct or anyone what would you do or work on to reclaim that external rotation?
[quote]MAsteve wrote:
So when we say cheat curls the real goal is to get through the positive with some body English to really utilise the negative with a heavier weight than normal right?[/quote]
Pretty much, yep. Not controlling the negative would eliminate a big part of the growth stimulus.
Ha, a million years ago when my buddy and I first started lifting and would train in my garage, we read about 21s - how they’re 7 partials, 7 partials, and 7 full reps - and thought we were super-awesome-hardkore because we invented what we called “crazies”, going heavier for 4 partials, 4 partials, and 4 full reps. Thinking back, we probably looked more like Bruch’s form than we’d meant to.
I haven’t really done them in a while, but last few times I did, it felt better (better pump and better contractions) to go 7 bottom partials, 7 full, and finish with 7 top partials.
[quote]ryanbCXG wrote:
Ct or anyone what would you do or work on to reclaim that external rotation?[/quote]
Cressey and Tony Gentilcore have put out a ton of shoulder health-type stuff. Basic upper back/upper body mobility work should help. Wall slides, lying windmills, foam rolling/ball rolling the T-spine and/or pec area.
For some people, I also like one-arm cable cuban presses in the 12-15 rep range, slow and strict focusing on the three distinct movements.
(^ But with a single handle on a low pulley, standing offcenter so the shoulder is mostly in line with the stack.)