training progression on biceps

[jvignacio]

hi guys, right now im working on biceps once a week n other body parts other days. i do bicep curls and hammer curls. ( beginner)
im lifting with 1.25 + 2.50 on each side of one dumbell. So im guessing its 7.5kgs on each hand unless i count the little bar witch will prob bring it up to 10kg each hand. anyways my point is ive been doing:

4x8 on bicep curls (i get perfect)

then 3x8 on hammer curls ( i get 1x8, 1x5, 1x5) so i cant finish all 3x8.

should i keep going on the same dumbell weights until i get all 4x8 + 3x8 perfect? then lift the weight and start over with these exercises? or do u recommend another way of building biceps more efficiently. like pull ups etc..

thank u.

 

[angus]

concentrate on getting the hammercurls form correct before upping the weight
it would be your best way to go,

 

[jvignacio]

concentrate on getting the hammercurls form correct before upping the weight
it would be your best way to go,

should i try do hammer curls first then bicep curls n see how i go?

 

[Cruxis]

Add some preacher curls or concentration curls after the hammer curls.

Muscle gain is about shocking the muscle, so try adding some forced reps, negative reps or drop sets after some exercises.

 

[The Hulk]

I would say to do some chin ups and rows if you can.

These will really strengthen your biceps and alot of other muscles, back mostly.
Also I would start off with heavy barbell curls before you hit the dumbbells.

Since you're a beginner, you really need to work on the big movements to build some overall mass. Then naturally your biceps will grow and you can target them more directly later.

For now, just plain barbell curls should do the job, for direct biceps exercises, 3 sets of 8 is good.

 

[Shrek]

Add some preacher curls or concentration curls after the hammer curls.

Muscle gain is about shocking the muscle, so try adding some forced reps, negative reps or drop sets after some exercises.

He's a beginner, no need for all those drop sets and forced reps yet. these should be used once a plateau is reached.
Your bicep routine as a beginner should be
barbell or dumbell curl 3 sets 8-12 reps
hammer curls 3 sets 8-12 reps,
thats it.
Remember his biceps will also be worked during back workouts.

 

[jvignacio]

He's a beginner, no need for all those drop sets and forced reps yet. these should be used once a plateau is reached.
Your bicep routine as a beginner should be
barbell or dumbell curl 3 sets 8-12 reps
hammer curls 3 sets 8-12 reps,
thats it.
Remember his biceps will also be worked during back workouts.

okay but only when i have reached 3x8, 3x8 then i up the weight? coz i might get the barbell curls 3x8 but then struggle on the hammer curls 3x8

 

[jvignacio]

I would say to do some chin ups and rows if you can.

These will really strengthen your biceps and alot of other muscles, back mostly.
Also I would start off with heavy barbell curls before you hit the dumbbells.

Since you're a beginner, you really need to work on the big movements to build some overall mass. Then naturally your biceps will grow and you can target them more directly later.

For now, just plain barbell curls should do the job, for direct biceps exercises, 3 sets of 8 is good.

just 3x8 barbell curls? thats it for biceps? no other bicep exercise after the barbell curls?????

 

[The Hulk]

just 3x8 barbell curls? thats it for biceps? no other bicep exercise after the barbell curls?????

If you are training intensely, 3 sets of barbell curls is enough.
You should almost be on the floor in pain after each set if you train super intense, but strict. You could do a couple of sets of dumbbell curls too.

If you train intense on your back workouts too, which should include chin ups or weighted chins if you can, then your biceps will definately grow.

What exercises are you doing for your triceps?

 

[jvignacio]

If you are training intensely, 3 sets of barbell curls is enough.
You should almost be on the floor in pain after each set if you train super intense, but strict. You could do a couple of sets of dumbbell curls too.

If you train intense on your back workouts too, which should include chin ups or weighted chins if you can, then your biceps will definately grow.

What exercises are you doing for your triceps?

intense but strict means heavy weight? and good form? slow n steady?

ok ill include chin ups on my back workouts.

for my tricep workout, im only doing tricep pull down , thats pretty much it. 3x8

 

[The Hulk]

You should do dips for triceps.
I find triceps extensions work well too.

Triceps are 2/3rds of your upper arm, so why work your biceps more than your triceps?

 

[AussieBod]

Do not make the mistake alot of beginners do by training biceps only as they don't realise the biggest part of the arm is the triceps, and I would recommend that you train biceps and triceps together until you have progressed down the track a few months, then you can train biceps and triceps on different days.

Take the time to learn each exercise properly with no cheating, stick to the basics as this will help you avoid injury later.

Start with bench presses then goto narrow grip bench press while you arms are warmed up, which will hit the triceps, if you wish to do barbell curls try the old 7x7x7 or known as 21s, curl the bar halfway up then lower it, then on the 7 rep, curl from halfway to the top, back to half way or the waist, then on the 7th rep do 7 full reps, this should give your arms a good "burn".

Do your hammer curls after that, and finish off with tricep dips between 2 chairs or benches, 3 sets, I used to do 15 reps, 25 reps, then the last set till I dropped.

This routine is basic and should get the arms pumped up quickly, but don't increase the weight untill you can do 3 sets comfortably and without cheating, remember that the triceps are the bigger muscle group and will need alot more work than the biceps.

 

[jvignacio]

Do not make the mistake alot of beginners do by training biceps only as they don't realise the biggest part of the arm is the triceps, and I would recommend that you train biceps and triceps together until you have progressed down the track a few months, then you can train biceps and triceps on different days.

Take the time to learn each exercise properly with no cheating, stick to the basics as this will help you avoid injury later.

Start with bench presses then goto narrow grip bench press while you arms are warmed up, which will hit the triceps, if you wish to do barbell curls try the old 7x7x7 or known as 21s, curl the bar halfway up then lower it, then on the 7 rep, curl from halfway to the top, back to half way or the waist, then on the 7th rep do 7 full reps, this should give your arms a good "burn".

Do your hammer curls after that, and finish off with tricep dips between 2 chairs or benches, 3 sets, I used to do 15 reps, 25 reps, then the last set till I dropped.

This routine is basic and should get the arms pumped up quickly, but don't increase the weight untill you can do 3 sets comfortably and without cheating, remember that the triceps are the bigger muscle group and will need alot more work than the biceps.

thank u so much for this.. ill work on it and see how i go. i owe u

 

[jvignacio]

You should do dips for triceps.
I find triceps extensions work well too.

Triceps are 2/3rds of your upper arm, so why work your biceps more than your triceps?

i didnt know that man. thanks for this info... much appreciated

 

[MightyTriby]

I remember watching the Biggest Loser a few months ago, and the winner did a biceps pose, and sure he had bicep muscles, but he was all flabby under the arms ie. triceps.

Yep, you must work your triceps as well. Apparently for day to day living, we use our triceps more than the biceps. More pushing than pulling.

MightyTriby

 

[jvignacio]

Do not make the mistake alot of beginners do by training biceps only as they don't realise the biggest part of the arm is the triceps, and I would recommend that you train biceps and triceps together until you have progressed down the track a few months, then you can train biceps and triceps on different days.

Take the time to learn each exercise properly with no cheating, stick to the basics as this will help you avoid injury later.

Start with bench presses then goto narrow grip bench press while you arms are warmed up, which will hit the triceps, if you wish to do barbell curls try the old 7x7x7 or known as 21s, curl the bar halfway up then lower it, then on the 7 rep, curl from halfway to the top, back to half way or the waist, then on the 7th rep do 7 full reps, this should give your arms a good "burn".

Do your hammer curls after that, and finish off with tricep dips between 2 chairs or benches, 3 sets, I used to do 15 reps, 25 reps, then the last set till I dropped.

This routine is basic and should get the arms pumped up quickly, but don't increase the weight untill you can do 3 sets comfortably and without cheating, remember that the triceps are the bigger muscle group and will need alot more work than the biceps.

here your saying to do bench press (chest) first then work into bi's n tri's. so train chest bi's and tri's together? or what the bench press for a little warm up for the bi's ?

 

[AussieBod]

Starting with bench presses warms up the arms as the chest is the biggest muscle group in the routine, then switching to close grip bench presses while still laying on the bench, with hands placed on the bar at a narrow grip (I space my hands by first placing my 2 thumbs tips together and my hands forming a U shape IIIII____IIIII ) that way that width of my grip is always the same each time I preform the narrow grip bench press, remembering to keep the elbows at your sides when lifting and lowering the barbell.

You may have trouble with balancing the barbell but with regular use it will become easier.

Later on as you progress you can specialise on training biceps and triceps on different days, but for beginners this keeps the routine basic and you learn control and avoid injuries.