biceps - UK-Muscle Body Building Community

nulli secundus · 10-03-2005, 03:15 PM

hi every1 been training now for six months.

my goal at the beggining was to put some seriuos muscle mass on and its not going to bad apart from the biceps and chest they are getting no where

also read on here somewhere that if you don't train your legs it can halt your muscle growth in other parts of the body, don't know if there is any truth to that !

at the mo my bicep routine is supersets 8 reps barbell curl, no rest straight into hammer curls, then no rest and into individual curls and rest for a minute and compleate 2 more sets

my chest is 5 sets of flat bench with dunbells and then incline 5 sets again followed ny some dips

any infomation and advice will be very gratefull as not sure on how much rest to give between workouts and if the above is a load of crap

that sort of thing

many thanks

nulli secundus

OnePack · 10-03-2005, 04:09 PM

hi,

first of all, i'd rest between the sets, at least a minute or so. Have you tried using different weights and different reps. It's a good idea to vary the routine and not stick to the same workout all the time.

I'd reserve the energy to concentrate on the biceps and chest alone, so perhaps you could try to just concentrate doing biceps and chest in isolation, that way you'll put all your energy into these body parts.

For chest, you could try changing the technique, how about a tense at the top of the bench without locking the arms. You could also do dumdbell flys, these always work for me. I think these are good too for stretching the chest. When you lower the dumdbells (so that they are by your sides) you could hold it there for a few seconds or more so to stretch the chest out, and when you raise the dumdbells, tense your ches muscles before lowering it.

nulli secundus · 10-03-2005, 06:17 PM

thanks will give that a go varying the routine is something i havn't tried yet
any more info of any1 will be good

thanks

DB · 10-03-2005, 06:17 PM

the workout sounds abit poo mate to be honest... post ur whole routine up..stats....also whats ur diet like??

nulli secundus · 10-03-2005, 06:42 PM

hi,

normally porridge and some toast for brekfast

mid morning some fruit and some sandwitches normally lean meat, tuna, salmon

then for dinner to the work restaurant for some pasta of some kind or meat and veg

2 bannanas 30 mins before i train

get home after training and have a protien shake and 2 slices of bread with some lean meat of fish again just to keep me going un till tea,

then a high in protien main meal normally get the recipies from mens health, mens fitness etc as i find them quite nice and easy to make

BICEPS

1 SET STANDING BARBELL CURLS 30KG 8 REPS
1 SET SEATED HAMMER CURLS 12KG 8 REPS
1 SET SEATED ALTERNATE CURLS 12KG 8 REPS

THESE ARE DONE AS A SUPERSET WILL THEN REST FOR 1 MINUTE AND REPEAT TWICE

WILL FINISH OFF WITH SOME ISOLATION CURLS

CHEST

5 SETS OF FLAT 22KG DUNBELL BENCH PRESSES (30 SECS REST BETWEEN SETS)

1 MINUTE REST

5 SETS OF INCLINED 22KG DUNBELL BENCH PRESSES (30 SECS REST BETWEEN SETS)

1 MINUTE REST

3 SETS OF 10 ASSISTED DIPS WITH 25KG ON THE MACHINE 30 SECS REST BETWEEN SETS

THATS PRETTY MUCH IT HOW MANY TIMES PER WEEK DO U THINK U SHOULD BE HITTING MY BICEPS AND CHEST OR HOW LONG BETWEEN EACH SESSION

MANY THANKS

NULLI SECUNDUS

**big** · 10-03-2005, 06:49 PM

Are you doing anything aside from chest and biceps?

nulli secundus · 10-03-2005, 06:54 PM

hi yes mate the rest of the training isn't going to bad just struggleing with the chest and biceps compared to the rest of my body

**big** · 10-03-2005, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nulli secundus

hi yes mate the rest of the training isn't going to bad just struggleing with the chest and biceps compared to the rest of my body

What's the rest of your training routine like? List up your full routine.

AussieMarc · 10-03-2005, 10:24 PM

If you want mass, focus on compounds as the basis of your routine.

It almost seems like you are doing too many bicep isolations. A plant wont grow without water but drowns with too much. Cut down on the isolations an up the compounds.

You asked if training legs helps with your whole body, yes it does. It raises natural test levels. You don't train them? Better start mate ;)

Ironball · 11-03-2005, 04:29 PM

Hi nulli

For your biceps I would not do supersets yet as you have only been training six months. I would rest for about 60-90 secs in between your sets. you sound like your overtraining to me. How many sets do you do altogether for biceps? it sounds like about 10 sets.correct me if I am wrong please:confused:

I'd say you should only do about 6 sets yet. My biceps have never been my strongest point but recently I have trained my routine and have noticed some better results. Maybe try the following:
Barbell curls X 8,6,6
Alternate dumbbell curls X 10,8,6

OR
Barbell curls X 8,6
Preacher curls X 8,6
Hammer X 10,8

Remember never to sacrifice form for weight. Thats what I have learnt esp for biceps.

Now for chest.
Again I'd say you are doing a few to many sets.your doing 13 sets which are all of compound exercises. I would cut down to about 9 sets. Also rest for longer between each set. rest for 60 instead of 30. If you are training with all out intensity(which is the only way in my opinion) then you will need that more rest. If you can I would also start to use a barbell instead of dumbells. Maybe try the following:

Flat bench x 8,6,6
Incline x8,6,6
Flat dumbell flye 3 x 8-10 reps

I would not do flat bench, incline and dips altogether. You could substitute flat or incline for your dips.
With the above routine you have a good mixture of the compounds and then an isolation with the flyes.

Just do this once a week. Anymore and you will defo be overtraining. You are a natutal are you? Don't forget the muscles only build when they are being rested. Good luck!

nulli secundus · 11-03-2005, 05:52 PM

some intersting things on here thanks

TRAINING ROUTINE

MON-

BICEPS- AS PER ABOVE
CHEST- AS PER ABOVE

TUES

any 3 from these

SHOULDERS 8 REPS

5 X SETS OF MILATARY PRESSES 30 SECS REST BETWEEN SETS

5 X SETS OF LAT DUNBELL RAISES

5 x SETS OF ARNOLDS

5 X SETS DUNBELL RAISES

5 X SETS UPRIGHT ROWS

TRICEPS 8 REPS

ANY 3 FROM THESE

5 X CLOSE GRIP BENCH PRESSES

5 X SKULL CRUSHERS

5 X TRICEP PULL DOWNS

5 X TRICEP KICK BACKS

5 X BENCH DIPS

BACK 8 REPS

ANY 3 FROM THESE

5 X SHRUGGS

5 X BENT OVER ROWS

5 X LAT PULL DOWN

5 X ONE ARM DUNBELL ROWS

5 X WIDE GRIP CHIN UPS

WEDS REST DAY

THURS AS PER MONDAY

FRIDAY AS PER TUES

SAT/SUN REST

Ironball · 11-03-2005, 06:24 PM

Nulli let me get this right, you are doing 15 sets for each bodypart?:confused: If you are then you are definitely overtraining in my opinion. Altogether that means you are doing 30 sets per bodypart a week?:confused: That is too much. on Tues you are doing 45 sets altogether. You are also working your tri and delts on Tuesday after Mondays chest. I would space these out. Your triceps and delts are getting worked when you are doing chest.

Mon-Biceps and Chest.

Tues- Rest

Wed-Back

Thurs- rest

Fri- Triceps and delts

Sat and sun-rest
The above routine seems much better to me as you are resting inbetween each session. I would personally do less sets for each bodypart aswell. You say you have had some decent gains. Well that is your newbie gains from your first few months training and eating. Now the gains will probably be harder to come by. You did not say if you were using anything i.e steroids?

nulli secundus · 12-03-2005, 11:29 AM

hello

nulli secundus · 12-03-2005, 11:37 AM

hello,

not using steroids creatine and protien shakes only im affraid, doesn't look like u have entered any shoulder days,

thought to myself about the training trying to do the a workout that incorporated using the same muscles

E.G chest shoulders, triceps on the same day

if these were spread out through the week they wouldon't be getting enough rest,

i.e i train my chest on mon which also works the triceps, shoulders on weds which also works your triceps, and say i work my triceps at the end of the week there not gonna have time to recover as i will be on my chest again on the monday i know that the chest and shoulders only stress your tris but will this have an effect

please correct me if i am wrong

regards

Ironball · 12-03-2005, 12:58 PM

Sorry Nulli. I put Delts. Thats just the proper name of the shoulder- Deltoids.
The routine I put up will probably make more sense now. You will be working the Chest and biceps on Monday, then on the Shoulders and Triceps on Friday. This will give you 4 days before you train the similar muscle groups again. You will then have two full days of rest at the weekend so you will be refreshed to hit chest again on the following Monday.
You could train chest, shoulders and triceps in one session but I think this would be too much for you in one session.
Try different things to see what you think is best for you, everyone is different. I would still cut down your number of sets though.

10-03-2005, 03:15 PM	#1 (permalink)
nulli secundus Newbie Trainer Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Leicester, England Posts: 21	biceps hi every1 been training now for six months. my goal at the beggining was to put some seriuos muscle mass on and its not going to bad apart from the biceps and chest they are getting no where also read on here somewhere that if you don't train your legs it can halt your muscle growth in other parts of the body, don't know if there is any truth to that ! at the mo my bicep routine is supersets 8 reps barbell curl, no rest straight into hammer curls, then no rest and into individual curls and rest for a minute and compleate 2 more sets my chest is 5 sets of flat bench with dunbells and then incline 5 sets again followed ny some dips any infomation and advice will be very gratefull as not sure on how much rest to give between workouts and if the above is a load of crap that sort of thing many thanks nulli secundus

10-03-2005, 06:17 PM	#4 (permalink)
DB UK-Muscle Moderator Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: SW London Posts: 11,762	the workout sounds abit poo mate to be honest... post ur whole routine up..stats....also whats ur diet like?? __________________ Affiliate of Bulk Supplements Direct Discount Code= BSD290 UKBFF southcoast 2008, O80kg Champion

10-03-2005, 06:42 PM	#5 (permalink)
nulli secundus Newbie Trainer Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Leicester, England Posts: 21	HI hi, normally porridge and some toast for brekfast mid morning some fruit and some sandwitches normally lean meat, tuna, salmon then for dinner to the work restaurant for some pasta of some kind or meat and veg 2 bannanas 30 mins before i train get home after training and have a protien shake and 2 slices of bread with some lean meat of fish again just to keep me going un till tea, then a high in protien main meal normally get the recipies from mens health, mens fitness etc as i find them quite nice and easy to make BICEPS 1 SET STANDING BARBELL CURLS 30KG 8 REPS 1 SET SEATED HAMMER CURLS 12KG 8 REPS 1 SET SEATED ALTERNATE CURLS 12KG 8 REPS THESE ARE DONE AS A SUPERSET WILL THEN REST FOR 1 MINUTE AND REPEAT TWICE WILL FINISH OFF WITH SOME ISOLATION CURLS CHEST 5 SETS OF FLAT 22KG DUNBELL BENCH PRESSES (30 SECS REST BETWEEN SETS) 1 MINUTE REST 5 SETS OF INCLINED 22KG DUNBELL BENCH PRESSES (30 SECS REST BETWEEN SETS) 1 MINUTE REST 3 SETS OF 10 ASSISTED DIPS WITH 25KG ON THE MACHINE 30 SECS REST BETWEEN SETS THATS PRETTY MUCH IT HOW MANY TIMES PER WEEK DO U THINK U SHOULD BE HITTING MY BICEPS AND CHEST OR HOW LONG BETWEEN EACH SESSION MANY THANKS NULLI SECUNDUS

10-03-2005, 04:09 PM	#2 (permalink)
OnePack UK-M's Mascot Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Staffordshire Posts: 1,503	hi, first of all, i'd rest between the sets, at least a minute or so. Have you tried using different weights and different reps. It's a good idea to vary the routine and not stick to the same workout all the time. I'd reserve the energy to concentrate on the biceps and chest alone, so perhaps you could try to just concentrate doing biceps and chest in isolation, that way you'll put all your energy into these body parts. For chest, you could try changing the technique, how about a tense at the top of the bench without locking the arms. You could also do dumdbell flys, these always work for me. I think these are good too for stretching the chest. When you lower the dumdbells (so that they are by your sides) you could hold it there for a few seconds or more so to stretch the chest out, and when you raise the dumdbells, tense your ches muscles before lowering it.

10-03-2005, 06:17 PM	#3 (permalink)
nulli secundus Newbie Trainer Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Leicester, England Posts: 21	thanks will give that a go varying the routine is something i havn't tried yet any more info of any1 will be good thanks

10-03-2005, 06:49 PM	#6 (permalink)
big UK-Muscle Moderator Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: The only side effect of steroids is GREATNESS Posts: 5,511	Are you doing anything aside from chest and biceps?

10-03-2005, 06:54 PM	#7 (permalink)
nulli secundus Newbie Trainer Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Leicester, England Posts: 21	hi yes mate the rest of the training isn't going to bad just struggleing with the chest and biceps compared to the rest of my body

10-03-2005, 10:24 PM	#9 (permalink)
AussieMarc UK-M's Token Aussie Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: QLD, Australia Posts: 1,491	If you want mass, focus on compounds as the basis of your routine. It almost seems like you are doing too many bicep isolations. A plant wont grow without water but drowns with too much. Cut down on the isolations an up the compounds. You asked if training legs helps with your whole body, yes it does. It raises natural test levels. You don't train them? Better start mate ;)

11-03-2005, 04:29 PM	#10 (permalink)
Ironball Looking Freaky Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 808	Hi nulli For your biceps I would not do supersets yet as you have only been training six months. I would rest for about 60-90 secs in between your sets. you sound like your overtraining to me. How many sets do you do altogether for biceps? it sounds like about 10 sets.correct me if I am wrong please:confused: I'd say you should only do about 6 sets yet. My biceps have never been my strongest point but recently I have trained my routine and have noticed some better results. Maybe try the following: Barbell curls X 8,6,6 Alternate dumbbell curls X 10,8,6 OR Barbell curls X 8,6 Preacher curls X 8,6 Hammer X 10,8 Remember never to sacrifice form for weight. Thats what I have learnt esp for biceps. Now for chest. Again I'd say you are doing a few to many sets.your doing 13 sets which are all of compound exercises. I would cut down to about 9 sets. Also rest for longer between each set. rest for 60 instead of 30. If you are training with all out intensity(which is the only way in my opinion) then you will need that more rest. If you can I would also start to use a barbell instead of dumbells. Maybe try the following: Flat bench x 8,6,6 Incline x8,6,6 Flat dumbell flye 3 x 8-10 reps I would not do flat bench, incline and dips altogether. You could substitute flat or incline for your dips. With the above routine you have a good mixture of the compounds and then an isolation with the flyes. Just do this once a week. Anymore and you will defo be overtraining. You are a natutal are you? Don't forget the muscles only build when they are being rested. Good luck!

11-03-2005, 05:52 PM	#11 (permalink)
nulli secundus Newbie Trainer Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Leicester, England Posts: 21	some intersting things on here thanks TRAINING ROUTINE MON- BICEPS- AS PER ABOVE CHEST- AS PER ABOVE TUES any 3 from these SHOULDERS 8 REPS 5 X SETS OF MILATARY PRESSES 30 SECS REST BETWEEN SETS 5 X SETS OF LAT DUNBELL RAISES 5 x SETS OF ARNOLDS 5 X SETS DUNBELL RAISES 5 X SETS UPRIGHT ROWS TRICEPS 8 REPS ANY 3 FROM THESE 5 X CLOSE GRIP BENCH PRESSES 5 X SKULL CRUSHERS 5 X TRICEP PULL DOWNS 5 X TRICEP KICK BACKS 5 X BENCH DIPS BACK 8 REPS ANY 3 FROM THESE 5 X SHRUGGS 5 X BENT OVER ROWS 5 X LAT PULL DOWN 5 X ONE ARM DUNBELL ROWS 5 X WIDE GRIP CHIN UPS WEDS REST DAY THURS AS PER MONDAY FRIDAY AS PER TUES SAT/SUN REST

11-03-2005, 06:24 PM	#12 (permalink)
Ironball Looking Freaky Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 808	Nulli let me get this right, you are doing 15 sets for each bodypart?:confused: If you are then you are definitely overtraining in my opinion. Altogether that means you are doing 30 sets per bodypart a week?:confused: That is too much. on Tues you are doing 45 sets altogether. You are also working your tri and delts on Tuesday after Mondays chest. I would space these out. Your triceps and delts are getting worked when you are doing chest. Mon-Biceps and Chest. Tues- Rest Wed-Back Thurs- rest Fri- Triceps and delts Sat and sun-rest The above routine seems much better to me as you are resting inbetween each session. I would personally do less sets for each bodypart aswell. You say you have had some decent gains. Well that is your newbie gains from your first few months training and eating. Now the gains will probably be harder to come by. You did not say if you were using anything i.e steroids?

12-03-2005, 11:29 AM	#13 (permalink)
nulli secundus Newbie Trainer Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Leicester, England Posts: 21	hello

12-03-2005, 11:37 AM	#14 (permalink)
nulli secundus Newbie Trainer Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Leicester, England Posts: 21	hello, not using steroids creatine and protien shakes only im affraid, doesn't look like u have entered any shoulder days, thought to myself about the training trying to do the a workout that incorporated using the same muscles E.G chest shoulders, triceps on the same day if these were spread out through the week they wouldon't be getting enough rest, i.e i train my chest on mon which also works the triceps, shoulders on weds which also works your triceps, and say i work my triceps at the end of the week there not gonna have time to recover as i will be on my chest again on the monday i know that the chest and shoulders only stress your tris but will this have an effect please correct me if i am wrong regards

12-03-2005, 12:58 PM	#15 (permalink)
Ironball Looking Freaky Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 808	Sorry Nulli. I put Delts. Thats just the proper name of the shoulder- Deltoids. The routine I put up will probably make more sense now. You will be working the Chest and biceps on Monday, then on the Shoulders and Triceps on Friday. This will give you 4 days before you train the similar muscle groups again. You will then have two full days of rest at the weekend so you will be refreshed to hit chest again on the following Monday. You could train chest, shoulders and triceps in one session but I think this would be too much for you in one session. Try different things to see what you think is best for you, everyone is different. I would still cut down your number of sets though.