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Getbig Bodybuilding Boards => Training Q&A => Topic started by: wild willie on November 23, 2011, 09:18:57 AM
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Which biceps exercise has been the most productive for you?
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standard curls or with curled bar reps vary i think 10-12 is better less stress on joints for 6-8
i do a variation of either traditional up/down hammers or cable hammers with rope at bottom
or across the body hammer sideways turn dumbell in so forearm faces mirror on finish of rep
scott curl with machine or reg bench and bar version,,,
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Which biceps exercise has been the most productive for you?
I can't narrow it down to one, but I can tell you that, in almost every arm workout, I do:
1.) Some type of wide(r) grip barbell curl - either standing, or on a preacher bench.
2.) Some type of reverse grip curl - usually either with a curl bar; standing, or on a preacher - or I may do hammer curls as njflex described above
3.) Something to hit the brachialis - spider curls, high-cable brachial curls, even lat machine curls behind the head
I've experimented with different combos of moves plus various rep schemes, etc.
My arms have always been okay/decent, but the above strategy has given me some noticeably favorable results over the last four months.
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Which biceps exercise has been the most productive for you?
Plate loaded preacher
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Barbell Curls- (straight bar,slight cheat,slow negative)
Seated Alternate DB Curls
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seated Preacher curls with a Barbell...ez bar donīt work for me.
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seated Preacher curls with a Barbell...ez bar donīt work for me.
Scott wrote several articles years ago in which he described doing supinated preacher curls using a curl bar, but gripped so that the little finger side of the hand was higher than the thumb side; basically, the opposite of how you would normally grip that bar.
The idea is that, angled the traditional way, the move is easier - thus, less effective.
A straight bar is more effective.
Larry's grip was supposedly even more effective because it is harder and, in turn, stresses the biceps more. (He often employed this hand position when doing db preachers.)
It should be noted that the bar he used in the illustrations was not the typical EZ bar, but the kind that is significantly less angled.
I don't know for sure, but this may be a Gironda idea, as he was keen on making those kinds of minor adjustments to conventional exercises.
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could be from Vince Gironda because Larry scott trained with Vince. With a straight bar you are fully hitting the Biceps. I will not say that i never use an EZ bar because i like the way it brings my forearms into play. I use the EZ bar in reverse curls but that is another thing.
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Straight bar preacher curls, but not going too heavy. 4 sets of 6-8 with the same weight.
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Chins/Pullups.
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Scott wrote several articles years ago in which he described doing supinated preacher curls using a curl bar, but gripped so that the little finger side of the hand was higher than the thumb side; basically, the opposite of how you would normally grip that bar.
The idea is that, angled the traditional way, the move is easier - thus, less effective.
A straight bar is more effective.
Larry's grip was supposedly even more effective because it is harder and, in turn, stresses the biceps more. (He often employed this hand position when doing db preachers.)
It should be noted that the bar he used in the illustrations was not the typical EZ bar, but the kind that is significantly less angled.
I don't know for sure, but this may be a Gironda idea, as he was keen on making those kinds of minor adjustments to conventional exercises.
Good info Monty.
A lot of the old mags used to stress turning your wrists at the top of any type of curls using dumbells so the pinkie finger was higher than the thumb.....better peak contraction in the biceps this way.
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Good info Monty.
A lot of the old mags used to stress turning your wrists at the top of any type of curls using dumbells so the pinkie finger was higher than the thumb.....better peak contraction in the biceps this way.
Yeah, it seems that db's would make it easier to employ this practice by butting the edge (pinky side) of your hand up against its respective plate, which would help with the tilting.
I would do the same thing when I did db lateral raises in order to fascilitate the desired angle of the hand & elbow.
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Chins/Pullups.
yes pull-ups are great too. If you train back+biceps on the same day it works great. I stopped doing overhand chin-ups as i always felt it better with an under grip.
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barbell curls, incline hammer curl, reverse barbell curls.
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BB curls, with a slight cheat. Add a few sets of reverse BB curls to the mix. Really don't need much more than that, for most men.
Also curl grip chins are productive. Keeping the grip (and elbows not way out) as close together can give more focus to the biceps. Really try touching under the chin each rep. Good Luck.
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I have found the best bicep exercise to be concentration curls, like Arnold did them in Pumping Iron.
Just let your whole arm loose from your delt and curl with only your bicep.
Anyway, whatever works for you man. :)
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Heavy 4-6 rep range of barbel curls (strait bar and ez-curl bars both), cable machine curls, and preacher. The higher ranges do not seem to do as much for me. Short and intense seems to do the trick. ;)
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A good buddy of mine loves doing straight bar curls, raising the bar to the forehead.
He's got great arms & swears those curls are responsible.
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Montague: Does that Bud of yours bend over from the waist a bit, bring the head down, the elbows up high, and than touch the forehead with the bar? Or is it just a regular BB curl, while arcing the elbows way out so the bar is high enough to touch the forehead? The former is an old school movement, just wondering. Good Luck.
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Montague: Does that Bud of yours bend over from the waist a bit, bring the head down, the elbows up high, and than touch the forehead with the bar? Or is it just a regular BB curl, while arcing the elbows way out so the bar is high enough to touch the forehead? The former is an old school movement, just wondering. Good Luck.
Interesting; are you describing a Gironda technique - the "perfect curl?"
With my friend, there is no bending at the waist or hips. He curls with the standard upright posture while raising the elbows from his sides to a point anterior to his torso at the top of the movement.
Those and cross-body hammer curls have been favorites of his for years along with Arnold-style concentration curls done rather often.
He employs different rep schemes, but always trains heavy and with considerable volume compared to "typical" trainers.
Also, he usually refrains from using straps for shoulder & back rowing, which he also attributes to the thickness and muscularity of his bi's and forearms.
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No, because with the Perfect Curl the bar never touches the forehead. And elbows are kept pretty much against the body, while the rest of the body moves.
The BB curl I'm talking about is when the upper body is standing straight up, at the start. Beginning the curl, the upper body starts bending forward a bit at the same time as the curl. All the while moving the elbows out & away from the body as you curl. The idea is to touch the bar to the forehead when the body reaches 45 degrees or so. This type curl will keep tension on the biceps throughout and a very strong cramp should be felt each rep.
I'm sure this is clear as mud, the way I explain it. Never knew the proper name, but seen BB'ers do it it the past. I tried it a feel times back in the day. Got a feeling of max tension during the whole rep.
The anterior delts do get some work with regular curls (DD or BB) but it sounds like you Bud gets extra work that way. Whatever gets you there, I guess. Good Luck.
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Barbell curls are individual because some do cheat curls and others raise their elbows in the end position. What is correct? The old insructions were to hold your arms at your sides and curl up to your upper chest /chin area...which i agree with but if you use a good weight then a bit of body movement is OK...choose what is OK for YOUR body.
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No, because with the Perfect Curl the bar never touches the forehead. And elbows are kept pretty much against the body, while the rest of the body moves.
The BB curl I'm talking about is when the upper body is standing straight up, at the start. Beginning the curl, the upper body starts bending forward a bit at the same time as the curl. All the while moving the elbows out & away from the body as you curl. The idea is to touch the bar to the forehead when the body reaches 45 degrees or so. This type curl will keep tension on the biceps throughout and a very strong cramp should be felt each rep.
I'm sure this is clear as mud, the way I explain it. Never knew the proper name, but seen BB'ers do it it the past. I tried it a feel times back in the day. Got a feeling of max tension during the whole rep.
The anterior delts do get some work with regular curls (DD or BB) but it sounds like you Bud gets extra work that way. Whatever gets you there, I guess. Good Luck.
Okay, I think I'm envisioning this properly.
That sounds pretty intense!
One other thing worth mentioning is that my buddy's had fantastic arms since college (10+ years ago).
He's responded well to Max-OT type training and GVT protocols.
With his genetics, he could probably scratch his ass for 8 reps and get a nice double-peak!
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seated db curls with palm up for the whole ROM, 10 reps with one arm and then 10 with the other.
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does the chinup/pullup really offer more potential for growth than any other bicep exercise? i remember mentzer used to always go on about how the reverse pulldown was the perfect bicep exercise also
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does the chinup/pullup really offer more potential for growth than any other bicep exercise? i remember mentzer used to always go on about how the reverse pulldown was the perfect bicep exercise also
Just as there are techniques you can employ to maximize back muscle activation during pull-ups/chins, there are things you can do to accomplish more arm activation.
Many people believe that the supinated grip of chins automatically calls more biceps into play than pronated pull-ups.
Closer hand spacing, not using straps, and clenching the hand muscles during the movement are all good ways to stimulate greater bicipital activation.
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Montague: The genetic advantage is always the #1 factor in training gains. My ethnic group/background seems to fall into this problem area. We have been accused of only having to swing around a couple of milk cartons to get bigger arms, back, etc. Not true, first we drink the milk from the cartons.
Probably one of the better systems to jump start the arms is running the rack. Beginning with a pair of 5lbs and working the way up the rack and (here comes the hard part) than working back down to the original 5lbs.. Different version of this, an usually anyone of them work. Also exceptional for the delts when doing sea-saw presses or even lateral raises.
The one & one half systems is another method that can produce gains in arm size fairly well. Though, remembering again, not any system works for all people the same. Even 'roids don't always work for some, giving little or no results. Others grow like a magic.
Yes, chins and/or pulldowns are good biceps movements. Believe Mentzer discovered that idea from Art Jones. Close grip, and try to keep elbows closer also. Check out the biceps of some gymnast, if wanting more proof. Noting the guys who favor ring work. If your gym has exercise rings, than might make use of them. They tend to follow the twist of the wrist/forearms/biceps rather that the fixed position of a bar (chin bar/pulldowns attachments). Twisting has a strong affect on the biceps, because twisting is one of the functions of the biceps. Good Luck.
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Montague: The genetic advantage is always the #1 factor in training gains. My ethnic group/background seems to fall into this problem area. We have been accused of only having to swing around a couple of milk cartons to get bigger arms, back, etc. Not true, first we drink the milk from the cartons.
Probably one of the better systems to jump start the arms is running the rack. Beginning with a pair of 5lbs and working the way up the rack and (here comes the hard part) than working back down to the original 5lbs.. Different version of this, an usually anyone of them work. Also exceptional for the delts when doing sea-saw presses or even lateral raises.
The one & one half systems is another method that can produce gains in arm size fairly well. Though, remembering again, not any system works for all people the same. Even 'roids don't always work for some, giving little or no results. Others grow like a magic.
Yes, chins and/or pulldowns are good biceps movements. Believe Mentzer discovered that idea from Art Jones. Close grip, and try to keep elbows closer also. Check out the biceps of some gymnast, if wanting more proof. Noting the guys who favor ring work. If your gym has exercise rings, than might make use of them. They tend to follow the twist of the wrist/forearms/biceps rather that the fixed position of a bar (chin bar/pulldowns attachments). Twisting has a strong affect on the biceps, because twisting is one of the functions of the biceps. Good Luck.
Yes very true, the average gymnast has great bicep development. JPM why exactly are you not a moderator in the training forum? you seem to give the most informative advice of all posters on this board.
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Montague: The genetic advantage is always the #1 factor in training gains. My ethnic group/background seems to fall into this problem area. We have been accused of only having to swing around a couple of milk cartons to get bigger arms, back, etc. Not true, first we drink the milk from the cartons.
;D
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Dom: Actually a Mod (on GB anyway) is something like traffic control. Keeping a board informative, flowing and checking for trolling or other things that (may or may not) keep a board from running smoothly. A Mod does not need an exceptional knowledge of a board subject he may be watching. A Mod is as good as he has to be on GB, that's all. And for the most part, operate in the background. Been offered a Mod job here once or twice, in the past. Declined the offer. Main reason being that it just doesn't draw my interest that much. Good Luck.
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Heavy barbell curls, cheating with swings like Arnold.
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Heavy hammer curls combined with a cable curl and an isolation exercise.