bicep machines?

[texasRUSH]

which machines do you guys feel are worth the time spent sitting on them.  I've done freeweights forever and occassionally cables here and there. Last night, I decided to make a run of the machines and hit all the bicep devices to see what they felt like...


and they all felt the same..  80-100lbs on these things feel like 55lb dumbbells...should they just be left alone for the soccer moms and swimmers? or Are they good for something?

[pumpster]

Once in a while you'll find a good one; have to try each and judge for yourself as to effectiveness. A good one's worth using.

[Lord Humungous]

which machines do you guys feel are worth the time spent sitting on them.  I've done freeweights forever and occassionally cables here and there. Last night, I decided to make a run of the machines and hit all the bicep devices to see what they felt like...


and they all felt the same..  80-100lbs on these things feel like 55lb dumbbells...should they just be left alone for the soccer moms and swimmers? or Are they good for something?

Tex,
The old nautilus bicep machine was GREAT!!! I actually joined a crappy gym once just because they had one. It has an ez curl bar for the handle that rotates. I used to supper set standing behind the back wrist curls with reverse curls on the nautilus machine- mega ball buster!!. I also like it for a great stretch at the end of my arm workout. The sides of the pad where you put your arms is boxed in so you cant flair your elbows out. I used to get wicked pumps from this machine!

[texasRUSH]

yeah the only thing i got from the ones used were huge pumps....

[wishtobbigger]

i personally like the hammer strength ones to warm up with or burn out, other than that it's cables and dumbells for me.

[Jr. Yates]

Basic.  Barbell curls,dumbell curls, preacher curls. 3 sets of 3 excersises. 9 sets total. sometimes i'll play around and superset or through in a machine or cable movement.

[Your MAAAAaaaa]

i have a good one at my gym and we also have that i consider the worst machine ever created, so just give each one a go and see if its a shitbag leave it but you don't know till you try!


ta ta

[WOOO]

i make work my BIs with machines once a month... makes for a good change-up

[pumpster]

big woo got the beer balls goin!

Nah, that's everyday.

[texasRUSH]

hahaha...his attitude is part of his charm! right?! 

[G.R.H.]

i feel the same way about the bicep machines.  sometimes a certain machine feels kind of weird using it.  for some reason, my triceps have always been my stronger body part.  i need to beef up my biceps more. i like the cables and the hammer machines too.

[texasRUSH]

i'm thinking i'm gonna keep going with my usual workouts when it comes to biceps but then throw on two sets of one of the machines each time for burnouts and pumps...the pump i got was insane so much that when i squeezed my bi's at the top it felt as if my skin would split.

[pumpster]

throw on two sets of one of the machines each time for burnouts and pumps...the pump i got was insane

Don't limit yourself to using it only for flushing; anything that works that good should sometimes be part of the main course. I used to think of some great exercises as only pumping movements then realized later they were awesome in any application not just at the end.

[Murdock]

Stick with the free weights. You can do alot of different workouts with just barbells and dumbells.

[pumpster]

Stick with the free weights. You can do alot of different workouts with just barbells and dumbells.

Do not buy into this typical in the box thinking; free weight curls are good but there are some options that can be somewhat more effective. Weights have specific limitations re: curls including pronounced sticking points and lack of consistent tension that can make them less effective than other alternatives.

Nautilus machines were an example of equipment designed to address the shortcomings of free weights. None other than Sergio said that they were more effective than free weights. Coleman too, prefers alternatives to free weights for curls.

[Jr. Yates]

I agree don't limit yourself.

[krazee]

Bicep machines are great for negatives and if you have no spotter. I use at least 1 machine each time I do Bi's, just a different feeling IMO from free weights.

[pumpster]

One big advantage of machines/pulleys: much easier to control after reaching failure. Try doing BB preacher curls with free weights and trying to put without a training partner, by yourself without smashing something. That impedes my interest in going to failure, knowing that it will be problematic.