Barbell curls

[vic86]

lately i have been avoiding this excercise because iam not getting proper groove or (mental satisfaction) while i do this and i have a long head bicep muscle belly ,as great mass builder excercise should i keep sticking on to this?

how can you balance strength and isolation training without overtraining the bicep muscle? low sets or high set training?

[vic86]

 

im waiting

[El_Pajero]

calm down, im thinking

[Permabulker]

lately i have been avoiding this excercise because iam not getting proper groove or (mental satisfaction) while i do this and i have a long head bicep muscle belly ,as great mass builder excercise should i keep sticking on to this?

how can you balance strength and isolation training without overtraining the bicep muscle? low sets or high set training?

Yes. 
Keep it simple. 
The mental satisfaction is probably not happening because you dont really get a pump from doing this excercise as its generally heavy.  I start with these and then move to dumbbell curls after 3-4 sets.  I get the most "pump" from preacher curls as I usually go lighter and do more reps as a finisher....

[El_Pajero]

Yes. 
Keep it simple. 
The mental satisfaction is probably not happening because you dont really get a pump from doing this excercise as its generally heavy.  I start with these and then move to dumbbell curls after 3-4 sets.  I get the most "pump" from preacher curls as I usually go lighter and do more reps as a finisher....

how big are your arms?

[Permabulker]

how big are your arms?

Warm or cold?  18.3/4 cold warm 19 +  Actually Im not really sure. That was about 6 months ago..

[El_Pajero]

Warm or cold?  18.3/4 cold warm 19 +  Actually Im not really sure. That was about 6 months ago..

that's pretty big, what's your arm training routine?

[chaos]

I find if I go too heavy on straight bar curls I get tandonitis in my elbow.

So I use the cambered bar for my highest weights, but still use the straight bar for warm ups/medium weight workouts.

[Permabulker]

that's pretty big, what's your arm training routine?

I USUALLY start with
Barbell curls: 1-2 warmups, 3 sets of 8-10 with 135.  (Occasioanlly, every other month or so) I will go up to 185 for 5.
Dumbbell curls 3 x 6-8
Seated preacher curls 3 setx x 10-15 reps
Sometimes double bicep cable curls 1-2 sets 12 reps or so.

I find if I go too heavy on straight bar curls I get tandonitis in my elbow.

So I use the cambered bar for my highest weights, but still use the straight bar for warm ups/medium weight workouts.

Try streatching your forearms  first and inbetween sets.  Like you are praying with your hands and push straight down so your arms streatch.  Then flip it upside down and go the other way.

how big are your arms?

I will try and measure them today again. I have been permabulking so it may have helped a bit! 

[chaos]

I USUALLY start with
Barbell curls: 1-2 warmups, 3 sets of 8-10 with 135.  (Occasioanlly, every other month or so) I will go up to 185 for 5.
Dumbbell curls 3 x 6-8
Seated preacher curls 3 setx x 10-15 reps
Sometimes double bicep cable curls 1-2 sets 12 reps or so.
Try streatching your forearms  first and inbetween sets.  Like you are praying with your hands and push straight down so your arms streatch.  Then flip it upside down and go the other way.
I will try and measure them today again. I have been permabulking so it may have helped a bit! 

I have used the stretching technique for awhile now, it helps, but doesn't stop it. I can do cambered bar as heavy as I want and no problems.

[Permabulker]

I have used the stretching technique for awhile now, it helps, but doesn't stop it. I can do cambered bar as heavy as I want and no problems.

Word.  The cambered bar IS easier to go heavier.  Its the angle of the wrists.  Thats what makes the sraight bar no so appealing to people. 

[El_Pajero]

I USUALLY start with
Barbell curls: 1-2 warmups, 3 sets of 8-10 with 135.  (Occasioanlly, every other month or so) I will go up to 185 for 5.
Dumbbell curls 3 x 6-8
Seated preacher curls 3 setx x 10-15 reps
Sometimes double bicep cable curls 1-2 sets 12 reps or so.
Try streatching your forearms  first and inbetween sets.  Like you are praying with your hands and push straight down so your arms streatch.  Then flip it upside down and go the other way.
I will try and measure them today again. I have been permabulking so it may have helped a bit! 

Thanks, and what is your view on overtraining arms? At what point are you overtraining arms?

[chaos]

Word.  The cambered bar IS easier to go heavier.  Its the angle of the wrists.  Thats what makes the sraight bar no so appealing to people. 

I like the straight bar, I "feel" it deep in the bicep, but I cannot go too heavy.

I have no problems with any other excersice for biceps though, just the straight bar.

[Permabulker]

I like the straight bar, I "feel" it deep in the bicep, but I cannot go too heavy.

I have no problems with any other excersice for biceps though, just the straight bar.

You are NOT the only one bro.

Thanks, and what is your view on overtraining arms? At what point are you overtraining arms?

What I posted is a typical biceps workout for me.  Sometimes I only do 5 sets....  It just depends on how im feeling that day.  Obviously the one I posted is when Im having a good day.  I think bis and tris can get over trained pretty easily IF you have a high volume training schedule all around.  IE if you do alot of pressing movements for chest and shoulders (12 or more sets) and then do 10 + sets of heavy triceps, that might be to much.  Also, you need to consume enough protein/calories to keep them happy.  Keep in mind Im speaking for a natty.  Drugs are a different animal.

[pumpster]

I find if I go too heavy on straight bar curls I get tandonitis in my elbow.

Try using a straight bar with a cable, it doesn't hurt the joints nearly as much as a BB, is just as effective as weights and you can use different grip widths more comfortably than weights to try to find something that doesn't hurt as much, such as wide grip curls. DB standing curls is another way to do standing curls without wrist problems, obviously.

Ya warming up isn't enough to make a difference with something chronic like that.

[Permabulker]

Or you could just man the fuck up and do it anyways??  LOL  Just kidding man.

[Permabulker]

how big are your arms?

Did a light workout.  I was TIRED today.  Pumped.................. .  19.5"

[webcake]

Straight bar curls hurt my wrist if i go heavy(ish). So whenever i do them (not very often) i go pretty light and kind of lock my elbows into my hips and use a closer grip.

I don't really like the "feel" of curling though, so normally at the end of a back workout i'll do a few sets of close reverse grip pull ups and thats it for bi's.

[ASJChaotic]

I like cable curls, keeps constant tension on my biceps instead of cutting off when I go above parallel

[vic86]

Yes. 
Keep it simple. 
The mental satisfaction is probably not happening because you dont really get a pump from doing this excercise as its generally heavy.  I start with these and then move to dumbbell curls after 3-4 sets.  I get the most "pump" from preacher curls as I usually go lighter and do more reps as a finisher....

thanks, i normally comply biceps with back or train along with triceps,routine looks like this

Barbell curls - 3 sets X 10 ,8, 8 reps 

dumbell or incline dumbell - 3 sets X 10,8,8 reps

preacher (machine or DB)or concentration -3 sets X 18,15,12 reps

Do you beleve in shock training?drop sets? etc etc

thanks

[chaos]

Try using a straight bar with a cable, it doesn't hurt the joints nearly as much as a BB, is just as effective as weights and you can use different grip widths more comfortably than weights to try to find something that doesn't hurt as much, such as wide grip curls. DB standing curls is another way to do standing curls without wrist problems, obviously.

Ya warming up isn't enough to make a difference with something chronic like that.

Yeah even on cable curls I use a cambered bar.

Just don't want to deal with the elbow tendonitis.
I just did my first direct bicep workout in 5 weeks Friday.

[Cap]

Yeah even on cable curls I use a cambered bar.

Just don't want to deal with the elbow tendonitis.
I just did my first direct bicep workout in 5 weeks Friday.

Still doing the burnout sets at the end?

I know you do DB curls, any pain there?

[chaos]

No pain with Db curls, standing or seated.

Only do those burnouts once in awhile Cap

The straight barbell is the only one that hurts my elbows, DB/Cambered bar preachers, DB, cambered bar......I'm all good.

[Permabulker]

I guess Im just lucky.  I dont have any pain when I do them just a bit of tightness in the forearms...  I cannot however do incline BB press.  I have to do DB or machines.     

[Cap]

No pain with Db curls, standing or seated.

Only do those burnouts once in awhile Cap

The straight barbell is the only one that hurts my elbows, DB/Cambered bar preachers, DB, cambered bar......I'm all good.

Eh, even if your arms weren't small you could still build muscle with everything else.