Getbig.com: American Bodybuilding, Fitness and Figure

Getbig Bodybuilding Boards => Training Q&A => Topic started by: SirTraps on October 21, 2007, 05:12:34 PM

Title: Barbell Curls
Post by: SirTraps on October 21, 2007, 05:12:34 PM
if you go heavy this almost qualifies as a compound movement imo.

     Ive stopped doing dbells/cables just barbell curls heavy, great exercise-works more than just biceps.
Title: Re: Barbell Curls
Post by: Bluto on October 21, 2007, 05:23:39 PM
what else do you work with it
Title: Re: Barbell Curls
Post by: wes on October 21, 2007, 05:40:31 PM
If you`re working more than the biceps while doing curls,somethings wrong.

Even cheat curls should be controlled just using some body english to get the weight started then the biceps should do the brunt of the work and you should do a very slow negative.

I know squats and deads stimulate overall growth,but barbell curls don`t !!
Title: Re: Barbell Curls
Post by: SirTraps on October 21, 2007, 06:21:21 PM
heavy barbell curls especially the negative portion also work front delts and forearms-chest gets pumped a little as well.
Title: Re: Barbell Curls
Post by: wes on October 21, 2007, 06:28:44 PM
I can see the forearms getting some work just because of having to grip the heavy bar but if front delts become involved,you are curling too high into the shoulder and taking stress off of the target muscle.

At any rate,if you`re making progress,go for it dude!
Title: Re: Barbell Curls
Post by: Bluto on October 21, 2007, 06:51:27 PM
Forearms get worked even more with Hammer curls, doesn't make them a compound exercise in my book.
Title: Re: Barbell Curls
Post by: webcake on October 21, 2007, 10:03:41 PM
Seems weird, but if it doesn't hurt you and you think that you get some benefit from it then keep goin at it then i guess. But i wouldn't call it a compound movement.
Title: Re: Barbell Curls
Post by: wes on October 22, 2007, 02:34:39 AM
It`s not a compound movement.
Title: Re: Barbell Curls
Post by: slaveboy1980 on October 22, 2007, 05:25:52 AM
if you go heavy this almost qualifies as a compound movement imo.

     Ive stopped doing dbells/cables just barbell curls heavy, great exercise-works more than just biceps.

i made my biggest arm mass gains doing 3-4 sets for biceps and triceps twice a week at the end of my workouts. mostly i only did straight bar barbell curls....(nowdays i have to use an ez bar..as a straight bar fucks up my forearms and elbows)

was using an upper/lower split...working out 3-4 times a week (mostly 3).....focusing on the basic exercises. made my best overall gains on that routine too.


Title: Re: Barbell Curls
Post by: NoCalBbEr on October 25, 2007, 05:57:28 PM
if you can feel it in your bi's then its okay. its about what you can feel and not what it looks like. but just make sure that your lower body is tight and your not leaning back.
Title: Re: Barbell Curls
Post by: John O on October 25, 2007, 06:08:53 PM
i made my biggest arm mass gains doing 3-4 sets for biceps and triceps twice a week at the end of my workouts. mostly i only did straight bar barbell curls....(nowdays i have to use an ez bar..as a straight bar fucks up my forearms and elbows)

Interesting, what were your reps for those sets?
Title: Re: Barbell Curls
Post by: slaveboy1980 on October 26, 2007, 03:59:46 PM
Interesting, what were your reps for those sets?

never really counted the reps..anywhere from 5-10 reps.

i did my basic exercises first: benchpress, barbell rows..etc...then finished off with arms. 3-4 sets of biceps...3-4 sets of triceps.  (twice a week...on upper body days)

you def dont need a seperate workout for arms.

i lost my way for a while..but now im back to what worked best..and its working well.
Title: Re: Barbell Curls
Post by: John O on October 26, 2007, 04:15:11 PM
never really counted the reps..anywhere from 5-10 reps.

i did my basic exercises first: benchpress, barbell rows..etc...then finished off with arms. 3-4 sets of biceps...3-4 sets of triceps.  (twice a week...on upper body days)


Sounds good. Thanks
Title: Re: Barbell Curls
Post by: powerpack on October 27, 2007, 12:16:50 AM
It can be a compound exercise.
I was watching a guy recently do barbell curls and it looked like a mixture of a power clean, deadlift sorta  curl, I was waiting for him bonk some else with the weights  :D
Title: Re: Barbell Curls
Post by: nuyork143 on October 27, 2007, 12:52:40 PM
Just sounds like shitty form to me.  Slow controlled movements work best for me.  Hate to see people using back and front delts to lift the weight.  If you wanna work back and shoulders dont curl!
Title: Re: Barbell Curls
Post by: SirTraps on October 28, 2007, 04:36:14 PM
Today i worked up to heaviest set of barbell curls-cheat to get to the top then slow, strice eccentric movement to the bottom-rips the hell out of your biceps.

       My arms are growing much better with heavy barbell curls than they ever did with dumbbells and cables-not even close.
Title: Re: Barbell Curls
Post by: nuyork143 on October 28, 2007, 05:03:27 PM
Today i worked up to heaviest set of barbell curls-cheat to get to the top then slow, strice eccentric movement to the bottom-rips the hell out of your biceps.

       My arms are growing much better with heavy barbell curls than they ever did with dumbbells and cables-not even close.

Good for you! ;D
Title: Re: Barbell Curls
Post by: Emmortal on November 03, 2007, 04:29:34 PM
I'm always amused by these guys in the gym that are lifting 2-3 times what they should be on dumbell curls and sling shotting the weight up with their entire body.  If you have to do that, you shouldn't be pushing that weight in the first place.
Title: Re: Barbell Curls
Post by: slaveboy1980 on November 03, 2007, 06:18:32 PM
I'm always amused by these guys in the gym that are lifting 2-3 times what they should be on dumbell curls and sling shotting the weight up with their entire body.  If you have to do that, you shouldn't be pushing that weight in the first place.

not completely true..it also depends on how you cheat..if you do it like a limbo dancer its not good but if you use your legs to get some "umpf" and do "cheat curls" it can be a good thing.

barbell cheat curls is one of the best biceps exercises there is.  you have to "cheat correctly".
Title: Re: Barbell Curls
Post by: SirTraps on November 03, 2007, 06:43:27 PM
agreed, if you cheat a little on the way up then in perfect strict form lower the bar-ecentric portion-slowly, youll rip the hell out of your biceps-this is assuming you are using heavy weight.
Title: Re: Barbell Curls
Post by: slaveboy1980 on November 03, 2007, 06:45:27 PM
agreed, if you cheat a little on the way up then in perfect strict form lower the bar-ecentric portion-slowly, youll rip the hell out of your biceps-this is assuming you are using heavy weight.

yep, thats what gave me my best ever bicep gains.

obviously arm size is related to total body size.
Title: Re: Barbell Curls
Post by: Emmortal on November 03, 2007, 08:19:13 PM
not completely true..it also depends on how you cheat..if you do it like a limbo dancer its not good but if you use your legs to get some "umpf" and do "cheat curls" it can be a good thing.

barbell cheat curls is one of the best biceps exercises there is.  you have to "cheat correctly".

Very true, although that's not what I was referring to.  The guys I'm talking about always have horrible form and not lowering the weight in a controlled manner, it's just throw it up and let it fall heh, pretty bad.

And yes, controlling heavy weight on the negative will give some insane gains.