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Long or short biceps?
Being fairly new to the BB game, I've only recently heard the terms Long and Short biceps and I'm wondering what the differences are. Could someone post some pics displaying the difference? I'm wondering what I have.
Also, is there an advantage of having either or are they just different?
Thanks!
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[QUOTE=Supfreak26;348958921]Being fairly new to the BB game, I've only recently heard the terms Long and Short biceps and I'm wondering what the differences are. Could someone post some pics displaying the difference? I'm wondering what I have.
Also, is there an advantage of having either or are they just different?
Thanks![/QUOTE]
i have long ones which means it's difficult for me to grow peaks, nice round muscle bellies and particularly fill at the lower insertion end near the crook of my arms. i do lots of preachers and stuff...doesn't seem to help. i have long arms and legs and a short torso. i think i look like ET. lol i have some pics on my bodyspace, maybe not good representations of long biceps tho.
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Flex your biceps; see if there's a gap between the bottom of your biceps and the crook of your elbow. If you can fit more than one finger's width in there, you'd have what I would consider "short biceps." If there's little or no gap, you're genetically blessed with "long biceps."
The only real disadvantage to short bi's is aesthetic; you'd be judged down slightly in a bodybuilding contest, if you were competing against a guy with longer bi's.
No real need to be overly concerned with this, though; just train 'em hard, and develop them to their best.
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If you have short bi's you'll wish you had long........... if you have long bi's you'll wish you had short......... ;)
I'm with DM, long bi's here and I don't think I'll ever have a decent peak. :(
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Thanks Ironwill. Short here. I guess they go with my overall shortness. lol
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[QUOTE=murphy12;349006481]Thanks Ironwill. Short here. I guess they go with my overall shortness. lol[/QUOTE]
My bi's are short, too; you could drive a truck through that gap.
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[QUOTE=ironwill2008;349007281]My bi's are short, too; you could drive a truck through that gap.[/QUOTE]
Mine, too. And I'm starting to develop a peak, so there is always hope.
I built a lot of my bicep training based on this [url=http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=243948]thread[/url] by Fittnessman. Lots of great info in the first post.
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[QUOTE=Old-Time-Lifter;349002801]If you have short bi's you'll wish you had long........... if you have long bi's you'll wish you had short......... ;)
[/QUOTE]
:) I kinda figured this would be one answer for my question.
I'm not interested in shows so it's really not a big deal. I've just heard the terms thrown around here and wanted clarification. It appears I have short biceps. I can fit 2 fingers in that gap.
Thanks to all!
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[QUOTE=Supfreak26;349064061]:) I kinda figured this would be one answer for my question.
I'm not interested in shows so it's really not a big deal. I've just heard the terms thrown around here and wanted clarification. [b] It appears I have short biceps. I can fit 2 fingers in that gap. [/b]
Thanks to all![/QUOTE]
Welcome to the club (said as he looks at his two fingers in the same gap). It seems that there are a lot of us here, many of whom are building impressive biceps. It's really comes down to some differences in training - and aesthetics.
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[QUOTE=BergMuscle;349072631]Welcome to the club (said as he looks at his two fingers in the same gap). It seems that there are a lot of us here, many of whom are building impressive biceps. It's really comes down to some differences in training - and aesthetics.[/QUOTE]
Long bi's here. I can't even fit one finger in the gap. They also don't do much when I flex them...just sort of big blobs.
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Short bi's here, I think it looks especially odd with my height and long arms. After reading this thread and a few others though, I feel better about getting the short end of the stick.
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[QUOTE=1devil;349073971]Long bi's here. I can't even fit one finger in the gap. They also don't do much when I flex them...just sort of big blobs.[/QUOTE]
Some serious guns there though!! :eek:
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Is it hopeless if you have a two finger gap and still have no peak? like me.
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Short bi's here.....and yes I would love long ones!
Muscle attachments and their location can mean a lot on how big you appear.
Guys with low attachments usually look bigger. I am cursed with high attachments on EVERYTHING. Tris, bis, hamstrings, and yes....calves.
We all work with what we got.....but I am sure jealous when I see a guy with tris that go all the way down to his elbow. Hell....my tris tie in almost 5" up my arm. You cant even tell I have developed arms unless I cuff my sleeves up. (which I gave up years ago). Same thing with leg mass......in long shorts, I dont look all that impressive.......Now if I wore a speedo, ;) you can see I carry all my leg mass up high especially in my hamstrings.
Anyway.....I cant change it so you just do what you can. It certainly does not have an effect on my strength though as I have always been on the stronger side..... I guess I will take the good with the bad :)
Good luck with working out....careful....it is addictive :)
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[QUOTE=namtrag;349111911]Is it hopeless if you have a two finger gap and still have no peak? like me.[/QUOTE]
No, there are a lot of bodybuilders, pro and amateur, that have built peaks on short biceps. It's all in how you train your guns.
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[QUOTE=BergMuscle;349134731]No, there are a lot of bodybuilders, pro and amateur, that have built peaks on short biceps. It's all in how you train your guns.[/QUOTE]
I need to study that thread closely then. I must not be doing the right training on them. Big tris, crappy bis.
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[QUOTE=BergMuscle;349134731]No, there are a lot of bodybuilders, pro and amateur, that have built peaks on short biceps. It's all in how you train your guns.[/QUOTE]
I think it's easier to get a large peak on short biceps. Most guys that I have seen with longer biceps (Arnold is the exception) have less peak.
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[QUOTE=namtrag;349135111]I need to study that thread closely then. I must not be doing the right training on them. Big tris, crappy bis.[/QUOTE]
Try those and you can also do this variation that Bodyhard posted (and I just tried [i]real hard[/i] to find the original post but couldn't - so here goes):
Set your incline bench at 45 degrees, grab two DBs and hold them in the bottom postition with your thumbs pointing [i]back[/i]. Curl [i]both at once[/i] and as you do [i]rotate your wrists[/i] so that at the top your thumbs are pointing as close to [i]forward[/i] as possible. Hold and squeeze in that top postition before lower the DBs for the next rep. The real point of these (as I understand) is that twist at the top squeezes the bicep muscle just a bit more. These are a regular part of my training.
And if I have completely butchered the explanation, 1,000 appologies and reps to anyone who will correct me (seriously).
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<---- Short biceps here high peak, wish I had long bicep high peak.
Advantage, when flexing arms just seem to keep growing
Disadvantage, when straight down, side view, arm appears smaller
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[QUOTE=ironwill2008;348993351]Flex your biceps; see if there's a gap between the bottom of your biceps and the crook of your elbow. If you can fit more than one finger's width in there, you'd have what I would consider "short biceps." If there's little or no gap, you're genetically blessed with "long biceps."[/QUOTE]
I can fit nearly four fingers in that gap! Damn ecto genes.
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[QUOTE=RBH58;349275811]I can fit nearly four fingers in that gap! Damn ecto genes.[/QUOTE]
I wish I had more of a gap, my biceps are so long that when they are unflexed they look small, I do have a bit of a peak when flexed, but I am sure that I would have a bigger peak if they were shorter.
I have trained for a bigger peak for years, guess it is all down to genetics :(
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[QUOTE=bodyhard;349192381]<---- Short biceps here high peak, wish I had long bicep high peak.
Advantage, when flexing arms just seem to keep growing
Disadvantage, when straight down, side view, arm appears smaller[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=kennyken55;349315341]I wish I had more of a gap, my biceps are so long that when they are unflexed they look small, I do have a bit of a peak when flexed, but I am sure that I would have a bigger peak if they were shorter.
I have trained for a bigger peak for years, guess it is all down to genetics :([/QUOTE]
The posts that prove my point.
We all want what we don't have........... human nature.
And both these guys are sporting impressive guns. Perhaps we should set up a bicep trading center......... kinda like trading carbon credits. Why let Al Gore make all the scratch. ;) :p
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[QUOTE=Supfreak26;348958921]Being fairly new to the BB game, I've only recently heard the terms Long and Short biceps and I'm wondering what the differences are. Could someone post some pics displaying the difference? I'm wondering what I have.
Also, is there an advantage of having either or are they just different?
Thanks![/QUOTE]
The term short or long biceps is somewhat of a myth. Which means that it really does not exist. It was made up by people that are looking for excuses to not train there arms as hard. I have talked to countless trainers and none of them have ever heard of the term.
I recommend that you evaluate your goals and focus on traing every body part with the same intensity.
In hind site short or long biceps don't exist, some people have short arms and some have long arms. For example, Tony Freeman ahs long arms, where as Dex the phony jackson does not. Which makes him look like his arms are bigger.
GOT IT!
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Not to bust your chops.....but differences in muscle attachment and length from person to person is far from myth.
This can be seen especially in bis and tris but also other muscles like hamstrings and calves.
As some have said.....some guys have a large gap when their bi's are flexed and others dont. This can even be seen in people that dont train and the same relative level of muscular development.
I used to work out with a guy whos tris attached right at his elbows. He had the fullest looking tris I have ever seen. When he carried dumbells it would actually form a little bubble and come down OVER his elbow. It was huge looking.
Funny thing was, our arms were the same size (by a tape measure) Just my tris dont pop out till about 5" from my elbow. Where as his started right at the elbow. Therefore, his arms looked much bigger.....especially in clothes where you only see your lower part of the arm.
No excuses here, I will still train just as hard, but my muscles attach where they attach. You get what you get and that is what you got to work with.
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But I have short arms and long biceps and triceps for that matter......... just say'in. ;) :D
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[QUOTE=onegiantstep;349403851]The term short or long biceps is somewhat of a myth. Which means that it really does not exist. It was made up by people that are looking for excuses to not train there arms as hard. I have talked to countless trainers and none of them have ever heard of the term.
I recommend that you evaluate your goals and focus on traing every body part with the same intensity.
In hind site short or long biceps don't exist, some people have short arms and some have long arms. For example, Tony Freeman ahs long arms, where as Dex the phony jackson does not. Which makes him look like his arms are bigger.
GOT IT![/QUOTE]
Are you serious? Where the hell are you getting your facts from man? There is DEFINITELY difference in biceps insertions. You my friend are misinformed.
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[QUOTE=onegiantstep;349403851]The term short or long biceps is somewhat of a myth. Which means that it really does not exist. It was made up by people that are looking for excuses to not train there arms as hard. I have talked to countless trainers and none of them have ever heard of the term.
I recommend that you evaluate your goals and focus on traing every body part with the same intensity.
In hind site short or long biceps don't exist, some people have short arms and some have long arms. For example, Tony Freeman ahs long arms, where as Dex the phony jackson does not. Which makes him look like his arms are bigger.
GOT IT![/QUOTE]
The more correct terms would be "high" and "low" (as in muscle attachment points on the arm) vs. "short" and "long", which can be confused with bone length (which is also real [i]and[/i] a totally different thing). The attachement points change the way the muscle, developed or undeveloped, looks when flexed or relaxed. It's as real as a person's height, bone length, and overall skeletal frame, or hair or eye color for that matter.
High and low attachments of any muscle will impact how it looks, how it responds to [i]some[/i] exercises, and to what overall dimensions it can ultimately grow (if it's developed to its absolute largest possible size/shape).
The good news is that regards of high or low attachment, it is possible for anyone, who trains/eats/rests properly, to develop a great looking set of guns.
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Mine are short and I've never seen it as a disadvantage. I like the way they look. When I flex them it looks like I have a baseball forming under the skin.
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I have short arms and I guess a long bicep. Theres no chance of a finger/gap between my forearm and bicep. Actually my bicep overlaps into my forearm. I have big arms but I have developed "no peak" on my bicep at all.
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[QUOTE=OutOfStep;349462991]Mine are short and I've never seen it as a disadvantage. I like the way they look. When I flex them it looks like I have a baseball forming under the skin.[/QUOTE]
That's what I expected too,but mine don't pop at all. Very short attachments, and very flat.
[IMG]http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/namtrag/DSC00249-2.jpg[/IMG]