arm pump but no growth

[dom89]

since ive started lifting my arms have grown really well but now they seemed to have REALLY slowed down, i new they would but its doing my head in. the problem is when i work out arms i get a great pump and after my arms are completely nakerd and alot bigger than usual, i get this with all muscles obviously but with my arms they never seem to be able to keep any of the size, its mainly in my tricep on the long head, the short one isn't as bad but because the long one is lagging it makes my arms look alot smaller when just relaxed. ive been taking glutamine because it stops excess muscle break down and i think thats worked really well but not with my arms, i seemed to make a big difference on my back i think tho. can any one suggest any thing that might help.
my current arm workout is:
BB curls
alternate DB curls
preacher curls
dips
single arm tricep ext
press downs
rope pull downs

[moosaman]

that discourages me because I tend to rely on my pump for a good indicator of growth however;

a) lose the arm day, just do more compound ****
b) throw your arm exercises AFTER the compound ****, and don't do too much, like only a few sets, or
c) EAT MORE.

shock the muscles

[dom89]

yeh the thing is ive thought about changing my routine but this one has always wrked fine and really works my arms well and gets a good pump but the actual long term growth has just really slowed down, i say really lowd down insted of stopped because im clearly no way near my limit and they just wudn't stop growing.

[moosaman]

how long have you had this routine going for?

[dom89]

a few months

[ironstrife]

u can try OVT- http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459276
i like to bring alterations to my routines every month whether it's the different types of excercises or sets and reps....

[Conanthebarbell]

your doing WAY TO MUCH! lessen it. i am a huge advocate of mike metzer, and my routine consist of no more than 2-3 sets for biceps and 2-3 sets for tris, but usually i will jsut do one set (thats total, not per exersise. i only do one exersise) . if you give your all, you got the job done. remember, your arms are small muscles and can be overtrained easily. please dont follow what you read in FLEX unless you are on steroids, you will not grow to your potential. avoid drop sets, and dont do too many forced reps. jsut my 2 cents

[xahliftinracerx]

I have found that Reverse Grip Rows have helped the most in my arm growth. My arms aren't big by any means, but they have grown more from the rows than from my arm day workout.


EDIT: Do triceps first, because IMO, triceps is what make your arms look bigger and fill out the shirt sleeves more. Do 12-10-8 with skull crusher/cg bench combination. Just do 12 reps skull crusher, move your hands in closer, and do 12 reps cg bench. Then 10 then 8 reps. Then do 3 sets of 12-10-8 for pushdowns. After that I usually do overhead extensions w/ a tricep bar 3 sets of 12-10-8. Then kickbacks, 15-12-10.

After that, do biceps. I do medium grip curls, 12-10-8. Then dumbell curls 10-8-6. Then tricep bar curls (hammer style) 12-10-8.

Make sure you squeeze like hell when you are doing bi's and tri's. That helps me the most is slow, controlled, and squeeze at the top and continue to squeeze to the bottom.


Hope that helps.

[ironstrife]

your doing WAY TO MUCH! lessen it. i am a huge advocate of mike metzer, and my routine consist of no more than 2-3 sets for biceps and 2-3 sets for tris, but usually i will jsut do one set (thats total, not per exersise. i only do one exersise) . if you give your all, you got the job done. remember, your arms are small muscles and can be overtrained easily. please dont follow what you read in FLEX unless you are on steroids, you will not grow to your potential. avoid drop sets, and dont do too many forced reps. jsut my 2 cents

what works for mike metzer might not work for you... what works perfectly for me might not work for him... 2sets are plenty for some.. i've seen some monstrous guys doing 8-10set pyramid sets and supersets... it's hard to find the boundaries of over training just from a bystander's view; u can't simply say he's overtraining...
ur muscle has adjusted to ur routine.. go try different workouts and time to get creative...

[dom89]

thnx for the help, i think first ill just try doing my tricep routine before biceps because they seem to be growing ok but i want my tris to grow more. also to the person who said just do like 3 sets, thats no way near enough for me. after ive done my first exercise, which is three sets, my bis are pumped but there no way worked enough. but like the other guy said what might work for you wont neciserilly work for someone else. oh btw i never use workouts i see in the magazines lol im not that thick. the gym manager at my gym did this work out for me a while ago. i dont really see her much now though because of different training times and things.
thnx for the help.

[irishbuilder]

close grip bench press is amazing for triceps...

[E_Scapegoat]

that discourages me because I tend to rely on my pump for a good indicator of growth however;

a) lose the arm day, just do more compound ****
b) throw your arm exercises AFTER the compound ****, and don't do too much, like only a few sets, or
c) EAT MORE.

shock the muscles

this worked for me. and pump still gives growth. i grew 2/3" in 3 weeks after i dropped arm day and constantly changed it up. if you get a pump where you grow, you can get bigger. you need nutrition though, like i like taking antioxidants, multivitamin, whey, and dextrose after workout, works great!

[Conanthebarbell]

what works for mike metzer might not work for you... what works perfectly for me might not work for him... 2sets are plenty for some.. i've seen some monstrous guys doing 8-10set pyramid sets and supersets... it's hard to find the boundaries of over training just from a bystander's view; u can't simply say he's overtraining...
ur muscle has adjusted to ur routine.. go try different workouts and time to get creative...

i agree with you. i followed many routines, high volume ect. My training partner used moderate to high volume for months with no gains. Finaly i read some of metzners stuff and tried it. the resutls were amazing, not only for me, but for my partner. I train people who have quit making gains on high volume routines, and get them on the low volume kick, and every one has made substantial strength and size gains, bar none. it may not work for every body, but the people who are doing high volume and not seeing progress, give this a try for a few months.

[SollyOlly]

Stop with the " YOU NEED TO DO THIS EXERCISE" ****.


Odds are , if you're not gaining with the bread and butter of bicep/tricep exercises, it won't change THAT MUCH if you use "max-ovaoiuqiot".



Eat more.

[Trappy]

The 'pump' isn't an indication of growth.

[moosaman]

The 'pump' isn't an indication of growth.

not saying it is, but it definitely means you've got the blood flowing.

i'd say you know you're gonna grow/get stronger if you can feel the tear in the muscle the next day.

[Conanthebarbell]

off subject, Trampy, i love that movie.

What does mister wallace look like?
Does he look like a bitch?
Then why are you ****ing him like a bitch. Mister wallace does not like to be ****ed by noone other than misses wallace.

[Addicted 2 Oats]

post your diet, im willing to bet thats the problem.... also, how many grams of protien are you eating, and what do you weigh?

[JayeTheOnly]

not saying it is, but it definitely means you've got the blood flowing.

i'd say you know you're gonna grow/get stronger if you can feel the tear in the muscle the next day.

Yea, I feel kinda depressed when I'm not sore the next day.

[Squats]

since ive started lifting my arms have grown really well but now they seemed to have REALLY slowed down, i new they would but its doing my head in. the problem is when i work out arms i get a great pump and after my arms are completely nakerd and alot bigger than usual, i get this with all muscles obviously but with my arms they never seem to be able to keep any of the size, its mainly in my tricep on the long head, the short one isn't as bad but because the long one is lagging it makes my arms look alot smaller when just relaxed. ive been taking glutamine because it stops excess muscle break down and i think thats worked really well but not with my arms, i seemed to make a big difference on my back i think tho. can any one suggest any thing that might help.
my current arm workout is:
BB curls
alternate DB curls
preacher curls
dips
single arm tricep ext
press downs
rope pull downs

Barbell Curls
Incline Dumbbell Curls
Chin ups

Close-Grip Press
French Press
Dips

Not really having anything to deal with your workout as much as diet. Improve your diet and eat more and your arms will start to grow more.

[Trappy]

not saying it is, but it definitely means you've got the blood flowing.

i'd say you know you're gonna grow/get stronger if you can feel the tear in the muscle the next day.

Now, I'm not hating or flaming whatever, we can have a good sicussion on this, I'm open to hear your opinions. The only way I tend to feel a pump, is if I go with higher reps, which I have done in the past, and found little to no growth from. When I focus on the 5-8 range I don't get pumps from it particularly.


Also grow/get stronger are two completely different things, if you're getting the 'pump' like I said you're probably going reltively high in rep range, so strength isn't going to be a big factor. Do you class feeling the tear in the muscles as soreness? Or something different? If it's a soreness I'm willing to bet it's from the lactic acid energy system in which you went.

[Trappy]

Barbell Curls
Incline Dumbbell Curls
Chin ups

Close-Grip Press
French Press
Dips

Not really having anything to deal with your workout as much as diet. Improve your diet and eat more and your arms will start to grow more.

If you're going to do an arm workout, you can't beat this one. All the essentials. Also bump on upping the calories. You aren't going to get bigger if you'e at maintenance levels.