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  1. #1
    Registered User ErinFrey's Avatar
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    Question Why are my arms so small!?!

    Hey I'm a guy who's been weight training and researching and doing pretty serious dieting for about 2 years now, I just turned 18.
    I know for anyone to help me they need to know everything I'm doing, so I apologize if this is long.

    I'm 6' 1", 180 pounds, with frustrating 13" arms. For my lifts, My all out, balls to the wall 1rm Bench is 250, deadlift is 445, squat is 315. I don't consider my self weak, but i don't look good because my arms are so small. My body is sorta like a block with somehow strong noodles attached. Also literally any fat I get goes to my "love handles," I've read this may be due to insulin resistance as opposed to cortisol stores fat in the stomach and estrogen in the thighs, hips, and chest.

    (Is this important?) For nutrition, when I first started I bulked from a really scrawny 150 to 175, then cut to 165. Then I bulked to 185, then cut to 178. Then I bulked to 190 with creatine (so not much more weight than the 185 I was before, just leaner with some water weight.) Now I've been eating clean and losing some fat, trying to keep fairly lean, so as not to go over 13% bodyfat, and I won't be doing major bulking/cutting cycles anymore. I'm a pretty lean 180ish, with bf realistically around 11% or less since I have abs but some love handles.

    My chest builds muscle easily, as does my back, and especially my traps and legs. My calves and arms lack though. Could this be due to hormones or the lack of? Not enough growth hormone stimulated by training maybe? Would insulin resistance mean a lack of IGF-1, and would this put my arms at a disadvantage over my other body parts?
    I've heard taking really low carbs will reset insulin sensitivity, but I don't overeat carbs anymore, usually 40/30/30 carbs/protein/fat or less carbs, more protein when I'm on a fat loss diet. Lower carbs than 25-30% and my arms diminish even more.

    My split routine I developed at the moment involves:
    Monday: Chest&Triceps
    Tuesday: Upper Back&Shoulders&Biceps
    Wednesday: Legs
    Thursday: Chest&Shoulders
    Friday: Back(Includes Deadlifts)&Biceps
    Saturday: Light Running (My rest day)
    Sunday: HIIT, recreational Sports, Abs (Varies)

    Am I training arms too much? I figure my triceps are worked 3 times a week (Monday, Tuesday [Very little, they're worked with shoulder presses and hang clean and presses], Thursday) but they should have time to recover after. My biceps are worked 2 times a week, so this shouldn't be too much I hope.. This routing hits every other muscle well and I've seen improvement.

    Please anyone help! Is it nutrition, training, genetics? How can I overcome any of these?
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  2. #2
    Registered User wuhantang's Avatar
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    first off your prettty strong. i used to have small arms too lol. you gotta train tricep real hard. you have to eat a lot. every 20lb you gain is roughly only a measely 1inch on your arms.

    keep lifting and eat more your arms will grow

    ps. took me over 1year of hardwork, blood, sweat, and tears to only gain 3/4 inch on my arms.
    bench press: 275/300
    squat: 365/400
    dead lift: 435/500
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  3. #3
    69SEXYTIME futbolplaya22's Avatar
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    It's your workout, your not letting your body rest enough. I worked my tri's like 3 times a week like you when a started like 6 months ago and a month into it I noticed I wasn't gaining. Your muscles need 72 hours at least to recharge
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  4. #4
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    Originally Posted by futbolplaya22 View Post
    It's your workout, your not letting your body rest enough. I worked my tri's like 3 times a week like you when a started like 6 months ago and a month into it I noticed I wasn't gaining. Your muscles need 72 hours at least to recharge
    Bro. I like your science
    Canadian brah.
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  5. #5
    Lift heavy eat right projectcody's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by ErinFrey View Post
    Hey I'm a guy who's been weight training and researching and doing pretty serious dieting for about 2 years now, I just turned 18.
    I know for anyone to help me they need to know everything I'm doing, so I apologize if this is long.

    I'm 6' 1", 180 pounds, with frustrating 13" arms. For my lifts, My all out, balls to the wall 1rm Bench is 250, deadlift is 445, squat is 315. I don't consider my self weak, but i don't look good because my arms are so small. My body is sorta like a block with somehow strong noodles attached. Also literally any fat I get goes to my "love handles," I've read this may be due to insulin resistance as opposed to cortisol stores fat in the stomach and estrogen in the thighs, hips, and chest.

    (Is this important?) For nutrition, when I first started I bulked from a really scrawny 150 to 175, then cut to 165. Then I bulked to 185, then cut to 178. Then I bulked to 190 with creatine (so not much more weight than the 185 I was before, just leaner with some water weight.) Now I've been eating clean and losing some fat, trying to keep fairly lean, so as not to go over 13% bodyfat, and I won't be doing major bulking/cutting cycles anymore. I'm a pretty lean 180ish, with bf realistically around 11% or less since I have abs but some love handles.

    My chest builds muscle easily, as does my back, and especially my traps and legs. My calves and arms lack though. Could this be due to hormones or the lack of? Not enough growth hormone stimulated by training maybe? Would insulin resistance mean a lack of IGF-1, and would this put my arms at a disadvantage over my other body parts?
    I've heard taking really low carbs will reset insulin sensitivity, but I don't overeat carbs anymore, usually 40/30/30 carbs/protein/fat or less carbs, more protein when I'm on a fat loss diet. Lower carbs than 25-30% and my arms diminish even more.

    My split routine I developed at the moment involves:
    Monday: Chest&Triceps
    Tuesday: Upper Back&Shoulders&Biceps
    Wednesday: Legs
    Thursday: Chest&Shoulders
    Friday: Back(Includes Deadlifts)&Biceps
    Saturday: Light Running (My rest day)
    Sunday: HIIT, recreational Sports, Abs (Varies)

    Am I training arms too much? I figure my triceps are worked 3 times a week (Monday, Tuesday [Very little, they're worked with shoulder presses and hang clean and presses], Thursday) but they should have time to recover after. My biceps are worked 2 times a week, so this shouldn't be too much I hope.. This routing hits every other muscle well and I've seen improvement.

    Please anyone help! Is it nutrition, training, genetics? How can I overcome any of these?
    you should give you muscles rest not to mention 7 days a week of lifting/workout is a a bit.. ur max of like everything is more then mine but my arms are 15.. so maybe you should try and do a body part 1 a week and train hard that day u do so..
    Cutting..
    Been bodybuilding and powerlifting for 8 months

    Bench 245
    Squat 360
    Deadlift 380
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  6. #6
    Registered User richardch8's Avatar
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    triceps are key. and get your shoulders big. it helps a lot. ie: bent over rows
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  7. #7
    Banned thefitips's Avatar
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    creatine buddy
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  8. #8
    Registered User wuhantang's Avatar
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    i agree with the above posts, you need time to rest. i only work out arms twice a week. AND the most important thing is eating more food, as with any other bodypart, if you dont eat your not going to grow.
    bench press: 275/300
    squat: 365/400
    dead lift: 435/500
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  9. #9
    69SEXYTIME futbolplaya22's Avatar
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    Bro. I like your science[/QUOTE]

    Bro are you being sarcastic haha..
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  10. #10
    Registered User dstat19's Avatar
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  11. #11
    Registered User Newme161's Avatar
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    Question

    Hi so im 16 and i been working out. I lost about 30lbs, and I been lifting light weights in hopes of gaining muscle. Yet my arms are extremely tiny. Any suggestions? Thanks!
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  12. #12
    Registered User Aljazko's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by Newme161 View Post
    Hi so im 16 and i been working out. I lost about 30lbs, and I been lifting light weights in hopes of gaining muscle. Yet my arms are extremely tiny. Any suggestions? Thanks!

    try drinking bleach
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