alternating biceps-triceps

[reksman]

I find that if I do a biceps excercise and then do a triceps excercise; by the time I do another set of biceps I've cooled down a bit. I don't know about this alternating them. Does it work for anyone?

[Lencho]

Yes, it works well for me.

[md3sign]

I always alternate weighted dips with bb curls; it's the only way I can get in 5or so work sets on each and not have 2 hour gym sessions when combined with my other exercises.

[Bodydouble]

I find this method rocks my arms and provides the greatest pump. Of course all of us are different and respond differently to training....but I have adopted this as my only way to train arms. It allows a good amount of rest between sets...and I feel allows me to hit the alternate harder...ie. if I close grip bench...then straight bar curl....I can go a little heavier on weighted dips...due to the rest that was afforded to me...from the straight bar curls. Maybe dial up the intesity more...and move to your exercises quicker in order to keep from cooling down too fast.

[BluntMan420]

I love alternating sets between bis and tris! If for my first SS I do bis then tris, the next SS will be tris before bis. I get a great pump from training like this! I know I know, pump means nothing, but if you are going to do an arm day might as well have fun with it right??? Right, so thats what I do...

[Bakerrboyyy]

I saw a thread saying how the CNS gets fried when u overload a muscle constantly so in theory if your alternating between muscles groups you should be giving the CNS pathway to your bicep a rest whilst working your tricep??
would this be true or am i rambling on some crap?

[BluntMan420]

Originally Posted by Bakerrboyyy

I saw a thread saying how the CNS gets fried when u overload a muscle constantly so in theory if your alternating between muscles groups you should be giving the CNS pathway to your bicep a rest whilst working your tricep??
would this be true or am i rambling on some crap?

Its a bunch of crap!

[LaxPro]

meh its ok, im used to going through my sets pretty quickly. i don't really like the extra rest.

[pisceanpaul]

I do it occasionally, but I prefer pre-exhaust routines between chest and triceps and back and biceps. If you want to alternate between bis and tris, how about something like:

set 1:
bicep exercise / tricep exercise

set 2:
bicep exercise, bicep exercise / tricep exercise, tricep exercise

set 3:
bicep exercise, bicep exercise, bicep exercise / tricep exercise, tricep exercise, tricep exercise

set 4:
bicep exercise / tricep exercise

Question: How long are you resting between sets? I shorten my rests to 30 seconds or so, and that seems to work for me, especially for muscular endurance.

[reksman]

Question: How long are you resting between sets? I shorten my rests to 30 seconds or so, and that seems to work for me, especially for muscular endurance.[/QUOTE]


I'm not resting too long. Usually about 30 seconds or however long it takes me to set up the next thing which is usually not too long.



In any case it seems to work for most people. I think that the only way people do arms these days at my gym so it must not be all that bad. I may have to rest a little less between sets.

[2XL]

yes, i just about always alternate

[reksman]

Originally Posted by 2XL

yes, i just about always alternate

Yeah, that seems to be the consensus. People say they get a better burn.

[SteveCNY]

i dont train bi's and tri's on the same day so i dont know, i feel left out

[badreligion]

Originally Posted by reksman

I find that if I do a biceps excercise and then do a triceps excercise; by the time I do another set of biceps I've cooled down a bit. I don't know about this alternating them. Does it work for anyone?

yea the reason for that is because , lets say you do a barbell curl , when your bicep contracts , your tricep stretchs

and vice versa

when your tricep contracts , your bicep stretchs

so when you get to the next bicep exersice your bis have been stretched so they reach there normal ROM so they are all set again to start the next exersice

[gainmusclefast]

which do u mean do u do ur sets like this?

barbell curl then do dips (set 1)

or do you do

barbell curl (3 sets)

dips (3 sets)

hammer curl (3sets)

skullcrushers (3sets)

(something like this?)


alternate each exercise or do u kinda superset

[reksman]

Originally Posted by loseweightfast

which do u mean do u do ur sets like this?

barbell curl then do dips (set 1)

or do you do

barbell curl (3 sets)

dips (3 sets)

hammer curl (3sets)

skullcrushers (3sets)

(something like this?)


alternate each exercise or do u kinda superset

The way I've done it is 3 sets of a biceps excercise and then 3 sets of a triceps excercise and so forth...

[BluntMan420]

Originally Posted by loseweightfast

which do u mean do u do ur sets like this?

barbell curl then do dips (set 1)

or do you do

barbell curl (3 sets)

dips (3 sets)

hammer curl (3sets)

skullcrushers (3sets)

(something like this?)


alternate each exercise or do u kinda superset

Curl then dips, curl then dips...

[m0sh]

I used to do a superset arm day where I would do like CGBP then immediatley after to BB curls... and so on.. It worked pretty well but I now split it up, Do my whoule Tri routine first, then the Bi routine. I do about 10 sets for each. I find it better to split it up because I can focus more on the one muscle and handle more weight beacuse im not as burnt out.

[reksman]

Originally Posted by m0sh

I used to do a superset arm day where I would do like CGBP then immediatley after to BB curls... and so on.. It worked pretty well but I now split it up, Do my whoule Tri routine first, then the Bi routine. I do about 10 sets for each. I find it better to split it up because I can focus more on the one muscle and handle more weight beacuse im not as burnt out.

That's what I think but maybe I should give alternating them a try a little while longer.

[Sqrl456]

I've gain alot of Mass on my arms doing the Arms on its own day. I alternate, One week i start with Bi's first then hit tri's and another week i flip it. I'm gething great results doing a no rest routine. Just sips of water when i'm thirsty and get back to the sets/reps when i got my breath. I try to blast my arms to the point that i'm bout to throw up all the protein in my stomach.. lol. I use to do 1-2 min. rest periods but said screw that. I'm also see'n crazy results from just doing 3sets of just 3-4 reps HEAVY. Doing this for 2 weeks then switch it and to 3-4 sets of 15-20 reps LIGHT for 2 weeks then go back to reg.( 3-4 sets of 10 reps.) Its something new to my body and i'm feeling great. I think you have to shock and confuse the hell out of your arms and other major body parts to see gains sometimes.. I don't know. I'm new to this but learning every day. YEAH.

[reksman]

Originally Posted by Sqrl456

I've gain alot of Mass on my arms doing the Arms on its own day. I alternate, One week i start with Bi's first then hit tri's and another week i flip it. I'm gething great results doing a no rest routine. Just sips of water when i'm thirsty and get back to the sets/reps when i got my breath. I try to blast my arms to the point that i'm bout to throw up all the protein in my stomach.. lol. I use to do 1-2 min. rest periods but said screw that. I'm also see'n crazy results from just doing 3sets of just 3-4 reps HEAVY. Doing this for 2 weeks then switch it and to 3-4 sets of 15-20 reps LIGHT for 2 weeks then go back to reg.( 3-4 sets of 10 reps.) Its something new to my body and i'm feeling great. I think you have to shock and confuse the hell out of your arms and other major body parts to see gains sometimes.. I don't know. I'm new to this but learning every day. YEAH.

I've been alternbating back and forth. Now that the crowds have gone down at my gym there is faster access to more equipment and I don't cool down as much.

[jmusclehead]

Originally Posted by reksman

I find that if I do a biceps excercise and then do a triceps excercise; by the time I do another set of biceps I've cooled down a bit. I don't know about this alternating them. Does it work for anyone?

It's called super-setting and I do that as well....

[hulkinout]

I do them from time to time, both alternating supersets and alternating with a rest period. When I'm pressed for time, alternating supersets can be a very effective way to get in and out.

I'm personally a tri's-first guy because the tri takes up more of your arm mass. But that's me. Which comes first for you, if you alternate: bi's or tri's?