WEEK ONE :: What Is The Best Bicep Routine You've Used?

[admin]

TOPIC: What is the bicep routine you have used that gave you the absolute best results? Also, list any bicep training tips or exercises that you have used that worked for you.

Don't discuss any other topic in this section. ONLY discuss the question above.

The best response will get $50 in credit to use in our online store! The other good responses will be used in an article on the main Bodybuilding.com site, with the poster's forum name listed by it.

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EDIT! This week's winners have been chosen!

Here are the results:

1 - AJbuilder
2 - Titania
3 - UliqMadiq

The full article is located at:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/topicoftheweek.htm

It will be feature on BB.com today and tommorrow.

Please fill out the poll at the bottom so that we can put up the next topic. We will start updating this week by week. Thanks for your responses and good luck with the next topic of the week.
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Thanks!
Ryan DeLuca
Bodybuilding.com

[jay81]

I voted for 8 - 10 reps.

Standing barbell curls would be my exercise of choice for biceps. Make sure you pay careful attention to correct standing barbell curling form, although I agree with Arnold that it's fine and good to *sometimes* swing the weight a little on the last rep or two to help your progress along ...

I got the first post in this section after Ryan

[AYung]

i believe 4-6 reps stimulates the most overload. Thus increasing your gains. The best excersize is and probably will always be Standing Barbell Curls, with good form and a good training routine, your biceps will be huge in no time!

[Harland]

I'm a high rep guy. I gained more size and weight using a 10-12 rep range then I did using a smaller 4-6 rep range.

If you still use the highest weight you can handle, and each set last the optimal range of 35-50 seconds. Then you are sure to grow over only having each set last 10-20 seconds.

I love changing it up, so one week you could do standing BB curls first, then do alternating DB curls. Then the week after that do the DB curls first and BB curls second. This way you always keep your muscles guessing.

[SavesTheMuscle]

I believe, along with others in periodization, that it depends what your goals are.I know mine chane from cycle to cylce placing Intensive bodybuilding emphasis to Exentisve bodybuilding. Lyle Mcdonald described in his article "Periodization for Bodybuilders Part I, II, and II" that it all depends on your goal (well he didn't exactly say that but one can assume so). Taken from his article:

Strength training: The goal of pure strength training is to improve the neural components of strength production. Weight should be 85% of 1 repetition maximum or higher. Sets should last 20 seconds or less. Generally 5 reps or less done with a 2-3 second negative. Lift as fast as possible. Typically compound exercises such as squats, bench press, power clean, deadlift, etc. are chosen. Isolation exercises can be used for this type of training but your form has to be perfect or you'll probably get hurt. Strength athletes commonly do many, many sets (6-10 sets of 2-3) but they are usually only focusing on a handful of lifts. A bodybuilder may need to hit more bodyparts which would mean cutting the total number of sets done.

Intensive bodybuilding method (or power bodybuilding): The goal of this zone is to increase myofibrillar size and muscle density. This zone also increases maximal strength although not to the degree that pure strength training does. Weight would be in the 80-85% of 1 RM range. Set length ranges from 20-30 seconds. A generic approach might be repeat sets of 4-6 reps (think Max-OT) on a 3-4 second down, 1 up tempo. Rest periods should be about 3 minutes between sets. Depending on volume tolerance and the number of exercises performed, anywhere from 2 to 8 sets per bodypart might be done. As with strength training, compound exercises are usually preferred; isolation exercises can be done but only with picture perfect form.

Extensive bodybuilding method: The goal of this zone is a combination of myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic hypertrophy with the lower end of the range (6-8 reps) being more geared towards myofibrillar growth (with some strength gains) and the higher end of the range (10-12 or even 15 reps) geared towards more sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. Due to glycogen depletion, there will be an increase in glycogen and water (pump growth) storage, especially in the higher rep ranges. Weights should be in the 70-80% of 1RM range with set length lasting from 30-45 (or 60) seconds. Rest periods are generally 1-2 minutes. Anywhere from 6-12 repetitions or so on a 3 down, 2 up tempo. Anywhere from 3-6 sets might be done. Anal compulsive bodybuilders could probably subdivide this category into two different ranges, one spanning the 6-8 rep range and the other spanning the 12-15 rep range. A mix of compound or isolation exercises can be done in this zone.

Really extensive bodybuilding method (I'm not good at thinking up clever names for training like the other writers in this field): The goal of this zone is purely sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, with the emphasis on capillarization and mitochondria more so than on the other components such as glycogen. As I mentioned above, I think the best approach to this type of training is to forget about reps and do 1 or 2 timed sets of 1-2 minutes with the goal being continuous movement. I would generally recommend isolation exercises above the compounds on this one. Admittedly, you'll see god if you try to squat continuously for 2 minutes (which I once had a mountain biker I was training do) but you tend to fatigue cardiovascularly when you use those types of exercises.

So depending on what your looking for, be it pure sarcoplasmic hypertrophy or myofibrillar size and muscle density, you choose the appropriate rep scheme.

That being said, I cannot simply choose a 1 rep scheme as it can change accordingly to ones goals.

I voted other.

For BB Curls, one also has to make sure that their elbows do NOT move from their sides as that will recruit other muscles into play and take the 'intensity' off of the target muscle (bicep). Keep your back straight and elbows at sides without them moving to the side for that extra last rep.

[Harland]

Originally posted by SavesTheMuscle
That being said, I cannot simply choose a 1 rep scheme as it can change accordingly to ones goals.

True that is why I work with a high rep range(10-12) for about three months, then use a smaller rep range(4-6). Always keeping my body guessing.

[ILBB]

21's W/ a barebell or curl bar. you do 7 reps curling the bar half way (bottom-mid way) then without stopping do 7 the other half (mid way-top) then without stopping 7 regular full barbell curls. It can hurt like hell.

[AJbuilder]

I voted other.

It is ridiculous to assume that any rep range will work for a given individual all the time and for all lifters. It's in total contrast to the principle of individual differences. The principal states that the capacity for a given individual to adapt to exercise training is genetically determined on a degree of basis. Recovery abilities, response to the exercise stimulus , muscle-fiber makeup, and on a lesser scale, the tolerance of certain macro and micro nutrients all fit into the principle. One person might do well with 8-10 reps while another will grow best with 4-6 reps using higher tension methods and loads because that person is more able to recruit a large number of motor units synchronously and asychronously. But no one will ever do best by using just one single rep range .When we are doing bicep work, it's very often that a beginner will train with less intensity due to the fact that he/she is able to recruit a minimal number of motor units to stimulate growth. The person would obviously use higher repetitions( 10-12 reps) to do more work and in the case of using this higher density method , the lifter will be able to overload the muscles to grow. With proper nutrition, that person will experience dazzling newbie gains.


But as the person gets more advanced , he/she will be able to recruit motor units at a higher threshold which mirrors maximal and anaerobic strength gains as well. Now the person will and should employ repetition ranges in the 4-6 bracket and will soon find that works best at that point in his/her training career. After a while of training with 4-6 reps while using various free-weight exercises like incline db curls and standing bb curls , the body will gradually get accustomed to the 4-6 range. And the reason for your body adapting to this rep range is due another principle: the principle of accomodation. The principle states that your body will accomodate and adapt to the training stress if you continually apply the routine over and over again. The routine of doing 4-6 reps will eventually be less and less challenging for your body because it has already become a habit . Habituation results in plateaus . When the habit kicks in, there is a gradual reduction of response coming from the body. The body stops responding. Of course the next step would be to do micro-loading and increase the weight on the bb curls every week so you can progressively overload. But then we have to come back to the principle of accomodation. Your body accomodates to the overload and soon you'll hit dead on into a plateau. The 4-6 rep range will not be effective anymore. And that's why we must jump back to a different rep range for your body to get out of the rut and grow again. This explains why growth isn't exactly a linear process all the time. It's got it's ups and downs for most of us.

It's much wiser to use different rep ranges for cycles of your training. On a hypothetical 8 week cycle of training you may employ an volumization phase in which you do high volume work with standing bb curls as in using more reps(10-12 or 12-15) with the load kept moderately in range of 60% -70% of 1RM or so. Then after the 8 weeks are up you may switch to an intensification phase in which you do loading sessions using higher intensity , intensity with respect to the loads 1RM. You may now do more sets of bb curls and lift with 80-90% of 1RM using the 3-6 rep range. The body actually responds quite well this way as it keeps the body from the accomodation and habituation trap. This is just one example of Periodization and there are many different ways to set up training cycles while employing different rep ranges.

One way to really get the biceps to grow is actually through doing heavy compound back work. The biceps get worked very heavily on close grip chinups, pullups, lateral pulldowns, barbell bent over rows, db rows, seated rows, and all its variations. You do close grip chinups and you will definitely involve the biceps . Apply this to common sense and you'll start to think that if you can strap 135lbs. to a chinning waist belt and do chinups for 5 reps, you'll have a big back and also big biceps. You can't have just 12 inch arms and be able to do chinups with so much weight. And you don't see a guy that can chin 135lbs. having small puny flat biceps either. A big back usually comes with big biceps . Direct work on the biceps are not always needed. Most guys often do insane amounts of sets and reps for the bis day in and out. Before they sleep, they've already overtrained big time, creating a deficit that needs to come back to a base level. But that's not to say that we should always eliminate bicep work completely. It's nice to have a delicate balance in which one would focus on the heavy compound back movements, especially the lifts that require the person to move through space(chinups) , and supplement with some direct work using curls. The key area here is to watch out for excessive volume of the bb and db curls. Most folks will not benefit from the overload of too much volume in a given session, except for those of the genetically superior and gifted.

In the past i've had periods where I do direct work for the biceps as well as no direct work at all, relying just on heavy back compound lifts . When I started lifting I would do lots of reps with bb and db curls and shortly my biceps grew but eventually I fell into the accomodation trap like all of us do and plateaued . I started using different rep ranges, rep speeds, different exercises as well. The biceps grew little by little but didn't respond much at all in terms of measurable progress. With some message board advice I decided to drop direct bicep work for a while and focus on heavy back work. I'm still not working the bis directly as of today and have seen almost a fourth of an inch growth already. The gains are coming in slow but at least that just proves that you don't really need direct work all the time for the biceps to grow. A lot of us may very well be overtraining our biceps anyway so by eliminating some direct work, you will be able to let the body catch up to prior training stimulus and overcompensate to recover and grow again. This is just one tactic to consider as well as the periodization technique I mentioned above.

Changing the mechanics of an exercise can also do wonders for bicep growth.

-Use underhand grip on bb bent over rows
-with bb rows, row to the chest and you may feel the biceps getting more worked.
-instead of conventional shoulder-width chinups or pullups, do close grip chinups/pullups to place more stress onto the biceps
-maintain a more upright position when doing chinups and pullups
-on the eccentric(lowering) portion of a curl, try tensing and contracting the triceps as you resist against the lowering of the weight. Tense the whole body , squeeze in the buttocks, grip the bar tightly. You'll most likely be able to hammer out one or two more reps this way. This is the employment of tensile strength and hyper-irridation popularized by Bruce Lee and former Russian Special Forces Trainer Pavel Tsatsouline.

Those are just some of the creative ways to get the most out of your exercises. It's fun.

One great tip for the newbie is to learn proper form on all exercises. If you want your biceps to grow then you must learn the proper form to maximize tension through a sound muscle range of motion. The key to doing a proper bb curl is to monitor your elbow placement. When you lift the weight on the concentric phase, make sure your elbow does not travel more than 2 inches forward. If it does , you will be redirecting the stress onto your connective tissues and anterior deltoids rather than your biceps. The biceps brachi fibers are what you're trying to stimulate so watch that elbow and make sure they don't travel too far forward. The movement , from the bottom eccentric position to the top contraction position should be a slanted straight line rather than a half circle so take good note of this observation. When I started perfecting my bb curl form, I used a peice of equipment called the arm blaster . The arm blaster straps around your neck and chest and minimizes elbow placement to teach the newbie lifter proper form on execution of free-weight curls. It was a good investment for me since I work out at my own home gym.

One bicep exercise that , in my opinion, is most effective is the incline db curl. When performed correctly, it will hit both the biceps brachii muscles and the underlying brachialis muscles to a great extent. Incline db curls also allows for a greater stretch. It gives an awesome pump as well and who doesn't love a pump? Most lifters don't do this exercise anyway so it's a nice change of pace for the body . If you haven't been using incline db curls and haved just switched to it, the biceps may grow again because the body just isn't used to the stress applied at the incline position. It's well worth a try. An effective school of thought to consider is to do exercises that you've never done before or do something unconventional for certain periods of time. That will get your biceps or any other body parts to grow again. Incline db curls are also fun. If one were to just stick to bb curls year round then the accomodation trap will kick in and that spells P-L-A-T-E-A-U.

[gumby51cm]

My rep range normally stays from 10-12 on almost every exercise for biceps, some days i go heavier for more overload and so i dont plateau. The best exercise i have found to be is overhead cable curls, they allow me to get the best contraction with the heaviest weight, I feel a burn as soon as i begin the exercise.

[DaIceman]

Standing DB 3x8-10 reps
Incline Sitting DB 3x8-10 reps
Concentrations 2x12

It kills me every time.

[short_dude]

From my four years of serious lifting experience, I have come to realize that the majority of problems with people's bicep routines is simply overtraining. Biceps are a small muscle and are easily overtrained if not rested adaquetly, hence doing too many exercises and sets will stall your progress. I have tried several routines: low reps, high reps, low volume, high volume and the truth is that while I was doing 12-15 sets for biceps I never gained any size. Ever since I swtiched to hitting the biceps heavy for 6 sets of 5-7 reps, my arms began to grow. I gained an inch and a half on my arms in the past year and a half because I finally realized that the "pump" you feel from doing rep after rep with your biceps doesn't mean anything at all and is not an indication of a good workout.

21's, and pyramids on a preacher curl bench (start with 25 lbs. on e-z curl bar and do 10 reps, then do 20 lbs, 15, 10, 5, bar, then back up) were classics in high school and the pumps I felt were great, but the gains weren't coming. Bluntly these exercises don't do jack but give you a pump and lead to overtraining.

The best workout I ever did was simple:

Even weeks: (2nd and last of month)
3X 5-7 Straight barbell curls (strict form of course)
Current weights: 115, 125, 130
3X 5-7 Incline dumbell curls
Currrent weights: 40, 45, 50

Odd weeks: (1st and third of month)
preacher e-z curl bar 3X5-7
Current weights: 110, 120, 130
Standing DB curls: 3 X5-7
Current weights:
50, 55, 60

The main lesson is not to overcomplicate a simple matter and not to become obsessed with your bicep training...there are other bodyparts you know that deserve equal attention. Biceps will grow along with everything else.

[jay81]

Originally posted by AJbuilder
I voted other.

It is ridiculous to assume that any rep range will work for a given individual all the time and for all lifters. It's in total contrast to the principle of individual differences. The principal states that the capacity for a given individual to adapt to exercise training is genetically determined on a degree of basis. Recovery abilities, response to the exercise stimulus , muscle-fiber makeup, and on a lesser scale, the tolerance of certain macro and micro nutrients all fit into the principle. One person might do well with 8-10 reps while another will grow best with 4-6 reps using higher tension methods and loads because that person is more able to recruit a large number of motor units synchronously and asychronously. But no one will ever do best by using just one single rep range .When we are doing bicep work, it's very often that a beginner will train with less intensity due to the fact that he/she is able to recruit a minimal number of motor units to stimulate growth. The person would obviously use higher repetitions( 10-12 reps) to do more work and in the case of using this higher density method , the lifter will be able to overload the muscles to grow. With proper nutrition, that person will experience dazzling newbie gains.


But as the person gets more advanced , he/she will be able to recruit motor units at a higher threshold which mirrors maximal and anaerobic strength gains as well. Now the person will and should employ repetition ranges in the 4-6 bracket and will soon find that works best at that point in his/her training career. After a while of training with 4-6 reps while using various free-weight exercises like incline db curls and standing bb curls , the body will gradually get accustomed to the 4-6 range. And the reason for your body adapting to this rep range is due another principle: the principle of accomodation. The principle states that your body will accomodate and adapt to the training stress if you continually apply the routine over and over again. The routine of doing 4-6 reps will eventually be less and less challenging for your body because it has already become a habit . Habituation results in plateaus . When the habit kicks in, there is a gradual reduction of response coming from the body. The body stops responding. Of course the next step would be to do micro-loading and increase the weight on the bb curls every week so you can progressively overload. But then we have to come back to the principle of accomodation. Your body accomodates to the overload and soon you'll hit dead on into a plateau. The 4-6 rep range will not be effective anymore. And that's why we must jump back to a different rep range for your body to get out of the rut and grow again. This explains why growth isn't exactly a linear process all the time. It's got it's ups and downs for most of us.

It's much wiser to use different rep ranges for cycles of your training. On a hypothetical 8 week cycle of training you may employ an volumization phase in which you do high volume work with standing bb curls as in using more reps(10-12 or 12-15) with the load kept moderately in range of 60% -70% of 1RM or so. Then after the 8 weeks are up you may switch to an intensification phase in which you do loading sessions using higher intensity , intensity with respect to the loads 1RM. You may now do more sets of bb curls and lift with 80-90% of 1RM using the 3-6 rep range. The body actually responds quite well this way as it keeps the body from the accomodation and habituation trap. This is just one example of Periodization and there are many different ways to set up training cycles while employing different rep ranges.

One way to really get the biceps to grow is actually through doing heavy compound back work. The biceps get worked very heavily on close grip chinups, pullups, lateral pulldowns, barbell bent over rows, db rows, seated rows, and all its variations. You do close grip chinups and you will definitely involve the biceps . Apply this to common sense and you'll start to think that if you can strap 135lbs. to a chinning waist belt and do chinups for 5 reps, you'll have a big back and also big biceps. You can't have just 12 inch arms and be able to do chinups with so much weight. And you don't see a guy that can chin 135lbs. having small puny flat biceps either. A big back usually comes with big biceps . Direct work on the biceps are not always needed.

In the past i've had periods where I do direct work for the biceps as well as no direct work at all, relying just on heavy back compound lifts . When I started lifting I would do lots of reps with bb and db curls and shortly my biceps grew but eventually I fell into the accomodation trap like all of us do and plateaued . I started using different rep ranges, rep speeds, different exercises as well. The biceps grew little by little but didn't respond much at all in terms of measurable progress. With some message board advice I decided to drop direct bicep work for a while and focus on heavy back work. I'm still not working the bis directly as of today and have seen almost a fourth of an inch growth already. The gains are coming in slow but at least that just proves that you don't really need direct work all the time for the biceps to grow. A lot of us may very well be overtraining our biceps anyway so by eliminating some direct work, you will be able to let the body catch up to prior training stimulus and overcompensate to recover and grow again. This is just one tactic to consider as well as the periodization technique I mentioned above.

Changing the mechanics of an exercise can also do wonders for bicep growth.

-Use underhand grip on bb bent over rows
-with bb rows, row to the chest and you may feel the biceps getting more worked.
-instead of conventional shoulder-width chinups or pullups, do close grip chinups/pullups to place more stress onto the biceps
-maintain a more upright position when doing chinups and pullups
-on the eccentric(lowering) portion of a curl, try tensing and contracting the triceps as you resist against the lowering of the weight. Tense the whole body , squeeze in the buttocks, grip the bar tightly. You'll most likely be able to hammer out one or two more reps this way. This is the employment of tensile strength and hyper-irridation popularized by Bruce Lee and former Russian Special Forces Trainer Pavel Tsatsouline.

Those are just some of the creative ways to get the most out of your exercises. It's fun.

One great tip for the newbie is to learn proper form on all exercises. If you want your biceps to grow then you must learn the proper form to maximize tension through a sound muscle range of motion. The key to doing a proper bb curl is to monitor your elbow placement. When you lift the weight on the concentric phase, make sure your elbow does not travel more than 2 inches forward. If it does , you will be redirecting the stress onto your connective tissues and anterior deltoids rather than your biceps. The biceps brachi fibers are what you're trying to stimulate so watch that elbow and make sure they don't travel too far forward. The movement , from the bottom eccentric position to the top contraction position should be a slanted straight line rather than a half circle so take good note of this observation. When I started perfecting my bb curl form, I used a peice of equipment called the arm blaster . The arm blaster straps around your neck and chest and minimizes elbow placement to teach the newbie lifter proper form on execution of free-weight curls. It was a good investment for me since I work out at my own home gym.

One bicep exercise that , in my opinion, is most effective is the incline db curl. When performed correctly, it will hit both the biceps brachii muscles and the underlying brachialis muscles to a great extent. Incline db curls also allows for a greater stretch. It gives an awesome pump as well and who doesn't love a pump? Most lifters don't do this exercise anyway so it's a nice change of pace for the body . If you haven't been using incline db curls and haved just switched to it, the biceps may grow again because the body just isn't used to the stress applied at the incline position. It's well worth a try. An effective school of thought to consider is to do exercises that you've never done before or do something unconventional for certain periods of time. That will get your biceps or any other body parts to grow again. Incline db curls are also fun. If one were to just stick to bb curls year round then the accomodation trap will kick in and that spells P-L-A-T-E-A-U.

You're *really* trying to win the $50 worth of credit, eh?

[Dorian_Yates]

Wow you guys are trying to hard!

[need2bulk14]

8-10 reps are great for me.It makes me work harder and I have seen great results doing every bicep workouts doing 8-10 reps.I'll go with most of the guys that I seen the best results from standing bb curls and I will follow this workout with this one.I don't agree with some people saying that sometimes it is good to swing the barbell at the end of the reps I mostly push myself to finish my reps.I'll always like to finish my workout without cheating.And when I feel that the exercise is getting easier I always change my reps.I hope this helps people that visit this sticky.




Mike Kramer,14

[Lee_5]

The best rep range for me is 4-6. Though the rep range will vary from person to person. Every 4 weeks i then chnage the rep range to 8-10 and every 8 weeks i do 2 sets of 21s.

This is good fpr keeping thingd fresh. You dont want the muscle to adapt.

I train biceps with chest. So they then get worked with back 2 days later. I have recieved best reults from doing it this way rather than biceps with back.

When doing bicep exercises i focus hard on the biceps imagining them exploding the size. (this is also a trcik Arnold used to do )
Lower the weight all the way down (not just halfway or 3 quatres like a lot of people do) and curl the weight all the way to the top and hold it theyre for a second or 2 and really flex the bis hard and imagine them massive.

[AWILD]

I find that if I go in the 4-6 rep range I put too much stress on my wrists and forearms. Even with wrapped wrists I get shooting pains all the way to my elbow. I have lowered the weight and started a 6-8 sometimes 10 rep program that seems to be working just as well.

[skimask]

Originally posted by ILBB
21's W/ a barebell or curl bar. you do 7 reps curling the bar half way (bottom-mid way) then without stopping do 7 the other half (mid way-top) then without stopping 7 regular full barbell curls. It can hurt like hell.

Bump to that. I've only ever really done that for my biceps. my current arm measurements are 19 1/2 and I owe it to 21's/ I can attach photo for all non believers.

[DaIceman]

Originally posted by skimask
Bump to that. I've only ever really done that for my biceps. my current arm measurements are 19 1/2 and I owe it to 21's/ I can attach photo for all non believers.

Noob here.....

What are 21's?

[skimask]

Originally posted by SullIce
Noob here.....

What are 21's?

I quoted the guy who explained how to do them. 7 reps bottom to halfway 7 reps halfway to top and 7 full reps for a total of 21. Your arms will be burning by the time you are done three sets. Use strict form and make sure to use a weight you can do 21 times.

[kingdd]

I have never been a believer in 21's. If you can do 21 reps with the weight, then you may as well just do full reps and get the full range of motion.


The routine I use now works well for me. I will usually use an iso excercise (concentration, preacher DB, Cable) to get my biceps in a grove and then do sets of 10 and 8 as warm-ups and a work set of 6 reps to failure of standing barbell curls.

My work is not done after that. To get a hyperintense pump, I like to go above and beyond with my bicep workouts. Once I have failed at ~6 reps with my workset, I will do two forced reps with a spotter and then two negative reps. Still not done though. Immediately after my negs, I'll decrease the weight to ~five pounds less than my first warm-up set of 10 and then go to failure with that weight. After all of this, my biceps are done for the week. (If I am feeling extra adventurous, I'll do 2 forced and 2 negs with the lesser weight too.)

[UliqMadiq]

I voted 'Other' as I believe I've personally had the most benefit from a pyramid routine. Of course you cannot stick with this the whole time without plateau-ing, but running it three-weeks-on/three-weeks-off has helped me put on a little over two inches since I began.

The idea is from a personal trainer friend of mine who has used it highly successfully with all his clients. Here's a rough outline of the routine, which may be altered slightly each time you run the cycle:

-----------------------------------------------------

(1 set Warm Up)

1 set One Arm Cable Curls - 15 reps
1 set One Arm Cable Curls - 10 reps

1 set Bar Cable Curls - 8 reps
1 set Bar Cable Curls - 8 reps
1 set Bar Cable Curls - 4 reps

1 set Cable Crossover Curls - 8 reps
1 set Cable Crossover Curls - 12 reps

1 set Preacher Curls - 12 reps
1 set Preacher Curls - 15 reps

-----------------------------------------------------

The benefits that I have noted are:
1. Volume of cable curls allows constant muscular tension
2. You can hardly cheat on any of the exercises in this routine
3. You definitely notice some 'bicep peak' development

The only drawback I can see is:
1. Volume is relatively high for a beginner (10 sets)

However, for an intermediate to advanced bodybuilder looking for better biceps, I think it's a definite winner.

Now where's my $50?

[AJbuilder]

Originally posted by kingdd
I have never been a believer in 21's. If you can do 21 reps with the weight, then you may as well just do full reps and get the full range of motion.

On paper, 21s don't sound too good because you are not using full muscle range of motion for each rep. But up to this date, there is no direct and clear proof that a full range of motion is needed to stimulate the most microtrauma for growth. In other words, you may or may not recruit more motor units(or the same amount) when using partials, isometrics , statics, eccentrics depending on your neuromusular coordination and efficiency. Some advanced bodybuilders may even benefit by doing partials for a period of time, but usually they won't know for sure because they haved not put the method to the test.

21s seem to be a great way to get out of a size plateau. To grow and continue growing , you have to eventually exhaust all training efforts and using 21s shouldn't be an exception. Using the basics is good but using more "awkward" and unconventional ways of training and exercises once in a while wouldn't hurt.

[soufi]

Well I think the best option for me that triggered the best gains for me was a pyramid routine.

You chose two compound exercises, and every six weeks you change and switch around the exercises.

Set 1- 12 reps
1 minutes rest
set 2- 10 reps
1 minutes rest
set 3- 8 reps
1 minutes rest
set 4 -6 reps
1 minutes rest
set 5-10 reps
immediately after the 5th set, you switch the exercise and do 10 reps.

I find that pyramiding is a good way to hit each and every muscle fiber in order to receive maximum gains. I don't like just staying in a certain rep zone.

At the top of the concentric part of the rep, I would squeeze my biceps as hard as I could, in order to receive a huge pump. I find that really getting the biceps to grow takes a huge pump.
although it really is a killer, I find that it is a good way to put the muscle in shock.

Fascia stretching between sets4-6 was very effective as well. I found that between this time period is the best time to employ this technique, seeing as this is when you have the biggest pump.

I found that the best exercises for mass gains were standing barbell curls and close handed chin-ups. Maintaining proper form when training biceps is essential in order to produce maximum gains.

before each bicep workout, I planned out each set with the desired weight I was going to use.

Each set has 1 minutes rest except for the last set

Ex: set one-standing barbell curls- 12x115
set two- " " " - 10x120
set three- " " " -8x125
set four- " " " -6x130
setfive- " " " -10x120
(immediately following set five) close grip chin ups-10xbw.

If I did all the desired reps with the desired weight, I would up the weight in the next workout. I feel that constant progress is a must, the muscle needs a reason to grow. Every six weeks I will do a brief week of light bicep training in order to prevent overstraining, seeing as biceps are a smaller muscle and are easier to over train.

-Soufi

[Imperfections]

Cannons, guns, biceps, one of the most noticed and sought after bodyparts a bodybuilder can have.

For me personally, 4-6 reps have worked best for my arms. I always do at least 4 excersizes and no more than 6 max, so 4-6 is literally a key number in my game. By keeping your reps considerably low, you're sure to push yourself as hard as you can. Typically I aim for 6, because with 4 you may end up cheating too much for your own good. Be sure that your 6th rep is your last rep - if you feel like you can squeeze of a 7th, then up your weight!
Biceps, like most muscle groups, respond well to compound movements. Barbell curls, cable curls, hammer curls, and dumbbell curls are all key components of building massive arms. Preacher curls and doing your curls on an incline bench all the time is not a good idea, because it will cause you to resort to less weight, and less gains! It's important to stay consistant - if starting your workout with barbell curls works for you, then train like that consistantly! However, it's also important to change your workouts every three or four weeks too in order to keep your muscles in check. This gives you a great opportunity to try out new excersizes and time lenghts for your workout!
You always need to warm up your biceps - there's nothing embarassing about starting with 20 pound dumbbells to get ready for a 100 pound bar! Form has always been a trouble area for anyone with biceps, how much cheating is okay, and how much limits your efficency? It's okay to bend your back a little bit when curling, but don't swimg the weight like a mad man, and if you're staring straight up at the celing by the time you're done, chances are your biceps are not getting worked well! I don't advise standing against a wall because the movement should be natural, the bicep curl, after all, is not an isolation excersize.
It's important to have good biceps for a number of reasons, and I feel that symmetry in your biceps is also a hard issue to tackle. If you're new or even an iron ager with bodybuilding, you should know that keeping your arms even in size can get pretty difficult. What worked for me when I found my right bicep peaking higher than my left was to use only dumbbells for a month. I always started my excersizes with my left hand, too, to make sure my right arm wouldn't wouldn't outperform my left.
Stick with these ideals and set good goals for yourself, and you should have killer biceps in no time! Remember, your biceps, like every other muscle, need a week off every week or so, too.

[ravadongon]

You'll often see people in the gym training biceps for 40 minutes or more - no wonder they haven't added even a half an inch to their arms in a year! Short and and INTENSE is the best training protocol to use to build big biceps quickly.

To build big biceps, here are a few time-tested training principles.

1. Train them hard. To build big biceps, you need to overload them by periodically training them to failure and beyond. Don't just go through the motions. Prepare yourself for some high intensity sets and really squeeze out every last rep.

2. Train them fast. If you're primary goal is to add muscle mass to your arms, your entire biceps routine should take you 15-25 minutes tops! Building muscle is not running a marathon. It requires short, intense effort.

3. Let them recover. Don't underestimate the importance of allowing your biceps to recover fully from an intense training session. If you're really training your biceps to the max, than 24 or even 48 hours recovery time isn't enough. Allow at least 5-7 days before training them again. More is definitely not better.

Here's a basic biceps routine that you can use to blast your arms to more mass quickly and effectively. Remember the 3 principles mentioned above and you'll be well on your way. This biceps program calls for performing just 2 sets of three exercises. After warming up your biceps with a couple light to moderate sets, jump right in.

Exercise #1: Standing Barbell Curls
These are an old standard but a still a favorite mass builder. I suggest a fairly narrow grip-approximately 8-10 inches apart-and a slow, controlled movement throughout the range of motion. Be sure to squeeze hard at the top and for extra intensity emphasize the negative, eccentric portion of the movement. Shoot for 8-10 reps with a moderate to heavy weight.

Exercise #2: Incline Dumbbell Curls
Do this movement with both arms simultaneously rather than in an alternating manner. Use only a slight incline to fully emphasize the biceps. Be sure to squeeze the biceps hard at the top of the movement, and get a full stretch at the bottom position. Work in the 8-12 rep range for 2-3 strong sets.

Exercise #3: Cable Hammer Curls with Rope
Use a rope attachment on the low cable of a pulley machine. Grasp the rope extensions with your palms facing each other. Curl the weight up to your chin, squeeze hard, and lower slowly. Two heavy sets of 8 reps each should do the trick. This one will really bring out your brachialis, adding overall mass to your arms. If you're looking to add more mass to your biceps quickly, then give this simple but effective program a try.

Of course, the gains in strength and size will be that much greater when you finish your workout with a high-carbohydrate, high-protein drink

[sando]

the best bicep routine is simply preacher arm curles followed by standing barbell curls. It is important that u do not sacrafice weight for form and that you concentrate more on lowering the weight. In my opinion u should concentrate more on the triceps as they r two thirds of ur arm.

[sando]

the best bicep routine is simply preacher arm curles followed by standing barbell curls. It is important that u do not sacrafice weight for form and that you concentrate more on lowering the weight. In my opinion u should concentrate more on the triceps as they r two thirds of ur arm.

[PROVERBS]

I hit biceps only once a week, so my regular bicep routine looks like this:

*Standing barbell curls w/ EZ bar - 4 sets / 8-10 reps

*1 arm preacher curls - 4 sets / 8-10 reps each arm

*Dumbell curls(standing or seated) - 4 sets / 8-10 reps

*Reverse barbell curls w/straight bar - 4 sets / 8-10 reps

* Hammers - 4 sets / 8-10 reps

I use the gym at my office and since I work an early shift I have the gym all to myself. This gives me the ability to move from exercise to exercise with more freedom. I do one set of each exercise instead of completing one exercise all at once. This routine has given me the best gains so far, I do switch up now and then and add in variations but this is pretty much my template.

[Natbornthrilla]

I believe in tiring out the bi's as quickly as possible. Absolutely thrashing them.. What I do is this....3 sets of 7/21's 7 bottom half, 7 top half, 7 full range of motion. Then after a minute of rest I do dumbbell curls at a medium weight for about 8 reps and after each set I grab a 10lb or a 15lb weight and do as many hammer curls as I can (usually 40) I rest about 1 min and repeat dumbbell curls and hammer curls for about 3 sets. Then I do 4 last sets of barbell curls ultra slow to feel the burn. I do about 4 sets of 8. That is usually when my bicep routine is over

[hate]

dumbell curls 8-12 4 sets 2 minute rest

barbell curls 12,11, 10.8-9 <--- 4 sets 45 second rest


preacher curls 4-6 then from 6-12 are forced reps 4 sets 2 minute rest

this gave me the most size, it was great, it was very intense, but training this way helped me break through to new a new level of training...

i credit the following to Jeremiah Forster (beverly international)

if you want to add some size to your arms, you might try this once a week. This does not count as an arm workout, but is best done 3 days after your arm workout...

20 reps straight bar curls, superset with 20 rep tricep dips/straight bar pushdowns. wait 30 seconds... repeat.

perform 5 sets of this superset, choose the weight so that your first set is a LITTLE bit of a challenge to get to 20.

a friend of mine did this and went from 15' to 16 in four weeks, he wasn't taking anything illegal either. for me, it's kept size while i've cut down this summer. oh, what are people trying to win on this thread again?