whats the 2 best exercises for building mass and strength to biceps?

**welshace13** · 08-26-2006, 01:33 PM

**digitorum** · 08-26-2006, 01:37 PM

The useful ones, not to be done all at once.

Compound - underhand pullups and underhand rows

Isolations - supinating db curls, bar curls, hammer curls

**The Big Texan** · 08-26-2006, 01:37 PM

I'd say heavy barbell curls and preachers.

**Harris Y** · 08-26-2006, 01:44 PM

Preachers have helped me A LOT with mass and strength. That works very well for me.

**recyfer** · 08-26-2006, 01:47 PM

Pullups and barbell curls.

**buildinstronger** · 08-26-2006, 02:04 PM

Preacher curls are very good.

**digitorum** · 08-26-2006, 02:09 PM

Originally Posted by buildinstronger

Preacher curls are very good.

Haha

No, from a scientific standpoint they are not.

**Bon** · 08-26-2006, 02:10 PM

I was just about to say that...

**welshace13** · 08-26-2006, 02:22 PM

y arent they gd?

**digitorum** · 08-26-2006, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by welshace13

y arent they gd?

It's quite a long winded explanation that I usually give and I'm tired of giving it.

It should suffice to say, that the involvement of the biceps is reduced because of shoulder flexion. This makes the brachialis and brachioradialis take up the strain. It is about the biceps entering active insufficiency because it is a biarticulate muscle, it crosses two joints so movement at one affects the muscle's action at the other.

**crazythunder** · 08-26-2006, 02:29 PM

Originally Posted by digitorum

It's quite a long winded explanation that I usually give and I'm tired of giving it.

It should suffice to say, that the involvement of the biceps is reduced because of shoulder flexion. This makes the brachialis and brachioradialis take up the strain. It is about the biceps entering active insufficiency because it is a biarticulate muscle, it crosses two joints so movement at one affects the muscle's action at the other.

what i believe he is trying to say is that since your biceps are connected to two joints, your body can compensate by using the other when lifting. So when you try to do preacher curls you end up using your shoulders and therefore are wasting work that could be going towards your biceps in a more direct manner.

**digitorum** · 08-26-2006, 02:34 PM

Originally Posted by crazythunder

what i believe he is trying to say is that since your biceps are connected to two joints, your body can compensate by using the other when lifting. So when you try to do preacher curls you end up using your shoulders and therefore are wasting work that could be going towards your biceps in a more direct manner.

Yeh.

In the preacher position, the shoulder flexion reduces the contractile length available for the biceps, reducing the range of motion and meaning there isn't enough myofibrils towards the top of the rep for the bicep to contract any more under its own steam. The brachialis has to take over to shorten the biceps indirectly.

**kvkx71** · 08-26-2006, 03:40 PM

Pull ups with a 25-46 pound plate. Also heavy double arm dumbel curls.

**Pushin Limits** · 08-26-2006, 09:41 PM

i've herd stright bar curls for peak

**martinelli** · 08-26-2006, 09:48 PM

Digitorum's correct with the compounds, rows and chin-ups, as well as deadlifts, will build biceps.

I don't want to re-type everything, so here's the link.

http://www.forum.bodybuilding.com/sh...d.php?t=884544

If you go to Madcow's 5x5 site, Chad Waterbury's article on T-Nation, or KhanPaulsen's "Training Questions" thread, all three will be the same: the strength/mass you can gain on curls is very limited, although there will be some gains. Focus on the multi-joint movements.

Here's another link to a great site that ridicules curling.

http://www.dragondoor.com/articler/mode3/310/

Place emphasis on compound movements and strive to gain on those. If you really want to do curls, go ahead but don't get too crazy with it.

**ldc89** · 08-26-2006, 10:26 PM

curls!!

**latspread** · 08-26-2006, 10:33 PM

barbell curls, alternating db curls, hammer curls, preacher curls

**King Crush** · 08-27-2006, 12:19 AM

Barbell curls are KING! BB curls are the squat of bicep exerciss. I like the straight bar, but sometime I use the ez-bar to change it up.

Here's my favorite lifts for bis.

BB curls
DB alt. curls
Preacher curls

**Alfz** · 08-27-2006, 12:21 AM

I prefer db curls...When i do BB curls...Sometimes my right hand uses more force and in the end inproportionate arms =[

**Vanquish39** · 08-27-2006, 01:01 AM

Squats will build your biceps more than curls or any iso or bicep exercise I forgot the reason but its true. If you don't believe me, I can care less.

**Casket** · 08-27-2006, 01:04 AM

Originally Posted by recyfer

Pullups and barbell curls.

Quoted for truth.

**slackajack** · 08-27-2006, 01:05 AM

Originally Posted by Vanquish39

Squats will build your biceps more than curls or any iso or bicep exercise I forgot the reason but its true. If you don't believe me, I can care less.

I don't believe you. Squats cause muscle growth because they produce growth hormones, but they won't build your biceps bigger than direct bicep exercises will.

**digitorum** · 08-27-2006, 02:01 AM

Originally Posted by slackajack

I don't believe you. Squats cause muscle growth because they produce growth hormones, but they won't build your biceps bigger than direct bicep exercises will.

You are right and we both know you are, so forget that loser with a negative rep

**slackajack** · 08-27-2006, 02:24 AM

Originally Posted by digitorum

You are right and we both know you are, so forget that loser with a negative rep

Deal.

**King Crush** · 08-27-2006, 10:41 AM

You guys need to know how to work those bicepts.

**Oldboardwax** · 08-27-2006, 11:01 AM

squats will give u great bi's

**Lintford** · 08-27-2006, 11:27 AM

I knew the old cult of "squats and deads are all you need" and "all you need are HEAVY rows" would come in.

That said, a good back workout will add good mass to the bi's, but some iso work is needed IMHO. Just be careful not to overtrain the Bi's, stimulate, not anihilate.

IMO, a solid back workout along with barbell curls and hammer curls will do the trick.

**KhanPaulsen** · 08-27-2006, 11:32 AM

Big compounds first, direct arm work second.

There is benefit in direct arm training, but no it won't be as good as large movements like pull-ups and rows. The problem is people tend to place way too much volume into direct arm work, and get away from the compound movements.

*Grumbles* If people would just focus on building strength on bench/squat/deadlift and use direct arm work as accessory movements there'd be a hell of a lot bigger people running around.

**Oldboardwax** · 08-27-2006, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by Lintford

I knew the old cult of "squats and deads are all you need" and "all you need are HEAVY rows" would come in.

That said, a good back workout will add good mass to the bi's, but some iso work is needed IMHO. Just be careful not to overtrain the Bi's, stimulate, not anihilate.

IMO, a solid back workout along with barbell curls and hammer curls will do the trick.

my point was PPL SHOULD GIVE LESS A F$^% ABOUT THEIR BI'S AND MORE ABOUT OTHER STUFF

**Ollie_ver** · 08-27-2006, 12:39 PM

I'd have to say staight bar curls for biceps because the straight bar allows maximum contraction in the biceps, for triceps the best would be bench press with a close grip for size but when i do tricep pull-downs with a rope i feel it more on the triceps and the longest head of the bicep is stimulated the most which is the main one for size

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