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Bicep Muscle Gains

How I've made my arms grow 3 inches

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Joey_Lopez
Joey_Lopez g Jose Lopez
226 Post(s)
226 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Train for a sport Date Joined: October 10, 2013
Posted

    The most important thing that I can’t stress enough about making muscle gains, is that it’s all about the negatives! I currently have 16inch biceps and it took me a long time before I really started incorporating negatives and true proper form.

 

    A lot of my friends that I’ve trained the past couple years all want to know how I’ve gotten my arms so big and I tell them all the same thing. When I go into the gym on Glory Day (Bi’s and Tri’s) I drop the ego and focus on completing all 8 exercises (4 sets/12 reps each). Now I can easily do Dumbbell Hammer Curls with 45-50lbs dumbbells, but instead I opt for 15-20lbs! I love seeing the look on my friends face when they watch me pick them up hahaha. They totally think I’m just joking around but I tell them I’m dead serious.

 

    I use a really slow tempo when I go up and down, probably a 2-2-2 tempo and it’s just killer! Before I know it my veins are bulging out and it feels like I’m on fire. I stand up straight (I feel you should always have excellent posture when lifting) with my shoulders rolled back, and I just completely focus on keeping the slow tempo.

 

    20lbs doesn’t look like much (or whatever your "light weight" may be) and you probably think it’s ridiculous to be curling such a light weight, but once you get to rep 9-12, you’ll change your mind. Keep it up and you’ll start noticing all the new stretch marks from the muscle growth.

I hope this post was informative and I’ll be taking a video of my Glory Day routine soon so keep an eye out!

#HTH

2 year #SHF athlete I love to train hard and help others when they want it.
Scott_Herman
Scott_Herman a Scott Herman
7.1K Post(s)
7.1K Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: August 8, 2008
Posted
Posted By: Joey_Lopez

    The most important thing that I can’t stress enough about making muscle gains, is that it’s all about the negatives! I currently have 16inch biceps and it took me a long time before I really started incorporating negatives and true proper form.

 

    A lot of my friends that I’ve trained the past couple years all want to know how I’ve gotten my arms so big and I tell them all the same thing. When I go into the gym on Glory Day (Bi’s and Tri’s) I drop the ego and focus on completing all 8 exercises (4 sets/12 reps each). Now I can easily do Dumbbell Hammer Curls with 45-50lbs dumbbells, but instead I opt for 15-20lbs! I love seeing the look on my friends face when they watch me pick them up hahaha. They totally think I’m just joking around but I tell them I’m dead serious.

 

    I use a really slow tempo when I go up and down, probably a 2-2-2 tempo and it’s just killer! Before I know it my veins are bulging out and it feels like I’m on fire. I stand up straight (I feel you should always have excellent posture when lifting) with my shoulders rolled back, and I just completely focus on keeping the slow tempo.

 

    20lbs doesn’t look like much (or whatever your "light weight" may be) and you probably think it’s ridiculous to be curling such a light weight, but once you get to rep 9-12, you’ll change your mind. Keep it up and you’ll start noticing all the new stretch marks from the muscle growth.

I hope this post was informative and I’ll be taking a video of my Glory Day routine soon so keep an eye out!

#HTH

Nice post man.  A slow TEMPO is so misleading!  It's always the last 3 - 4 reps that kill you.

 

I literally will be lifting with a 2-2-4 and be like, man I should have put on more weight.... then BOOM, you hit 8 reps and say to yourself, F"OUR MORE???? I should have gone lighter!!!" haha #HTH

Need 1 on 1 coaching? Send me a direct message to learn more!
William_Steinset
William_Steinset p William Steinset
1K Post(s)
1K Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: December 12, 1969
Posted

At the end of my biceps workouts i LOOOVE to add 2 burn sets if 20 reps to get that one last amazing pump ! So something like a machine bicep curl at the end gives me an amazing blast where i can't feel my arms anymore. Leading with some pyramids and drop sets at the start, you are sure to kill em'. good example would be:

Exercise           Reps pr set            Set type

Hammer curls   8-12-15                 Drop
Preacher curls  8-8-8                     Pyramid
Bicep curls       8-8-8                     Normal
Machine curls   20-20                     Burn

MS Athelete / Super Hermanite / SHF
nate_dawg
nate_dawg g Nathan Bishop
453 Post(s)
453 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: December 12, 1969
Posted
Posted By: Joey_Lopez

    The most important thing that I can’t stress enough about making muscle gains, is that it’s all about the negatives! I currently have 16inch biceps and it took me a long time before I really started incorporating negatives and true proper form.

 

    A lot of my friends that I’ve trained the past couple years all want to know how I’ve gotten my arms so big and I tell them all the same thing. When I go into the gym on Glory Day (Bi’s and Tri’s) I drop the ego and focus on completing all 8 exercises (4 sets/12 reps each). Now I can easily do Dumbbell Hammer Curls with 45-50lbs dumbbells, but instead I opt for 15-20lbs! I love seeing the look on my friends face when they watch me pick them up hahaha. They totally think I’m just joking around but I tell them I’m dead serious.

 

    I use a really slow tempo when I go up and down, probably a 2-2-2 tempo and it’s just killer! Before I know it my veins are bulging out and it feels like I’m on fire. I stand up straight (I feel you should always have excellent posture when lifting) with my shoulders rolled back, and I just completely focus on keeping the slow tempo.

 

    20lbs doesn’t look like much (or whatever your "light weight" may be) and you probably think it’s ridiculous to be curling such a light weight, but once you get to rep 9-12, you’ll change your mind. Keep it up and you’ll start noticing all the new stretch marks from the muscle growth.

I hope this post was informative and I’ll be taking a video of my Glory Day routine soon so keep an eye out!

#HTH

I definitely agree with your bro! I hardly ever go over the 35 lb dumbells for hammer curls. I do like to up the poundage on alternating dumbbell curls to about 50 lb dumbbells and I like to stay within 75-115 lbs for barbell curls. The negatives just demolish the biceps! Love it! I love doing drop sets for biceps! On the hammer curl I'll grab the 35's and bang out 8-10 reps, then I'll drop it to 30's for 10, drop it to 25's for 12, and then drop it to the 15's for 15! The pump is insane afterwards and you cant even touch your shoulders with your hands lol!

Joey_Lopez
Joey_Lopez g Jose Lopez
226 Post(s)
226 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Train for a sport Date Joined: October 10, 2013
Posted
Posted By: nate_dawg

I definitely agree with your bro! I hardly ever go over the 35 lb dumbells for hammer curls. I do like to up the poundage on alternating dumbbell curls to about 50 lb dumbbells and I like to stay within 75-115 lbs for barbell curls. The negatives just demolish the biceps! Love it! I love doing drop sets for biceps! On the hammer curl I'll grab the 35's and bang out 8-10 reps, then I'll drop it to 30's for 10, drop it to 25's for 12, and then drop it to the 15's for 15! The pump is insane afterwards and you cant even touch your shoulders with your hands lol!

hahaha! oh man that feeling is insane when you cant touch your shoulders! It's so funny cuz somone will always call me right after biceps and i cant even get the phone to my ear! I feel like a total douche trying to talk on the phone and the stupid thing is like a foot away from my ear haha!

Yeah I'm really gonna start trying out the drop sets because my recruiters say i have to stay healthy and CAN'T injure myself. If they find out I'm injured during my physical, they wont allow me to go into the academy. So that just means I cant go heavy anymore :(. So yeah, i think drop sets would be the best alternative to staying completely safe and not risking it. ya know?

2 year #SHF athlete I love to train hard and help others when they want it.
Kevit07
Kevit07 g Kevin Child
99 Post(s)
99 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: May 5, 2013
Posted
Posted By: Joey_Lopez

    The most important thing that I can’t stress enough about making muscle gains, is that it’s all about the negatives! I currently have 16inch biceps and it took me a long time before I really started incorporating negatives and true proper form.

 

    A lot of my friends that I’ve trained the past couple years all want to know how I’ve gotten my arms so big and I tell them all the same thing. When I go into the gym on Glory Day (Bi’s and Tri’s) I drop the ego and focus on completing all 8 exercises (4 sets/12 reps each). Now I can easily do Dumbbell Hammer Curls with 45-50lbs dumbbells, but instead I opt for 15-20lbs! I love seeing the look on my friends face when they watch me pick them up hahaha. They totally think I’m just joking around but I tell them I’m dead serious.

 

    I use a really slow tempo when I go up and down, probably a 2-2-2 tempo and it’s just killer! Before I know it my veins are bulging out and it feels like I’m on fire. I stand up straight (I feel you should always have excellent posture when lifting) with my shoulders rolled back, and I just completely focus on keeping the slow tempo.

 

    20lbs doesn’t look like much (or whatever your "light weight" may be) and you probably think it’s ridiculous to be curling such a light weight, but once you get to rep 9-12, you’ll change your mind. Keep it up and you’ll start noticing all the new stretch marks from the muscle growth.

I hope this post was informative and I’ll be taking a video of my Glory Day routine soon so keep an eye out!

#HTH

I agree that weight is misleading. I been incorporating overtraining which is training until your muscles don't want to, then you lift some more (as long as you know your limits and don't injure yourself!), and the ONE thing it taught me was to leave the ego at the door. There are workouts where you work up to your 1RM and pyramid down, but there's also what's called the Iron Marathon where you use MAYBE (possibly less) than 50% your 1RM, and basically you do 210 reps with very little rest. This sounds easy, but a normal workout is maybe...what, 3 exercises with 4 sets of 10 about...so 120 reps. I do more than the 210 until I can't do anymore, and it turns out to be about 400+ reps total (Finishing with curling 30 pounds with hammer curls of 20's on each side). Point is, if your arms say you can do more, than do more until you can't do any more!

jmboiardi
jmboiardi p John M Boiardi
2.6K Post(s)
2.6K Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: October 10, 2013
Posted

Joey is spot on. Negatives are killer.  People forget that muscles operate in 2 directions - concentric and eccentric - and training both maximizes growth.  I try to use them with all exercises.  The most effective for me are:  Straight bar curls, dumbell flat and incline chest presses, dips, T-bar rows, pull ups, calf raises, and reverse curls.  The burn is intense!

34 years of lifting and nutritional experience and resident "old man" :-) MS Athlete and past Super Hermanite since 2013.
Kevit07
Kevit07 g Kevin Child
99 Post(s)
99 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: May 5, 2013
Posted
Posted By: jmboiardi

Joey is spot on. Negatives are killer.  People forget that muscles operate in 2 directions - concentric and eccentric - and training both maximizes growth.  I try to use them with all exercises.  The most effective for me are:  Straight bar curls, dumbell flat and incline chest presses, dips, T-bar rows, pull ups, calf raises, and reverse curls.  The burn is intense!

I like to do this about every other workout...it's a finisher set called the 5-5-5 set. You take whatever weight you can still manage to lift 15 reps, and do 5 lower-range reps, then 5 upper-range reps, then finish with 5 full-range reps. The surprising thing about it is the burn you get is MUCH more intense than if you did just 15 normal reps. It's due to stopping at the "sticking point" in the lift, or the part where one muscle starts to push the weight on the other part of the muscle, creating the most tension. I've NEVER left a workout unsatisfied when I do the 5-5-5, and it encourages using the concentric and eccentric muscles better I think!

Scott_Herman
Scott_Herman a Scott Herman
7.1K Post(s)
7.1K Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: August 8, 2008
Posted
Posted By: Kevit07

I like to do this about every other workout...it's a finisher set called the 5-5-5 set. You take whatever weight you can still manage to lift 15 reps, and do 5 lower-range reps, then 5 upper-range reps, then finish with 5 full-range reps. The surprising thing about it is the burn you get is MUCH more intense than if you did just 15 normal reps. It's due to stopping at the "sticking point" in the lift, or the part where one muscle starts to push the weight on the other part of the muscle, creating the most tension. I've NEVER left a workout unsatisfied when I do the 5-5-5, and it encourages using the concentric and eccentric muscles better I think!

Nice man!  I used to do an exercise called 21s that is very similar.  You just do 7 reps for each range and yeah they are a KILLER!!!!!!!!!

Need 1 on 1 coaching? Send me a direct message to learn more!
Xavier10
Xavier10 g Xavier Orti
24 Post(s)
24 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: October 10, 2013
Posted

what are good arm workouts, i want to get bigger biceps/ triceps 

Braser
Braser g Conner Woods
54 Post(s)
54 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: November 11, 2013
Posted

 Scott has lots of stuff on amazing workouts for every part of your body, all you have to do is look :) Scott's Youtube Channel

Here are two great ones though :)

 

 

 

Personal experience.
Joey_Lopez
Joey_Lopez g Jose Lopez
226 Post(s)
226 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Train for a sport Date Joined: October 10, 2013
Posted
Posted By: Xavier10

what are good arm workouts, i want to get bigger biceps/ triceps 

My favorites for biceps are double cable bicep curls, very strict form. My second would be alternating dumbbell Hammer curls.

 

For triceps you gotta do DIPS! a WHOLE LOTTA DIPS! :)

2 year #SHF athlete I love to train hard and help others when they want it.
Xavier10
Xavier10 g Xavier Orti
24 Post(s)
24 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: October 10, 2013
Posted
Posted By: Joey_Lopez

My favorites for biceps are double cable bicep curls, very strict form. My second would be alternating dumbbell Hammer curls.

 

For triceps you gotta do DIPS! a WHOLE LOTTA DIPS! :)

alright thx bro and wats your rep range ? and do you use light weight or heavy weight ?

Joey_Lopez
Joey_Lopez g Jose Lopez
226 Post(s)
226 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Train for a sport Date Joined: October 10, 2013
Posted
Posted By: Xavier10

alright thx bro and wats your rep range ? and do you use light weight or heavy weight ?

I focus on always going for 12 reps on every set. My weight sometimes varies but I'll start out heavy then go lighter but focus really hard on my slow tempo negatives. Trust me, the pump after this routine is insane! You will feel GLORIOUS after completeing it. That's why it's Glory Day ;).

 

Here's my ENTIRE Glory Day routine, weight and all, Takes me about an hour tops to complete:

 

First I do Triceps:

Dips (4X12)- 185lbs

Cable Overhead Tricep extensions (4X12)- 155lbs

Cable Tricep Kickbacks (4X12)- 30lbs each arm

Cable Rope Pulldowns (4X12)- 70lbs (slow strict form, Twist your wrist and flex that tricep hard on each rep!!!)

 

You're triceps will pretty much be numb from the pump but then you realize "Hey, my biceps feel fresh, lets work that out now!

 

Then its time to move on to BICEPS!:

Double Cable Curls (4X12)- 40lbs each arm

Alternating Dumbbell Hammer Curls (4X12)- 20lbs (Light weight but focus on slow negatives and strict form!)

Bicep Curls EZ Curls Bar (4X12) 50-60lbs 

Dumbbell curls (4X12) 15lbs (Scott has a great video on how to do these, main focus is to drop the weight to the side of your hips, not in front of you! Once again, very slow negatives)

 

Then I do an exercise that this dude built for forearms, He brought in a solid stick of wood and drilled a piece of rope through it and tied it to a weight. The challenge is to hold your arms out and twist the stick to bring the weight up, it's killer!

 

Then I'm done! The pump is insane and your arms feel like they're gonna tear out of the skin. It's amazing! Let me know what you think :)

 

#HTH

2 year #SHF athlete I love to train hard and help others when they want it.
Xavier10
Xavier10 g Xavier Orti
24 Post(s)
24 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: October 10, 2013
Posted
Posted By: Joey_Lopez

I focus on always going for 12 reps on every set. My weight sometimes varies but I'll start out heavy then go lighter but focus really hard on my slow tempo negatives. Trust me, the pump after this routine is insane! You will feel GLORIOUS after completeing it. That's why it's Glory Day ;).

 

Here's my ENTIRE Glory Day routine, weight and all, Takes me about an hour tops to complete:

 

First I do Triceps:

Dips (4X12)- 185lbs

Cable Overhead Tricep extensions (4X12)- 155lbs

Cable Tricep Kickbacks (4X12)- 30lbs each arm

Cable Rope Pulldowns (4X12)- 70lbs (slow strict form, Twist your wrist and flex that tricep hard on each rep!!!)

 

You're triceps will pretty much be numb from the pump but then you realize "Hey, my biceps feel fresh, lets work that out now!

 

Then its time to move on to BICEPS!:

Double Cable Curls (4X12)- 40lbs each arm

Alternating Dumbbell Hammer Curls (4X12)- 20lbs (Light weight but focus on slow negatives and strict form!)

Bicep Curls EZ Curls Bar (4X12) 50-60lbs 

Dumbbell curls (4X12) 15lbs (Scott has a great video on how to do these, main focus is to drop the weight to the side of your hips, not in front of you! Once again, very slow negatives)

 

Then I do an exercise that this dude built for forearms, He brought in a solid stick of wood and drilled a piece of rope through it and tied it to a weight. The challenge is to hold your arms out and twist the stick to bring the weight up, it's killer!

 

Then I'm done! The pump is insane and your arms feel like they're gonna tear out of the skin. It's amazing! Let me know what you think :)

 

#HTH

thx bro i will do that for my next arm workout 

Joey_Lopez
Joey_Lopez g Jose Lopez
226 Post(s)
226 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Train for a sport Date Joined: October 10, 2013
Posted
Posted By: Xavier10

thx bro i will do that for my next arm workout 

What's up Xavier10? I just wanted to check back and see if you tried my routine out yet?

2 year #SHF athlete I love to train hard and help others when they want it.
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