Need tips on growing biceps

[skinnydude12334]

Hi guys, I'm new to the gym and training and I need an advice on how to grow my biceps. Is it better that I do low reps and high weights or moderate weights and do high reps and sets.
For example, I'm really weak and I can only curl 13kg around 2-3 times for 4 sets before going to failure. I then lift the highest dumbbells I can lift after failure such as 8kg and try to do 7 reps of 5 sets of hammer curls and then I do concentration curls. Is that good for growth or should I lift like 10kg and do 12 reps and 3 sets and then keep the same weight and do the same exercises with 10kg and also have more energy to do more exercises so more volume.

thanks, please let me know if I sound confusing I will rephrase that I wrote.

 

[searay]

Bi's are small muscles that can be over trained very easily. They will get all the heavy work they need from rows, pull-ups, etc. etc. Seated db curls are best for bi growth, as far as I'm concerned. Start with arms hanging, palms facing in, as you lift the db turn your hands so your palms face up at the top of the lift and flex. Slowly return to starting pt and repeat 8-12 reps. Variations in angle of the back of the bench and you can also do hammer version on finishing sets. I will add in preacher curls now and then but spend most of my energy on the seated db and my bi's have responded better than ever.

 

[dk8594]

This is one I wouldn’t over complicate. Their basic function is elbow flexion. Any exercise that incorporates that is going to hit your biceps.

Three things to keep in mind.

1) Like [mention]searay [/mention] said, they get worked in a lot of other movements including back exercises and any presses using dumbbells so are extremely easy to over train.

2) Full range of motion.

3)Emphasis on contracting the biceps over loading up the lbs. Keep your elbows to tucked to keep your front delts out of it and don’t hinge at the waist in an attempt to swing it up.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Bigtex]

First let's take a look at the biceps. As you see there are two muscles in the biceps, the long head on the outside of the arm and the short head on the inside of the arm. Both have slightly different functions in flexing the elbow.

The short head the short head is mainly involved in the top part of the movement (90 degrees to full flexion) of a curl. It also is active when the arm is place in front of the torso. It is also more active with a wider the grip. So the following exercises are good for the short head.

1. preacher curls
2. concentration curls
3. cross cable curls
4. wide grip curls

The long head works more to instigate movement in the curl (0 degrees to 90 degrees),so it activates 1st and starts deactivating as the weight reaches 90 degrees where the short head activates to finish the movement. It also activates with a more narrow grip or when the arms are placed behind the torso.

1. seated incline curls
2. drag curls
3. supinated curls
4. hammer curls
5. narrow grip curls

The standing/seated DB curl has been shown to be the best to cause both the long and short head to activate maximally. Another good one as a finishing exercise would be 21's where you do 7 reps from start to mid way (0-90 degrees),7 reps from midway to top (90 degrees to full flexion),and then 7 reps full range of motion.

Do as much as you can to hit both muscles but at some point in time you need to decide which head needs the most attention. As far as reps, as pointed out back day also hits the biceps so don't over do it. You should probably do anywhere from 5-20 sets on arm day using reps from 6-15. I believe strongly that the move you can change your work outs the more you disrupt homeostasis and force the muscle to adapt to the new stress. This means, reps, weight, angles, speed and modalities.

 

[skinnydude12334]

Thank you so much guys

 

[Lizard King]

I always liked 21's for Bicep strength, was never really concerned with growth as I go heavy with back which brings in that nice thick bi.

 

[tommyguns2]

I always liked 21's for Bicep strength, was never really concerned with growth as I go heavy with back which brings in that nice thick bi.

I agree. 21a (7 low, 7 high, 7 full) have always been a great way to blast the biceps. My long head seemed to develop first, giving me some peak and "height", and then over many years and short head seemed to develop, which seemed to widen my bicep.

Also, some people say they want bigger biceps, but what they really mean is that they want bigger arms. The upper arm is more tricep than bicep, so if you're looking for big guns, hitting those tris will get you there faster! Dips have been the best for me to gain tricep size, while isolations work has given it more shape and detail.

 

[Bigtex]

I agree. 21a (7 low, 7 high, 7 full) have always been a great way to blast the biceps. My long head seemed to develop first, giving me some peak and "height", and then over many years and short head seemed to develop, which seemed to widen my bicep.

Also, some people say they want bigger biceps, but what they really mean is that they want bigger arms. The upper arm is more tricep than bicep, so if you're looking for big guns, hitting those tris will get you there faster! Dips have been the best for me to gain tricep size, while isolations work has given it more shape and detail.

100% agree! Triceps are the biggest key to huge arms. Dips are great......love doing the JM press too.

 

[NavyChief]

Ask biggun., he obviously has the secret hidden away somewhere in his repatour.

 

[The other Snake]

100% agree! Triceps are the biggest key to huge arms. Dips are great......love doing the JM press too.

It kills me seeing any instructor using or letting someone use a suicide grip. Wonder how it got it's name?

 

[skinnydude12334]

How many sets of 21s do y'all do? just the 21 reps?

 

[searay]

How many sets of 21s do y'all do? just the 21 reps?

Remember to stimulate and do not annihilate! If you have done heavy rows, pull ups, shrugs, etc. with a total of 9-12 sets of heavy work then you'll only need 6-9 sets of 10-12 reps of bi work max. If your just starting out 1-2 yrs. and you have an ecto build then less is better, if your more on the endo end of builds and recover quick then more 'may' be better. Overtraining will cause injuries, lack of enough recovery to justify returning to the gym, with no growth. It is a fine line that you have to figure out for your self so tracking growth is important especially early on so you can figure out what works best for you. Inj. that keep you from training full bore is a sure sign your overtraining. Eat Eat Eat Sleep Sleep Sleep so you can grow grow grow.