Best for biceps?
Discussion
I suspect it depends very much on the intensity you put into an exercise, but chins are a great biceps exercise and they'll certainly improve your biceps strength and grip strength too.
If your primary interest is sarcoplasmic hypertrophy (increased size) then you could look at a biceps routine of say chinups, dumbbell curls (standing or seated) and hammer curls. Try 3 sets of each for 8-12 reps per set. If you're getting sore wrists or elbows during your first exercise try putting the dumbbell curls first to ensure that your wrist and elbow joints are fully loose and warmed up.
HTH,
Animal
If your primary interest is sarcoplasmic hypertrophy (increased size) then you could look at a biceps routine of say chinups, dumbbell curls (standing or seated) and hammer curls. Try 3 sets of each for 8-12 reps per set. If you're getting sore wrists or elbows during your first exercise try putting the dumbbell curls first to ensure that your wrist and elbow joints are fully loose and warmed up.
HTH,
Animal
Animal said:
I suspect it depends very much on the intensity you put into an exercise, but chins are a great biceps exercise and they'll certainly improve your biceps strength and grip strength too.
If your primary interest is sarcoplasmic hypertrophy (increased size) then you could look at a biceps routine of say chinups, dumbbell curls (standing or seated) and hammer curls. Try 3 sets of each for 8-12 reps per set. If you're getting sore wrists or elbows during your first exercise try putting the dumbbell curls first to ensure that your wrist and elbow joints are fully loose and warmed up.
HTH,
Animal
Primary interest is strength and balance. I don't like doing isolations exercises, but I recognise that working secondary movers like biceps and triceps is necessary. I've been in and out of the gym for about 25 years (I'm a real has-been!) and was into the all-round thing. Used to run, lift weights, do karate... Now getting back into the running and want to beef up the upper body strength too - the balance bit. Yeah, size does come into it but if I build the strength size will come, at least to the point that I want it.If your primary interest is sarcoplasmic hypertrophy (increased size) then you could look at a biceps routine of say chinups, dumbbell curls (standing or seated) and hammer curls. Try 3 sets of each for 8-12 reps per set. If you're getting sore wrists or elbows during your first exercise try putting the dumbbell curls first to ensure that your wrist and elbow joints are fully loose and warmed up.
HTH,
Animal
However, I will give the routine a try. Time is an issue with me now though, so I will have to build it into an existing back workout.
As for any workout that means my biceps are swollen; well yeah, but I want the most effective way of working.
Animal said:
You're better off sticking with chins/pullups if you're interested in functional strength/balance.
Yeah, makes sense. That will be my priority, and supplement with curls as time allows.Animal said:
If you want a challenge, try doing 100 pullups in as little time as possible - that'll make you sore!
I'll be there for days 
I'm working at getting back to doing a perfect pull up at the moment - bringing the chest up to the bar rather than hoicking the chin over it. Has-been moment.....hard to believe I could rep about 30 strick pull ups behind neck. ABout 25 years ago though....when I were a lad....Before a crap health issue I was curling over 100kg and I weighed about 80kg (plus chip-ups with over 100kg on a belt).
I found reverse grip chip-ups for stability, normal for out right curling strength and a regular "eazy" bar curls. Once a week, what I called 21's. Do 7 1/3 hight curls, 7 1/3-2/3 hight curls, 7 2/3-3/3 curls, then 7 full normal curls without stopping. Be warned, your arms will not work the next day if you haven't done this before... Lat pull downs add lateral support and definition to your arms. Finally make sure you are eating enough of the right foods otherwise you'll be wasting your time.
I found putting up a chin-up bar in the house and doing 15 reverse grip chip-ups every time I walked under it built up strength very quickly . Put it on the entrance of your lounge rather than the toilet you never use...
I found reverse grip chip-ups for stability, normal for out right curling strength and a regular "eazy" bar curls. Once a week, what I called 21's. Do 7 1/3 hight curls, 7 1/3-2/3 hight curls, 7 2/3-3/3 curls, then 7 full normal curls without stopping. Be warned, your arms will not work the next day if you haven't done this before... Lat pull downs add lateral support and definition to your arms. Finally make sure you are eating enough of the right foods otherwise you'll be wasting your time.
I found putting up a chin-up bar in the house and doing 15 reverse grip chip-ups every time I walked under it built up strength very quickly . Put it on the entrance of your lounge rather than the toilet you never use...
You won't really increase size with heaves unless you pop some weight on a belt when your doing them, just remember to get full range on your elbow as some lads I see in the gym bang out half heaves (aka Will Smith in I Am Legend), I make sure my elbows have full extenstion and try and hit my chest on the bar with my chin over the top of the bar.
I see someone put about 21's and another about timing 100 another one is 10 down to 1 and then back up 1 to 10, as for increasing bicep size heaves don't work for me on this.
I see someone put about 21's and another about timing 100 another one is 10 down to 1 and then back up 1 to 10, as for increasing bicep size heaves don't work for me on this.
At my size, chins and pull ups must develop size. But I am equally aware that to continue to develop I would need to add a weight belt. However, as said I am not in for out and out body building or powerlifting. I know that I could oh so easily get addicted once again, but don't have the time.
I just need to get back to a reasonable level of strength and size to compliment the increased running. It's the balance thing. So chins and pull ups will feature heavily, but where possible I will supplement with the various curls. Interesting that no-one has mentioned preacher curls which were all the thing a few years ago - although I guess more for definition?
Any magic tricep exercises suggested? I'm familiar with extensions, tricep dips, kick-backs etc but any real recommendations?
Oh - the eat right thing. Yep, there with that one but always been confused with the logic of eating quite so much protein. I know I've never been a serious body builder and I am also aware that at that level of muscle development a lot of protein is needed, but my logic is that you need much more good carb......
If you plan to increase muscle by say 1kg over a two week period, that means that you need to consume an extra 1kg over the same period. Even if you double that to 2kg surely that means only an extra 3 - 4 oz of protein food per day such as lean meat or fish.....
If you then consider that muscle is 90% water, that means it would equate to less than 1/2 oz of protein supplement/amino acids...
Maybe I'm missing something?
I just need to get back to a reasonable level of strength and size to compliment the increased running. It's the balance thing. So chins and pull ups will feature heavily, but where possible I will supplement with the various curls. Interesting that no-one has mentioned preacher curls which were all the thing a few years ago - although I guess more for definition?
Any magic tricep exercises suggested? I'm familiar with extensions, tricep dips, kick-backs etc but any real recommendations?
Oh - the eat right thing. Yep, there with that one but always been confused with the logic of eating quite so much protein. I know I've never been a serious body builder and I am also aware that at that level of muscle development a lot of protein is needed, but my logic is that you need much more good carb......
If you plan to increase muscle by say 1kg over a two week period, that means that you need to consume an extra 1kg over the same period. Even if you double that to 2kg surely that means only an extra 3 - 4 oz of protein food per day such as lean meat or fish.....
If you then consider that muscle is 90% water, that means it would equate to less than 1/2 oz of protein supplement/amino acids...
Maybe I'm missing something?
Edited by T40ORA on Monday 17th August 10:37
Animal said:
Chins/pullups will add biceps size, especially if you can squeeze at the top of each rep, but they are a great strength builder!
Great strength builder yep agree add size disagree for myself, can't afford to do exercises which slow me down for competitions so most of my training is strength endurance and overgrasp and undergrasp heaves are part of that never added size for me.Edited by 996 sps on Monday 17th August 16:42
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