The Student Room Group

How much bis and tris?

I'm interested to see how hard you fellas hit your arms?

I train biceps for 4 sets to failure at the end of my back workout, by then my arms are so pumped I can barely grip the dumbbells.

I train tris for 4 sets to failure at the end of my chest workout.

It hasn't given me huge arms but I don't think that would suit me at my shorter height.

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I train my arms the same way I train any other muscle. Tacking arms onto the end of a workout and going for the pump, as a lot of people tend to do, isn't the way to get them bigger. You wouldn't do this for any other muscle wouldn't work, so why do this for arms if you want to grow them? You need progressive overload. The old 'your arms are involved in compound movements, so will get bigger if you overload on those' doesn't hold very much weight (some sort of pun there I reckon) - even all the top powerlifters train arms separately and train them hard, because this is how they become bigger and a bigger muscle has more potential for strength.

If you get stronger on basic arm exercises like barbell curls, CGBP and skullcrushers, your arms will grow. I started out curling and skullcrushing (if that's a word) 30kg, I now use over 60kg on both and I've added 6 inches to my arms over the past 3-4 years I've trained.

Also, that last sentence - arms can never be too big :wink:
Focus on tempo when doing pushdowns and bench press,dips for triceps.

Biceps focus on range of motion basically form.
Original post by WoodyMKC
I train my arms the same way I train any other muscle. Tacking arms onto the end of a workout and going for the pump, as a lot of people tend to do, isn't the way to get them bigger. You wouldn't do this for any other muscle wouldn't work, so why do this for arms if you want to grow them? You need progressive overload. The old 'your arms are involved in compound movements, so will get bigger if you overload on those' doesn't hold very much weight (some sort of pun there I reckon) - even all the top powerlifters train arms separately and train them hard, because this is how they become bigger and a bigger muscle has more potential for strength.

If you get stronger on basic arm exercises like barbell curls, CGBP and skullcrushers, your arms will grow. I started out curling and skullcrushing (if that's a word) 30kg, I now use over 60kg on both and I've added 6 inches to my arms over the past 3-4 years I've trained.

Also, that last sentence - arms can never be too big :wink:


Some quality info there lad cheers! I suppose since I do martial arts too I don't want too much bulk on the old arms, but I see your point, there's a reason popeye was a legend haha
Original post by WoodyMKC
I train my arms the same way I train any other muscle. Tacking arms onto the end of a workout and going for the pump, as a lot of people tend to do, isn't the way to get them bigger. You wouldn't do this for any other muscle wouldn't work, so why do this for arms if you want to grow them? You need progressive overload. The old 'your arms are involved in compound movements, so will get bigger if you overload on those' doesn't hold very much weight (some sort of pun there I reckon) - even all the top powerlifters train arms separately and train them hard, because this is how they become bigger and a bigger muscle has more potential for strength.

If you get stronger on basic arm exercises like barbell curls, CGBP and skullcrushers, your arms will grow. I started out curling and skullcrushing (if that's a word) 30kg, I now use over 60kg on both and I've added 6 inches to my arms over the past 3-4 years I've trained.

Also, that last sentence - arms can never be too big :wink:


I've actually found the opposite lol. I train them after the compound exercises and I've never had any problems growing arms. that said I do aim for progressively overloading them and getting stronger. They are also involved in every exercises bar pretty much none, so they always get worked to some degree
Original post by Angry cucumber
I've actually found the opposite lol. I train them after the compound exercises and I've never had any problems growing arms. that said I do aim for progressively overloading them and getting stronger. They are also involved in every exercises bar pretty much none, so they always get worked to some degree


That's pretty much what I was getting at. A lot of people literally tack them on the end, pick up a couple 15kg dumbells, pump the crap out of them and they're done - a while down the line, same weight being used and they wonder why their arms aren't growing. Seen it so many times. I'd never prioritise them over other muscle groups, cause sod training chest, back or shoulders with an arm pump for starters :lol: but I train arms with the same approach I train everything else with, that's the point I was making :smile:
Original post by WoodyMKC
That's pretty much what I was getting at. A lot of people literally tack them on the end, pick up a couple 15kg dumbells, pump the crap out of them and they're done - a while down the line, same weight being used and they wonder why their arms aren't growing. Seen it so many times. I'd never prioritise them over other muscle groups, cause sod training chest, back or shoulders with an arm pump for starters :lol: but I train arms with the same approach I train everything else with, that's the point I was making :smile:


I get you now :smile:

And yes you make the mistake of curling before benching or pressing once and only once :lol:
Reply 7
I've spent years not targeting arms, just assuming the get hit in compounds. It seems to be fine for my tris but then I do like to press, never done much close grip though. But my biceps are a bit lacking, not like hugely disproportionate but obvious weakness if I were to be judged on physique. I've started doing some isolation but don't really programme them, just 3-5 sets of 8-12 reps but they have to feel heavy. I don't really worry about weight because what I've done before tends to have a significant impact on how much I can curl
I just progressively overload them, does the trick. But I only find time to train them once every other week which doesn't help.

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Reply 9
Does anybody else's elbows hurt when doing tri's
Reply 10
Original post by WoodyMKC
I train my arms the same way I train any other muscle. Tacking arms onto the end of a workout and going for the pump, as a lot of people tend to do, isn't the way to get them bigger. You wouldn't do this for any other muscle wouldn't work, so why do this for arms if you want to grow them? You need progressive overload. The old 'your arms are involved in compound movements, so will get bigger if you overload on those' doesn't hold very much weight (some sort of pun there I reckon) - even all the top powerlifters train arms separately and train them hard, because this is how they become bigger and a bigger muscle has more potential for strength.

If you get stronger on basic arm exercises like barbell curls, CGBP and skullcrushers, your arms will grow. I started out curling and skullcrushing (if that's a word) 30kg, I now use over 60kg on both and I've added 6 inches to my arms over the past 3-4 years I've trained.

Also, that last sentence - arms can never be too big :wink:


Did you just say you curl 30kg? lol
Original post by Truth'
Did you just say you curl 30kg? lol


No. I said I STARTED curling 30kg. I now curl over 60kg. Try actually reading next time :wink:
So for a lean muscle workout,

In a week how many times arms etc?

Am I supposed to do arms AND something one day or...?
Original post by .......Jeff458
So for a lean muscle workout,

In a week how many times arms etc?

Am I supposed to do arms AND something one day or...?


You want to hit each muscle at least 2x per week
Reply 14
Original post by WoodyMKC
No. I said I STARTED curling 30kg. I now curl over 60kg. Try actually reading next time :wink:


Complete and utter ********, bro
Original post by Truth'
Complete and utter ********, bro


Why is that so difficult to believe? I've been training for 3-4 years mate and my arms have increased by 6", you think they'd have grown if my weights had stayed the same???

You'd expect your lifts to double after a few years of training. If you started out benching 50kg and after a few years were benching 100kg, that's not amazing progress. If you squatted 80kg to start with and were on 160kg after a few years, again nothing extraordinary. If you were curling 30kg and after a few years you were curling 60kg - "no no no no, BS bro" - why? What makes it so different because it's an arm exercise? Some people might answer 'arm training isn't the same' - look at their arms, I bet they're crap. I train arms the same way I train any other muscle group, always have done. Hit it heavy, hit it hard, increase the weight over time. If I'd only have increased the weight by 25% after a few years of putting so much effort in, I'd be extremely ****ing disappointed :lol:
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 16
Original post by WoodyMKC
Why is that so difficult to believe? I've been training for 3-4 years mate and my arms have increased by 6", you think they'd have grown if my weights had stayed the same???

You'd expect your lifts to double after a few years of training. If you started out benching 50kg and after a few years were benching 100kg, that's not amazing progress. If you squatted 80kg to start with and were on 160kg after a few years, again nothing extraordinary. If you were curling 30kg and after a few years you were curling 60kg - "no no no no, BS bro" - why? What makes it so different because it's an arm exercise? Some people might answer 'arm training isn't the same' - look at their arms, I bet they're crap. I train arms the same way I train any other muscle group, always have done. Hit it heavy, hit it hard, increase the weight over time. If I'd only have increased the weight by 25% after a few years of putting so much effort in, I'd be extremely ****ing disappointed :lol:


No. Thats *******s. There is no need to lie. The people who are repping you know nothing. How that **** can you curl 60 kg or even 30kg. Wtf is this
Lmao ^^
What even

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Original post by WoodyMKC
Why is that so difficult to believe? I've been training for 3-4 years mate and my arms have increased by 6", you think they'd have grown if my weights had stayed the same???

You'd expect your lifts to double after a few years of training. If you started out benching 50kg and after a few years were benching 100kg, that's not amazing progress. If you squatted 80kg to start with and were on 160kg after a few years, again nothing extraordinary. If you were curling 30kg and after a few years you were curling 60kg - "no no no no, BS bro" - why? What makes it so different because it's an arm exercise? Some people might answer 'arm training isn't the same' - look at their arms, I bet they're crap. I train arms the same way I train any other muscle group, always have done. Hit it heavy, hit it hard, increase the weight over time. If I'd only have increased the weight by 25% after a few years of putting so much effort in, I'd be extremely ****ing disappointed :lol:


He prolly thinks you're talking about dumbell curls , rather than barbell.
[QUOTE=Truth';67636622]No. Thats *******s. There is no need to lie. The people who are repping you know nothing. How that **** can you curl 60 kg or even 30kg. Wtf is this

A 6'2, 210-220lb guy can most certainly rep 60kg after a few years of excellent training.

I could rep 45kg at only 155-160lb (ish, i forget) at just short of 5'10.

You do realise he is talking about a barbell... Right?

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