Good old fashioned bicep curls
-
[quote name='taniwharugby' timestamp='1335673483' post='283348']<br />
what is the difference between a little cheating and having someone spotting you?<br />
[/quote]<br />
<br />
For me, "cheating" permits me to push myself and yet still have control, whereas when somebody is spotting for me, it's generally for safety reasons, because you are trying to squeeze every last ounce of energy into the lift, and that sometimes means going beyond "fail-safe." It's really for safety reasons when you are no longer in control of the weight. With "cheating," you are probably working the one arm, and using the other as your "spotter" to control that weight, which can get really dangerous when it's not properly controlled. -
[quote name='red terror' timestamp='1335774404' post='283609']<br />
[b]All I know from anecdotal experience is that for long term, you need to regularly exercise[/b]. You can go hard for three months and get big, and then easily lose most of your gains by going soft for a month, and be kicking yourself afterward for failure to maintain all the hard work. Right now I am happy with the way I look, so am mostly exercising to maintain it, which balances cardio with mid-number sets. In the past, when I wanted to get buff n' bigger, I could accomplish it fairly quickly with single super-sets of lower reps (6-8) and maximum weights (i.e. the heaviest weight I can lift six times), and keep curling until I can lift no more. If I had pushed beyond 8 reps, then it was time to increase the weight for the next session. But as I say, I'm not trying to get bigger these days (plus, I don't want to give myself a hernia or stroke with too much stress at my advanced age!!), so I am doing between 12-18 reps on most exercises, and those weights are generally what will get my arms burning in the 15-18 reps range. Still, as I say, if you want to get big, a good warm-up with lighter weights to stretch the muscles, and then small-number super-sets of maximum weight will bring results pretty quickly.<br />
[/quote]<br />
<br />
Well yes that certainly helps. My comment was about pump vs actual gains acheived. Taniwa wrote about how his arms burned when doing the SS but was fine next day. Thats also been my experience. The pump might be great but its not necessarily the right way to build muscle. IMHO if you're not aching the next day then you havent lifted properly. The most important thing is to mix it up every few weeks. -
As mentioned I bust out the old "cheat" curls every now and again, you can go seriously heavy on these and as Arnie said it is the negative portion of the lift that builds the muscle. I can crank a few reps ( however ugly they may look ) of 80kg on these and they burns the guns like nothing else. Obviously at that weight you need to use a fair bit of momentum to get it up ( haha )<br />
<br />
Rancid you're dead right, I'm getting into the curls cos progress on chin ups was stalling a bit. Gotta mix things up. -
[quote name='Rancid Schnitzel' timestamp='1335782594' post='283630']<br />
Well yes that certainly helps. My comment was about pump vs actual gains acheived. Taniwa wrote about how his arms burned when doing the SS but was fine next day. Thats also been my experience. The pump might be great but its not necessarily the right way to build muscle. IMHO if you're not aching the next day then you havent lifted properly. The most important thing is to mix it up every few weeks.<br />
[/quote]<br />
<br />
I do a little cheating with the last few, but for the most part I am doing them correctly. I do mix it up as well.<br />
<br />
I just seem to struggle to get that next day ache form the biceps that I can for shoulders, chest, legs etc.<br />
<br />
@RT my question about cheating vs spotting was more around someone above saying bad form or cheating wasnt ideal as opposed to the actual difference... -
This article seems to fit the bill<br />
<br />
25 Ways to Build Your Biceps
Build your biceps 25 different ways by combining different grips and body positions from Men’s Health.
-
We dealt to biceps tonight. My mate is fan of heavy curls using a bench press barbell instead of the ez bar. Really different to my usual bicep workouts.
-
I somehow killed my biceps doing pull ups last night!! Feels bloody great <img src='http://www.daimenhutchison.com/rugby/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />
-
[quote name='Paekakboyz' timestamp='1335947217' post='283923']<br />
We dealt to biceps tonight. My mate is fan of heavy curls using a bench press barbell instead of the ez bar. Really different to my usual bicep workouts.<br />
[/quote]<br />
<br />
Good shit paekak, that's how I do em as well. Finished off with a few ( ie not too many ) of 65kg in a kind of 5/3/1 type routine and feeling it today ! I definitely focussed on form and cheating as little as possible..... -
using the different bars gives you different grips (well duh!), and strikes the different heads of the biceps. Our trainer shows us and it's wicked, but I can't remember what he does to show us the major muscle group used. Anyway, makes it simple and obvious!
-
have just been reading about drag curls, an exercise I dont thnk I had ever heard of or even seen before (a drawback of not visiting a gym)<br />
<br />
anyone got any thoughts on them, I am keen to try anything for my arms which really struggle to get real burn with, and when I do try to go heavy (working out by myself) the delts do tend to give their neighbour a bit of a hand as I cheat to complete a rep, so if these cut that out and focus more on the bicep it should be good. -
dont feel that stink then <img src='http://www.daimenhutchison.com/rugby/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';)' /><br />
<br />
in the lastest Mens Fitness USA...<br />
<br />
edit, screenshot of the PDF aint working, despite showing before I submit the post...<br />
<br />
HOw to do it;<br />
<br />
Hold a straight barbell or EZ bar with your elbows extended and drag it up the front of your body until your elbows are fully bent. Pull your arms back as you lift the bar so it stays in contact with your body at all times. Because its a strict movement, you wont be able to use the same weight you would normally.<br />
<br />
Benefits;<br />
<br />
The drag curl prevents your front delts from getting in on the lift, leaving the stress where it needs to be, your bi-ceps.<br />
<br />
Can also be used on reverse grip curls, and the smith machine
