* The 2012 Gym Rats Thread *

LiE · 13 Feb 2012 at 11:40

Yea for pumpz

Steedie · 13 Feb 2012 at 11:42

I don't understand why it's so bad to do it?

If your arms are so big that you don't really care too much about them growing, then fair enough

LiE · 13 Feb 2012 at 11:45

There are plenty of exercises that hit the biceps really hard indirectly, I'd rather do that. Seems wasteful spending 20 minutes hitting a bicep when you can hit the back as well.

Do 4 x 10 hammer grip chin ups and your biceps will be destroyed, but if they're not then some rows will finish them off.

Skillmister · 13 Feb 2012 at 11:47

Well my arms didn't grow for ages doing standard back workouts + tricep stuff. Threw in an extra super set on triceps and some bicep isolation and saw gains very quickly.

LiE · 13 Feb 2012 at 11:50

Depends on your back workout I guess. Doing any type of chin up will totally wreck your biceps.

Steedie · 13 Feb 2012 at 11:55

But LiE, everyone is different

You might be lucky in that your biceps respond well to just being a secondary target in back exercises

But a lot of people, including me, need some extra isolation stuff to encourage growth

LiE · 13 Feb 2012 at 11:58

True, but have you tried doing slow all the way down to the bottom chin ups? To me this feels primarily like a bicep exercise and secondary back.

Steedie · 13 Feb 2012 at 11:59

Yeah, but that alone wouldn't be enough for me

LiE · 13 Feb 2012 at 12:06

Monster biceps!
Doing 4 x 8 of hammer grip chin ups, very slow and strict has my biceps bursting. Strange.

Delvis · 13 Feb 2012 at 12:14

Well, done my leg workout today, jumped the squat up for 5KG compared to last session as opposed to 2.5Kg...going to hurt tomorrow.

Will post the workout and a vid later x

Steedie · 13 Feb 2012 at 12:17

LiE said:
Monster biceps!
Doing 4 x 8 of hammer grip chin ups, very slow and strict has my biceps bursting. Strange.

Not saying it doesn't hurt, that would definitely be hurting by the end. But I doubt I'd see any growth from just doing that

Begbie · 13 Feb 2012 at 12:20

Steedie said:
Reverse grip bar curls, hammer curls, wrist curls

And arm isolation work is important. Yes you'll work them a lot with back work, but you don't have to work them on the same day. For example, if you did Chest/Biceps on Tuesday, then Back on Friday, nothing wrong with that.

The thing not to do is a crazy amount of sets, do about 10 sets, 12 max on bicep isolation stuff. And leave your ego at the door, do weights that you can concentrate on form with. Too heavy and you're going to swing, or bring your shoulders into it.

If you do biceps on a day separate to back, go for something like this:

Incline Curls 3x12
Hammer Curls 3x8
Preacher Curls 4x10

If you do them after back, just go for something like

Lying Hammer Curls 4x8
EZ Bar Curls 3x12
21's One Set

Always leave my ego at the door anyway, the amount of friends I go with that swing their back or use their legs doing bicep work makes me cringe. Then they look at me in pity because I can't lift as much as them.

Erm maybe because your lifting with your back?? But then don't do deadlifts because they've heard some horror stories...madness.

Thanks for the advice will have a look at doing them next time I do back, as per the arguement I rarely ever do Bi's and they just never grow and I do pullups on every back day if not more.

Just gave overhand grip, instead of mixed grip, on deadlifts and its such a huge difference! I've never struggled with grip before, but I certainly did just now!! Also managed 110kg, 1RM though I reckon I could've pushed it up to 120kg

LiE · 13 Feb 2012 at 12:22

Double over hand is tasty for grip. I use alternating grip for normal deadlift work, because my double over hand isn't there yet. On leg days I do RDL with DOH grip and I'm holding onto the bar with my fingertips by the 10th rep!

Freefaller · 13 Feb 2012 at 12:25

Can we banz0r bicep exercise talk?!

SMed · 13 Feb 2012 at 12:26

Delvis said:
Ta for the input.

Reason i'm keeping things linear is because every time in the past (since 2009) i've just 'gone for it' ive injured myself, and in all honesty i'd rather take it slowly and gain over time, after all ii'm in this for the long run hopefully.

At the end of the day, i'm making gains, poundages are going up. Yes, it probably could be done a better way no doubt, but it'd working for me currently.

Yes, i'm anal about form, but i'm not posting vids up every week? I just posted one from last weeks DL session just to see how things are getting on. As has been said, i'm going to up the DL weights by 5KG each session, not sure I want to do that on squats just yet for obvious reasons, because I'm starting to hit max for reps now as it is...That coupled with a lack of decent catchers I don't want to get stuck under the bar again.

Thanks again though dude, I appreciate the replys

I can definitely understand the caution if you've been having injuries.

As for deadlifts, yeah, definitely try to go up 5kg a session, that's pretty easy with deadlifts. I don't think I've ever used the 1.25kg plates on deadlifts except for on 1RMs.

Squats, you can definitely get away with a couple of sessions with 5kg increases, but I wouldn't do too many. A handful at most, then just stick with 2.5kg increases for squats.

Steedie · 13 Feb 2012 at 12:28

Freefaller said:
Can we banz0r bicep exercise talk?!

Shh your face you

You're the president of the Anti-Biceps movement

Dark_Angel · 13 Feb 2012 at 12:31

Freefaller said:
Can we banz0r bicep exercise talk?!

why

Begbie · 13 Feb 2012 at 12:31

LiE said:
Double over hand is tasty for grip. I use alternating grip for normal deadlift work, because my double over hand isn't there yet. On leg days I do RDL with DOH grip and I'm holding onto the bar with my fingertips by the 10th rep!

First time I've done them as mixed gripped always felt natural, definitely need to do some more DOH. My grip gave up on 100kg before my strength did, so think I will stick to DOH from now on till my grip builds itself up a bit as its weak as ****.

And any other noobs out there, I found this article to be a very good read and took it on board to do. Felt much better today.

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online...ou_ignorant_when_it_comes_to_the_deadlift&cr=

LiE · 13 Feb 2012 at 12:32

Do you use chalk? If not buy some now.

Begbie · 13 Feb 2012 at 12:50

LiE said:
Do you use chalk? If not buy some now.

Have a bucket of chalk at the gym I'm using here.

But yeah got a bar of chalk back at home. Never found I needed it with mixed grip though.

*** The 2012 Gym Rats Thread ***

* The 2012 Gym Rats Thread *