[naturalFreak]

Hello all I am 16 years of age and have been weight training for about a year now everything has been going great untill recently.......Keeping my diet In correct preportions consuming much protein daily whether it be in the form of food or protein shakes...also using proper form for every single excersise!....I have stumbled upon a problem with my arms....A sorta stopping point where im not gaining anymore size or strength and its starting to really annoy me now....been stuck at the same weight for over a month now.......Have benn using Cell tech..before and during workouts and nitro tech after which is reccomended..using proper doses and eating a hell of alot of protein....i cant seem to break this what i call "losing streak"

"Here are a list of things i do for Bicep"

1.barbell curls---4 sets
2.seated alternate dumbell curls---4 sets
3.inclined hammer curls---4 sets
4.reverse barbell curls---3 sets
5.inclined curls---3 sets

( keeping strict form on ALL and increasing weight each week.....but im stuck it will not move up at all)

"Here are a list of things i do for tricep"

1. behind head dumbell french curl ---4 sets
2. skull crushers----4 sets
3. tricep kickbacks---4 sets
4. cable pushdowns---5 sets
5. dips---4 sets

( AGAIN keeping strict form on all....and increasing weight each week but am still stuck as same BS for over a month)


....I'm thinking maybe a switchup of my excersises will help this problem, but yet again im really not ssre


....any info would really help me THANKS !!!!!!

[Dylan5000]

In my opinion you're doing wayyyy too much volume. I would personally recommend ditching three (yes, three) of the bicep exercises and eat least 2 of the tricep exercises.

I know it's hard to imagine - I mean, if 18 sets are good, then 25 sets should be better, right? But if that's the case, 30 sets would be even more effective! And why stop there?? 100 might just do the trick!

Kidding aside though, I'd suggest something along these lines:

For triceps:
Close-grip bench press 3x6-12 (depending on your perferred rep range)
Parallel-bar dips 3x6-12
Skull crushers 3x6-12

For biceps
Barbell curls 3x6-12
Hammer curls or reverse curls 3x6-12

And yup, that's it. If size is your goal, quit wasting so much time with the isolation exercises - the tight, isolated pump of all that cable work is not indicative of size gains! At your young age, focus on bigger movements and bigger weights! Make sure to keep squats and deadlifts in your routine as well.

Best of luck to you, man. Keep us posted on your progress.

[str8flexed]

Originally Posted by Dylan5000

In my opinion you're doing wayyyy too much volume. I would personally recommend ditching three (yes, three) of the bicep exercises and eat least 2 of the tricep exercises.

I know it's hard to imagine - I mean, if 18 sets are good, then 25 sets should be better, right? But if that's the case, 30 sets would be even more effective! And why stop there?? 100 might just do the trick!

Kidding aside though, I'd suggest something along these lines:

For triceps:
Close-grip bench press 3x6-12 (depending on your perferred rep range)
Parallel-bar dips 3x6-12
Skull crushers 3x6-12

For biceps
Barbell curls 3x6-12
Hammer curls or reverse curls 3x6-12

And yup, that's it. If size is your goal, quit wasting so much time with the isolation exercises - the tight, isolated pump of all that cable work is not indicative of size gains! At your young age, focus on bigger movements and bigger weights! Make sure to keep squats and deadlifts in your routine as well.

Best of luck to you, man. Keep us posted on your progress.

at 16 i doubt overtraining is an issue at all

[xhardcorehankx]

For bi-ceps try twenty-ones:

Execute this like a regular curl only do sets with 7 reps halfway up, 7 reps all the way up but only halfway down, and then 7 full reps.

These always give me a good burn and help me break plateaus when I come to them.

Good luck!!

[Dylan5000]

Originally Posted by str8flexed

at 16 i doubt overtraining is an issue at all

With all due respect, Layne, how can you be sure of that? He said that volume training with emphasis on isolation exercises isn't working for him, so wouldn't it be worth trying a routine based on lower volume, heavier weights and more compound movements? Just my opinion.

[str8flexed]

because the only decent evidence i've seen that long term overtraining actually exists is in elderly or marathon runners.

[Dylan5000]

I wasn't saying that though; he's said that volume training isn't working for him, so *assuming* that his diet is in order (which, of course, only he knows for sure), he's got two options: 1)More volume, or 2)Lower volume, heavier weights, no?

[str8flexed]

no, it could be a number of things and he's only been stagnant for a month and he's 16 so it's likely that he is progressing but just not quickly and teenagers are impatient... I know i was at 16t

[COOP1]

I am a beleiver of overtraing, I was no longer making gains. I cut my arm work out by 40% and over the next few months the gains really came on hard. While everyone is different, you just have to keep alog and learn what looks best for you. Best of luck man, keep at it!