Arm Volume

JNB · 03-25-2008, 10:24 PM

Hey guys,
I need advice on how to expand my arm volume. I can tell the days that I train 'em, what I do seems to work because I usually end up sore for a few days afterward. The only thing is, they seem to be lacking growth on the sides. Here's the workouts I usually employ when working my triceps and biceps/these are what I employed with my most recent workout.

Triceps:
Close Grip Bench Press
Lying Dumbbell Tricep Extensions
Old School Extensions
Cable Pulldowns

Biceps:
Close Grip EZ Bar Curl
Hammer Curls
Drag Curls

For all exercises I usually do 3-4 sets, 1st set to 8, 2nd to 10, 3rd to 12 and then 4th until failure. Any suggestions on what I can do to see gains on the sides of my arms would be appreciated.

KM · 03-25-2008, 10:32 PM

Hey bro.

How often are you working your arms, and on what days? If you're constantly going to failure with inadequate rest time, your body can go into CNS drain (over training). Although you may feel your body has recovered, the CNS is not.

The bicep is a small muscle, and the majority of the time gets hit secondary on your rowings/pulling movements. If you're leaving little to no rest periods on your rows/pulls (generally back)- I'd say revise your program and give adequate rest between day that involve biceps.

If you want volume, biceps are usually not the problem. The triceps are 2/3 your arm and take up a large portion of the arms mass.

Just some thoughts and suggestions.

JNB · 03-25-2008, 10:39 PM

My workout is usually scheduled like this:
Day 1: Triceps and Chest
Day 2: Legs & Abs
Day 3: Cardio
Day 4: Shoulders and Traps
Day 5: Back, Biceps & Abs
Day 6: Cardio
Day 7: Cardio
Rest time that I usually give is about 60 to 90 seconds between sets

KM · 03-25-2008, 10:41 PM

Looks fine to me. How's your diet? Sleep?

JNB · 03-25-2008, 10:57 PM

Diet usually consists of this:
*Note: I'm at college and do not have the funds I wish I had to purchase my own food, so I need to go by on what is offered; this pertains to meals 2 and 5 usually.*

Wake Up:
7:00/7:15

Meal 1:
7:30
Full plate of scrambled eggs with a cup of skim milk. Cup of hot green tea about 30 minutes later.

Meal 2/Snack 1:
10:00
Kashi Tasty Little Chewy Bar & Bottle of Water

Meal 3:
12:30
Roast beef or turkey sandwich on wheat bread. Cups of whatever vegetables my cafeteria offers; this is usually, green beans, green peas, corn, broccoli or carrots. Those are usually limited to 3 out of the five. Usually have this meal with about 8 cucumber slices and a small cup of pineapple.

Meal 4/Snack 2:
2:00 or 3:00
This is usually similar to Meal 2/Snack 1, except the water lately was substituted out for a bottle of milk mixed with whey protein. I'm thinking that I'm going to start buying bananas again for this meal.

Meal 5:
5:30
Exactly the same as Meal 3. I think this may change though since ideally I would like to start going to the gym around 6:00 so I feel that a protein shake would take its place

Meal 6:
9:00
Casein Protein Shake

10:30/11:00
Sleep. Usually it takes me some time to fall asleep (Have always had trouble, mind doesn't seem to want to shut off). So if I go to bed at 11, I'll hopefully be asleep by 11:45

miggitymags · 03-26-2008, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jnbfive

My workout is usually scheduled like this:
Day 1: Triceps and Chest
Day 2: Legs & Abs
Day 3: Cardio
Day 4: Shoulders and Traps
Day 5: Back, Biceps & Abs
Day 6: Cardio
Day 7: Cardio
Rest time that I usually give is about 60 to 90 seconds between sets

i think your split looks good..

do you typically train tris before chest and back before bi's? or do you switch it up on which one you train first? that could have some play in it..

You do have an interesting rep sequence - typically you see 12, 10, 8, failure... Maybe a suggestion would be to go 12, 10, 8, 6 --- where youre reaching failure at 6 reps with the heaviest weight.. Perhaps switching up your rep count as well as your exercises will get the size rollin'.. Below are some other possible movements to substitute in to your arm workouts:

Suggestions:

Tris:
Close Grip Bench -- i think this is a must for mass; done first
Dips
Skullcrushers
Rope Extensions

Bis:
BB Curl -- i think this is a must for mass; done first
Incline DB curls
Preachers
High Cable curls
High Rep: 21s, Arnolds

**ZackKnight** · 03-26-2008, 04:00 PM

i've never seen anybody else except markus ruhl and another guy i know ever try the laying down on the bench and doing cable curls. anybody ever do em'?

JNB · 03-26-2008, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by miggitymags

i think your split looks good..

do you typically train tris before chest and back before bi's? or do you switch it up on which one you train first? that could have some play in it..

You do have an interesting rep sequence - typically you see 12, 10, 8, failure... Maybe a suggestion would be to go 12, 10, 8, 6 --- where youre reaching failure at 6 reps with the heaviest weight.. Perhaps switching up your rep count as well as your exercises will get the size rollin'.. Below are some other possible movements to substitute in to your arm workouts:

Suggestions:

Tris:
Close Grip Bench -- i think this is a must for mass; done first
Dips
Skullcrushers
Rope Extensions

Bis:
BB Curl -- i think this is a must for mass; done first
Incline DB curls
Preachers
High Cable curls
High Rep: 21s, Arnolds

Usually I try to do all tricep and bicep exercises before I do anything else, otherwise I feel like I may not get as much out of them later in the workout; and I always do close grip bench first when working on my triceps, I think thats a great exercise to start with. Thanks for the suggestion on the rep sequence, I'll start using that and see what happens. Any idea if spider curls work at all? I've been looking into those and have heard that they're, I don't want to say better, but more effective since they work the biceps mdue to the greater extension required.

miggitymags · 03-26-2008, 08:58 PM

I posted this on a different thread... this is uses the "Spider Curl" technique and I love it...

My favorite bicep routine that I've been doing for awhile with results -- A buddy and I got this from a Frank Zane article:

These 3 are done one after another (triset) and are performed on the FLAT side of the preacher. In other words, you will need to raise the preacher up, stand on the other side, lean against the pad with the back of your arms against the flat side..

1. Dumbbell curls x 8 -12 reps (both simultaneous)
2. Barbell curls x 8 - 12 reps (wider grip - outside shoulders)
3. EZ bar reverse grip curls x 8 - 12 reps

3 - 4 sets..

It is allot of reps, with lighter weight, but the pump is insane. I've been doing this for a while and I love it.. I usually alter weight and rep range accordingly.. Try it once - its tough - but the pump is awesome...

***Other ideas: 21s, Reverse grips, Arnold's, Up and Down the Rack, High Cable curls, Cable curls lying flat, Seated barbell curls, Incline DB curls...

**Kaboom** · 03-27-2008, 01:25 PM

meal 1 sucks bro.No carbs and prob not enough protein!

JNB · 03-27-2008, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaboom

meal 1 sucks bro.No carbs and prob not enough protein!

Would adding some english muffins and cheerios for carbs and a shake of ON whey afterward help?

**mr_bhana** · 03-27-2008, 01:44 PM

Bro try training your Tris and Bis on different days from your back and chest:
day1:Legs
day2:cardio
day3:Chest and Bis
day4:cardio
day5:Back
day6:Shoulders and Tris
day7:cardio

Mix the days up a little if you like and this way your arms wont be worn out
by training the other body part.

This is my bi's split:
BB curl: 10, 8, 6 reps
Preacher curl: 12, 10, 8 reps
Always progressing with weight

For Tri's:
Close grip Bench/Skullcrushers: 10,8,6
Rope pulldowns: 15,12,10
And ill probably throw in a set of Overhead tricep extensions