# Adding Mass to Biceps



## xeonedbody (Aug 28, 2009)

Hi all, I am hoping to get some advice/suggestion for you all...

I am currently working out to add muscle mass and not being a pro in this field i used to do a lot of sets previously with high reps as well...recently i was informed by a friend at the gym to drop the number of sets to 5 per exercise and reps to 8 per set if i want to add on mass...

initially would you agree with that range being ideal for adding mass?

secondly today while i was working out biceps a friend suggested i should do three diff exercises with 3 - 4 with 3 - 4 sets per exercise and again 8 reps...would you say thats correct?

so i suppose in short im trying to gather some advice on what you would say would be the ideal number of diff exercises, sets and reps for a muscle to add on mass? and in particular for biceps.

i will be thankful for your suggestions/advise/thoughts on above


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## big (Sep 14, 2004)

It depends.

If you are benching 60kg, then doing sets of 8-12 is NOT going to get you mass. If you are benching 160kg+ for sets of 8-12, then you are in business.

Technically, sure 8-12 reps adds mass, but unless you are strong enough to do those 8-12 reps with a serious weight, focus on adding strength first.

For biceps, heavy chins, rows and olympic bar curls are all pretty good. But I'd focus on getting mega strong first. You don't see many 300kg+ deadlifters with small arms


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## Guest (Oct 22, 2009)

big said:


> For biceps, heavy chins, rows and olympic bar curls are all pretty good. But I'd focus on getting mega strong first. You don't see many 300kg+ deadlifters with small arms


I wish it was directly related then i would be sporting more than 19 inch water pistols:cursing: I want those 22 inch bad boys

For bicep mass add overall mass your biceps will grow as much as your genetics allow then once that has been achieved and your still not happy you can start pumping oil in there until you look like a total sh1thead:thumb:


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## Greyphantom (Oct 23, 2003)

Con said:


> I wish it was directly related then i would be sporting more than 19 inch water pistols:cursing: I want those 22 inch bad boys


I wish I had your water pistols instead of my fatceps... well ok not really fat but sure as h3ll not as tidy as them guns you be carrying matey...


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## Kezz (Sep 3, 2007)

hammer triceps too for an even bigger measurement!!


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## Joshua (Aug 21, 2008)

When the body has to lift a weight it will tend to do so in a way to make it easy as possible to lift the weight. This usually means altering the body position & form to maximise the load running through the bones and big muscle groups.

The biceps are small muscle groups relative the the big muscle groups of the leg or back, so to get the load going through them one needs to pay particular attention to form to ensure the tension is located and maintained in the biceps itself.

JMHO,

J


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## Greyphantom (Oct 23, 2003)

xeonedbody said:


> secondly today while i was working out biceps a friend suggested i should do three diff exercises with 3 - 4 with 3 - 4 sets per exercise and again 8 reps...would you say thats correct?


Oh and imho I wouldnt do so much for them... couple of exercises with 2-3 sets max... really cane them and make them cry though...


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## stavmangr (Nov 25, 2008)

1.bar curls 3x8,10,12 alternate each week with standing alternate db curls

2.consetration curls 3x8,10,12 alternate each week with hammer curls.

Perfect form is paramount,dont use the momentum or the back or your delts to curl the weights,do every rep in a control move and go slow in the negative dont full curl your arm at the top and dont full stretch your arm at the end work out between the ends.

Reps for adding mass imo 3x10,8,6 use max weight and use the rest pause method.

:cool2:


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## xeonedbody (Aug 28, 2009)

Many thanks to you all for the suggestions so far...

So I understand it would be correct to do 3 - 4 diff exercises for biceps max. And do 3 - 4 sets for each exercise with reps in the range of 8 - 10.

Thanks all...i shall adjust to the above sets and reps while increasing the weights and see the progress over the next few weeks and will keep ya all informed on it.

As for other muscles e.g. chest...shoulders the same rule as above?

once again lots of thanks to ya all!


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## Greyphantom (Oct 23, 2003)

xeonedbody said:


> So I understand it would be correct to do 3 - 4 diff exercises for biceps max. And do 3 - 4 sets for each exercise with reps in the range of 8 - 10.


Nope you do not understand... 2 exercises... less is more... pick two stay with them as long as they work (you gain strength, size, weight on the bar etc) then when they stop working change them to something else... 3 sets max for 6-10 reps... make the biceps work really hard rather than try to batter them with too many ex, sets and reps... if you find however this type of routine doesnt work then look at changing it up to something else...


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## johnnyreid (May 4, 2009)

xeonedbody said:


> Hi all, I am hoping to get some advice/suggestion for you all...
> 
> I am currently working out to add muscle mass and not being a pro in this field i used to do a lot of sets previously with high reps as well...recently i was informed by a friend at the gym to drop the number of sets to 5 per exercise and reps to 8 per set if i want to add on mass...
> 
> ...


Mate think of the size of you bicep in comparisson to your back and relate how many sets and exercises you in ratio.

I stick to 3 excersises, 3 sets, reps vary. I'd start with standing alternated dumbell curls tapering up to you heaviest for 8 reps, then go for the bent over arnie style curls lighter for around 12 reps (this exercise is amazing for growth in biceps as the position allows more blood to pump into the muscle and gets you incredibly pumped)

I then finish off on a FST-7 style session, or 21's.

:thumb:


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## xeonedbody (Aug 28, 2009)

Alright, Ill stick to 3 exercises, 3 sets and 8 - 10 reps/set and see how it goes.

Now the above is for biceps as people say that its a smaller muscle compared to chest muscles etc..which is why it needs lower number of exercises, sets etc...but consider triceps are small as well..would the same rule apply to them too..i.e. ideally 3 exercises, 3 sets, 8 -10 reps..or different on them?

And could you also suggest how many diff exercises would you suggest for chest, sets and reps as well

Thanks!


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## johnnyreid (May 4, 2009)

xeonedbody said:


> Alright, Ill stick to 3 exercises, 3 sets and 8 - 10 reps/set and see how it goes.
> 
> Now the above is for biceps as people say that its a smaller muscle compared to chest muscles etc..which is why it needs lower number of exercises, sets etc...but consider triceps are small as well..would the same rule apply to them too..i.e. ideally 3 exercises, 3 sets, 8 -10 reps..or different on them?
> 
> ...


Of course the same method applies. Last thing you want to do is over train a smaller muscle as they will never grow.

Chest and bigger bodyparts are very specific to each person. Myself i find my chest grows with hardly any work but have to beast myself to get my shoulders up to par....

So go for a rough estimate of around 5 execises of 3 sets including your flies etc and see how your progress goes and adjust accordingly

its all about getting to know your body, but i would suggest you finish on an FST-7 exercise for whatever bodypart you are training.

Jr


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## Jux (Jul 23, 2008)

xeonedbody said:


> Alright, Ill stick to 3 exercises, 3 sets and 8 - 10 reps/set and see how it goes.
> 
> Now the above is for biceps as people say that its a smaller muscle compared to chest muscles etc..which is why it needs lower number of exercises, sets etc...but consider triceps are small as well..would the same rule apply to them too..i.e. ideally 3 exercises, 3 sets, 8 -10 reps..or different on them?
> 
> ...


Triceps make up about 70% of your overall arm mass, work them and it will excentuate your biceps.

Triceps consist of 3 heads, select exrcises that will hit all of them.


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## asl (Jan 25, 2009)

big said:


> It depends.
> 
> If you are benching 60kg, then doing sets of 8-12 is NOT going to get you mass. If you are benching 160kg+ for sets of 8-12, then you are in business.
> 
> ...


Hiya Big, can I ask a question about your post?

You say unless you are doing the 8-12 with a serious weight you are not going to add mass. What you you class as a serious weight in comparison to body weight? I ask as you make the comparison in the first paragrahph between 60 and 120kgs but surely this is relative. For example, I weight 70kgs and lets say someone else weights 140kgs. Now there is a big difference between me doing 3 sets of 8 at 70kgs and the other dude doing the same weight/reps isn't there?? In fact me doing 3 sets of 8 at 140kgs would surely be superhuman?

I am really interested as my growth has slowed down so should I up the weight and do 5 sets of 5 to get my strength up before started a 3 sets of 8 to start buiding mass again?

My stats are: 70kgs, bench 70kgs 3x8, bicep curl 32.5kgs 3x8. Now do I just slowly chip away at increasing the weight by 2.5kgs every couple of weeks and hit it hard with a 5x5 for a month or so???

Cheers :beer:


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## xeonedbody (Aug 28, 2009)

johnnyreid said:


> Of course the same method applies. Last thing you want to do is over train a smaller muscle as they will never grow.
> 
> Chest and bigger bodyparts are very specific to each person. Myself i find my chest grows with hardly any work but have to beast myself to get my shoulders up to par....
> 
> ...


Many thanks for that!

Its my Chest and Triceps day today...so I'll do 5 exercises, 3 sets for each exercise and around 8 reps per set for the chest to begin with...and than 3 exercises, 3 sets/exercise and 8 reps/set for triceps...that sound good?


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## Need-valid-info (Mar 29, 2009)

make sure you train legs and do all the big compound exercises, more GH and testosterone will be released and you will grow better overall. Exercises like barbell rows, pull ups, dumbell rows, t-bar rows etc... will hit the biceps anyway.

I did a good bicep session the other day which consisted of,

5 sets barbell curl

4 sets hammer curl

7 sets incline dumbell curl (30 seconds rest)

Worked well for me, i got good genetics for biceps so the training isnt primarily the main reason for my decent looking biceps.


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## GSleigh (Jan 22, 2008)

All very good replies as normal from some chaps there 

Nothing to add to what they have said about how biceps/triceps respond to training...

Just some exercises for you to think about 

I like to do at the moment:

1. Seated or standing bicep dumbell curls

2. Standing bicep hammer curls

3. Cable machine bicep concentrates

1. Weighted tricep dips

2. Close grip barbell tricep press

3. Standing tricep cable extensions

 Just some that may work for ya


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## xeonedbody (Aug 28, 2009)

GSleigh said:


> All very good replies as normal from some chaps there
> 
> Nothing to add to what they have said about how biceps/triceps respond to training...
> 
> ...


Thanks for that. Will try them out


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## big (Sep 14, 2004)

asl said:


> Hiya Big, can I ask a question about your post?
> 
> You say unless you are doing the 8-12 with a serious weight you are not going to add mass. What you you class as a serious weight in comparison to body weight? I ask as you make the comparison in the first paragrahph between 60 and 120kgs but surely this is relative. For example, I weight 70kgs and lets say someone else weights 140kgs. Now there is a big difference between me doing 3 sets of 8 at 70kgs and the other dude doing the same weight/reps isn't there?? In fact me doing 3 sets of 8 at 140kgs would surely be superhuman?
> 
> ...


You are right, it is relative.

I would suggest 1.5x bodyweight for a CLEAN rep (as in not bouncing, and very controlled with a pause on the chest/upper-abs) on bench press. I would say 2x bodyweight on a full depth olympic squat... below parallel. And 2.5x bodyweight on a deadlift for a single without straps. I would always recommend people strive for those number before attempting a "hypertrophy" style routine.

Putting up big numbers doesn't guarantee huge size, but you WILL gain decent size along the way to those numbers, AND it gives you a better starting point for gaining mass than messing about with less than bodyweight numbers on the bench.

5x5 is a sensible place to begin if you are used to 8-10+ reps, as going heavier in one go will be too much of a shock. So I'd recommend 5x5 on your main exercise, then 1-2 exercises for 1-2 sets of 8-12 on assistance work. Once you start getting stronger and used to the more heavy weights, drop down to working up to a single HEAVY set of 3-5 reps on the main exercise, and do a little more for hypertrophy on the assistance stuff (say 2-3 sets of 2-3 exercises). Once you have the solid strength base with the numbers I listed above, then you can decide to ditch all the heavy stuff and concentrate exclusively on 8-12 rep pure hypertrophy if you desire.


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## paulo (Feb 17, 2007)

weighted bench,dips and heavy dumbell pullovers for triceps

heavy chins/rows and preacher for biceps


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## asl (Jan 25, 2009)

Great, thanks Big. Will mix things up next week.


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## dazsmith69 (Oct 29, 2009)

ive found with biceps, your form is so so important.

pick the right weight first so you are able to perform a full bicep curl (full ROM) to maximise your bicep development. I see too many guys leaning back, not going all the way down and generally terrible form with very poor bicep development.

sure there are various exercises to target various parts of your bicep. Id stick to the basics first and get the technique right  and once you see a significant difference chuck in some more advanced exercises

HTH Daz


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## Guest (Oct 30, 2009)

dazsmith69 said:


> ive found with biceps, your form is so so important.
> 
> pick the right weight first so you are able to perform a full bicep curl (full ROM) to maximise your bicep development. I see too many guys leaning back, not going all the way down and generally terrible form with very poor bicep development.
> 
> z


 :thumb: :thumb :

Ive lost count of the amount of guys i see lowering the weight to maybe 90or100degrees.


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## RyanClarke (May 7, 2009)

It's all these people that do 21's that get me, Why intentionally do seven half reps? I think a lot of people do to many sets, with two little intensity. Was standing next to someone doing bicep curls yesterday. He was doing it with such minimal effort he was discussing hollyoaks with his pal ohhh yeah! your biceps are gonna gett hugee! lol


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