# starting weight... Bicep curls.



## lxm

I can only manage 5kg dumbell curls...

3x12, on the 3rd set, 10-12th rep I can only just manage and no more.. and only the last few reps I get that 'pump'

Is this pretty light ? ive never lifted in my life.. 20 years old.. What timescale if doing a 3 day split are you likely to see increases ? and by what weights, or what weight should I be increasing each week ?


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## Speedway

A silver member lifting 5kg dumbell's, are you having a laugh here or is this serious?

If it's serious you will increase quickly on that that weight dude.


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## Big ape

all that w4nkin infront of the window cleaner ur right arm must be atleast on 10kg


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## Fat

The amount you lift is irrevelant make sure you increase the weight after every session.


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## AK-26

mate i find that when i hit a plateau on dumbell curls, i do 21's with an ez curl bar instead for about a week and i find the weight goes up. give it a shot and your muscles may respond to something new.


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## murphy2010

Recently i changed my biceps routine to simply 5 sets of heavy barbell curls at the end of my back routine, they've blown up since this and it might be worth a shot. but everyone started somewhere, as long as the weight is going up and progress is been made then you're heading in the right direction


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## Heath

lxm said:


> I can only manage 5kg dumbell curls...
> 
> 3x12, on the 3rd set, 10-12th rep I can only just manage and no more.. and only the last few reps I get that 'pump'
> 
> Is this pretty light ? ive never lifted in my life.. 20 years old.. What timescale if doing a 3 day split are you likely to see increases ? and by what weights, or what weight should I be increasing each week ?


How hard are you pushing yourself?

I started gym pretty lightweight but 5kg is like lifting my c0ck :lol:

Watch the Dorian Yates 6 week trainer videos if you haven't already cos that's how hard you should be going..


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## lxm

Im being dead serious

Ive never lifted before... Ive spent all my time on here (the forum) doing keto... and a little cardio.. hence the silver.. got to start somewhere eh ?


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## eezy1

i only bicep curl 15`s. if im gonna load weight i do it with bar curls. i only really do concentrations with DB`s these days


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## Speedway

lxm said:


> Im being dead serious
> 
> Ive never lifted before... Ive spent all my time on here (the forum) doing keto... and a little cardio.. hence the silver.. got to start somewhere eh ?


Fair enough mate, I was not taking the p1ss, 5kg is pretty light but would I never mock anyone for that, I am not strong at all, only curling 22kg/24kg dumbells myself, I have only been training for 6 months and started on about 12kg if my memory serves me right, keep going and you will progress in no time at all. good luck


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## Horsfall

Mate everyones got to start somewhere. Don't be too bothered about the weight


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## Mighty.Panda

The most I've ever been able to do is 16kg but when I started I couldnt curl curl 8kg. Took me about a year I was stuck on 13kg for fvcking ages. 5kg seems incredibly light you'll surely increase very fast. You are male right dude?


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## TheComebackKid

Fat said:


> The amount you lift is irrevelant make sure you increase the weight after every session.


I'm sure the guy will do this as soon as the gym buys dumbells 5.1kg, 5.2kg, 5.3kg etc.


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## bulldogge

instead of doing three sets of the same weight why not do something like

10 x 5kg

8 x 7.5kg

6 x 10kg

start of with that, and when you get to the point that you can easily complete all three sets then change the weights up so you do your first set of ten with the 7kgs and your last set of six with 12.5kg dumbells.


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## Breda

Build your bicep/arm strength doing proper exercieses like rows, chins, ohp, benching etc... Compounds are you friend especially when you are only curling 5kg mate... Saying that tho miss out the 5's and curl the 10's even if for only a few reps.. will look slightly more manly in the gym


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## GeordieSteve

It's a small muscle group, don't worry about it. It'll come with time, rome wasn't built in a day


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## Captain-splooge

i hope none of your 700 posts were giving people body-building advice


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## Mighty.Panda

Captain-splooge said:


> i hope none of your 700 posts were giving people body-building advice


You dont actually have to embody what you preach. If I walk into the average gym I'm probaly more knowledgable than 90% of the tools in there YET 90% of the said tools will still probaly be bigger than me. Knowledge and applying it into effort is a process. Likewise a fat cvnt could be a "expert" in nutrition and shedding fat and could still be a fat cvnt simply because he cant be bothered to apply the vast knowledge he has.


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## Breda

Captain-splooge said:


> i hope none of your 700 posts were giving people body-building advice


Come on mate theres no need for that, he said himself he's been cutting and fair play to him.. How many ppl on this forum would admit to curling 5kg... Not many for fear of posts like yours (not having a dig)

He wants to improve and get stronger thats the main thing so help the guy out


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## xpower




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## NatRookie

well if your struggling with the weight, yet keeping good form then there is nothing wrong with only doing 5kg's. i mean we all had to start somewhere, but im guessing they are concentration curls. i started at a fairly low weight for my curls, but a year on and im currently at 24kg's for concentrations (still is low, but huge improvement). just keep adding the weight every few sessions.


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## lxm

Captain.. really ?

Nah ive not given any bodybuilding advice, Like I said ive been cutting fat without lifting. Anyway I can lift much heavier using the resistance bicep curl machine from memory, but the barbell sucks at the moment.

Im alright with the bigger group lifts... just the single small lifts at the moment! and yes im male, 6ft 161lbs


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## Heath

Captain-splooge said:


> i hope none of your 700 posts were giving people body-building advice


And there is more than 1 side to BB'ing, he's cut down to a base to now build from.

I will agree with Breda tho (he's pretty built for a white guy lol), force some reps on the 10's. Next session force a few more reps. Get to 6-8 and add weight


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## Queenie

One of the biggest (amazing physique and totally natty) blokes at my gym uses really light dumbbells on his exercises but with perfect form.

As long as you're feeling the muscle work, then it's fine, but u do have to push yourself to get past that plateau x x


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## Speedway

MutantX said:


> And there is more than 1 side to BB'ing, he's cut down to a base to now build from.
> 
> I will agree with Breda tho (he's pretty built for a white guy lol), force some reps on the 10's. Next session force a few more reps. Get to 6-8 and add weight


Reminds me of a quote "If you want to make an appie pie from scratch, you must first create the universe" said by Carl Sagan, wise words indeed.


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## Need2Grow

Don't worry mate, it's not about the weight, it's how you lift it!

There are videos with the likes of Kai Greene using 'only 30lb' dumbells and failing in the 10-12 rep area, but with exceptional form 

You are never going to lift a massive weight with perfect form, stretch, squeeze and a controlled negative.

If you are really bothered by it, focus on low reps eg 5x5.

TBH I think the weight will soon shoot up by itself, just give it time. And if I recall you are cutting, so that is always going to slow or even prevent gains. Just wait till you bulk :devil2:


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## andymc88

did you miss the 2 off that 5


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## JimboSlice1436114820

TheComebackKid said:


> I'm sure the guy will do this as soon as the gym buys dumbells 5.1kg, 5.2kg, 5.3kg etc.


Get some chains from a hardware store and wrap them around the dumbbells, you will be able to use them to increase the weight by small increments each time


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## apollo17

lxm said:


> I can only manage 5kg dumbell curls...
> 
> 3x12, on the 3rd set, 10-12th rep I can only just manage and no more.. and only the last few reps I get that 'pump'
> 
> Is this pretty light ? ive never lifted in my life.. 20 years old.. What timescale if doing a 3 day split are you likely to see increases ? and by what weights, or what weight should I be increasing each week ?


Bud, the only thing i can say is if your new to lifting then just go with what your body allows for the first couple of weeks or 1 - 2 months, adapt first. You will become stronger if you keep to it, everybody starts somewhere! Then increase the weight when your confident you have proper form and technique, the strength will come so will the size.

It's not easy to say about a timescale as everyones bodys are different types (mesomorph, ectomorph etc) but keep the diet good and you will learn yourself how your own body grows and develops...good luck


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## lxm

Cheers guys!

I understand the form... When i try lift heavier... i start cutting corners at the last stretch etc. shaking etc. which I suppose isnt always great.. Best carrying out the full motion etc ?


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## Heath

lxm said:


> Cheers guys!
> 
> I understand the form... When i try lift heavier... i start cutting corners at the last stretch etc. shaking etc. which I suppose isnt always great.. Best carrying out the full motion etc ?


Just remember good form isn't an excuse not to push yourself

Gotta force your body to change because it actually doesn't want to :lol:


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## Bruze

Mate doing more damage with heavier weights to an extent is better than decent form with 5kgs... I do 12kg strict from than grab the 20's and do cheat curls!


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## Captain-splooge

lxm said:


> Captain.. really ?
> 
> Nah ive not given any bodybuilding advice, Like I said ive been cutting fat without lifting. Anyway I can lift much heavier using the resistance bicep curl machine from memory, but the barbell sucks at the moment.
> 
> Im alright with the bigger group lifts... just the single small lifts at the moment! and yes im male, 6ft 161lbs


jeeeeezzzzzzzzz the one time i forget to put a smiley in to see its supposed to be taken as a joke


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## LunaticSamurai

lxm said:


> I can only manage 5kg dumbell curls...
> 
> 3x12, on the 3rd set, 10-12th rep I can only just manage and no more.. and only the last few reps I get that 'pump'
> 
> Is this pretty light ? ive never lifted in my life.. 20 years old.. What timescale if doing a 3 day split are you likely to see increases ? and by what weights, or what weight should I be increasing each week ?


I don't know if this is a windup but i will give my advice.

If your just starting out then you don't want to go to heavy. If you go to heavy too fast then you run the risk of getting into some really bad form and either swinging your body around or only doing half reps.

Start off with light weight, and work up every couple of weeks, on that kind of weight you should be really strict and have fantastic form.

Watching those Dorian Yates video's are fine, but you risk doing your self injury if you get ahead of yourself too much.

I would aim for curling 12.5kg dumbells, when you have got to that stage then re-evaluate the situation.


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## LunaticSamurai

MutantX said:


> Just remember good form isn't an excuse not to push yourself
> 
> Gotta force your body to change because it actually doesn't want to :lol:


This i agree with. Your body will adjust itself to the situation.


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## lxm

Captain-splooge said:


> jeeeeezzzzzzzzz the one time i forget to put a smiley in to see its supposed to be taken as a joke


Luckily it was taken as a joke... otherwise woulda negged your @rse...

Thanks again for above advice.. and no its not a p1ss take..


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## lxm

Okay just done 5x5 at 8kg with no real issues, although did struggle a little at end.. No pump though.

How are muscles suppose to feel after lifting?


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## TryingToGetBig

Bruze said:


> Mate doing more damage with heavier weights to an extent is better than decent form with 5kgs... I do 12kg strict from than grab the 20's and do cheat curls!


I can see, assuming that's you in your avi, the cheat curls are working as I'd expect them to


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## Conscript

Progression is key in this game, start off trying 4 sets of 10 with 3 second negatives, with 5kgs weights, if you only manage 10/9/8/8 keep aiming for improvement every arm/bicep day, even if only 1 rep to 10/9/9/8 once you completed said target 10/10/10/10, move on to 8kgs and repeat process over again. Good luck :thumb:


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## Bruze

TryingToGetBig said:


> I can see, assuming that's you in your avi, the cheat curls are working as I'd expect them to


yeah 44lbs in 10 months not bad eh..

not funny


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## L00NEY

lxm said:


> Im being dead serious
> 
> Ive never lifted before... Ive spent all my time on here (the forum) doing keto... and a little cardio.. hence the silver.. got to start somewhere eh ?


so is that not you in your avi cos your looking pretty hench brah?


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## apollo17

am i missing something here but the avi pic is a sculpture isnt it!!!


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## Fatstuff

OP, my advice (if u choose to accept it) would be to ditch the dumbbells, buy some microplates and use the ez curl bar, that way u can increase by a small amount every session, db's don't go up in small increments so u will stall early on anyway IMO


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## achilles88

the first weight i ever lifted to do a bicep curl with was 4kg and i struggled, that was a number of years ago, you gotta start somewhere mate just make sure you use correct form


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## lxm

L00ney negged for the appropriate posts.

Nothing nice to say, dont say it..


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## LunaticSamurai

lxm said:


> L00ney negged for the appropriate posts.
> 
> Nothing nice to say, dont say it..


I hope you don't mean me when you say Looney, and i hope you haven't negged me, if you have i'm going to crush you with my alpha reps. 

Edit: Just seen the username Looney, your safe, keep lifting, :lol:


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## asc

Moat people i see in my gym curl with 10-18 kgs.....most people i see use awful form. If it is 5kg with GOOD form, then so be it. it will increase, just stick with good form.


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## cas

go slightly heavier and only do 6-8 reps, this should see you lifting more weight fairly soon 

cant help but think your taking the p1ss though, im sure my youngest son can lift 5kg with ease :rolleye:

edit

seriously though bring the reps down and you should beable to lift more


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## asc

Yes as most people say here 5kg is light but if you stick to the rules of perfect form or damn near it, and pushing yourself to max, and honestly believe that you have, then all is good imo.


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## asc

Also what cas said! My mindset has always been between 8_12, if i cant do 8 with spot on form then it is too heavy, do twelve then it is time to step it up (although anything 10+ i try anyway..)


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## lxm

Update...

Can now do 10kg!


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