# Good massing Biceps routine



## cs_99 (Oct 21, 2009)

Hey people, as the above really.

and as biceps is such a small muscle group is it alright to do it twice in the week?? but a different routine for both?


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## chelios (Jun 26, 2010)

Personally found the less I work them more they grow/harder they feel, due to other workouts working them quite a bit.

I'd say work them once a week, with 2-3 exercises and 3 sets of each, enough IMO. I'm no expert though.


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## scottish676 (Jun 30, 2009)

I wouldn't waste your time doing twice a week mate. Its a small muscle group so doesn't need that much to stimulate growth.

2 of the best exercises for biceps are heavy dead lift and close grip underhand pull ups.

You really dont even have to hit it directly but if you insist on doing so the ez bar or straight bar heavy curls are the best for mass

Good luck


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## chelios (Jun 26, 2010)

Agreed, I get a great pump on my Bi's using the EZ bar, especialy close grip.


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## 4NT5 (Jun 1, 2007)

scottish676 said:


> I wouldn't waste your time doing twice a week mate. Its a small muscle group so doesn't need that much to stimulate growth.
> 
> 2 of the best exercises for biceps are heavy dead lift and close grip underhand pull ups.
> 
> ...


can you explain how deadlifts help in the development of your bi's, your arms should be straight when doing deads?

bent rows are a good exercise for helping your bi's grow


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## chelios (Jun 26, 2010)

The power used through your whole body, arms being a big part, will need to repair and get stronger. Core exercises help you grow no doubt.


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## B-GJOE (May 7, 2009)

Good advice so far, it bugs the hell out of me, watching morons in the gym, doing set after set after set on their 12" biceps, to do the same 48 hours later. It's a relatively tiny muscle (especially at 12" LOL), so doesn't need much stimulus. Just concentrate on hitting them on big compounds, especially back, utilise the reverse grip. Then maybe do 3 sets of isolation with nothing fancy, just a straight bar curl.


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## Themanabolic (Jun 25, 2009)

B|GJOE said:


> Good advice so far, it bugs the hell out of me, watching morons in the gym, doing set after set after set on their 12" biceps, to do the same 48 hours later. It's a relatively tiny muscle (especially at 12" LOL), so doesn't need much stimulus. Just concentrate on hitting them on big compounds, especially back, utilise the reverse grip. Then maybe do 3 sets of isolation with nothing fancy, just a straight bar curl.


Got to agree

as far as mass building, straight bar curls have given me the most mass tbh

I use the barbell instead of the thinner straight bars, as It gives me sore tendons for some reason, which I don't get on the wider bar!


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## scottish676 (Jun 30, 2009)

amurphy said:


> can you explain how deadlifts help in the development of your bi's, your arms should be straight when doing deads?
> 
> bent rows are a good exercise for helping your bi's grow





chelios said:


> *The power used through your whole body, arms being a big part, will need to repair and get stronger. Core exercises help you grow no doubt*.


Couldn't have put it better myself :beer:


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## Simon m (Apr 3, 2008)

I training biceps twice per week:

On wednesday 3 sets of very heavy Hammer Curls after my back workout and on Sunday 7 sets of 10 reps for db curls.

Works for me.


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## chelios (Jun 26, 2010)

scottish676 said:


> Couldn't have put it better myself :beer:


I'm learning  haha :beer:


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## ParaManiac (Mar 20, 2007)

Hardly train mine direct,however,i like the chinning bar


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## 4NT5 (Jun 1, 2007)

scottish676 said:


> Couldn't have put it better myself :beer:


I disagree with your original comment saying two of the best exercises for your bI's are heavy deads and pull ups.

Pull ups yes but i would say rows would help in the develpment with your arms better than deadlifts, each to there own though if it works for you. i have always done heavy deadlifts but since introducing heavy rows my arms have grown


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## Guest (Jul 28, 2010)

scottish676 said:


> 2 of the best exercises for biceps are heavy dead lift and close grip underhand pull ups.


Pah!

Ive got a decent deadlift and do quite alot of chins with more weight than most and my Bis are tiny. Direct work is needed for some people.


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## Guest (Jul 28, 2010)

Usual compounds for back + barbell curls. once every 7-14 days depending on how you train.


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## scottish676 (Jun 30, 2009)

mikex101 said:


> Pah!
> 
> Ive got a decent deadlift and do quite alot of chins with more weight than most and my Bis are tiny. *Direct work is needed for some people*.


I never anywhere in my post stated otherwise


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## scottish676 (Jun 30, 2009)

amurphy said:


> *I disagree with your original comment* saying two of the best exercises for your bI's are heavy deads and pull ups.
> 
> Pull ups yes but i would say rows would help in the develpment with your arms better than deadlifts, each to there own though if it works for you. i have always done heavy deadlifts but since introducing heavy rows my arms have grown


And as this is a public forum you are with in your rights to disagree.

However take a look at my avi and my arms and you will see that the route I have chosen works, all be it maybe just for me but it works.

Deadlifts are a core exercise and whilst they do not work biceps directly the overall pull of the movement creates an enviroment for growth in my arms


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## SK-XO (Aug 6, 2009)

Personally I work my arms on their own day. Once per week.Only time I work my arms directly.

However it works for me tbh.... I don't really do pull ups, nor do I do deadlifts much lol.


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## Guest (Jul 28, 2010)

scottish676 said:


> I never anywhere in my post stated otherwise


Did you not? sorry, my mistake



scottish676 said:


> You really dont even have to hit it directly


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## UKWolverine (Apr 25, 2009)

I've dropped all isolations and just do chins and pulls and my biceps are responding very well, I think it's very easy to overtrain biceps with direct work.


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## scottish676 (Jun 30, 2009)

The biggest factor in arms for me is psycological anyway mate.

You could tell someone 110% that exercise A will grow them bigger biceps but they will still go and blast them from every conceivable angle because it's biceps.

Most over trained muscle in the body


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## Guest (Jul 28, 2010)

scottish676 said:


> Most over trained muscle in the body


Now that i agree with


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## scottish676 (Jun 30, 2009)

mikex101 said:


> Did you not? sorry, my mistake


I did not state that every bodybuilder over the globe should not hit biceps directly.

I was refering to the OP no one else

Need to get your facts right there bud


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## Guest (Jul 28, 2010)

So you know the OP doesnt need to work his biceps directly do you??? No, you dont.

I think my facts are perfectly in order, Bud.


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## chelios (Jun 26, 2010)

Even if you don't train arms directly, they will grow, push, pull, core exercises and compounds and everything really requires arms to be used, so even when lifting, your using your arms as a source of power as well as the muscle your working.

I agree with Scottish, Bi's, from what I've seen are way over worked, to much is put on them.


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## BillC (Jun 11, 2009)

scottish676 said:


> I wouldn't waste your time doing twice a week mate. Its a small muscle group so doesn't need that much to stimulate growth.
> 
> *2 of the best exercises for biceps are heavy dead lift and close grip underhand pull ups.*
> 
> ...


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## Guest (Jul 28, 2010)

Bill, they stop your arms falling off mate.


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## scottish676 (Jun 30, 2009)

mikex101 said:


> So you know the OP doesnt need to work his biceps directly do you??? No, you dont.
> 
> I think my facts are perfectly in order, Bud.


He is obviously a newbie so he does not need to work his biceps directly for them to grow.

I have big arms, there actually one of my strongest muscle groups and I do not work my biceps directly. So go figure on that one......

If you, he or anyone else feels the need to be a bicep boy then that is your decision but I know what has worked for me and was mearly passing this information on to the OP

That after all is why he created a post.....for advice


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## SK-XO (Aug 6, 2009)

Im a bicep boy. Hence why I make sure I train the guns before a night out every saturday :lol: !


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## scottish676 (Jun 30, 2009)

SK-XO said:


> Im a bicep boy. Hence why I make sure I train the guns before a night out every saturday :lol: !


 :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Guest (Jul 28, 2010)

He is obviously a newbie so he *does not need to work his biceps directly for them to grow.*

According to you

I have big arms, there actually one of my strongest muscle groups and I do not work my biceps directly. So go figure on that one......

Well done, have a cookie, My Bis arnt my best feature yet i bet I pull more than you. Go figure.....

If you, he or anyone else feels the need to be a bicep boy then that is your decision but I know what has worked for me and was mearly passing this information on to the OP

Bicep boy? me? couldnt be further from the truth.

That after all is why he created a post.....for advice

Yes he did, he asked for advice, im giving him some. Its different advice to yours. This will happen.

I picked up your post that said the best 2 exercises for bis are deads and chins. I disagreed, ive been deadlifting, rowing and chinning for years. my Bis are small in relation to the rest of me. Why? not because i overtraing them, becuase i undertrain them by not doing any direct work.

This has changed recently, i have added direct work into my workout, once, or gosh horror even twice per week!

They are growing. go figure....

I then picked up on your post when you stated you did not say

"direct arm work is not needed"

But you did say it. Didnt you

Now have a nice day.


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## djmacka (Dec 4, 2008)

SK-XO said:


> Im a bicep boy. Hence why I make sure I train the guns before a night out every saturday :lol: !


Same here, i also do pullups in the toilet cubicles every hour through the night to "keep pumped to the max"!


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## SK-XO (Aug 6, 2009)

djmacka said:


> Same here, i also do pullups in the toilet cubicles every hour through the night to "keep pumped to the max"!


Didnt think about that one! and there was me doing push ups against the bar. Will have to try that.


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## scottish676 (Jun 30, 2009)

mikex101 said:


> He is obviously a newbie so he *does not need to work his biceps directly for them to grow.*
> 
> According to you
> 
> ...


Can't have a debate without bringing this kind of trash in to it?

Tells me everything I need to know about you


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## n987 (Oct 19, 2008)

Bodybuilders have much bigger biceps than powerlifters.

Every bodybuilding Training vid I have seen has them doing some form of curl.


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## Guest (Jul 28, 2010)

who was calling who a bicep boy? :whistling:


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## scottish676 (Jun 30, 2009)

I never called anyone a bicep boy. I stated that if anyone be it he or you feels the need to be a bicep boy then thats there decision.

I can't see from that how I called you a bicep boy


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## Simon m (Apr 3, 2008)

scottish676 said:


> Can't have a debate without bringing this kind of trash in to it?
> 
> Tells me everything I need to know about you


Standing back from this, I'd say that the tone of some of your posts in reply to Mike seemed a little aggressive and this post of yours is just rude.

In trms of arm growth, I think that you are both right, but what you could have said is try both methods and see how you get on.


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## XJPX (Jan 10, 2009)

amurphy said:


> I disagree with your original comment saying two of the best exercises for your bI's are heavy deads and pull ups.
> 
> Pull ups yes but i would say rows would help in the develpment with your arms better than deadlifts, each to there own though if it works for you. i have always done heavy deadlifts but since introducing heavy rows my arms have grown


then ur wrong, deadlifts will make ur bis grow a lot, just because there isnt a concentric/eccentric contraction doesnt mean they arent working hard, they are contracting isometrically, i barely train my biceps, like 1 or 2 exercises a week max but from heavy deads, chins, rows they grow....besides gainbing mass is about diet not about direct exercises choices, if u wanna grow, eat more


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## scottish676 (Jun 30, 2009)

Simon m said:


> *Standing back from this, I'd say that the tone of some of your posts in reply to Mike seemed a little aggressive and this post of yours is just rude.*
> 
> In trms of arm growth, I think that you are both right, but what you could have said is try both methods and see how you get on.


Fair enough I can see your point however Iwith regards to my previous post I am not on here for any of this immature name calling or flaming thus the reason for my "rude" post



XJPX said:


> then ur wrong, deadlifts will make ur bis grow a lot, just because there isnt a concentric/eccentric contraction doesnt mean they arent working hard, they are contracting isometrically, i barely train my biceps, like 1 or 2 exercises a week max but from heavy deads, chins, rows they grow....besides gainbing mass is about diet not about direct exercises choices, if u wanna grow, eat more


Thing is mate most people that train can't see beyond there mindless bicep routine and will always think that you have to kick the **** out of your arms every week for them to grow. Little do they realise that they are misleading themsleves

And before I get flamed for that last comment I am not saying that you shouldn't train arms directly I am saying that you don't necessarily have to to see them grow however as with everything in life and in bodybuilding each to their own

:beer:


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## paddy2010 (Jun 8, 2010)

you could train them twice a week as they recover very quickly, i do them once a week while some people wouldnt do them at all as other workouts benefit them


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## Simon m (Apr 3, 2008)

scottish676 said:


> Fair enough I can see your point however Iwith regards to my previous post I am not on here for any of this immature name calling or flaming thus the reason for my "rude" post
> 
> Thing is mate most people that train can't see beyond there mindless bicep routine and will always think that you have to kick the **** out of your arms every week for them to grow. Little do they realise that they are misleading themsleves
> 
> ...


I agree, too many people train their biceps far too much and without any thought as to what they're doing.

My own routine is Wednesday 3 sets of heavy hammer curls after back which consisit of heavy rows, deads etc., any more than 3 sets in this instance would be too much for biceps.

On Sunday, I do 7 sets of 10 reps of DB curls FST style after legs, and this has helped with growth and density, but more than this would be an overkill


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## 4NT5 (Jun 1, 2007)

XJPX said:


> then ur wrong, deadlifts will make ur bis grow a lot, just because there isnt a concentric/eccentric contraction doesnt mean they arent working hard, they are contracting isometrically, i barely train my biceps, like 1 or 2 exercises a week max but from heavy deads, chins, rows they grow....besides gainbing mass is about diet not about direct exercises choices, if u wanna grow, eat more


I am not disagreeing that deadlifts do not help develope your arms. I am disagreeing with scottish676 saying deadlifts are one of two exercises that are the best exercises to build bigger arms.

Put it this way if you are to list the best bi exercises to get bigger arms starting with the best do you think deadlits will be second on the list or even top 5 or 10?

I do one exrcise on my bi 3x8 and not to failure as my arms get enough from my back workout

The OP is lookin to get bigger arms and there are better exercises out there that deadlifts to do it


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## XJPX (Jan 10, 2009)

amurphy said:


> I am not disagreeing that deadlifts do not help develope your arms. I am disagreeing with scottish676 saying deadlifts are one of two exercises that are the best exercises to build bigger arms.
> 
> Put it this way if you are to list the best bi exercises to get bigger arms starting with the best do you think deadlits will be second on the list or even top 5 or 10?
> 
> ...


if i was to give a list of exercses to get bigger arms it wud be: dips, narrow bench, skulls, chins, rows, deadlifts, curls, so yes it certainly would be in my top 10...maybe u can only deadlift as much as u can curl....but i kno wen im pulling 290kilos there is a a hell of a lot more force going thru my biceps then a 30kilo dumbell curl...but hey u stik to ur way n il stik to mine....my way defo works....


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## 4NT5 (Jun 1, 2007)

XJPX said:


> if i was to give a list of exercses to get bigger arms it wud be: dips, narrow bench, skulls, chins, rows, deadlifts, curls, so yes it certainly would be in my top 10...maybe u can only deadlift as much as u can curl....but i kno wen im pulling 290kilos there is a a hell of a lot more force going thru my biceps then a 30kilo dumbell curl...but hey u stik to ur way n il stik to mine....my way defo works....


by the looks in your attachement it def works for you but i think you missed the hole point to some extent deadlifts have played a part in your arms but not as much as all the other exercises out there have developed your arms end of.its a combination or DIPS,skulls, CG bench,all types of rows,all types of pull ups etc that have def got your arms to where they are

i can see plenty of newbies asking how to get bigger arms and being told the best exercises are pull ups and deadlifts:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :beer:


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## BigDom86 (Jul 27, 2008)

i train biceps twice aweek, works well for me


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## SK-XO (Aug 6, 2009)

BigDom86 said:


> i train biceps twice aweek, works well for me


Z0MG FUKN B1CEP BOIIIIII!

UR NAHT GNA GET BIGGAARRRR IF U DUNT DO COMPOWWWNDS!


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## XJPX (Jan 10, 2009)

amurphy said:


> by the looks in your attachement it def works for you but i think you missed the hole point to some extent deadlifts have played a part in your arms but not as much as all the other exercises out there have developed your arms end of.its a combination or DIPS,skulls, CG bench,all types of rows,all types of pull ups etc that have def got your arms to where they are
> 
> i *can see plenty of newbies asking how to get bigger arms and being told the best exercises are pull ups and deadlifts:lol:* :lol: *:lol:* :lol: :beer:


cnt b bothered to dispute with u, u do what u do and il do what i do and the ppl tht i prep will do what i tell them and we will all have bigger stronger arms then watever advice u dish out to these newbies :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :beer:


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## 4NT5 (Jun 1, 2007)

XJPX said:


> cnt b bothered to dispute with u, u do what u do and il do what i do and the ppl tht i prep will do what i tell them and we will all have bigger stronger arms then watever advice u dish out to these newbies :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :beer:


I don't doubt your expertise. I wasn't dishing out advice I was questioning why someone said deads were the one of two best exercises to build up your arms, would u agree to that statement?


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## UKWolverine (Apr 25, 2009)

I'll back up XJPX, if you're strong enough to lift heavy in the deads, then you are putting tremendous loads through your biceps. They will have no choice but to grow to cope with the stress.

Personally I can't, but I still don't dispute how effective an exercise it can be for bis.

At the end of the day that's what the biceps are there for! To lift heavy weights off the ground, or to pull yourself up, not to curl bars at the elbow.

The thing with curls, yes you feel you are concentrating specifically but you are only moving through one range of motion, the elbow flexation.

When you do a compound movement, like close grip chins, you exercise the bicep at the top of its insertion point as well as at the elbow.

I would def put chins and pull ups as the No1 exercise for biceps personally, for exactly that reason.


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## westy125 (Jul 24, 2010)

I have short Biceps so that advice is great for me,, ta


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## XJPX (Jan 10, 2009)

amurphy said:


> I don't doubt your expertise. I wasn't dishing out advice I was questioning why someone said deads were the one of two best exercises to build up your arms, would u agree to that statement?


to build ur biceps, not arms, this original thread is reghards to biceps, and for biceps chins are fiirst and deadlifts second exactly how uk wolverine has explained.... 

put it this way if u took male a and had him do 12months of curls and male b and him do 12 months of platofrom raised snatch grip deadlifts, male bs bicep developement would be much greater then male a.....

so again in short if u want bigger biceps, PULL HEAVY things lol


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## 4NT5 (Jun 1, 2007)

XJPX said:


> to build ur biceps, not arms, this original thread is reghards to biceps, and for biceps chins are fiirst and deadlifts second exactly how uk wolverine has explained....
> 
> put it this way if u took male a and had him do 12months of curls and male b and him do 12 months of platofrom raised snatch grip deadlifts, male bs bicep developement would be much greater then male a.....
> 
> so again in short if u want bigger biceps, PULL HEAVY things lol


See we are getting somewhere now.

First off at no point have I said curls are a better exercise for building bi's than a back compound exercise that help bi's. Compound wins everytime.

Now going back to one of my first posts on this thread I said to the OP to add in heavy rows and pull ups if he is wanting bigger bi's no

mention of curls. Also I assumed most people know that the big 3 movments should be the building blocks of any routine which I assumed to OP would do and adding in rows and pull ups can only help in the development of his biceps

maybe I explained it incorrect and we went off on a tangent

My back routine consists of heavy deads


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## PaulB (Jun 6, 2010)

djmacka said:


> Same here, i also do pullups in the toilet cubicles every hour through the night to "keep pumped to the max"!


I try to get a pull in the toilet cubicles off a nice young lady when Im out on the razz, this works wonders for the old love muscle:bounce:


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## B-GJOE (May 7, 2009)

I'd like to regurgitate a text message I got from Taylor01, which I think sums up building biceps nicely.

'Way over my little caveman head. Me lift heavy stuff, eat dead animal, then sleep after!'

At the end of my PULL workouts, which includes:

Bent Over Rows

Seated Rows

Deadlifts

Reverse Grip Pulldowns

Upright Rows

I'm too fcuked to do much on biceps, cos they've had it by this time, so it's just 3 sets of straight bar curl, 40kg, and can't manage much with this at all.


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## Kyusho (Aug 24, 2007)

I find giving arms their own day works best for me. I superset Bi's with tri's. As said big compounds like deadlift, squat and bench work the arms anyway, so no need to train more than once a week.


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## cs_99 (Oct 21, 2009)

woah, never knew me starting a simple thread would cause so man arguements lol

Just really wanted to see what other people reccomended to do 4 bi's.

But it's true what works for some people may not work for others, so 2 days might be best for me but not for half others here.

just gotta try it and if it doesnt work, than do something else, just be time wasted lol

And little info 4 some: i'm am not a beginner (well don't think i am lol) been training for 2 years now and do do the big 3 at least some time in the week, but saw it just wasnt enoguht for my bi's hence trying to do them twice, beginning and end of week.

Will keep you guys updated


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## Guest (Jul 29, 2010)

XJPX said:


> so again in short if u want bigger biceps, PULL HEAVY things lol


Im not disputing the fact that heavy compounds will lead to bicep growth, and never will.

What i am disputing is the tone of the posts on this thread that seem to dismiss direct arm work as a road to hypertrophy.


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## Simon m (Apr 3, 2008)

cs_99 said:


> woah, never knew me starting a simple thread would cause so man arguements lol
> 
> Just really wanted to see what other people reccomended to do 4 bi's.
> 
> ...


Research is never time wasted, it's time invested.

The real point of this is that no one knwos what will work for you, but that can tell you what works for them.

Lee Priest, Ronnie Coleman and Arnold all have great biceps, they all train them - 'nuff said


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## Gza1 (Aug 6, 2007)

heavy under hand rows and chins on back, and if you want to do curls, you cant beat strict straight bar curls


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