# Arms always lagging (with photo)



## DubC (7 mo ago)

I know this is a common one. But my arms, biceps especially, lag well behind.

I’ve trained naturally for about 5 years, gone from a skinny 65kg to an acceptable 75kg(5’6) . Always focus on the compounds and my general upper body grows ok and gets stronger.

My arms however, biceps in particular, don’t really seem to change. And weirdly the weight I’m lifting doesn’t really go up. My compound lifts have all doubled in the time I’ve trained but arm isolation exercises have barely changed.

I train the big lifts for 4-8 reps, 3-5 sets (going through cycles). I’ve tried doing high volume accessory lifts, low volume, no accessory and even reducing compounds and focusing largely on isolation. Nothing really makes any odds.

Any ideas welcome


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## DLTBB (Jan 26, 2015)

They look pretty much in line with the rest of your physique proportionally. What kind of exercises/volume/frequency are you running for them now?


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## Cronus (Jun 5, 2012)

I read somewhere that for every 10lbs of muscle you gain, you put an inch on your arms.

What you should take from that is if you want impressive arms, focus on getting bigger back, chest and shoulders.

You don't have to train legs but be a good idea.

I'd say my arms are better now than my profile pic but that's becuse I've put a lot of work into growing my upper body.

I only do 6-8 direct sets a week for bis and tris. Imho, they don't need a shit ton of volume, just quality sets. My arms won't ever been amaing though with that hanging thick Tricep look, alot of its genetics for arms e.g insertions


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## sean m (Sep 20, 2015)

Being lean makes arm's look better as the definition pops out


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## simonboyle (Aug 5, 2013)

DubC said:


> I know this is a common one. But my arms, biceps especially, lag well behind.
> 
> I’ve trained naturally for about 5 years, gone from a skinny 65kg to an acceptable 75kg(5’6) . Always focus on the compounds and my general upper body grows ok and gets stronger.
> 
> ...


They don't look like they're lagging. I think you just want bigger arms.

Try focusing on them for a while. Prioritise them. YouTube some suggestions and try them. See if something works.

When you say you've tried all these things how do you mean? For a few weeks? Months?


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## Clubber Lang (Nov 4, 2009)

they look in proportion with everything else.

they'll grow when everything else improves.

also, dont ffs become a bellend who does an entire session on arms. Over training will hinder growth. If you hit your sessions hard enough you'll only need 1x tricep and bicep exercise at the end of the sesh.
I dont even do any direct bicep work, my arms get well worked on pull days.


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## DubC (7 mo ago)

Thanks all. Maybe it’s just me and a mental thing then?
DLTBB - I’m doing 3x8 and 3x12 for them right now. Decline skill crushers and rope overhead. And incline hammer curls and close grip ez curls.

simonboyle - I’ve trained each of the things I mentioned for 18 weeks, in 3 6 week cycles.


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## Cronus (Jun 5, 2012)

Skittlez said:


> You don’t look like you train bro?


Dont be a bellend


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## Rob27 (Apr 29, 2018)

I only train my bis and tris once a week. I add in rope extentions 3x12, overhead rope extensions 3x12 and cable kick backs 3x15 at end of chest session

Cable curls 3x12, cable hammer curls using the rope 3x12, wide grip ez bar curls 3x12 at end of back work out.

I find using cables keeps the tension on better than dbs on the small groups, and get a good squeeze pause then go again, but that's just me

Gets great pump and on cycle/bulk the weight goes up when the number of reps reached above. Back on maintained try and keep the same weight and reps you left on a bulk while slowly dropping my kcls back Got maintained or cut.

FWIW what works for me might not work for you so it's trial and error like others mentioned to see what works for you.


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## 75013 (Feb 22, 2017)

Skittlez said:


> True though? Casual jogger bod.


It's not true bro. You have spent too long around roids/ looking at roided physiques and it has skewed your perception.

Anyone who achieves an overweight BMI whilst maintaining visible abs clearly lifts and is 'muscular' (or has exceptional genetics for building muscle).
OP BMI is 26.5- into the overweight range and he's clearly not fat.


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## 75013 (Feb 22, 2017)

DubC said:


> Thanks all. Maybe it’s just me and a mental thing then?
> DLTBB - I’m doing 3x8 and 3x12 for them right now. Decline skill crushers and rope overhead. And incline hammer curls and close grip ez curls.
> 
> simonboyle - I’ve trained each of the things I mentioned for 18 weeks, in 3 6 week cycles.


It's worth mixing it up with rep ranges and experimenting.
Individuals can have different ratios of fast Vs slow twitch muscle fibres in different parts of their bodies. If you don't train both types of fibre, you'll not see optimal development.
For example I find my back responds better to higher reps and volume than my chest. It could be you need some higher rep pump/ stretch n squeeze type training for your arms.
A 4 second eccentric is another good way to increase overload on each rep too.


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## 75013 (Feb 22, 2017)

Skittlez said:


> He’s clearly not cut though is he. No muscle at all. Doesn’t lift bro.


No he's not cut. Few natty lifters are cut because it can be brutal on your lifts and muscle mass. I can see a bicep vein. Rough guess he's between 15-18% body fat which is a good place to be to build muscle but not look fat/ chubby.
End of the day, body measurements do not lie but visual perception does lie for a multitude of reasons.

If he doesn't lift, he shouldn't have an overweight BMI when he's clearly not fat.

Ofcourse everyone knows the limitations of BMI indexing. An inbody analysis would be better and I would bet money that it would show well above average muscularity.


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## 75013 (Feb 22, 2017)

Skittlez said:


> Stop talking out your arse mate. You could be 75kg and stronger than a guy on juice at 100kg lol BMI isn’t anything to go by. He needs food and compound basics. Not pulley’s and bicep curls ffs 🤦‍♂️


I notice you can't actually refute any specific points lol.

BMI has its limitations but having an overweight BMI with healthy body fat levels is a strong indicator of having above average lean mass. Unless exceptional genetics are involved this usually means someone "lifts".

Here's some schooling for you, all referenced to research. As you can see, even in fast twitch dominant muscles, over 30% of fibres are still slow twitch which can be neglected by low rep work with little focus on the eccentric.









Muscle Specific Hypertrophy: Chest, Triceps, and Shoulders


Understanding the science of sets, reps, and muscle-specific fiber composition will make you sound smarter. Going to the gym and applying that knowledge will make you bigger.




www.t-nation.com





You appear to be talking out of several of your arses mate as there's a right jumble of random assumptions in your post.


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## 75013 (Feb 22, 2017)

Skittlez said:


> Waffle mate you have a little muscle but you’re an expert on how to build it. The basic foundations of body building are the basics.


So I'm the one who's waffling by backing up my points with published research? Hahaha!
Read both parts of that T nation article, it's all referenced to published research, you might learn something. My previous post regarding training both fibre types which you claimed was rubbish is just reiterating that article lol.

I also have found research showing that people with overweight BMI but healthy body fat levels have above average lean muscle mass.

What are these basic foundations you're now talking about (yet another vague, random interjection)? If it's not backed up by research, it's not worth investing in.

I was waiting for the ad hominem negative comments about my own physique, so predictable, so irrelevant. Lol.


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## felladrol (9 mo ago)

DubC said:


> Thanks all. Maybe it’s just me and a mental thing then?
> DLTBB - I’m doing 3x8 and 3x12 for them right now. Decline skill crushers and rope overhead. And incline hammer curls and close grip ez curls.
> 
> simonboyle - I’ve trained each of the things I mentioned for 18 weeks, in 3 6 week cycles.


I think your arms look pretty proportionate to your other body.
I would not say they are lagging though is there anyone who doesn't want bigger arms?
It's hard to judge from this angle but if anything I think your triceps could do with a bit more size. As you also probably knew it is what actually makes up a bigger chunk of your total arm circumference.
As @simonboyle suggested if arms are something you want more of then prioritization is the way to go. And more specifically I'd probably first start off with increasing the frequency whilst perhaps toning down the total volume a bit. As far as training goes it'd be without going into further specifics rotation of both low (heavy) and high (pump style) work.
Lastly I guess it's good to mention that if the goal is to grow muscle then calories need to go 🔼. 
I bet you've all seen these guys who desperately want bigger arms yet they weigh 170lbs year after year. I am not saying there's eventually some marginal difference going to be seen in that area but probably, as I said, marginal.


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