Group: Experienced Exercise

Created: 2012/01/01, Members: 50, Messages: 19484

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How many sets for Biceps

blue77
blue77
Posts: 182
Joined: 2004/10/10
United States
2005/03/14, 10:26 PM
How many sets should you do for your biceps to grow to a goodly size.
hornet55
hornet55
Posts: 1
Joined: 2005/03/10
United States
2005/03/14, 10:34 PM
goodly :laugh: nice word I'd do 4 sets of 8 on any type of curl...there really isnt much to do with your bi's
kakaroto
kakaroto
Posts: 893
Joined: 2002/05/09
El Salvador
2005/03/14, 10:46 PM
9-12, biceps are a small muscle group.
althou, if you think and see this is not enough for your muscle to grow, then increase the number
JustinE22
JustinE22
Posts: 1,312
Joined: 2003/09/18
United States
2005/03/15, 01:30 AM
9-12 sets kakaroto? over how many different exercises?
iRnLady
iRnLady
Posts: 89
Joined: 2004/11/17
United States
2005/03/15, 01:41 AM
I'm curious too... I've had decent gains doing 9-12 sets:

Here's my routine (keep in mind I have very skinny arms and I'm trying to gain mass)

straight-bar curls- 4 sets
preacher curls- 4 sets
and alt. db curls- 3-4 sets (rep scheme for all: 10, 8, 6, 6)

By the time I get to the last exercise, my arms feel fatigued and I end up going pretty low weight wise on the alt. curls; sometimes I feel like I can't finish the set.

Any suggestions guys?
JustinE22
JustinE22
Posts: 1,312
Joined: 2003/09/18
United States
2005/03/15, 01:49 AM
I've had good bicep growth with just 6-7 sets going heavy in the 10-4 rep range, I have done 9-12 sets before with 3 different exercise basically same rep range and I get better results with just 6-7 sets. Now that could be just the way my body responds to certain training which is why I think it's important to try different workous and rep schemes over a good amount of time giving each technique time to see results and from there make the determination which way better stimluates muscle growth in your body. hope that made sense:)
mmaibohm
mmaibohm
Posts: 1,621
Joined: 2003/09/30
United States
2005/03/15, 01:50 AM
Ill usually do
standing barbell curl 5x5
hammer machine preacher curl 4x10
dumbell hammer curl 5x5
then punish them with 21's

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I am that
which must be feared, worshipped and adored. The world is mine
now and forever.No one holds command over me. No man. No god. I am ANIMAL! and that is enough.
JustinE22
JustinE22
Posts: 1,312
Joined: 2003/09/18
United States
2005/03/15, 01:55 AM
Wow thats a pretty brutal bicep workout, just curious what other muscle group do you train with bi's mmaibohm? Does this seem to be working for you? I know i coudln't do that workout cause i think my bi's would end up being over trained now thats something maybe i would do to shock my bi's/
mmaibohm
mmaibohm
Posts: 1,621
Joined: 2003/09/30
United States
2005/03/15, 02:34 AM
I do bi's tri's and shoulders. I have had pretty good luck getting a response from my tri's but the bi's lag a bit so I really try to push on thoose. My average work out for this split goes like this
shoulders
incline press bench at 85 degree angle 5x5(front delts)
then plate raises 5x5(front delts)
side laterals 5x5(side delts)
bent over laterals 5x5(rear delts)
reverse flys 5x5(general shoulder)
dubmell shrugs 5x5(going heavy at least 80lbs dumbells)
I also rotate in push presses and military press.
Then I hit the tris'
tri machine push down 5x5 usually more lol
tri cable push down 5x5
skull crushers 5x5
bi's
standing barbell curl 5x5
hammer machine preacher curl 4x10
dumbell hammer curl 5x5
then punish them with 21's
I need to start playing with differnt rep schemes. Than the russian 5x5. I Also go up in weight each set with minimal rest between sets.

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I am that
which must be feared, worshipped and adored. The world is mine
now and forever.No one holds command over me. No man. No god. I am ANIMAL! and that is enough.
JustinE22
JustinE22
Posts: 1,312
Joined: 2003/09/18
United States
2005/03/15, 04:02 AM
Try taking out the 21's, I've heard of that being a good way to shock the bi's every once in a while maybe you could being overtraining your bi's if they're lagging they are a believe the second smallest right after abs. And on the other one's you could try using a pyramid rep scheme like 8-6-4 for one and 10-8-6 for another. And maybe drop the number sets to 4 including warm up. Just a thought, def. a different scheme than what your doing now might be what your body needs a little switch a roo.gl :dumbbell:
mmaibohm
mmaibohm
Posts: 1,621
Joined: 2003/09/30
United States
2005/03/15, 04:08 AM
I think your right it's time to go back to the drawing board lol.

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I am that
which must be feared, worshipped and adored. The world is mine
now and forever.No one holds command over me. No man. No god. I am ANIMAL! and that is enough.
7707mutt
7707mutt
Posts: 7,686
Joined: 2002/06/18
United States
2005/03/15, 07:47 AM
I do 9 sets most bi workouts, though I have been known to hit close to 15. Depends on how that first set of BB curls goes. my wokrout alwasys has BB curls in it most of the time it is first but not always.

It looks like this:
BBcurls 4-5 sets 10, 10, 8 , 6
DB curls 3-4 sets 10-6 reps
Concentration DB curls 3 sets of 10
and or hammer curls
It changes for me as I know the basic workout plan but not exactly what I will do till I get there. Also this is my own theroy but I believe that heavy bent rows and deadlifts have helped my arms grow. But like Justin said this is what works for me.

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If you can itch your nose after arm day...do another set!

7707mutt@freetrainers.com
JustinE22
JustinE22
Posts: 1,312
Joined: 2003/09/18
United States
2005/03/15, 01:18 PM
Let us know how it goes mmaibohm.
bigandrew
bigandrew
Posts: 5,146
Joined: 2002/10/21
United States
2005/03/15, 01:31 PM
old workout ( added 1/2in)

*bb curls 5x5( ad weight keep reps at 5) * supersetted
*hercules 4x15
ez pretcher 4x10( can add weight)
hammer con curl


semi old lol( added lil over 1/2in)

rest pause curls
(*goal is 5 reps, with the weight,I can rest 15 secs a total of 25 total sets.


warm up db curls 4x10

1st set bb curls 95/3/2 (/= 15sec rest)
105/2/2/1
115/2/1/1/1
115 1/1/1/1/1
125 1/1/1/1/1

Concentration hammer curls 3x8

tried 10x10 training.......DIDN"T like it at all

new one i'm gonna try ( flip flop)
10x3 add weight each time

finish up with a alternatinng somthing( db hammer, z curls,inclined)

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\" The only true eye, is your minds eye\"- plato
smashweasel86
smashweasel86
Posts: 20
Joined: 2005/03/11
United States
2005/03/15, 04:48 PM
Since I started lifting again 18mo ago(took @3yrs off due to an injury) Ive added over2in to my arms(started 15 1/2 and am now at 18in. with the following:
Straight bar curls: 65x12, 85x10, 105x8, 125x8, 135x6
some times Ill sub 155 in the last set and get 3-4
Incline alt. DB curls: 40x10 50x8x2 60x6x2
Hammer curls; 40x20 50x15 60x10
High pulley curl: I do this in a strange way, I sit on an incline bench facing the pulley stand and point my elbows up at the pulley and keeping my elbows in that plane I squeeze out 2 sets of 20.
Of course my tris also play a big role in size gains, but this thread is about bi's
blue77
blue77
Posts: 182
Joined: 2004/10/10
United States
2005/03/18, 12:07 AM
Thanx for the information I'll give these workouts a try.:)
2005/03/18, 04:36 AM
usually 6-10 sets....split between 2-6 exercises...

I love to start with standing ez-bar curls, going from 8 to 2 or 1......

then do sitting one arm concentration curls, or standing alternating db curls, or preacher curls or hammer curls....sometimes I do just 2 exercises of 6-8 sets or sometimes I do 1 main exercise of 4 sets and then do 4-5 other exercises of 1 set each of very low reps with long rest periods...
blue77
blue77
Posts: 182
Joined: 2004/10/10
United States
2005/03/20, 02:48 AM
I wonder do you train forearms with your Biceps or do you train them alone menace3000,and do you do this workout once or twice a week.
2005/03/20, 05:27 AM
I train my biceps optimally once every 2 weeks....and I don't train forarms...they are trained through deadlifts and other back movements...