Training arms directly Vs indirectly?

[princeshock]

Should arms be directly hit just as much as chest for as much growth as possible? I'm confused right now because i havn't been hitting my arms directly for a while and I thouhght it might help but they arnt really growing much at all. Your arms get trained indirectly with plenty of other exercises, but I'm in confusion if its nearly eanough to trigger growth. Should you be hitting your arms really hard directly?

[ExtraMile]

some people say there is no point as they will grow from the indirect work. Others say why wouldnt you train a muscle?

some people say training legs and back is enough because the whole body grows the arms do too, and you wont be able to build big arms if you dont build the rest of your body, but on the other hand bodybuilders restricted to a wheel chair build big arms and Im pretty sure they arnt hitting legs hard or doing DL's lol

[2DIEZEL]

Quote posted by princeshock Should arms be directly hit just as much as chest for as much growth as possible? I'm confused right now because i havn't been hitting my arms directly for a while and I thouhght it might help but they arnt really growing much at all. Your arms get trained indirectly with plenty of other exercises, but I'm in confusion if its nearly eanough to trigger growth. Should you be hitting your arms really hard directly?

You answered your own question in the second sentence.

If that was the case BB's wouldint train arms at all.

[Nomak666]

Its better to focus more on the big lifts like bench press, deadlift, barbell rows, chin ups, etc. but you should still work them to isolate. some people isolate too much, seems like you arent isolating enough. add 2-3 exercises, 3 sets each for biceps and do the same for triceps, do it after the main muscle (chest then triceps, back then biceps) or just split them and have arms on their own day like i do

[johnwest]

I think most people don't realize how easy it is to overtrain arms with all of the work they do indirectly. Example if I did 6 sets of back and 6 sets of chest on tuesday i'm not going to do 6 sets of bis and 6 sets of tris next work out, more like half that. On gear is a whole different story though.

[Creepusmaximus]

I would say over training is a big problem but no training isn't good either. You want to go after your triceps the most. The bi's get over trained very easy. No right answer for everyone,it also depends on how your arm is put together.

Give this a try. Do tri's after your chest and do three exercises. Close grip barbell press 3 sets 10 reps good form. Tri pull downs another 3s 10r G form. Then just use two benches with your heals on one and your hands holding you up on the other. Simple up down for 10 reps, another 10-15 reps and then burn your tris out. I like anything that involves moving your body weight through space.

Bis do with your back and three excerises there. Light weight perfect form barbell curls for 3 sets 10 reps. Next take an easy curl bar hold your hands palms up about 6 inches apart. 3 sets 10 reps don't get your back involved. Next move your hands all the way out to the plates palms up. 3 sets 10 reps.

Give it a try for two weeks and see if you feel it. If not, so be it, move on to something else.

Now for the rest of you who are going to say I'm not right blah blah blah. That worked for me for a while. But like everything
you need good form, if your back is doing your arm work it is useless. Also the arms need to have the routine changed every so often or your arms will simply get use to what you are do. I said 10 reps a set but high reps are where you want with arms. I didn't say you couldn't switch to 20 reps a set.

Good luck if you try this I would like to here if it works for you.

[Nomak666]

Quote posted by johnwest I think most people don't realize how easy it is to overtrain arms with all of the work they do indirectly. Example if I did 6 sets of back and 6 sets of chest on tuesday i'm not going to do 6 sets of bis and 6 sets of tris next work out, more like half that. On gear is a whole different story though.

You don over train from doing too many sets, you over train from not getting enough food and rest. i do 20 sets for biceps alone 4 exercises 4 sets each

[princeshock]

Awesome.

[Burnthiscorpse]

Quote posted by Nomak666 You don over train from doing too many sets, you over train from not getting enough food and rest. i do 20 sets for biceps alone 4 exercises 4 sets each

thats 16 sets.

[JDid23]

Quote posted by Nomak666 You don over train from doing too many sets, you over train from not getting enough food and rest. i do 20 sets for biceps alone 4 exercises 4 sets each

but no simple addition i guess that's too hard