Arms won't grow/stay solid

[Tom Treutlein]

Multiply your bodyweight by 14.5 for how many calories you need to grow!? I'm not even going to get started.

 

[BOOEY]

Work your arms on their own day and see how that works for you

 

[psilo]

Multiply your bodyweight by 14.5 for how many calories you need to grow!? I'm not even going to get started.

Agreed! On 14.5 calories per pound, I lose weight like I'm in a fucking prison camp. Try 18-20+ calories per pound.

 

[Madcow2]

have had trouble recently putting mass on them and keeping them pumped

Don't worry about keeping them pumped. A pump doesn't mean shit.

I'm 6'3" and have fairly long arms. They get bigger when I increase the compound lifts. When I increase my capacity in rows, pressed, squats, and pulls I gain arm mass. If I'm feeling like it, I'll throw in a bicept or tricept exercise 1-2x per week for 3 sets. I'll rotate these in and out depending on whether there is a specific purpose or just general. Direct arm work means nothing to long-term progress and adding mass to the arm (wouldn't the noodle arms in the gym have lucked into the best combination of exercises by now?) it just flushes out your base a bit. If this is important to you spend some more time on it but you already have so much volume that I don't see this helping. Give them a break for a bit and worry about increasing your row or overhead press. Come back to them after you make some gains there.

 

[view]

Here are some suggestions:

1. First thing I'd do is check your diet. From what I've experienced, if you're working hard for size and not getting it, you might not be getting enough calories/protein. Try multiplying your weight by 14.5. This is a good ballpark figure for how many calories you need. Be sure you're getting about a gram and a half of protein for each pound you weigh.

14.5 x bw eh?? maybe if your goal is to be the next CK model.

2. I was really surprised at how my bi's improved when I knuckled down and started using strict form. When doing curls it is vital that you keep your upper arm perpendicular to the floor. I realzed that I had been bringing my elbows forward at the end of the contraction and that takes the stress off the bicep. By keeping your elbows back you keep stress on the bicep thru the emtire rep. Equals BIG pump!

A pump in NO way is an indicator of a good workout.

3 I really benefitted from NO2. I've heard a lot of people on here say that it didn't work for them so I can't speak for them, only the results I got. I have since tried other NO products and didn't get as good results. It is pricey but after a few weeks I was sustaining mass in my upper arms. I was also shocked at how my strength went up. On the tricep machine particularly, I noticed that within a month I went from doing a little more than half the stack to doing the whole stack without much fatigue. It was a great feeling! Cell Tech right before my workout gave me the best creatine pumps I've ever had too.

It's the supplements... right....

4. I don't know if you're aware of this but the real size of your upper arm comes from the triceps. When I was younger I used to 'play around' with weight and I would always do bi's because I got that little 'pump in the hump' and thought my arm looked BIG. But working bi's AND tri's hard will give your arm the tighter, harder look you want.

First thing i've agreed with so far, tricpes are the real size of the arm, not the biceps.

5 Here's the routine that worked for me. It isn't an advanced routing but it worked for me and I'm not a naturally 'hard-muscled' guy:

Do back and bi's one day with chest and tri's either the next day or 2 days later. There are 3 phases, each with the same exercises, the weight just goes up after each 4 week phase and reps go down.

You can use whatever exercises you like. I've listed the ones I use:

Phase 1 - weeks 1 - 4:
Biceps:
Barball curl
incline dumbbell curl
preacher curl with EZ curl bar
isolation curls (these really finish them off!)

Isolation curls are useless.

Tri's:
Behind-the-head press-ups (I do this on a machine but you can use an EZ curl bar or dumbbells)
cable press-down with a rope attachment
nose-breakers with dumbbell or barbell

Only useful exercise here is the skull crushers with a bb.

For each exercise, pick a weight that you hit failure on the 12th rep the first set. The next 3 sets, shoot for as close to 12 reps as you can but you really only HAVE to get 8. Rest 90 seconds between each set and each exercise.

Phase 2 - weeks 5 - 8

Same exercises. Increase the weight to the point where you hit failure on the 9th rep the first set of each exercise. For the next 3 sets try for 9 reps but you really only have to get 5. Rest 2 minutes between each set and between each exercise.

Phase 3 - weeks 9 - 12

Same exercises. Increase the weight to the point where you hit failure on the 5th rep the first set of each exercise. For the next 3 sets try for 5 reps but you really only have to get 2. Rest 3 minutes between each set and between each exercise.

Only work these muscle groups once a week. The poster who said you may be overtraining could be right. After the end of the 12th week actively rest for a week or 2. That means stay out of the gym. Then start over or pick a new routine.

Training bodyparts once a week (arms included) is a farce.

Hope this helps.

My thought are bolded.

 

[BOOEY]

I don't see how you can say isolation curls are useless. You're stimulating the muscle, progress each week and the muscle will grow - it's that simple. Should it be used as your core exercise? No, but isolation curls are great to use towards the end of an arm workout.

 

[musketeer]

My arms are now pushing 18 inches and I do very little direct arm work.

The two arm exercises I sometimes do are incline dumbell curls & cable pressdowns.

These key exercises are all I really do now:

Squats (no arm involvement)

Presh press (tris)
Low Incline Bench (tris)
Dips (tris)
Cross Bench Dumbell Pullover (tris - believe me!)

Chinup (bis, forearms)
Bent Barbel Row (bis, forearms)
Deadlift (bis, forearms)

 

[ScottK345]

"Training bodyparts once a week (arms included) is a farce."


I think training each bodypart once a week works different from person to person. My arms slowed on growing and I lift them twice a week, so I am going to see how once a week works, and if it doesnt I can go right back to twice a week and my muscles won't be used to that routine anymore and hopefully will grow again.

 

[wallcrawler]

Re: Arms won't grow/stay solid

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REPLIES ARE IN BOLD(NOT SHOUTING)

Quote:
Originally Posted by wallcrawler
Here are some suggestions:

1. First thing I'd do is check your diet. From what I've experienced, if you're working hard for size and not getting it, you might not be getting enough calories/protein. Try multiplying your weight by 14.5. This is a good ballpark figure for how many calories you need. Be sure you're getting about a gram and a half of protein for each pound you weigh.

14.5 x bw eh?? maybe if your goal is to be the next CK model.

WELL, I SURE NEVER SAID I WANTED TO BE A BODYBUILDER! THIS EQUATION CAME FROM A BOOK BY ED BYRD THE GUY WHO CREATED NO2. I JUST FOLLOWED IT AND IT WORKED FOR ME!
2. I was really surprised at how my bi's improved when I knuckled down and started using strict form. When doing curls it is vital that you keep your upper arm perpendicular to the floor. I realzed that I had been bringing my elbows forward at the end of the contraction and that takes the stress off the bicep. By keeping your elbows back you keep stress on the bicep thru the emtire rep. Equals BIG pump!

A pump in NO way is an indicator of a good workout.

NO, BUT IT PRIMES THE MUSCLE FOR GREATER GROWTH

3 I really benefitted from NO2. I've heard a lot of people on here say that it didn't work for them so I can't speak for them, only the results I got. I have since tried other NO products and didn't get as good results. It is pricey but after a few weeks I was sustaining mass in my upper arms. I was also shocked at how my strength went up. On the tricep machine particularly, I noticed that within a month I went from doing a little more than half the stack to doing the whole stack without much fatigue. It was a great feeling! Cell Tech right before my workout gave me the best creatine pumps I've ever had too.

It's the supplements... right....


SO BY YOUR SARCASM ARE YOU INFERRING THAT SUPPS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH GROWTH? ARE YOU SUPPLEMENT-FREE?


4. I don't know if you're aware of this but the real size of your upper arm comes from the triceps. When I was younger I used to 'play around' with weight and I would always do bi's because I got that little 'pump in the hump' and thought my arm looked BIG. But working bi's AND tri's hard will give your arm the tighter, harder look you want.

First thing i've agreed with so far, tricpes are the real size of the arm, not the biceps.

WOW, I WAS RIGHT FOR ONCE!

5 Here's the routine that worked for me. It isn't an advanced routing but it worked for me and I'm not a naturally 'hard-muscled' guy:

Do back and bi's one day with chest and tri's either the next day or 2 days later. There are 3 phases, each with the same exercises, the weight just goes up after each 4 week phase and reps go down.

You can use whatever exercises you like. I've listed the ones I use:

Phase 1 - weeks 1 - 4:
Biceps:
Barball curl
incline dumbbell curl
preacher curl with EZ curl bar
isolation curls (these really finish them off!)

Isolation curls are useless.

Tri's:
Behind-the-head press-ups (I do this on a machine but you can use an EZ curl bar or dumbbells)
cable press-down with a rope attachment
nose-breakers with dumbbell or barbell

Only useful exercise here is the skull crushers with a bb.

For each exercise, pick a weight that you hit failure on the 12th rep the first set. The next 3 sets, shoot for as close to 12 reps as you can but you really only HAVE to get 8. Rest 90 seconds between each set and each exercise.

Phase 2 - weeks 5 - 8

Same exercises. Increase the weight to the point where you hit failure on the 9th rep the first set of each exercise. For the next 3 sets try for 9 reps but you really only have to get 5. Rest 2 minutes between each set and between each exercise.

Phase 3 - weeks 9 - 12

Same exercises. Increase the weight to the point where you hit failure on the 5th rep the first set of each exercise. For the next 3 sets try for 5 reps but you really only have to get 2. Rest 3 minutes between each set and between each exercise.

Only work these muscle groups once a week. The poster who said you may be overtraining could be right. After the end of the 12th week actively rest for a week or 2. That means stay out of the gym. Then start over or pick a new routine.

Training bodyparts once a week (arms included) is a farce.

SO ALL THE PROS WHO POST THEIR ONE-BODY-PART-A-WEEK ROUTINES IN FLEX, ETC., ARE ALL FULL OF SH*T? WELL, THEY MUST WANT TO KEEP THEIR REAL WORKOUTS A SECRET SO YOU WON'T COPY THEM AND BECOME MR. UNIVERSE.


I NEVER SAID I WAS A PRO BODYBUILDER. THIS PERSON ASKED HOW HE COULD GET HIS ARMS TO GROW AND STAY SOLID. I REPLIED WITH WHAT WORKED FOR ME. I GET REPLIES LIKE THE ABOVE RIPPING ME.

HEY VIEW, HERE'S A THOUGHT. IF YOU WANT TO MAKE FUN OF WHAT WORKED FOR ME, THATS COOL, BUT IN THE PROCESS HOW ABOUT
ACTUALLY OFFERING SOME REAL ADVICE FOR THIS GUY WHO IS ASKING FOR HELP.

AND FOR ANYONE WHO CAN CHOKE DOWN 4000-5000 CALORIES A DAY, GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR STOMACH. IT'S A STRUGGLE FOR ME TO GET DOWN 3000!

 

[theoak01]

I find training chest/bi's works and then I do tri's on a day with shoulders and roughly 9 sets for each muscle,and I do the last exercise on cables as a drop set

my current routine is
bi's
hammer curls 3x6-8
preacher curls 3x6-8
cable curls 3 drop sets

tri's dips 3x5
overhead french press 3x8
pushdowns 3 drop sets

been working good and might be worth a try