Question on Biceps

[wnt2bBeast]

Never really thought id be asking a bicep question lol..But ive battled tendonitis before and after starting over it has come back when i reach my heaviest weight..ive been doing 5x5..but i dont think i can consistently keep this up..yesterday i backed off and do some light weight preachers 3x10 then went to some cable curls and for whatever reason did 2 sets of 30..ive never done high reps like that in my life..lol anyway today i have almost no pain..

My question is would it be worth it to run DC just for bi's, maybe even HST!!!!!! lol remember this is only for biceps..i hate training them so much it matters very little to me if i could never curl again..

 

[bigdho]

IMO most everyone over trains biceps. I say 6-8 good heavy sets with a good mind muscle connection and a slow negitive is more than enough to blast bis.That coupled with progressive overload should make them grow without any joint or tendon pain. Another thing is how far apart is your back day from bi day? Ive noticed that after heavy back day I have a little pain in my lower bicep area from pulling hard, maybe your bis are getting a lot of indirect work coupled with your arm day and its to much for your tendons..............Just a thought

 

[InTraining]

DC training is great for biceps, I keep the reps around 20 RP and have noticed some gains, try the stretch afterwards as well

 

[UA_Iron]

I've always wondered about that myself. Mixing around different training techniques for different muscle groups...things might get complicated though. HST for calves, 5x5 for compound lifts...

I cant seem to get my arms to grow like how I want them too though, damn genetics.

 

[Illuminati]

never really done a HST or a DC style of training. actually, i never really follow a certain type of training. the only style of training that i have actually tried to follow for a given time period in all of my time training was when i was messin around with a WSB method. but even then i changed things around a little. other than that, i dont really say "im doing this type of training, or that type of training." i feel that i more or less either train as a PLer or BBer (never done olympic type of lifts, although i have added some of the exercises occassionally."
so to you answer you question, do what works best for each body part to grow. if it means that you use a certain rep/set scheme for one body part, but something completely different for another, then by all means do it. if you are just trying to make them grow (size wise) then i dont think that heavy sets are really the way to go. i would lighten the load and go for slightly higher reps. and since you said that you felt no pain in you arms the next day, maybe this is what will be better for you.

 

[wnt2bBeast]

when i got the first flare up i didnt work my bi's for 2 months..then when it went away i slowly added them back in starting with a few sets of curls with literally 50 lbs..i added weight but at a slow pace..originally my pain would start when i got to 130 since doing 5x5 ive gotten up to 135 and it was just killing me..

big d- i hit bis with chest on tues then back on thurs..

Im thinking of just doing what i did the other day for a bit nothing fancy 3x10 preachers (seems to hurt my tendons less) then 1 or 2 sets of cabel curls for super high reps..20-30

UA my training is very basic built around squats deads and benches..to me everything else is accessory work

could it be that my forearms are weaker than my bi's? any thoughts on this..

 

[TRUEsoldier]

I have this same problem!! the only thing that seems to help me, is to do alot of warm up sets! I dont do any reps below 8, cuz when it gets heavier the pain comes back. I feel that I get great gains on my training! and the pain pretty much stays away.

I dont think it has anything to dow ith your forearms, cuz I rarely ever do forearms, and it doesnt seem to change the pain or not.

does the pain hit most during the set, after the set (especially right when you relase your grip?), or in between sets the most?

Peace

 

[gjohnson5]

ive never done high reps like that in my life..lol

There's the problem right there. lack of variety

 

[ghettostudmuffin]

Have to agree with gjohnson there.

I'm constantly switchin things up. Every workout is usually different in at least 1 way, alot of times I just do whatever comes to mind.

My triceps like high reps and get a nice pump, but they seem to grow more off lower reps and higher weight with less to no pump.

My biceps seem to be the opposite. I can curl 75x7 right now pretty strict, and to be honest, doesn't do much for growth. I'd rather curl 50 uber strict for 12 reps and pump them like crazy. I can contract them alot harder with the lighter weight and that seems to be what they respond to best, quality of contraction, not weight. But of course I'm still gonna curl heavier and heavier weights, but probably just do a weight oriented curling workout like every 3rd workout maybe.

It just depends. Any thing you can do to stop the body from adapting.

 

[bignate73]

i do biceps every other week roughly, so I'm not the most qualified to talk about it...or am i? Ive done DC and for the amount of time you spend, you will definitely work them effectively. My bicep work consists of either a str bar curl, or hammer curl of some sort, i pyramid up til i hit a couple sets of 6-8, and thats it. BUT.. i row heavy, i do heavy pullups, and IMO I'm getting better results sticking to rowing 1-2x a week and pullups the same, with bi's when i remember (basically eo week)

but if you want the most bang for your buck size-wise, i would go DC and keep your other exercises normal.

 

[wnt2bBeast]

good points nate rows and chins are always a part of my back routine..think im gonna do some maintenance work for them (few sets of curls nothing heavy) then prolly hit them dc style!!

 

[needsize]

I have the same problem with my tendons. This summer it got so bad it felt like they were tearing everytime I did anything for bis
I dropped the weight literally in half, and started doing sets of 10 reps with the 70lb bar with very little rest. It was easy at first but got hard real quick. After about 6 weeks by bis stayed the same size, but my tendon healed. So now I am sticking with the higher rep approach, sets of 10 reps, and slowly adding weight back, and it seems to be working well. I really think bis dont need super heavy work

 

[wnt2bBeast]

sounds like the exact same thing i had as well NS..i think i jumped the weight up too quick..do you find any difference between an EZ bar or reg straight bar? as far as the tendons are concerned..

 

[needsize]

sounds like the exact same thing i had as well NS..i think i jumped the weight up too quick..do you find any difference between an EZ bar or reg straight bar? as far as the tendons are concerned..

the ez curl bar seems to be taking it a little easier on my tendons, so I am sticking with that right now. I get a lot of forearm pain with the straight bar as well

 

[gjohnson5]

sounds like the exact same thing i had as well NS..i think i jumped the weight up too quick..do you find any difference between an EZ bar or reg straight bar? as far as the tendons are concerned..

I think straight bar is harder on forearms. If you're referring to the tendons that attach the bicep the elbow, it's hard to say. I've read stuff where people who were doing precher curls and they let their elbows stick out. These people did heavy weight with this form and got the tendonitis. The straight bars have always cause me more discomfort, so I will say you should go with the curl bar . Putting a curl bar on a cable machine may work for you too.

 

[wnt2bBeast]

the ez curl bar seems to be taking it a little easier on my tendons, so I am sticking with that right now. I get a lot of forearm pain with the straight bar as well

same here..

GJ-
cable curls definitely are tendon friendly for me..also we have a plate loaded preahcer machine with the short v-like handles which seems to be alright on my forearms

 

[ceo]

does the pain hit most during the set, after the set (especially right when you relase your grip?), or in between sets the most?
Peace

I have had this forever now. I will take time off and rest it, go light, go heavy, etc. it always comes back. For me the pain is always worst when I release the weight. The pain is just underneath my ulna only on the right arm. It doesn't seem to be tendon because it is right along the middle of my forearm which would indicate muscle. I have talked to many professionals from doctors to trainers about this and there doesn't seem to be any definitive answers. Vary workouts, rest the muscle groups, etc. I have tried all and the pain still comes back. The only thing that seems to work as far as NOT making it hurt is dumbell hammer curls!?

 

[ceo]

the ez curl bar seems to be taking it a little easier on my tendons, so I am sticking with that right now. I get a lot of forearm pain with the straight bar as well

Do you still get pain with the EZ-Curl bar? I get less pain with this than the barbell (straight)...and no pain when doing hammer style curls. Seems grip variation may be the key. Too bad there aren't a lot of hammer curl style variations one can do other than dumbells.

 

[needsize]

Do you still get pain with the EZ-Curl bar? I get less pain with this than the barbell (straight)...and no pain when doing hammer style curls. Seems grip variation may be the key. Too bad there aren't a lot of hammer curl style variations one can do other than dumbells.

I get a lot less pain with ez curl bars, but hammers cause the most pain. I originally injured my tendons hauling up heavy dumbells for shoulder press

 

[InTraining]

I get a lot less pain with ez curl bars, but hammers cause the most pain. I originally injured my tendons hauling up heavy dumbells for shoulder press

I think we might have the same injury needsize....With the hammers do you feel almost an electric shock type feeling in the bicep\s?

It's interesting, I can do one or two arm cable hammer curls with the rope and incline hammer curls with no problems but standing hammer curls cause me some discomfort.

 

[musclebosun]

IMO most everyone over trains biceps. I say 6-8 good heavy sets with a good mind muscle connection and a slow negitive is more than enough to blast bis.That coupled with progressive overload should make them grow without any joint or tendon pain. Another thing is how far apart is your back day from bi day? Ive noticed that after heavy back day I have a little pain in my lower bicep area from pulling hard, maybe your bis are getting a lot of indirect work coupled with your arm day and its to much for your tendons..............Just a thought

Have you tried training your back and biceps on the same day? I found it works awsome. I work my back first and this warms up the biceps. Then i finish off by blasting the biceps. saves having to train sore biceps the next day. Just a thoght bro.

 

[TRUEsoldier]

Have you tried training your back and biceps on the same day? I found it works awsome. I work my back first and this warms up the biceps. Then i finish off by blasting the biceps. saves having to train sore biceps the next day. Just a thoght bro.

I honestly cant stand to work them on the sam day!!!!

I also cant stand to work chest and tri's on the same day, I think they bother the others development to much

Peace

 

[needsize]

I honestly cant stand to work them on the sam day!!!!

I also cant stand to work chest and tri's on the same day, I think they bother the others development to much

Peace

I'm the same way, the pre-exhausting thing has never worked for me