Biceps aren't working so well

[Hellbore]

I started lifting about a month ago. My bench press max is 250 but for some reason I am weak when it comes to curls.

After I work out, my pecs and triceps seem to stay sore for maybe 3 days. My biceps, however, get MORE sore and stay sore for longer, usually a week. They have stayed sore for 2 weeks before in the past.

Also I can't curl very much. I curl maybe a 30 pound dumbell in each hand. It seems like my biceps are weaker than the rest of my body.

Any ideas what is wrong with my biceps? They look normal.

 

[Guinness5.0]

Don't worry about 'em. Sure they're the muscle everybody wants the most, but in the big picture they matter very little. Focus on improving your body as a whole. Your bis will grow/get stronger as a result. Something you should definitely check out is the Bill Starr 5x5 routine. The idea of it is to use the exercises that will cause the most growth/strength for your whole body. Here's a link:
http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4497774&postcount=15

After you read that, check this thread out:
http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4491869&postcount=1

That will give you the info you need. Remember, think of the body as a system, not a hodgepodge of parts that need to be worked individually. Maybe down the line use some isolation stuff to bring up weaknesses, but for now foxus on the lifts that involve the most muscles.

 

[HunterUk]

Don't worry about 'em. Sure they're the muscle everybody wants the most, but in the big picture they matter very little. Focus on improving your body as a whole. Your bis will grow/get stronger as a result. Something you should definitely check out is the Bill Starr 5x5 routine. The idea of it is to use the exercises that will cause the most growth/strength for your whole body. Here's a link:
http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4497774&postcount=15

After you read that, check this thread out:
http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4491869&postcount=1

That will give you the info you need. Remember, think of the body as a system, not a hodgepodge of parts that need to be worked individually. Maybe down the line use some isolation stuff to bring up weaknesses, but for now foxus on the lifts that involve the most muscles.

Take that advice it's solid

 

[TheOak84]

i call bullshit?

 

[musketeer]

i call bullshit?

Right on oak!

I was just thinking about some kind of attachment problem, where the insertion of the bicep into the lower arm is too close to the elbow, causing it to be weaker....

and then I read your post and it's like:

1 - lifting for one month with a 250 bench max?

2- 250 bench wit honly a 30lb DB curl?

3- biceps sore for 2 weeks? BICEPS?

4- one of your first frigging posts?

Thats TOO MANY coincidences for me!

 

[TheOak84]

if ur strong enough to build your max BP to 250 in one month, you wouldnt have any trouble making some kind of gains with biceps..

 

[Hellbore]

Thanks for making fun of me, that is really helpful. Why would I come on here and lie? That would be pointless.

if ur strong enough to build your max BP to 250 in one month, you wouldnt have any trouble making some kind of gains with biceps..

250 is my MAX.. not what I do 8 reps of. 250 is my MAX that I can do 1 or maybe 2 times. When I started about a month ago my max was 235. I think my muscles are just getting used to lifting again. Back when I was in high school my biceps were pretty normal strength so I don't know why things are so hard now.

It's not like this is my first time lifting in my life... I used to lift in high school but it has been 8 years without lifting. My max back then was 285 3 times. It seems like 8 years is a long time though so I look at it as if I was a beginner. Plus back then I had a coach to tell me what to do. Now I don't know for sure if I am doing things the right way.

As for my biceps, I told you I thought there was something wrong, that's why i'm asking for advice. Like right now they are very sore and we lifted Monday, 3 days ago. None of my muscles are sore any more except my biceps. My biceps are sore and burning and stiff, like it hurts to straighten my arms out. This happens every time I do curls or pullups or anything that uses my biceps very much.

What I did on Monday with my biceps was 3 sets of 10 curls each hand using 30 pound dumbells. At the time I felt like my biceps were weak.

Also something that might be part of the problem: The first day I lifted again, about a month ago, I did all the muscles in the upper body. 5 days later I was in a boxing match with my friend. My biceps were sore at the time. After the boxing match they were more even more sore and painful. I think I overworked them. That is when they stayed sore for 2 weeks. I also had bruises appear on my biceps 3 days after the fight.

I went to a doctor and he doesn't think I tore anything, just strained the muscle or something, maybe injured it but no actual pieces torn off.

Maybe I should ask the doctor if he can hook me up with some gear I have never used anything but protein in my life, no gear or not even creatine. I'm too scared of the law and the side-effects...

 

[musketeer]

Sorry buddy!

Looks like you are serious. As you will get to know when you've been around for a while: we get a ton of screwballs posting dodgy stuff and then getting themselves banned. Oak and I do take this board seriously really are good bros!

OK, here's my advice:

Do no pulling work until the arms feel ready.

Do not do direct bicep work, but instead, only work your biceps by doing compound pulling movements like:

Curl Grip Chins
Bent Rows
Deads
Cleans

When your bi's get really used to all of that, then you may decide to add something else, but at the moment it seems that you have enough bicep stimulation!

The boxing would hurt your biceps because the biceps contract to keep the radius and ulna attached to the humerous (the lower arm attached to the elbow). A little bit like the traps keep the arms on when you deadlift. Punching is an explosive movement and involves quite a bit of force - even without any 'weight'.

Credit to you for not using AAS, they are not required to become larger or stronger!

Welcome to the boards iron bro.

 

[Tedster]

So is the actual muscle sore, is it more towards the elbow where the tendon/ligaments are? When I first got into lifting again, it seemed like my biceps were more tender, but mostly in the tendons area near the elbow.

I've never heard of some one getting bruises on their skin from lifting too hard. I believe that had to come from your boxing.

How's your diet? If you're eating clean, drinking plenty of water, taking a multi-vitamin and getting adequate protein, that will also help your body recover quicker.

I wouldn't be afraid to work your biceps directly. Just don't expect too much too quick if you've only been at it one month. I'd recommend doing two sets of ten until the muscle is conditioned. Then slowly work up to five sets of ten. After that feels comfortable, lower the weight down so you can only do 4 - 8 repetitions.

However, before you do any bicep excercises, I would suggest letting your biceps completely heal. I don't know what your routine is, but I'm sure you're working your biceps indirectly through other excercises which is probably delaying the healing process.




Tedster

 

[Hellbore]

So is the actual muscle sore, is it more towards the elbow where the tendon/ligaments are? When I first got into lifting again, it seemed like my biceps were more tender, but mostly in the tendons area near the elbow.

DEFINITELY where it hurt the most at first was down near the elbow, like you say. In fact that is where the bruising was centered, around where the bicep connects to the elbow. In fact there was very little soreness up higher towards the shoulder. Mostly it was very sore and stiff and painful by the elbow. I didn't do curls either, all I did was rows, wide-grip chin-ups, and then 2 days after I lifted, I did 4 rounds hitting the heavy bag, then 2 days after that I think, is when I boxed with my friend. It was 3 days after the boxing that the bruises appeared down by the elbow.

I think the explosive impact of hitting the bag with hooks while my biceps were still sore, then boxing my friend while even more sore, is probably what injured me a little bit, don't you think? I guess I should know from now on DON'T DO EXPLOSIVE STUFF when your muscles are already in pain, right? At the time I kinda knew I was making a mistake but I didn't think it was a big deal.

After 2 weeks the pain and stiffness was finally gone and I couldn't feel any more soreness in my biceps so I went ahead and did rows, chin-ups, and curls on Monday. My biceps are really sore now but this time, they are not very sore by the elbow, now they are sore throughout the whole bicep. I think maybe this is because I did curls this time.

Anyways, I will take it a little easier until they get used to it I guess. Thanks for the advice guys, there seems to be a lot of good information on this forum.

I need to read up, I have no idea what any of this 5x5 stuff is or anything. I guess the weight training we did in high school was very simple.