I notice a .125 inch increase!

KISS · 06-Sep-06, 02:19 PM

I notice .125 inch increase in the size of my arm, after two weeks of restarting my workout. Is this a good sign? This will be 3 inches in one year, if my math is correct. What's the normal rate at which an average guy adds inches to his arm? Can you all share your experiences on how much you added in, say a six-month period or something similar. That'll help me in understanding whether I am on the right track.

As for the two weeks of workout, I simply did (Workout A) BB curls3*5, Deadlifts1*5, (Workout B) Bench3*5, military press 3*5. It's a modification of Riptoe's routine, did 3 days a week.

Am I on the right track?

**maverick** · 06-Sep-06, 02:38 PM

Why did you change Riptoe's routine?

Stang281 · 06-Sep-06, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KISS

I notice .125 inch increase in the size of my arm, after two weeks of restarting my workout. Is this a good sign? This will be 3 inches in one year, if my math is correct. What's the normal rate at which an average guy adds inches to his arm? Can you all share your experiences on how much you added in, say a six-month period or something similar. That'll help me in understanding whether I am on the right track.

As for the two weeks of workout, I simply did (Workout A) BB curls3*5, Deadlifts1*5, (Workout B) Bench3*5, military press 3*5. It's a modification of Riptoe's routine, did 3 days a week.

Am I on the right track?

Is this measurement immediatly after workout or a day later after swelling has gone down?

I measured pre workout to be 15" and after 6 months Im at 16 5/8, post workout about 17 3/4

How bigs your arm now??

ebon00 · 06-Sep-06, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KISS

I notice .125 inch increase in the size of my arm, after two weeks of restarting my workout. Is this a good sign? This will be 3 inches in one year, if my math is correct. What's the normal rate at which an average guy adds inches to his arm?

Your math is off because gains are rarely, if ever, linear. And there's no "normal rate" of gaining, it all depends on how you work, eat, rest. I thought you'd at least have gotten that much from the genetics thread you started. And rankly, one set of 5 in the deadlift? What's that? If you're only doing two exercises per workout you have to at least put some real effort into the better one of them.

KISS · 07-Sep-06, 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ebon00

And rankly, one set of 5 in the deadlift? What's that? If you're only doing two exercises per workout you have to at least put some real effort into the better one of them.

I don't want to overtrain.

I am starting after a long time, so I want to move slowly. Moreover, I don't have much time, so I figured I might do exercises that target large muscle groups, rather than break my head (or my arm or leg!) over db curls and such.

KISS · 07-Sep-06, 02:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maverick

Why did you change Riptoe's routine?

I have a soft, fragile body.

I don't want to hurt myself overdoing it, and besides, I am kinda restarting my program, hence the caution.

KISS · 07-Sep-06, 02:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stang281

Is this measurement immediatly after workout or a day later after swelling has gone down?

No, not immediately. It was on one of the non-workout days. Wanted to check my progress after two weeks. If I flex my arms, i notice .125 in increase. But I notice half inch increase if I keep my arm straight.:confused: What to make of this?

ebon00 · 07-Sep-06, 02:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KISS

I don't want to overtrain.

I am starting after a long time, so I want to move slowly. Moreover, I don't have much time, so I figured I might do exercises that target large muscle groups, rather than break my head (or my arm or leg!) over db curls and such.

OK, you obviously misunderstood my post (at least I hope so). You say you don't want to overtrain. Fine, that's smart. You say you have limited time so you focus on the big exercises that target large muscle groups. Fine, that's smart too. Now explain to me how focusing on the exercises that target large muscle groups mean doing 3 sets of barbell curls and only 1 set of deadlifts. I'm hoping it's just a typo.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KISS

If I flex my arms, i notice .125 in increase. But I notice half inch increase if I keep my arm straight.:confused: What to make of this?

Nothing. You're focusing on all the wrong things. Forget about taking measurements every 2 weeks when you're just starting up again. Focus on doing the work, doing it well (good form and plenty of effort), and trying to increase your weights. That's all. You're overthinking and not putting your energies where they count, in the case of your particular routine, the deadlift.

rab91787 · 07-Sep-06, 08:08 AM

lmfao

F_Mac · 07-Sep-06, 09:47 AM

Congrats on your progress, however, you have 1 set of 1 exercise devoted to lower body (deadlift), with the rest focusing on upper body.

Your routine is quite lopsided and, IMO, doesn't make a lot of sense. Like ebon00 said, BB curls are not an exercise that focus on all the major muscle groups. If I had 4 exercises that I could do, that would give me the most return for my limited time in the gym, BB curls would be at the bottom of the list.

Squat
Bench
Deadlift
BB Rows

....those would be my 4.

KISS · 07-Sep-06, 11:28 AM

Originally, I wasn't doing bb curls, only DL. But I thought I could add bb curls to it to work my biceps. bench, dl and MP cover every other body part except biceps.:confused:

Will this be alright then?

Workout A
Bench 3*5
MP 3*5

Workout B
DL 2*5
BB curls 2*5

I dont want to get into squats as yet.

ebon00 · 07-Sep-06, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KISS

Originally, I wasn't doing bb curls, only DL. But I thought I could add bb curls to it to work my biceps. bench, dl and MP cover every other body part except biceps.:confused:

If you want a biceps exercise and want to do this whole low-volume thing I'd suggest chins. But I don't think you'll go for that, it's an ass-kicker of an exercise.

Stang281 · 07-Sep-06, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KISS

Originally, I wasn't doing bb curls, only DL. But I thought I could add bb curls to it to work my biceps. bench, dl and MP cover every other body part except biceps.:confused:

Will this be alright then?

Workout A
Bench 3*5
MP 3*5

Workout B
DL 2*5
BB curls 2*5

I dont want to get into squats as yet.

Im one to say I dont like leg exercises as I dont like the soreness in my legs at all, BUT if it wasnt for me doing leg extensions and leg presses, I dont do many squats. but anyways my gains have improved alot more now that Im doing leg exercises.
Just make sure you get lots of protein and keep lifting if you can do more sets with more reps do them, dont just stop at 3 sets of 5 cause it sounds like a good number

F_Mac · 07-Sep-06, 12:45 PM

So you dropped 1 set of BB curls and added 1 set of DL's?

Your biceps will get worked doing any kind of rowing, pull ups, or chins.........which would be much better choices than curls.

Why can't you squat? Squats are arguably THE best overall mass building exercise in existence (yes, squatting will help you increase the size of your biceps too).

iloveher86 · 07-Sep-06, 10:31 PM

I don't like squats, the only exercise that seems to **** up my joints and I feel the pain through my bones. I know they say squats are a mass builder for upper body aswell, but it's not worth it to me if I have to walk weeks with my bones crunching. First exercise to ever **** with my joints big time.