My pitiful Arms.

[Chevy409]

Been working out for a little over a year now on the MAX-OT and while my tri's are making great progress and handling more weight, my bi's are stagnant... I can't curl much more than I started with and they never really grow. Thing is, I rearely get a good burn when working bi's no matter what I do. I go to failure but it feels more like fatigue than muscle overload. I think part of the problem is my brachialis feel like they do most of the work and I'm not sure how to better target or isolate my bi's.
Any advice is much appreciated. : Thanks

[Todd]

One fudamental priciple of Max OT is to always strive to place a greater load onto your muscles....as in either 1-2 more reps with that same weight you used last week, or up the weight a tiny bit once you are able to complete the higher end of you target rep range. This is what you must be focused on each and every workout from week to week with you bi's, and every other body part.

So for example....if you lifted 75 pounds for barbell curls last week for 4 reps, then this week you shoot for 5 reps minimum. Same weight, but you are doing 1 more rep....and you've just worked the muscle slightly harder than last week....so therefore more adaptation has been stimulated.

Next week, you shoot for 6 reps with the same weight. Say then, you get that 6 reps next week, then that's cool...cuz you've just forced it to adapt slightly more.

Now, once you can get 6 reps easy with that weight, then you move up a TINY bit...move up by increasing the weight used by the smallest increment. So say you then move to 80 pounds for your barbell curls. This should definitely put you back to only being able to get 4 reps or so. Then you go from there, working your way back up, striving to get more and more reps within your target range. But since you've been using Max OT for a year, then I suspect you know all this already, but I thought i would mention all this anyways, because it is the root of Max OT.

But in order for all this to happen, you also have to make sure you are doing everything else right, so that it CAN happen, and you are ABLE to adapt continuously. This means, eating enough protein, the right amount of overall calories for you to maintain and add new lean mass, you must rest enough, get adequate sleep each and every night and drink enough water to support your efforts in and out of the gym.

Lack in any one of those areas and your performance will suffer...no matter what training method you are using! So think about it, maybe the problem lies within those other factors ...training is only the stimulus, everything else needs to be done optimally in order to get maximum results.

[TommyD]

You might want to try to stray from Max-OT for biceps (but obviously stay with Max-OT for body parts that are getting results), and maybe try some different training techniques.

For instance, instead of the 4-6 rep range for your biceps, maybe drop down a few pounds and go for 10 reps. Try to increase those 10 reps to 15 reps over a month or two, and then go back to your 4-6 reps to see if you've made any strength gains (mass gains will obviously be noticeable if/when you make them).

You could also try a 5x5 routine for your biceps in which you do 5 sets of 5 reps for something like standing biceps curls or alternating dumbbell curls. When you do this *DON'T* go to failure. Find a good starting weight and try to add small weight increments every few weeks.

Oh, and if you *really* want to get a good burn out of your biceps, try doing some 21's. I guarantee those will kick some ass. :

[Cort]

Might sound crazy but I've noticed huge improvement on my biceps just from deadlifts...biceps seem to be my slowest mucle though, I'm always tryin to throw more weight on stuff but biceps I find that I either can't put on more weight or I just can't do that last rep sometimes, isn't really that ya don't try...you just keep pushing your arm to pull the damn weight up but it doesn't happen.

[Chevy409]

Thanks everyone for the help!

Cort, you could've have said it any better, that's exactly what I go through on bi's day.

Every body part BUT my bi's is making progress. My older brother works out as well and he too had difficulties with arm size so I wouldn't be surprised if I got dealt some crappy biceps through genetics.

I'll try doing more reps with less weight... I've done the add weight thing but it just aint working.
Any comment on the brachialis being part of the cause? Just curious. I used to play ball and after picthing, my arm would hurt there. After 13 years of playing, it would make sense that the muscle built up and is maybe taking away from my bi's routine now.

[grambo]

EDIT(thx tuna)

brachialis is the muscle underlying the bicep. If it was strong, then your bicep would recieve the benefit of its added strength, and you wouldnt be complaining about curling

What does your arm day look like? routine wise?

[Tuna Fish]

Brachialis is not part of the biceps, yet it does comprise part of the upper arm....

You might try incorporating the biceps into your back exercises by doing underhand chins and rows as heavy as possible for 4-6 reps. That'll work the biceps very hard with more weight than you can curl.....

Tuna

[grambo]

damn, thx tuna...


I wish I was still in high school taking anatomy, so I could remember everything

[Chevy409]

Tuna, I moved up in weight quite a bit for back last week and that's exactly what happend, my bi's were just as sore two days after. Good advice, thanks man.

My usual bi's routine is 3 sets of straightbar curls, 4-5 reps, supersetted with alternating DB curls, 3 sets, 3-4 reps, then I'll do tri's and then one more exercise for bi's at the end, like one more good set of Straightbar curls or back to DBs.

[Tuna Fish]

Right on, Chevy!!!