Am I doing something wrong? re: biceps

BJLTNYK · #1 09-07-2007, 12:31 AM

So I've been working out for about 3 years now but only really started getting serious this summer. Started watching what I was eating more especially with protein intake before workouts and with shakes etc.

I've noticed some really nice gains and I'm pretty happy overall.

My chest has gotten noticably bigger and my back/legs/triceps/abs have also radically improved.

However, I'm really not pleased with my biceps. I'm definetly much stronger and cant lift alot more but feel like my biceps are getting "fat" and not cut like the rest of my body. Does this make sense to anyone? I feel like at the midpoint of the bicep it should really curl and form the "V" toward the top of the arm.

Are there any specific workouts I should be doing to target this area?

If more info is needed will be happy to chime in. thx

Klompy · #2 09-07-2007, 01:11 AM

What does your workout consist of for a week?

BJLTNYK · #3 09-07-2007, 02:27 AM

Sunday: Back/Biceps/Light Cardio/Light Abs

Tuesday: Legs/Heavy Cardio/Heavy Abs

Thursday: Chest/Triceps/Light Cardio/Light Abs

Friday: Basketball for cardio and owning everyone

theblackkeys · #4 09-07-2007, 02:53 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Sunday: Back/Biceps/Light Cardio/Light Abs

Tuesday: Legs/Heavy Cardio/Heavy Abs

Thursday: Chest/Triceps/Light Cardio/Light Abs

Friday: Basketball for cardio and owning everyone

[/ QUOTE ]
be specific. exercises, set and rep schemes, how you increase volume, etc.

BJLTNYK · #5 09-07-2007, 03:19 AM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Sunday: Back/Biceps/Light Cardio/Light Abs

Tuesday: Legs/Heavy Cardio/Heavy Abs

Thursday: Chest/Triceps/Light Cardio/Light Abs

Friday: Basketball for cardio and owning everyone

[/ QUOTE ]
be specific. exercises, set and rep schemes, how you increase volume, etc.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sun: Bicep curls, shoulder taps, shrugs, shoulder press, upright row

Tues: Leg press, calf raises, squats

Thurs: Bench press, incline bench, cable crosses, skullcrushers, tricep pulldowns, dumbell flys

BJLTNYK · #6 09-07-2007, 03:20 AM

Usually 3 sets of 8 for each...have been steadily adding about 5 LBs every week and a half as I feel more comfortable.

Rootabager · #7 09-07-2007, 04:03 AM

if you do this you should switch sunday to heavy cardio and tuesday to light cardio.

Why you want to do legs then heavy cardio.

thirddan · #8 09-07-2007, 11:48 AM

"Sun: Bicep curls, shoulder taps, shrugs, shoulder press, upright row"

how come you don't do any back exercises on your back/biceps day? this could be where some of the bicep growth issues lie...your body doesn't want to grow out of proportion, and since you don't do any back exercises your body will halt your bicep growth...

what are shoulder taps?

consider mixing up the rep sceme to something more like 8x3 since you have been doing a higher rep program for so long, it will allow you to use much larger weights and will shock your system to start changing again...

or find a professionally designed full body or split and try that for a while...see the faq or tons of programs at t-nation.com (Thib's has split programs)

bills217 · #9 09-07-2007, 02:54 PM

Are you using good form on your curls?

The vast majority of people I see in the gym use bad form on their curls. They swing their elbows out in front of their bodies to help get the bar up - this brings the front lats into play.

The reason people do this is because you can lift 10-20% more weight doing it this way. Unfortunately, it doesn't work your bi's the way a bicep curl is supposed to, and it can also result in injury. I developed a trigger point on the outside of my right forearm that kept me from lifting at all for about 4 weeks.

Now, I usually do curls parallel to a mirror, and I periodically glance sideways to make sure my elbows are staying down at my sides - it also helps to try to keep the bar as close to your body as possible and just lift it straight up, rather than swinging it out and then up.

Needless to say, I've noticed much improved gains from my biceps since I started using proper form.

If this isn't your problem, then I don't know what to tell you. Wrong exercises maybe? Not enough variety?

BJLTNYK · #10 09-07-2007, 05:32 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Are you using good form on your curls?

The vast majority of people I see in the gym use bad form on their curls. They swing their elbows out in front of their bodies to help get the bar up - this brings the front lats into play.

The reason people do this is because you can lift 10-20% more weight doing it this way. Unfortunately, it doesn't work your bi's the way a bicep curl is supposed to, and it can also result in injury. I developed a trigger point on the outside of my right forearm that kept me from lifting at all for about 4 weeks.

Now, I usually do curls parallel to a mirror, and I periodically glance sideways to make sure my elbows are staying down at my sides - it also helps to try to keep the bar as close to your body as possible and just lift it straight up, rather than swinging it out and then up.

Needless to say, I've noticed much improved gains from my biceps since I started using proper form.

If this isn't your problem, then I don't know what to tell you. Wrong exercises maybe? Not enough variety?

[/ QUOTE ]

This sounds like it might be possible...it wouldn't surprise me if I were using bad form. I'll try lowering the weight next time I do them and see if I notice a change.