Nine weeks to bigger arms, part 1: biceps, bicep workouts, curls

Nine weeks to bigger arms, part 1: Biceps

By: Mike Furci (mike@bullz-eye.com)

Published: 09/19/2000

Updated: 01/30/2008

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It's arm day at the gym. Everybody gets excited about training arms. The same cannot be said for legs, as is obvious by the lack of leg development in a lot of men who workout. Sounds like a great subject for an article.

No other body part exemplifies strength and muscular development like the arms. Because muscular arms are in such demand, they are perhaps the most over-trained and improperly trained body part. To ensure that you are training your arms properly, follow the next four principles for superior arm development.

1. Variety
Experiment with different workouts and don't be afraid to change. If you're not happy with your progress, try something new. The longer you've been training, and the bigger and stronger you become, the harder it is to stimulate growth. So, for those who've been training for a long time, this principle becomes imperative for continued success. Remember, there is no such thing as a perfect workout.

2. Concentration
Concentration is the key to using proper form and heavier loads. Both of these factors lead to higher muscle tension, which in turn stimulates muscular growth.

Always begin your workouts with a specific goal in mind. Start each set knowing how many reps you're going for. I've found repeating the number of reps to be performed three or four times right before I begin my set helps to deepen my concentration. Repeating your goal helps to visualize the task at hand.

3. Form, not poundage
The biggest mistake I see people make in the gym is they sacrifice form for weight. This can be detrimental in two ways. First, improper form doesn't allow you to effectively target the muscle being worked. This leads to lower muscle tension and slowed progress. Second and perhaps more importantly, improper technique during any exercise can lead to injury.

4. Work the muscles from all angles
There are four muscles involved in elbow flexion (as in a dumbbell curl). To train these muscles effectively, you must use a variety of exercises.

Mike's Biceps Routine

Warning: Excessive growth in the biceps may occur as a result of using this routine. Bullz-Eye.com is not responsible for the expense of having to purchase new shirts to fit your arms.

Tempo: The first number is how many seconds it takes to lower the weight (the negative). The second number refers to how long to pause after the negative. The third number refers to the time it takes to raise the weight (the positive). The forth number refers to the pause after the positive.

Notice the exercises change every three weeks. This is to give multiple examples on exercise choice.  Choose one set of exercises and perform them throughout the nine weeks. At the end of your nine-week cycle, choose another set.

In the photos that follow each table below, notice that during all curling exercises, the elbow is directly below the shoulder or slightly behind throughout the movement. Bringing the elbow forward during curling exercises takes the tension off the biceps and puts it on the shoulder. Leave your ego at the door -- drop the weight if you have to and instead concentrate on doing the movement correctly.

Weeks 1-3

Rest interval: 120 seconds (between sets) / 4-6 repetitions per set

EXERCISE	TEMPO	SETS
Incline dumbbell curls supinated grip (palms up)	3022	2
Standing dumbbell curls supinated grip	3022	2
Seated concentration curls	3020	2
Standing hammer curls	3020	2

Incline Dumbbell Curls

Standing Dumbbell Curls

Seated Concentration Curls

Standing Hammer Curls

Weeks 4-6

Rest interval: 150 seconds (between sets) / 4-6 repetitions per set

EXERCISE	TEMPO	SETS
E-Z bar curls	3020	2
Incline semi-supinated dumbbell curls	3020	2
Standing straight bar cable curls	3020	2
Dumbbell palms up wrist curls	3020	2 (8-10 reps)

E-Z Bar Curls

Incline Dumbbell Curls Semi-supinated

Standing Straight Bar Cable Curls

Dumbbell Palm-up Wrist Curl

Weeks 7-9

Rest interval: 182 seconds (between sets) / 4-6 repetitions per set

EXERCISE	TEMPO	SETS
Standing dumbbell curl supinated grip	30X0	1
Incline dumbbell curls supinated grip	30X0	1
Standing straight bar cable curls	30X0	1
Palm up wrist curls on bench**	30X0	1
Palm down wrist curls**	3010	1

**Super Sets: Do the first exercise, then, without rest, immediately do the next.

E-Z Bar Curls

Perform direct forearm work with caution. The forearms are used in just about every exercise you’ll perform. Tendonitis can easily become an issue. I personally do not perform direct forearm work. I found very early on my forearms got plenty of stimulation through other exercises.  

ALSO: Check out Nine weeks to bigger arms, Part 2 for advice on triceps training.

Questions or comments? Send them to mike@bullz-eye.com.