Weightlifting Advice

[AgentZap]

I don't know why, but my bicep strength refuses to increase. I have been doing the same weight for over a month now. All my other muscle strength is increasing however.
Anyone have any advice on getting over a bicep plateau?
I lift the straight barbell bar at 12 reps of 40lb (1 min rest), 10 reps of 50lb(1 min rest), 8 reps of 50lb(1 min rest), and I try for 6 reps of 60lb(1 min rest), and then I'll do another 12 reps of 40lb followed by 12 sets of some slight variation on one of the bicep machines with lower weight. This formula seems to work great for all my other muscle groups except my biceps.
Should I try something else? I'm thinking of stopping barbells and using a different exercise to isolate the biceps. Any thoughts?

 

[MrChipMuthabored]

Lower reps, more weight= You get big.

More reps, less weight= You get lean.

 

[KevinMU1]

Try doing some 1 rep maxxes... find the maximum weight you can do and do 1 rep... this will challenge your muscles in new ways. Also, you need to do different exercises to challenge the muscles in new ways... muscles grow to new challenges so you need to try new things all the time, don't let your muscles get used to anything "same old same old."

 

[CStroman]

<< I have been doing the same weight for over a month now. >>



There's your problem. Lift more weight.

 

[teriba]

I work back and biceps on Wednesdays.

3x10 each exercise
Bench Pull
Seated Row
Lat Pull
Preacher Curls
21's (3x21)

21's are when you stand and do 7 reps from full extension to halfway up, 7 from halfway up to chest, 7 full arm range.

This program seems to work well for me. It moves from the compound exercises (bench pull, seated row, lat pull) to the focused bicep exercise (preachers) and then finishes with a nice burner (21's).

 

[teriba]

2-6 reps mass building
6-10 reps strength building
10+ reps toning (fat burning)

 

[Angrymarshmello]

It doesn't matter how much weight you use as opposed to what you do with the weight. First off, 5 sets of straight barbell curls is overkill, especially if you're pyramiding. Keep it to 3 sets per excercise, add in some hammer curls (works the bicep brachialis (maybe thats the wrong term but it works the other bicep muscle under the one on top)), concentration curls or preacher curls, (hits the peaks) and some incline dumbbell curls. (Lying in a prone incline position stretches the muscle)

 

[swai]

stop doing curls, and try some grip work.... seriously
there are some interesting articles at Testosterone that you might wanna read