YAWT(Yet Another Workout Thread): Arms

[jcwagers]

Hello everybody. I've been trying to work out some from time to time here at home. I have a workout question in regards to arm size. I weigh anywhere between 170-180 lbs and I'm 5'10-5'11. My question is this.....how big can I expect to get my arms? I know I'm not going to be Arnold or any of those kinda guys. I'm just kinda curious. I know that I see guys from time to time and some of them have rather large arms. This is gonna sound vain but I measured my arms the other day just to see. I'm left-handed so I measured my left arm. After working out some......it measured between 16 and 16 1/2 inches. I don't want to brag at all....as I know this is NOT big. I'm just wondering if some of you who workout ever measure your arms.....and if so, would you have any kind of target size that I could expect to shoot for? I'm not really interested in gaining a bunch of weight(as that would be difficult to maintain fitness if I was to stop working out and such). This is a stupid thread......but I'm just curious as to whether or not anybody has any input on this. (Oh, and feel free to let me know that this is a stupid thread......I don't mind neffing. ) Thanks in advance!

jc

Edit: Earlier, when I said my arms were around 16 inches....that was flexing. :disgust:

 

[Deeko]

Often times people focus too much on the biceps. 2/3 of your arm mass is in your triceps. Do close grip bench, tricep extensions, tricep pushdowns....for biceps do 21's...you will build.

 

[jcwagers]

I've been trying 21's.....and they are HARD! I can get one set done....but.....I hafta usually stop after about 14 on the last couple of sets......*whew* Thanks for the reply!

jc

 

[brianp34]

Often times people focus too much on the biceps. 2/3 of your arm mass is in your triceps. Do close grip bench, tricep extensions, tricep pushdowns....for biceps do 21's...you will build.

Good advice. Add in some dips for your triceps. For my biceps, I almost always start with a seated or standing preacher curl, 1/3 of the time with a barbell and a 2/3 of the time with dumbells. Hammer curls, standing curls, and concentration curls are good, then finish with 21's or a curl with a cable machine so you can really burn out everything that's left. They'll get bigger, how much bigger depends on genetics and protein intake.

brian

 

[Deeko]

Originally posted by: brianp34

Often times people focus too much on the biceps. 2/3 of your arm mass is in your triceps. Do close grip bench, tricep extensions, tricep pushdowns....for biceps do 21's...you will build.

Good advice. Add in some dips for your triceps. For my biceps, I almost always start with a seated or standing preacher curl, 1/3 of the time with a barbell and a 2/3 of the time with dumbells. Hammer curls, standing curls, and concentration curls are good, then finish with 21's or a curl with a cable machine so you can really burn out everything that's left. They'll get bigger, how much bigger depends on genetics and protein intake.

brian

yea, forgot about dips...i dont do them because i have alot of relative strength, so they don't do anything for me.
That's a pretty good bicep workout. I generally do 21's, followed by seated barbell preacher curl, followed by hammers, followed by reverse cable curls.

 

[jcwagers]

Is protein intake(like shakes and such) mandatory? I'd like to get as big as possible "naturally".....without protein shakes and such....but....I'm not necessarily opposed to it.....as long as I can keep from getting a bigger gut. I try to eat quite a bit.....but......it's usually whatever I can get....and I know that's NOT going to help me. I try to eat quite a bit of chicken and turkey and stuff like that. I'm not much on tuna.

 

[Deeko]

can you get alot of protein without getting it artifically? it doesn't matter how you get it, just that you get it.

 

[jcwagers]

Deeko......what's the easiest way to get protein? Is it shakes? Tuna? Do you have any good ideas for protein consumption?

 

[Deeko]

meat meat meat! Tuna is a good source, alot of protein, not much fat. Some people think it has mercury and is bad for you? I eat alot of tuna...and whatever other meat my school throws at me. I also take a protein supplement...its a pill not a shake...expensive as hell, but you don't have to deal with the terrible taste, and it is a more digestable form.

 

[jcwagers]

Cool. Thanks Deeko!

 

[brianp34]

protein shakes contain different forms of protein. many contain whey protein isolates; look for a whey protein with a high concentration of branch chain amino acids. these proteins are absorbed quickly so they're good to follow up a work out. protein in meat and milk are slowly digested by the body, so you should try to get some of each form (make your shakes with milk, then have a steak in an hour or so) liver is the best you can do if you want to get high protein without supplements, i eat tuna like its going out of style too. you can't rely entirely on supplements and you really can't get enough protein through a regular diet (unless you're eating a lot.) i'm also trying to slim down, so the protein shakes help out there too.

 

[theNEOone]

Originally posted by: Deeko

Originally posted by: brianp34

Often times people focus too much on the biceps. 2/3 of your arm mass is in your triceps. Do close grip bench, tricep extensions, tricep pushdowns....for biceps do 21's...you will build.

Good advice. Add in some dips for your triceps. For my biceps, I almost always start with a seated or standing preacher curl, 1/3 of the time with a barbell and a 2/3 of the time with dumbells. Hammer curls, standing curls, and concentration curls are good, then finish with 21's or a curl with a cable machine so you can really burn out everything that's left. They'll get bigger, how much bigger depends on genetics and protein intake.

brian

yea, forgot about dips...i dont do them because i have alot of relative strength, so they don't do anything for me.
That's a pretty good bicep workout. I generally do 21's, followed by seated barbell preacher curl, followed by hammers, followed by reverse cable curls.

wut are you talking about? dips are great. i too got to the point where i could do more than i can count, but then i just started adding weight. now i just use a weight belt and slap on a pair of 45 pound plates and pump out a dozen or so dips. works great.

 

[KokomoGST]

Originally posted by: Deeko
Often times people focus too much on the biceps. 2/3 of your arm mass is in your triceps. Do close grip bench, tricep extensions, tricep pushdowns....for biceps do 21's...you will build.

Deeko and Brian's protein advice is on the money... I actually would like to add eggs to the list. Eggs are great for breakfast, keep the yolks for sure. Just don't overcook and denature the protein out of the eggs. In terms of dietary protein, eggs is still one of the best ways.

My biceps are kinda 'el shrimpo' in comparison to my tris... but even with that, my arms look pretty big. Supplements are exactly that... I personally gulp down EAS Simply Protein (Whey) in Rich Chocolate because it tastes quite good and is available pretty cheap at Vitago.com. Taking your protein at appropriate times helps make sure your body doesn't enter a catabolic state but rather encourage it to stay in an anabolic state and continue to build.

I tried out Wannabebig.com's big arm routine... it worked. linky It kicked my @$$ but it worked. I did get the 1/2" alright. I didn't follow his dietary plan with creatine and liquid calories since I was interested in lean muscle. It took about a month and a half but I got there just the same, I just try to eat a lot. Adequate caloric intake and timely correct protein intake, just like everyone else is saying.

Reminder just to drink mass quantities of water. Not only will it help you stay hydrated but it will act to give your muscles more definition because your body will not have to carry as much water. It'll also help process the protein. Too much protein can be bad, take enough for your building and fuel it with regular good carbs.

 

[Deeko]

Originally posted by: theNEOone

Originally posted by: Deeko

Originally posted by: brianp34

Often times people focus too much on the biceps. 2/3 of your arm mass is in your triceps. Do close grip bench, tricep extensions, tricep pushdowns....for biceps do 21's...you will build.

Good advice. Add in some dips for your triceps. For my biceps, I almost always start with a seated or standing preacher curl, 1/3 of the time with a barbell and a 2/3 of the time with dumbells. Hammer curls, standing curls, and concentration curls are good, then finish with 21's or a curl with a cable machine so you can really burn out everything that's left. They'll get bigger, how much bigger depends on genetics and protein intake.

brian

yea, forgot about dips...i dont do them because i have alot of relative strength, so they don't do anything for me.
That's a pretty good bicep workout. I generally do 21's, followed by seated barbell preacher curl, followed by hammers, followed by reverse cable curls.

wut are you talking about? dips are great. i too got to the point where i could do more than i can count, but then i just started adding weight. now i just use a weight belt and slap on a pair of 45 pound plates and pump out a dozen or so dips. works great.

eh...I don't really have a weight belt around. id rather do more tricep extentions or somethin.

 

[KokomoGST]

Originally posted by: Deeko

Originally posted by: theNEOone
wut are you talking about? dips are great. i too got to the point where i could do more than i can count, but then i just started adding weight. now i just use a weight belt and slap on a pair of 45 pound plates and pump out a dozen or so dips. works great.

eh...I don't really have a weight belt around. id rather do more tricep extentions or somethin.

Bleh, superset dips as a finisher after doing a set to failure.

You'll feel it for sure... after an intense workout superset, I can add in about 4-6 dips max before I feel like my triceps will just about let go and have me fall flat on my face.

 

[schizoid]

what are 21s?

Blackjack?

PS: I love you Deeko. =]

 

[theNEOone]

Originally posted by: Deeko

Originally posted by: theNEOone

Originally posted by: Deeko

Originally posted by: brianp34

Often times people focus too much on the biceps. 2/3 of your arm mass is in your triceps. Do close grip bench, tricep extensions, tricep pushdowns....for biceps do 21's...you will build.

Good advice. Add in some dips for your triceps. For my biceps, I almost always start with a seated or standing preacher curl, 1/3 of the time with a barbell and a 2/3 of the time with dumbells. Hammer curls, standing curls, and concentration curls are good, then finish with 21's or a curl with a cable machine so you can really burn out everything that's left. They'll get bigger, how much bigger depends on genetics and protein intake.

brian

yea, forgot about dips...i dont do them because i have alot of relative strength, so they don't do anything for me.
That's a pretty good bicep workout. I generally do 21's, followed by seated barbell preacher curl, followed by hammers, followed by reverse cable curls.

wut are you talking about? dips are great. i too got to the point where i could do more than i can count, but then i just started adding weight. now i just use a weight belt and slap on a pair of 45 pound plates and pump out a dozen or so dips. works great.

eh...I don't really have a weight belt around. id rather do more tricep extentions or somethin.

well that's cool. but one of the most important things you can do when working out is to throw in some variety in your workouts. you might not want to do them every day, but hit up some dips 2 or 3 times a month. it didn't become a popular exercise for no reason, you know!

 

[Deeko]

Originally posted by: schizoid
what are 21s?

Blackjack?

PS: I love you Deeko. =]

god you're back?

21's:
use a curl bar. Do 7 reps bottom half of a full rep. 7 reps top half. 7 reps full.

well that's cool. but one of the most important things you can do when working out is to throw in some variety in your workouts. you might not want to do them every day, but hit up some dips 2 or 3 times a month. it didn't become a popular exercise for no reason, you know!

yea yea...I throw in relative stuff every now and then...just to show off how many I can do I adjust my workout about once a month...I get bored with it lol

 

[Deeko]

Originally posted by: KokomoGST

Originally posted by: Deeko

Originally posted by: theNEOone
wut are you talking about? dips are great. i too got to the point where i could do more than i can count, but then i just started adding weight. now i just use a weight belt and slap on a pair of 45 pound plates and pump out a dozen or so dips. works great.

eh...I don't really have a weight belt around. id rather do more tricep extentions or somethin.

Bleh, superset dips as a finisher after doing a set to failure.

You'll feel it for sure... after an intense workout superset, I can add in about 4-6 dips max before I feel like my triceps will just about let go and have me fall flat on my face.

The guy I lift with tried to get me to do that once. Thought it was gonna kill me, going straight into them...I got bored at 20 and stopped.

 

[KokomoGST]

Originally posted by: Deeko

Originally posted by: KokomoGST
Bleh, superset dips as a finisher after doing a set to failure.

You'll feel it for sure... after an intense workout superset, I can add in about 4-6 dips max before I feel like my triceps will just about let go and have me fall flat on my face.

The guy I lift with tried to get me to do that once. Thought it was gonna kill me, going straight into them...I got bored at 20 and stopped.

Did you do a prior set/sets of your other tricep exercises to failure? Dips do work the shoulders as well, so if your tris are not so terribly tired that you can barely lock out... do more weight on your prior tricep exercises and that last rep on your tris you should barely be able to lock out if at all. THEN do the full dips attempting to isolate the tris and lessen the emphasis on the shoulders.

Otherwise, you'll just be using your shoulders... full ROM of course. I see too many people do pissant dips. "Oh I do 25 dips...blahblahblah." Do the full ROM without jerking not off a bench but on a set of parallel bars. You'll be taking the entire weight of your body... do NOT lean forward otherwise you're basically cheating and moving the focus toward the chest which can make the exercise too easy.

 

[MC]

Originally posted by: Deeko
21's:
use a curl bar. Do 7 reps bottom half of a full rep. 7 reps top half. 7 reps full.

Is 21's any different than say....3-4 sets of 7-9 normal repetitions workout?

 

[Deeko]

Originally posted by: KokomoGST

Originally posted by: Deeko

Originally posted by: KokomoGST
Bleh, superset dips as a finisher after doing a set to failure.

You'll feel it for sure... after an intense workout superset, I can add in about 4-6 dips max before I feel like my triceps will just about let go and have me fall flat on my face.

The guy I lift with tried to get me to do that once. Thought it was gonna kill me, going straight into them...I got bored at 20 and stopped.

Did you do a prior set/sets of your other tricep exercises to failure? Dips do work the shoulders as well, so if your tris are not so terribly tired that you can barely lock out... do more weight on your prior tricep exercises and that last rep on your tris you should barely be able to lock out if at all. THEN do the full dips attempting to isolate the tris and lessen the emphasis on the shoulders.

Otherwise, you'll just be using your shoulders... full ROM of course. I see too many people do pissant dips. "Oh I do 25 dips...blahblahblah." Do the full ROM without jerking not off a bench but on a set of parallel bars. You'll be taking the entire weight of your body... do NOT lean forward otherwise you're basically cheating and moving the focus toward the chest which can make the exercise too easy.

I do shoulders and tris on the same day. And yes I did them the right way.

Is 21's any different than say....3-4 sets of 7-9 normal repetitions workout?

Yes. 21's will kill your arms.

 

[MC]

Originally posted by: Deeko

Is 21's any different than say....3-4 sets of 7-9 normal repetitions workout?

Yes. 21's will kill your arms.

Yea, but if i'm using 60lbs in 3-4 sets of 7-9 reps workout where i could only do 30lbs will probably kill my arms also. Same thing applies to, if i'm only using 20lbs doing 21's where i usually do 50lbs, i doubt 21's will kill my arms in this case.

Care to elaborate more about the 21's on how it works your muscles or the benefits if that's possible?

Thanks.

 

[jcwagers]

I'll give the "how do 21's work" thing a shot. It's all about keeping a constant load on your muscles. The first 7 work the lower part of your bicep, the second 7 the upper part, and the final seven work them both. I have trouble being able to do all 21 at one time. I can usually do it for 1 set but the second and third sets are usually too much and I have to stop for a few seconds after 14. I usually use about 70 lbs on the curl bar when I *try* to do my 21's. I don't know if I gave much of an explanation about the 21's......but if not, I'm sure Deeko or one of the others can do a much better job.

jc

 

[SagaLore]

I was going to focus a lot on my biceps and triceps, but then I realized I needed to get my support muscles in shape so I'm targetting my shoulders.


For those of you that were reading my YAWTT thread on shoulders - GOOD NEWS - I worked out my pecs yesterday, and they're actually a little sore this morning. I warmed up with 70 lbs bench press, 15 reps. Then did 100 lbs, 7 reps - since I was able to push past 6 I did another set with 110 lbs and got to 3. Then I warmed up with freeweights 15 reps of 25 lbs per arm, and then was able to do 10 reps of 40 lbs per arm (I wasn't able to go any higher with the weight since I didn't have a spotter). It's at least good news for me that I'm just a little sore because I've been trying to max out the weights on the muscle groups but haven't been feeling like they were worked the next day... maybe it's just because I haven't worked my pecs for a few weeks...