Attack the biceps! Biceps brachii, brachialis and brachioradialis?

[Drummer]

I always have trouble getting the bicep to grow. I was reviewing EXRX.net and got into some things that may help. Obviously the biceps have an inner and outer head, the "long" (outside) and "short" (inside) heads. All the basic curls nail these 2 quite well (i like the new "drag curl" on the site too). Standing bar, dumbell etc. I was more looking at the other 2 important muscles : the brachialis and the brachioradialis. For the brachialis (under the bicep) EXRX lists all types of preacher and concentration curls. For the brachioradialis (extending from the elbow, under-outside of forearm to the thumb area) it lists reverse and hammer curls. I understand that all 3 muscles work synergistically while lifting, but i'm just curious about what you guys do to hit all these muscles for nice arm growth. So, what mix has worked for you?

~D~

[ironwill]

My best times for a nice full bicep is usually after barbell curls, reverse barbell curl, seated db curl, and hammer curls close to 1 inch from chest/belly up to shoulder....after doing this routine for a few weeks it seems to blow things up....medium volume, and 2 sets per exercise, except seated curls, i like to go 3 sets up to maxing at 8, then doing 2-3 drops and burning out...
One thing i was told for doing biceps is....
stand up in front of a mirror, curl your arm with wrist feeling comfortable up toward your shoulder as high as you can go....where your hand position is will hit your biceps the best......curl with that form without supinating wrist furthr than that point...

[kloan]

I find lifting my elbows up a bit while squeezing out the rep really helps with hitting the full range of the biceps. I find if I keep my elbows perfectly stationary, only a small portion of the bis are hit.

I don't have enourmous biceps, but they do grow well from how I work them.

I do DB curls (starting with hammer grip position, and rotation during upward movement), hammer curls for width (just like IW does em), then I'll usually do one more, either hammer grip ropes on the cable machine (this really seems to help wtih pump and overall volume at the end), or I might do some concentration curls or preacher curls (great for under muscles).

I also find bench press seems to help with arm size and stregth.

My main obstacle at this point is peak size.. my bis are pretty decent, but they don't really have much peak.

[meathelmet]

IMO variety is key especially if your biceps are hard to stimulate, I dont think one of my biceps workout is the same as the last and they respond quite well to it. Change it up with different grips, exercises, reps, tempo and they should grow no problem. Works for me but hey its just my view on the topic

[waderow]

never forget the cables.

[Drummer]

Wade, what cable routines do you like the best? I stay off the cables, but am getting curious...

[L3]

Wade, what cable routines do you like the best? I stay off the cables, but am getting curious...

animal curls are a favorite of mine

same with Zottoman curls

[kloan]

ropes with hammer grip work really well (as i posted above)

[waderow]

Wade, what cable routines do you like the best? I stay off the cables, but am getting curious...

I do a zottman style and alternate between single and double arm. When I do single arm, I superset a tricep extension:

right arm curl
left arm curl
right arm tricep extension
left arm tricep extension

repeat

When I do double arm, I will use an ez curl cable bar, and really concentrate on the top end flex.

[Drummer]

sounds good... ima give it a shot 2moro. thnx for all the suggestions!

~D~

[kloan]

When I do double arm, I will use an ez curl cable bar, and really concentrate on the top end flex.

yeah i like that one too, or sometimes i'll use a close grip straight bar.. i like the cables for finishing off the muscle group.

[Drummer]

Did a bicep blast on friday mixing up the main target - between dumbells, EZ and bar, and cable - bicep, brach and brachiora, i burned em real good. So good that only today the soreness started to fade.... excited about maybe finally getting a good set of biceps...

[powerrack]

Barbell Curls 3sets 6-8reps, Reverse Bar Curls 3sets 8-10 reps, Alternate Db Curls 1set drop set down the rack

That's what I've been doing for now, it blows them up real good for me. On the bar curls I focus on keeping my elbows back and curling with my hands cocked back throughout the movement, so not allowing my hands to curl forward, this puts all the tension on the biceps. For the reverse curls, the movement starts by rotating the wrist upwards like doing reverse wrist curls, then the curl happens.

[Drummer]

Barbell Curls 3sets 6-8reps, Reverse Bar Curls 3sets 8-10 reps, Alternate Db Curls 1set drop set down the rack

That's what I've been doing for now, it blows them up real good for me. On the bar curls I focus on keeping my elbows back and curling with my hands cocked back throughout the movement, so not allowing my hands to curl forward, this puts all the tension on the biceps. For the reverse curls, the movement starts by rotating the wrist upwards like doing reverse wrist curls, then the curl happens.

Nice