Building Up Arms

FitandFab33

So.. I am just shy of 5'11''. And I am a classic square, meaning my armspan is as long as my body height. Great for volleyball. sucky for pushups/pullups/dips etc.

I've been doing modified push-ups (on the arm of a low sofa) so that I can build up everything needed to get to pushups rather than doing on the knee "girly" pushups. Let's face it, I even struggle with the girly ones, though I can do 12-15 of them before my form goes to s***. I can still only do 1 REAL push-up.. and this I've been working on it for the last month or so.

Dips I can do.. sort of. I know leg placement affects weight distribution on the arms so I'm slowly making my way to elevated legs, but right now, no way.

Then there are pull-ups. NOT happening. I've tried the jump and use resistance on the way down, but it's not really working.. and half the time I feel like I'm going to break something/strain something on the way down.

I workout 5-6 days each week, heavy. The thing is, I'm not weak. I'm actually quite strong, but I can't get the pushups/pullups down. Is there anything I can do to get there? I workout at home, so an assisted pull-up isn't an option. I already do all of the classics and I push myself every workout to improve/add weight. I have a power rack, barbell, 300+ plate weights, dumbbells up to 35lbs, adjustable bench, and one of those home gym things for lat pulls, etc.

Yeah, I'm also working on dropping more weight (I'll be 5 months post partum this week) so that'll help but my boobs are and will be very large (i.e. heavy) at least until I stop breastfeeding which is added weight (you'd be suprised how much they weigh).

Game8

It's very hard to build any significant amount of muscle while losing weight at the same time. Pick one goal, and focus on it. In order to stimulate muscle growth, you have to be at a caloric surplus, which means you can't be losing weight. All you can do now is to tone up your muscles and maintain whatever you have already have until you are finished losing weight.

trail_rnr

Did you see this article? You have some serious levers that you are battling!

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/25/why-women-cant-do-pull-ups/

I happen to be one of the lucky gals who can do pull ups pretty easily. But I will say that this is something that has always been pretty easy for me. I'm short, with very short levers!

That said, do you want to build _strength_ or are you wanting to have better looking arms? I have pretty decent looking guns but just about everyone on the planet can outlift me. I'm working on getting stronger now--to me that is more important, since it will contribute to my success when doing other activities (cycling, yardwork, skate skiing, etc).

There's nothing wrong with the modified push ups. Nothing! (unless your ultimate goal is really to do pushups, not to necessarily build up your arms). Also, pushups are very chest intensive. There are other things that are as good or better for your arms.

Never underestimate the power of resistance bands. Seriously.

FitandFab33

I've been eating at a deficit for the last 6 weeks + breastfeeding, losing weight, and making gains in my lifts.

It's simply not true that strength can't be maintained or improved, even on a caloric deficit. Heavy training days (generally leg days 3x/week) are higher calorie/slightly higher carb intake days and I eat protein centered meals (pretty much EVERY meal, every day) so maybe that has something to do with it, but I'm making it happen.

*Edited to add this is directed at Elliot ^^

FitandFab33

Did you see this article? You have some serious levers that you are battling!

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/25/why-women-cant-do-pull-ups/

I happen to be one of the lucky gals who can do pull ups pretty easily. But I will say that this is something that has always been pretty easy for me. I'm short, with very short levers!

That said, do you want to build _strength_ or are you wanting to have better looking arms? I have pretty decent looking guns but just about everyone on the planet can outlift me. I'm working on getting stronger now--to me that is more important, since it will contribute to my success when doing other activities (cycling, yardwork, skate skiing, etc).

There's nothing wrong with the modified push ups. Nothing! (unless your ultimate goal is really to do pushups, not to necessarily build up your arms). Also, pushups are very chest intensive. There are other things that are as good or better for your arms.

Never underestimate the power of resistance bands. Seriously.

Haha.. I know my "levers" are REALLY working against me.. but, meh..

I am working toward both I guess, I really want good-looking arms (and everything else) but I'm a stubborn chick and I want to be able to do pushups and pullups anyway! haha

I guess my question is if there's some trick.. or something I NEED to be doing regularly to get there.

Game8

I've been eating at a deficit for the last 6 weeks + breastfeeding, losing weight, and making gains in my lifts.

It's simply not true that strength can't be maintained or improved, even on a caloric deficit. Heavy training days (generally leg days 3x/week) are higher calorie/slightly higher carb intake days and I eat protein centered meals (pretty much EVERY meal, every day) so maybe that has something to do with it, but I'm making it happen.

*Edited to add this is directed at Elliot ^^

I didn't mention strength gains, I was talking about muscle growth. I.e. building new lean muscle tissue (protein synthesis). And even strength gains, they will only come with a caloric deficit when you're a complete beginner. Very soon you hit a plateau and will need to increase your calories before you see more gains.

Game8

For example, someone like me who's been lifting for a while, it's physically impossible for me to gain strength while on a caloric deficit. I always lose strength (and some muscle mass) whenever I go on a diet to lose fat. My only goal when on a diet is to retain as much strength and muscle as possible, let alone make gains.

AZKristi

I read this article recently... Its not meant to discourage you, but pull-ups are hard for most women.
well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/25/why-women-cant-do-pull-ups/

If you have a bar, can you try a band assisted pull-up?

For the pushups, just keep practicing with good form and eventually you will get to where you want to be.

palmerig88

Do you work out your back and chest too? It's not just arms. I can do 11 real pushups, I have just started learning/trying body weight exercises but have been weightlifting for about 6-7 months and do separate workouts on separate days of bicep, tricep, shoulders, back and chest. Are you including all of these?

FitandFab33

Elliot: I see what you're saying... I know I'm not going to magically muscle up while on a deficit.. but it is possible to gain muscle mass (albeit a small amount) while losing fat which is my goal. I'm not going to gain as much muscle mass as someone who is NOT trying to lose fat, but it's possible. When I say lose weight, I mean lose fat. I don't care if I weigh 300 lbs, as long as my a** is tight and looks good in my itty bitty polka dot bikini and I can squat 225 lbs.

I do work out back, chest, shoulders, core...

I do bis/tris/calves, legs, back/shoulders, rest, chest, legs and core, and sometimes Sunday Funday which is full body stuff (yoga/pilates (and today, hang clean for kicks) and stretching).

FitandFab33

I guess I need to add- I HAVE done an unassisted pull-up before. But that was pre-baby, pre-laziness, and several years ago. But I'm nowhere close now. I guess I'm asking if there's anything in particular I should be focusing on... how to get there.

FitandFab33

I read this article recently... Its not meant to discourage you, but pull-ups are hard for most women.
well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/25/why-women-cant-do-pull-ups/

If you have a bar, can you try a band assisted pull-up?

For the pushups, just keep practicing with good form and eventually you will get to where you want to be.

It's not a pull-up bar- it's handles on the power rack so I don't know if I could rig bands or not... I guess I could try it on the rack itself? I guess it's worth looking into. I do have an over the door pull up bar but I just bought a new house so I've been hesitant to use that one because it dented/marked my old door frames.

And that article just kind of makes me want to do it all the more! haha. I'm a stubborn stubborn woman.

The pushups I know will get there but it's driving me nuts with the slow progress.

trail_rnr

Check out Al Kavadlo's website. In my mind, he is the KING of bodyweight and he has some pretty good tips for pull ups (and kip ups and the like).

http://www.alkavadlo.com/

Wel, Dominic Lacasse is pretty badass, too. No weights needed.

http://www.dominiclacasse.com/indexe.php


Both of these guys are pretty small (short levers)!

FitandFab33

^^^Thank so much for the resources! :-)

nml2011

If you can't do a full pull up yet then try a Supine Olympic Bar Pull Up;

Basically rack your olympic bar on your powerrack and lay under and do your pull ups that way.

There are some examples if you google it.

FullOfWin

You mostly will not gain muscle on a deficit. In order to add mass to your body, you have to put more into it than it burns. Yes a noob can add strength for awhile, but after all the neural gains are used up, you can't get stronger if you don't eat enough and add weight to your body.

Spiritwarrior3000

Increase your protein intake and work on isolating your biceps and triceps to build bigger arms. Push ups are mostly for chest and back, work on bench dips and bicep curls ^i^

FitandFab33

I already consume 1.5 g protein/lb LBM. I know muscle growth is stunted/difficult when at a calorie deficit, but I am more focused on fat loss. I am IF-ing- consuming more on heavy lifting days and busting my a** to prevent musscle loss as best I can. And yes, I fully believe I can manage to get to pull-up level while losing fat. Then again, I've always been a stubborn b**** and I'll make it happen one way or another.

Thank FullOfWin for the barbell pull-up tip- I'll look into that..

And Spirit Warrior, I am already pushing biceps and bench dips (hate those things but boy do they work) :-) Thank you!