Help with bicep curls
thursdaystgiles
Posts: 98 Member
I've recently not been feeling anything in my biceps. Almost overnight went from feeling a decent burn lifting 8lb each to nothing. So I bumped it up to 10lb each, still not feeling it in my biceps. I feel it in my shoulders, and it's really difficult to lift, but NOTHING in my biceps. I keep my arms glued to my side, shoulders back and down, chest slightly lifted. Any tips or ideas on why I went from lifting 8lb with a nice burn to feeling nothing?
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Replies
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The body adjusts to exercises, I haven't felt a burn in my muscles for 30 years. If you progress in weight you will see either a difference in strength or strength/mass depending on your goals and if your are eating at a deficit/surplus.0
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No burn? Do 20# for 150 reps per set. You might feel it then, I know I do.
#somequestionslol-3 -
No need to be a jerk. As I explained, even though I can't feel it in my biceps, I feel it in my shoulders and it's really, really hard. I can only do maybe 12 reps, TOPS with the 10lb before I have to stop because of the burn in my shoulders and my muscles just won't work. But I don't feel it in my biceps. If you have nothing useful to contribute, then don't comment, thanks.-1
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you aren't isolating, don't be waa waa. isolate, push harder, change those 12 reps to 30. You'll be good to go.
Unless you're not wanting to put the work in. It's all about time under tension.
Unless, I totally read you wrong and you just want validation. Let me know, I can do that too.-7 -
For me I start to feel the burn in other places if I'm not isolating. Typically the first time after increasing, it's too heavy and my other muscles compensate. Really focus on making sure your form is correct and flexing the muscle. Also, what type of curls are you doing? Variety can help this too, as the supporting muscles and tendons in your bicep also love the workout.0
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lol. You're the one being silly and aggro.
lols.
Why you isolating anyway? You don't seem to look like a curl bro. Especially since your intensity seems to be a little missing. Instead of complaining, listen to what you're being told, or you can just continue to troll out.-6 -
*yawn*-1
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Any type of free weight exercises will also involve secondary muscles in your body. It can be a variety of reasons why your biceps aren't feeling as much of a burn. However, you can try to isolate your Biceps solely through the use of a machine (if available) or google some home exercises. (machine provides the best isolation). You mention only your shoulders hurt, I can only guess that it might be your form or the weight is too strong. Like people said, your body does adapt over time. Perhaps, try to increase the repetition. **Not having the "burn" feeling doesn't mean you aren't exercising your biceps.0
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thursdaystgiles wrote: »Almost overnight went from feeling a decent burn lifting 8lb each to nothing. So I bumped it up to 10lb each, still not feeling it in my biceps. I feel it in my shoulders, and it's really difficult to lift, but NOTHING in my biceps. Any tips or ideas on why I went from lifting 8lb with a nice burn to feeling nothing?
Only thing that comes to mind is tendonitis of one of your bicep tendons (you have 2). They cross the shoulder joint, and in some people, they can rub on the shoulder and get inflamed, causing pain in the shoulder. Solution for that is rest and physical therapy.
How many sets of curls were you doing per workout, and how many days a week did you do them?0 -
Burning really isn't an accurate way to go about working out- I mean- it's a nice feeling but weight lifting isn't like a step class or body pump.
I'm willing to bet your purse weighs more than 10 pounds- so for startersit's probably not heavy enough and secondly get off the "it's not burning" concept for a good workout- it's just not a reliable way to validate the intensity of a workout.
If I only do 5 reps- it's rare anything's burning- but at 30+ pounds a piece in each arm I know I'm working.
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Tendonitis would cause regionalized pain. OP isn't complaining about that.
OP is complaining about not feeling any burn.
Means one of two things, weight is lacking, intensity is lacking. She'll figure it out, or not. It's up to her, with how aggro she is, I think she's just amusing.-2 -
Yea, isolate like dbmata says. It's a good way to get injured, and you'll really feel that hahaha. Try some preacher curls on the bench if you really feel like taking risks - they're almost as bad as shrugs. Otherwise, keep doing what you're doing and slowly increase the weight every week.0
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I agree with Jo. Burning isn't really much of an indicator for me. I do Zottman curls with 25 lbs in each hand and it's tough, but my muscles don't burn.0
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Yea, isolate like dbmata says. It's a good way to get injured, and you'll really feel that hahaha. Try some preacher curls on the bench if you really feel like taking risks - they're almost as bad as shrugs. Otherwise, keep doing what you're doing and slowly increase the weight every week.
What is wrong with preacher curls and shrugs?
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apparently they're just going to cause huge systemic damage.
Which is why there are so few curl bros.
Oh wait.0 -
Dumbell curls are not the only excercise for your biceps. Do some research on different types of bicep moves. There are lots of different ones out there, Arnold curls, barbells and cables.
Try something different, mix it up and you may find something that hits where you want it to hit and take the strain off your shoulders.
Try incorporating bodyweight exercises too, they are more functional and work the muscles they way they are intended to work. For example, pushups will work just about everything (including your bis & tris), with the dominant muscles doing most of the work and the support (smaller) muscles getting their due as well, which tend to get ignored when you isolate.
Hope that helps.0 -
Body weight FTW. Hit up the chin-up bar. Hits the biceps and strengthens your back.0
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shadowofender wrote: »For me I start to feel the burn in other places if I'm not isolating. Typically the first time after increasing, it's too heavy and my other muscles compensate. Really focus on making sure your form is correct and flexing the muscle. Also, what type of curls are you doing? Variety can help this too, as the supporting muscles and tendons in your bicep also love the workout.
^^^this (try some hammer curls or reverse bicep curls)
You may be shrugging your shoulders up to compensate for the additional weight. Have someone stand behind you & put their hands on your traps/shoulders. I think I'd also try a preacher curl just to see if I could isolate a little more.0 -
Did you get your burn on, Bro?
http://youtu.be/Rn5mzEAMAkY 0 -
keep your arms to your side now flex your bicep like you're posing for a magazine. concentrate on only flexing the bicep, now release it. this is what you want to do, except add weight. if you still can't do it without using your shoulders, lower the weight or try an alternate exercise (preacher curl/assisted chin up, etc)0
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thanks for all the tips. I got my flu shot yesterday so I'm pretty sore and taking the day off, then I'm going to try some of this. I work out at home, so I don't have any machines--I have a barbell and a variety of dumbbells, and a medium band and heavy band. I do think my form must be suffering from the heavier weight. I feel like I'm doing it right, but I'm going to video myself when I workout so I can see where I might be going wrong. And I think you all might be right--I might just need to do different types of curls and find the one that works for me.
As for the question of burning--I know that isn't the only indication of work, and you can work without the burn. When I first got into Body Pump I was sore ALL the time, and it always burned. After a month or so, I only got the burn towards the end of any series of reps. It's a nice way to gauge how much effort I'm putting into it.0 -
It's not a good gauge of effort. A workout log is.
You know, if you aren't interested in something like a TUT program, you could try an eccentric loading approach, you'll get a dual benefit. It will hurt. It will be effective.0 -
thursdaystgiles wrote: »I'm going to video myself when I workout so I can see where I might be going wrong. And I think you all might be right--I might just need to do different types of curls and find the one that works for me.
I think videoing yourself is a great tool. I have to video myself once a year to be evaluated & you see all kinds of weird things happening.
I thought I was dancing like Beyoncé & pumping iron like Arnold...
I say do all the different types of curls. You'll hit different parts of the muscle, work it in different ways & it just breaks the monotony of bicep curls if nothing else.0 -
thursdaystgiles wrote: »I've recently not been feeling anything in my biceps. Almost overnight went from feeling a decent burn lifting 8lb each to nothing. So I bumped it up to 10lb each, still not feeling it in my biceps. I feel it in my shoulders, and it's really difficult to lift, but NOTHING in my biceps. I keep my arms glued to my side, shoulders back and down, chest slightly lifted. Any tips or ideas on why I went from lifting 8lb with a nice burn to feeling nothing?
"The burn" doesn't really do anything for you. It's just a build up of lactic acid. What's important is proper form, using enough weight to overload the muscles, and progressive strength gains over time.
If that doesn't satisfy you, you can still get the burn any time you want. Just do a set with the 10 lb dumbbells to exhaustion, followed immediately (no rest) by a set with the 8 lb dumbbells to exhaustion, followed immediately by another set with something lighter, again to exhaustion. You should be feeling the burn at that point.
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I have similar issues. Sometimes the feeling seems to stop. The best indicator strength is improving is when you increase resistance or endurance. Squeezing the bicep at the top of a concentration - like you're trying to cramp it - might help though. Drop sets are another way to get that feeling back. I also use bands and these really tire out the muscles. Good luck
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Lift heavier.0
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Maybe it should be asked, and forgive me if it has, what are your goals? I would bet that your goal isn't actually to make your biceps burn. Whether you want to make them stronger and/or bigger, the burn/pump/soreness/etc. is not an indication of success in either. Move toward your goal, but recognize the burn or lack thereof is meaningless.
If your goal is actually to make your muscles burn... OK, everyone's got their thing.0 -
I'm on 8lbs and do a variety of upper body, 2 sets at 8-12 reps. I'd heard to do the reps until fatigue (not burn), until you can't do the move again with proper form. When I can do those 2 sets with perfect form I move to a higher weight. The final thing that finally hits my biceps harder is fast pumps at the top of the curl. I started about 6 weeks ago with 3 and 5lbs, now I'm at 5 and 8. Very shortly I will be at 8 and 10's.
To isolate my biceps i sit down, bend over and brace the back of my upper arm/elbow on the inside of my thigh. Then curl. There is no stress on my shoulders in that position.0 -
browndog1410 -- Today I decided to do some isometric curls and focused on that "cramping" feeling, as you put it. Didn't use weights, but I definitely felt it after a few curls!
Showcase_Brodown -- Sorry, I guess I should have been more clear, I don't NEED the burn. My goals are to get stronger and increase my muscle mass/reduce fat. But my real concern here was that I was somehow no longer working my biceps--since I can't do many reps and I'm getting the burn in my shoulders. I've got a workout log, so I'm seeing very slow improvement, so I'll go by that, but I want to make sure my form is right, too.
successgal1 -- I'll give that position a try. The squatting curls are one of the few positions I feel it, so maybe that's a good posture for me. Thanks!0
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