Help with bicep curls
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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 -
try going back and forth between hammer curls, regular curls and maybe some bent over db rows and tricep kickbacks for better balance, and do them all with a 12.5 # weight. See if that ups your challenge factor! And dont underestimate push-ups and dips! Those work your body differently than you can get from just dumbbells. If you put it all together, omg dem arms tho ...
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yopeeps025 wrote: »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?
A much greater risk of tearing your bicep. Also, if you let your arm fully extend on the way down you put pressure on the elbow in a way that it is not suited to support.
Basically it's this (and it's true of most weight machines) - anything that is designed to artificially restrain your body to isolate a muscle is probably not good! Your body is an integrated machine, so use your whole body when you lift. You'll gain more in balance and whole body fitness. Now, obviously you can't do a bench press that way but you get the point. Let your other muscles join the work as much as you can while still focusing on the group in question. Leg extensions on the machine? Eff that - unless you like to limp.
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you mean squatting on the smith isn't the bee's knees?
lol, I kid. The smith exists so I have a place to put my towel.0 -
yopeeps025 wrote: »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?
A much greater risk of tearing your bicep. Also, if you let your arm fully extend on the way down you put pressure on the elbow in a way that it is not suited to support.
Basically it's this (and it's true of most weight machines) - anything that is designed to artificially restrain your body to isolate a muscle is probably not good! Your body is an integrated machine, so use your whole body when you lift. You'll gain more in balance and whole body fitness. Now, obviously you can't do a bench press that way but you get the point. Let your other muscles join the work as much as you can while still focusing on the group in question. Leg extensions on the machine? Eff that - unless you like to limp.
I just stop doing machine totally because at my school gym I can max out easily on some of them. I've always been a fan of free weights.
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Google preacher curls. They will help take your shoulders out of the equation. Best of luck!0
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The only time I ever hurt my back lifting was the first (and only!) time I did a deadlift on a Smith machine. Eff that hahaha.
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yeah, long story but I'm a mental mess right now. That's why I'm working out stupid hard.0 -
I saved a woman from the evils of the smith on sunday. True story.
The only time I ever hurt my back lifting was the first (and only!) time I did a deadlift on a Smith machine. Eff that hahaha.
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