My arms are skinny--increase volume?
Replies
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eta: Have you looked into the BBB 3 Month Challenge? That might help, too.
I thought about BBB, but I can do like 4 chins in a row and then I can't move for a week. That's why I'm doing lat pull downs and have asked for a pull up bar for xmas (fingers crossed).
I'm so worried about hitting all the big muscles that I feel like I'm neglecting the smaller ones.
usually.
for most people- hitting the big ones is enough. If I'm feeling saucy I do a detail day on one of my weekend 'off days'- usually shoulders/bi's/tri's kind of deal- and I just do like 4 x 8- just something to tag muscles directly- I don't mind doing it- I haven't been doing it- but it's a nice way to make me feel like I'm more well rounded and not neglecting.0 -
eta: Have you looked into the BBB 3 Month Challenge? That might help, too.
I thought about BBB, but I can do like 4 chins in a row and then I can't move for a week. That's why I'm doing lat pull downs and have asked for a pull up bar for xmas (fingers crossed).
I'm so worried about hitting all the big muscles that I feel like I'm neglecting the smaller ones.
usually.
for most people- hitting the big ones is enough. If I'm feeling saucy I do a detail day on one of my weekend 'off days'- usually shoulders/bi's/tri's kind of deal- and I just do like 4 x 8- just something to tag muscles directly- I don't mind doing it- I haven't been doing it- but it's a nice way to make me feel like I'm more well rounded and not neglecting.
I like that. I have upper on Thursday and lower on Friday...I could do assistance arm/shoulder work on Saturday morning and still be good to go on Monday for upper again.0 -
Okay, I cannot believe that I am even posting this question, but here goes anyway.
I have skinny arms and would love to make them bigger. I'd love to add more volume, but I'm completely squeezed for time (I have exactly 35 minutes to go to the gym each day, which is just enough time to get the big muscle groups each time). I've been lifting for a few years and am currently in the middle of my second bulk.
I do Wendler's 5/3/1 for my main lifts and add additional accessories (3x6-12) depending on how much time I have, but I try to hit all of the big muscles twice a week. I know that I'm working the smaller muscles like biceps while I'm doing my upper body, especially pulls, but do you think I would at all benefit from additional arm work? And, if so, when?
Here's an idea of what a typical week looks like.
Monday: 5/3/1 OHP with incline db bench press, seated rows, and underhand close grip lat pulldowns (and curls/triceps extensions if I have time)
Tuesday: 5/3/1 Deadlift with front squats, good mornings, seated calf raises, and Bulgarian split squats
Thursday: 5/3/1 Bench press with db OHP, Pendlay or Yates rows, wide-grip lat pull downs (and curls/triceps extensions again, if I have time)
Friday: 5/3/1 Squat with sumo deadlifts, weighted glute bridges, standing calf raises, and step ups or lunges
TL;DR Would it be overkill to add more arm work?
Okay, here's my suggestion.
Monday: 5/3/1 OHP with incline db bench pres. Day 1, week 1: seated rows and underhand close grip lat pulldowns. Day 1 week 2: curls/triceps extensions. Rotate next week.
Thursday: 5/3/1 Bench press with db OHP. Day 1 week 1: curls/triceps extensions. Day 1 week 2: Pendlay or Yates rows, wide-grip lat pull downs. Rotate next week.
You're gonna have to surrender the notion of twice a week, but at least you are hitting each once a week. You can still gain. Just have to accept it.
One note, biceps will still get work with those pulldowns and rows, it just won't be isolation work - its kinda like hitting them twice a week.0 -
Those are perfect for doing eccentrics (negatives). One arm at a time, start in the flexed position of bicep curl or behind tricep extension, then slooooowly (8-10 count) lower it, then use the other hand to get it back into position and go again for like 10 reps or til you burn out. You don't need to do bunches of sets, but since you don't have much variety of weight, keep addeding sets. Since you're doing it at home it's not inconvenient to add sets because you aren't so crunched for time. Enjoy!Good ideas. I have two sets of dumbbells (12# and 20#) and resistance bands and already asked for a pull up bar for Christmas.
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civilizedworm wrote: »Okay, I cannot believe that I am even posting this question, but here goes anyway.
I have skinny arms and would love to make them bigger. I'd love to add more volume, but I'm completely squeezed for time (I have exactly 35 minutes to go to the gym each day, which is just enough time to get the big muscle groups each time). I've been lifting for a few years and am currently in the middle of my second bulk.
I do Wendler's 5/3/1 for my main lifts and add additional accessories (3x6-12) depending on how much time I have, but I try to hit all of the big muscles twice a week. I know that I'm working the smaller muscles like biceps while I'm doing my upper body, especially pulls, but do you think I would at all benefit from additional arm work? And, if so, when?
Here's an idea of what a typical week looks like.
Monday: 5/3/1 OHP with incline db bench press, seated rows, and underhand close grip lat pulldowns (and curls/triceps extensions if I have time)
Tuesday: 5/3/1 Deadlift with front squats, good mornings, seated calf raises, and Bulgarian split squats
Thursday: 5/3/1 Bench press with db OHP, Pendlay or Yates rows, wide-grip lat pull downs (and curls/triceps extensions again, if I have time)
Friday: 5/3/1 Squat with sumo deadlifts, weighted glute bridges, standing calf raises, and step ups or lunges
TL;DR Would it be overkill to add more arm work?
Okay, here's my suggestion.
Monday: 5/3/1 OHP with incline db bench pres. Day 1, week 1: seated rows and underhand close grip lat pulldowns. Day 1 week 2: curls/triceps extensions. Rotate next week.
Thursday: 5/3/1 Bench press with db OHP. Day 1 week 1: curls/triceps extensions. Day 1 week 2: Pendlay or Yates rows, wide-grip lat pull downs. Rotate next week.
You're gonna have to surrender the notion of twice a week, but at least you are hitting each once a week. You can still gain. Just have to accept it.
One note, biceps will still get work with those pulldowns and rows, it just won't be isolation work - its kinda like hitting them twice a week.
I'm lost. Are you suggesting 2 OHP sessions and 2 Bench sessions per week?0 -
LolBroScience wrote: »civilizedworm wrote: »Okay, I cannot believe that I am even posting this question, but here goes anyway.
I have skinny arms and would love to make them bigger. I'd love to add more volume, but I'm completely squeezed for time (I have exactly 35 minutes to go to the gym each day, which is just enough time to get the big muscle groups each time). I've been lifting for a few years and am currently in the middle of my second bulk.
I do Wendler's 5/3/1 for my main lifts and add additional accessories (3x6-12) depending on how much time I have, but I try to hit all of the big muscles twice a week. I know that I'm working the smaller muscles like biceps while I'm doing my upper body, especially pulls, but do you think I would at all benefit from additional arm work? And, if so, when?
Here's an idea of what a typical week looks like.
Monday: 5/3/1 OHP with incline db bench press, seated rows, and underhand close grip lat pulldowns (and curls/triceps extensions if I have time)
Tuesday: 5/3/1 Deadlift with front squats, good mornings, seated calf raises, and Bulgarian split squats
Thursday: 5/3/1 Bench press with db OHP, Pendlay or Yates rows, wide-grip lat pull downs (and curls/triceps extensions again, if I have time)
Friday: 5/3/1 Squat with sumo deadlifts, weighted glute bridges, standing calf raises, and step ups or lunges
TL;DR Would it be overkill to add more arm work?
Okay, here's my suggestion.
Monday: 5/3/1 OHP with incline db bench pres. Day 1, week 1: seated rows and underhand close grip lat pulldowns. Day 1 week 2: curls/triceps extensions. Rotate next week.
Thursday: 5/3/1 Bench press with db OHP. Day 1 week 1: curls/triceps extensions. Day 1 week 2: Pendlay or Yates rows, wide-grip lat pull downs. Rotate next week.
You're gonna have to surrender the notion of twice a week, but at least you are hitting each once a week. You can still gain. Just have to accept it.
One note, biceps will still get work with those pulldowns and rows, it just won't be isolation work - its kinda like hitting them twice a week.
I'm lost. Are you suggest 2 OHP sessions and 2 Bench sessions per week?
I'm already doing 2 of each per week (one 5/3/1 and one DB 3x6-12). He's suggesting every other week switching out one of the accessory ones for curls/extensions.0 -
^That. Sorry for the confusion. Can't multitask for the derp of me.0
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Gotcha0
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Just wanted to make sure, as I initially read it as pressing 4x per week. I was going to say RIP shoulder joints.0
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LolBroScience wrote: »Just wanted to make sure, as I initially read it as pressing 4x per week. I was going to say RIP shoulder joints.
LMAO nope, don't worry about it, Kyle
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Remember that arm size is not just about the biceps. Much about arm size is the tricps. Remember to hit them too
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JeffseekingV wrote: »Remember that arm size is not just about the biceps. Much about arm size is the tricps. Remember to hit them too
I do supersets--one bicep one triceps exercise in each set. No worries!0 -
+1 for door hang pull up bar. I do a bunch of sets while doing the morning get ready for work routine. Doesn't get you sweaty, and takes basically no extra time for a good arm/lat pump session.0
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What about a pull-up bar for at home? Pull-ups and chins on upper days
:$ should've read the thread - pull-up bar will be your best present, I got mine for my birthday - love it!0 -
You want your arms to grow? Give them their own day! Superset a triceps with a bicep exercise, doing a total of 3 to 4 exercises for each. For example, start with skull crushers super settled with dumbbell curls; you could the do dips supersetted with barbell curls, and finish with triceps cable extensions supersetted with heavy hammer curls... Give it a try, you'll love the pump from this workout...0
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So she should have a full arm workout in between her 2 days of compound lifts? How is that not going to affect her goals in her programming?You want your arms to grow? Give them their own day! Superset a triceps with a bicep exercise, doing a total of 3 to 4 exercises for each. For example, start with skull crushers super settled with dumbbell curls; you could the do dips supersetted with barbell curls, and finish with triceps cable extensions supersetted with heavy hammer curls... Give it a try, you'll love the pump from this workout...
How else will OP get 21" pythons?0 -
There's 168 hours in one week, if you can't find 40 minutes to dedicate to arms, then don't complain about having skinny arms...my arms are 19 1/2" BTW, how big are yours mrM27?
So she should have a full arm workout in between her 2 days of compound lifts? How is that not going to affect her goals in her programming?You want your arms to grow? Give them their own day! Superset a triceps with a bicep exercise, doing a total of 3 to 4 exercises for each. For example, start with skull crushers super settled with dumbbell curls; you could the do dips supersetted with barbell curls, and finish with triceps cable extensions supersetted with heavy hammer curls... Give it a try, you'll love the pump from this workout...
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Because well know that lifting for bigger guns is the # 1 priority for all of us. <rolls eyes>0
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