How to get killer biceps

Killer Biceps: A battle plan


As soon as you mention big arms, the biceps are the main thing most people think of. While it is true that to have huge arms the tricep muscles should not be ignored since they make up more of the arm size, you have to have fully developed biceps to really stretch that tape.
Most people love to train arms, flexing their biceps with pride at the end of every set, yet not always getting the kind of results they want to. This article will tell you how to get the results you really want from your bicep training.
It’s important to know the function of the muscle that you are training in order to design a routine that fully works that muscle. The bicep is properly known as the biceps brachii and is a two headed (bi) muscle. This muscle has two main functions: Flexion - the action of bringing the arm up towards the shoulder and Supination - the action of twisting the wrist, or turning the hands away from the body.



The brachialis is a small muscle which lies just beneath the biceps. It is not really a part of the bicep muscle but is included in the discussion because an untrained brachialis muscle can add up to an inch to your current arm size. How cool is that?
We’re going to be using two routines because many bodybuilders stick to the same routine long after its stopped working. Research shows that 4-6 weeks is the most you want to spend on a routine, then it is time to change. Otherwise you hit a plateau and stop getting results.
You can use these two routines one of two ways - either do the first routine straight through for 4 - 6 weeks then go to routine #2, or switch between the two each week (do # 1 for one week and #2 for the next week). Also, try to add weight to your exercises every week, even if it’s just 2 1/2 lbs. Adding weight consistently is essential for growth.

MAKE YOUR BICEPS GROW WITH THE CORRECT NUTRITION

The First Routine


Straight Bar Or EZ Bar Curls

2 working sets. These are done seated with your back braced to prevent cheating; you can also do this leaning against a wall. By doing them this way, your biceps do the work as opposed to your back and legs if your form is less than perfect. This makes sense, why bother to do an exercise if it’s not working the intended muscle? How do you expect to see results from exercises performed that way? Do it with your back and legs out of it and you’ll feel the difference. The choice of bars: straight or EZ, is up to you. The EZ bar is easier on the wrists and is also great for triceps work.


Incline Dumbbell Curls - Supinate
2 sets. To perform this exercise, start with your palms facing towards your legs when holding the dumbbells. As you curl up, twist the thumbs away from the body, as you lower; twist the thumbs back towards the body.


Hammer Curls
2 sets: do these by holding the dumbbell like a hammer, then curl up to the opposite shoulder.


Cable Curls
Done seated or kneeling with arms across a flat bench- 2 sets. These will keep constant tension on the muscle from start to finish. Do 6-8 reps to failure, extend the sets by using r/p, partials or forced reps. Always get 2 more, whether they are partials, forced, or whatever. Drop sets, which I love, may not work well here unless you have the resources for them. If so, by all means use those!
The Second Routine


Alternate Dumbbell Curls - Supinate
2 -3 sets, 6-8 reps per set to positive failure, don’t extend the set, save it for the 21’s to follow.


Barbell - Straight Or EZ - Curls - 21’s
2 sets, if you can. Do these with no momentum until the very end (2 or 3 controlled cheat reps are ok). These are done by doing the curl from the start position to halfway up, then back down for 7 reps, from halfway up to the top then back down to the halfway point for 7 reps and finally doing the complete curl for 7 reps. Don’t wus out on the weight either, make it heavy so those last 7 take everything you’ve got!


What Are 21’s?
One of Arnold’s favorites. Using the curl as an example, you would do 7 full reps followed by 7 half reps from the starting position to half way up followed by 7 half reps from half way up to the top of the movement. All of this counts as one set.
Many bodybuilders that have problems with biceps development do so because they aren’t using good form; they are attempting to do curls with a weight that is to heavy. So here you have someone, jerking the weight up with everything except the biceps and then failing to control it on the way down. What’s the point of a rep like that? Yes, controlled cheating at the end of a set does have it’s place but proper rep performance of any exercise for any muscle is extremely important. This means you have to be able to feel it in the target muscle, getting a good contraction every time.

Also, be sure to use a weight heavy enough to allow you to fail at the listed number of reps. Heavy weight, lifted correctly, builds muscle.
When performing bicep exercises, always keep your elbows in close to your sides, raise the weight slow enough to be able to feel it in your biceps, then lower the weight slowly (don’t just drop it). Rep tempo is also important - here I’m talking more about lowering the weight slowly. The thing to remember here is about tempo, it’s not a race to see who can lift the fastest. Think 3-5 seconds up and the same down.
In most free weight curls, you lose the resistance at the top of the movement, most people flex hard at the top in an attempt to compensate for this. It might be better not to bring the weight up to that point but rather bring up to the point just before you lose the resistance, this will keep the muscle under more tension. Don’t lower to a dead stop either, keep the reps going, make it feel like one long rep, with constant tension the whole way through.
Everyone seems to work biceps after the back since the biceps are involved in all back exercises. It may make more sense to not train arms with the back because the back work directly hits biceps, fatiguing them before you actually start arm work. This means you can’t hit your biceps as hard as you could if you trained them separately. Train them away from back and you’ll train with more intensity and more weight with better results.

Get your biceps all pumped up NOW

The forgotten bicep builder

Get big biceps with the forgotten bicep builder

Lets have a look at probabily one of the best exercises for creaming your biceps in a workout.





The incline dumbell curl.



We know what you're thinking. You're saying to yourself, "Duh! Like I don't know how to do dumbbell curls!" Well you smug, lop-eared punk, maybe you don't. Sure, sure, you know how to grab some dumbbells, sit on an incline bench, and curl the weight, but truth be told there are a lot of nuances to the movement that you might not be aware of.First of all, the purpose of the movement is to recruit the long head of the biceps, which, believe it or not, is often inadvertently neglected by most bodybuilders because of poor form.In order to efficiently recruit the long head of the biceps, you must keep the elbows drawn back.Furthermore, the lower you can adjust the angle of the bench, the more the movement recruits the long head of the biceps. In fact, if your rotator cuffs are healthy, adjust the back of the incline bench to 30-degrees or lower.

Begin the movement with your arms fully stretched out. Now curl the dumbbells up simultaneously while keeping the elbows directly in line with the ground for at least the first 90 degrees. After the first 90 degrees your elbows will begin to come slightly forward, especially if you're using gargantuan weights. That's okay, though, as long as you kept them in line for the first 90 degrees of the movement. Keep the palms supinated at all times so that the elbow flexors are well stretched.To recruit the long head even more, bend your wrists back all the way (so your fists are pulled away from your head). This will take the brachialis out of the movement so it can't assist the long head of the biceps.Once you begin to fatigue, pull the writs back into a neutral position and keep curling until you fatigue or reach your target number of reps.

Oh, and if your head comes off the bench no matter how hard you try to keep it down (as it seems to do with the vast majority of lifters), roll up a towel and place it firmly between your neck and the bench. You'll find that it increases your strength significantly.In fact, try it on a fellow gym rat. Just stare at him for a moment, furrow your brow, and then stick the rolled up towel between his head and the bench.

He'll think you're some sort of weird sorcerer/exercise physiologist when he pumps out a few more reps.

I find incline curls a killer and a good exercise for that pump feeling, i always use them in my bicep workout.

Training tips for hardgainers

Training tips for hardgainers

The secerets to gaining weight has been revieled after reading the information on thios site you should be able to go away and stop being skinny, it takes a while to start adding weight but think positive and remember
'You cannot skip bricks to build a good foundation'

Tips

1. A General formula is 20 times the Bodyweight in pounds = Your required Caloric intake.

For example a Bodybuilder with 150 lb body weight should consume 2700-3000 calories per day.

2. Make sure you eat at least one gram protein per pound of your Body weight.

3. Take 3-4 tsps of Flaxseed Oil or Fish Oil per day.

4. Eat small frequent meals. This ensures a Positive nitrogen balance. Eat every 2-3 hours, a portion of complex carbs and a portion of Protein.

5. Add a Post workout Protein Shake and a piece of fruit immediately after workouts.

6. Plan your Meals in advance and carry them if you have to.

7. Never miss a Meal but when it happens do not dwell up on it. Get on with the nest meal. Make the next meal bigger.

8. Drink water every hour. I have found this technique very useful. Every time the Hour hand is on 12 I get up and drink a glass of water.

9. Sleep every night for at least 7-8 hours. Remember you grow when you rest and not while exercising.

10. Add 200-400 calories every 2 weeks if you are not gaining at least 1 lb Muscle every week.
These 10 Tips will ensure that you will reach your Muscle Building Goal. Try them and in 8-12 weeks a new life will begin


Be consistant with your workouts, do not make excuses as to miss training and skip sets and reps, if your going to be a pussy all your life you are going to remain a 'hardgainer'.
Remember there is no such thing as a hardgainer, all it means is you need to work more to gain weight, if you do not shift this mental block then you will fail.

Do not get con'd buy these magazine adverts offering programs etc for lots of money, I have told you the principles for gaining weight just follow them.

Discuss how to get big quick

Training for hardgainers

Training for hard gainers

Stop using this hardgainer label I keep hearing its thrown around like a cheap excuse for not training properly or not not eating properly, if you have been reading this site then you will know what I am talking about. I have already shared with you the secerets to building up the body, and gaining weight, and that was to eat, eat and eat. Now we are going to look at some training routines.
In my opinion high volume training is the way to go if you want to create muscle mass and german volume training is an ideal example of this. I have used this method and you will really see some good gains in size.

German Volume Training

The MAX OT training system has been designed by the company AST who also sell supplements again I have tried this training routine and made some significant gains from it it concentrates on low reps, I usually go between MAX OT and GVT with some incredable results. It is a complete training system and can be downloaded in .PDF format here.

MAX OT Training



Hypertrophy Specific Training HSTHigh Intensity Training HIT

These are just a sample of the training routines available which work, for more routines then click here

How to get bigger biceps

How to get bigger biceps

Lets face it, when it comes to bodybuilding the most favourite bodypart to be trained is the biceps, its automatic for someone to look and your biceps when you mention you are bodybuilding, so why not make them as big as possible, here we have some excellent tips on making the biceps grow. When training the biceps it is important that you visualise the biceps growing in your head like pumping up a ballon, believe it or not this technique is not crazy and will actually help if creating some real big biceps or guns as they liked to be called.

Top 10 arm building exercises

After reading the above article you should have an idea about what exercises are required for you to build up your arms. An important point to remember that your arm is made up of 2/3 triceps so to make your arms look big we have to train triceps just as hard to get the shirt splitting effect.

So folks there is the hidden factor for arm development, spend more time training triceps, look at the picture above how big does arnies arms look? massive. Look at the bicep although its huge the lower part of his arm is much bigger and this makes his arms overall look like cannons.

30 days to bigger biceps

Follow this program for massive bicep growth in only 30 days.

Add 1 inch to your arms in only 1 day
I kid you not my friends I have found this article on the internet and have followed it myself although I didn't gain 1 inch in one day I gained 1/2 inch to my biceps in only one day6, how many other programs offer that amount of potential growth in only 1 day. Grow your arms today and read the article, there is nothing to loose.
The one day arm cure

To discuss specific arm building routines the please visit this thread

The secerets to gaining weight

Some simple rules for gaining serious amounts of muscle

Time to stop labeling yourself as one of these hardgainers and time to start pulling your finger out a making some serious gains in both size and strength, the following are a set of rules which should be followed if you want to add some weight to your small framed body.

Eat atleast 6 Times per Day

Yes you heard me you gotta eat eat eat. The key to putting on weight is to consume more calories then you burn and that's what you have to do, its not rocket science it's a fact which is often over looked in bodybuilding, to many people try and rely on fancy supplements to try and gain weight when all ya gotta do is EAT.
3 square meals a day is not enough, we need to double this to atleast 6 meals aday. Im not talking about eating 6 roast dinners a day im talking about constantly feeding your body with foods to make it grow, dont give it a chance to burn off all your precious calories.
The 6 meals should be made from 3 main meals and large snacks in between consisting of high protein and carbohydrates. If food is not accessable then aquality weight gainer or protein shake should be used to supplement your meals.

Eat Enough protein

Its simple biology folks some of you may remember from school that protein is the building block of life, muscle is made from protein and if you want to add more muscle then you have to eat more protein. You need to consume atleast 1-2grams of protein per lb of bodyweight, so for example if you weigh 200lb you need to consume atleast 200g of protein a day ideally more if you can stomach it. Again what you cant eat in food make up with a quality protein supplement.

Sleep and be lazy

Sounds crazy but the least activity you participate in apart from working out the more calories you will save. You body basically grows when it is in a state of rest the different stages of sleep REM and nREM help the body recover from the days activities. Try and get atleast 8 hours a night so that means no all night parties.

Consume protein before bed

Scrap the ovaltine or hot chocolate before bed and opt for a slow acting protein supplement containing casein which will allow the protein to be absorbed slowly throughout the night. If you should wake during the night then this is another good opportunity to consume some protein such as a shake or some milk.

Consume enough calories

Again this is fairly over looked and some body builders eat many meals but none of them come close to their calories goals. How many calories do I need per day to build muscle?
First you need to determine your lean body mass (LBM) you can usually do this on a scales and by using most body fat calculators they are available to use at many gyms if you don’t have your own and many shopping centres have them scattered about.
To determine your calorie needs multiply you LBM by 19. For example 168 x 19 = 3192
So the above person weighing 168 would need to consume 3192 calories a day to gain weight assuming that you are undergoing a good weight training schedule. To gain even more weight then consume even more calories, these should be mainly proteins and carbs. Take advantage of the increased protein synthesis from the steroids. If you cant be arsed to work this out then consume around 600 calories per meal.

By following the above tips I have no doubt that you will gain some serious weight. There is no need to waste your hard earned money on crap guide which promise to show you how to gain weight, just follow these simple rules

get a six pack

Trust Your Gutby Clark Bartram of www.clarkbartram.com
The more ab exercises you have in your repertoire, the better you’ll be at using your instincts to build and maintain that six pack.

Training abs requires a lot of hard work and imagination. Of all the body parts, abs are probably the least fun to train, but they’re also the first thing to get noticed on the beach.
Not only are strong and defined abs the cornerstone of an ideal physique, but having core body strength is also vital for top performance in all your physical activities. And I do mean ALL your physical activities!

Properly trained abs can help you be more competitive in sports, they can make it easier to do your job or fix things around the house, and, best of all, they can make your romantic romps more fun and exciting. Not bad for just a few minutes of concentrated effort each week!
I recommend training your abs every other day, after a weight workout. All you have to do is choose two or three different exercises and perform four to five sets of 10-12 reps for each one.
Just remember, however, that no amount of any exercise will give you that coveted six pack if you have a layer of fat around your middle. You need to get your body fat down to about 10% or less before your abdominal muscles become visible. So be sure to consistently eat right and do a lot of cardio. I often tell people that the best exercise for abs is 30 minutes on the treadmill!
For the sake of this article, I’m going to assume that your nutrition is on target, that you’re training aerobically to stay lean, and that you really want to enhance your training so you can develop world-class abs.

What follows are my top 10 favorite abdominal exercises of all time. Some of them will look absolutely crazy. Others will look kind of familiar, but with a special twist or two to make them more effective. The whole point is to hit your abs from a lot of different angles so you can really get them to pop.

If you’re ready to take your abdominal training to the next level, here we go:

Tornado Ball — Wall Chops and Seated Chops

Grasp a Tornado Ball with a slight “choke up” on the rope. To do the wall chops, lean back against a sturdy wall and bend your knees into a slight squat. Then rotate from side to side, slamming the Tornado Ball against the wall. Do this ballistically for about 30 seconds. Seated chops are performed with the same intensity. Simply sit down on the floor and move the ball overhead. These two movements are nearly impossible to duplicate in any gym. Start with one 30-second set for each exercise.

Surrender Sit-Ups

These are called surrender sit-ups due to the hand position. Your arms will be above your head as if you were surrendering to someone. In the upright position, place your feet flat on the floor. Slowly lower yourself back like a traditional sit-up, but only go as far as you can without lifting your feet off the floor. When your feet begin to rise, come back up to the starting position. Squeeze your glutes throughout the entire movement.

Power Wheel Crunches

Unlike a traditional “ab wheel,” a Power Wheel is attached to your feet and you move your legs instead of your arms. You can either bend your knees and tuck them into your chest, or do a “pike” with straight legs. Either way, be sure to exhale on each contraction.

Swiss Ball Weighted Crunches

The opportunities are endless when it comes to a Swiss Ball, but weighted crunches are one of my favorites. Choose a weight that allows you to perform 3 sets of 8–10 repetitions. Position yourself on the ball just to the front of the top (to ensure a full range of motion) and slowly allow your spine to wrap back around the ball. Be sure to anchor your feet with a weight at least twice as heavy as the weight you use to perform the exercise.

Swiss Ball Reverse Crunches

Position your body so your scapula is centered on the top of the ball. Grab a stationary handle above your head and tuck your knees up and around towards your face. I use my eyes as a reference point. As in all abdominal exercises, it’s imperative that you exhale during the effort. Reps are not the only indicator of a good abdominal workout…you should feel each one in the muscle, without obsessing over how many you do.

Hanging Leg Raises

There are two schools of thought when it comes to hanging leg raises. If you do the entire movement from completely stretched out to completely contracted, then your psoas muscles (hip flexors) assist in the movement. If you start the movement with your legs bent at 90 degrees, you eliminate the use of the hip flexor group. I suggest you mix it up and do the exercise both ways.

Janda Sit-Ups

These are tremendous once you get the hang of them. Assume the traditional sit-up position, with your arms crossed over your chest. Have someone grab the back of your calves and pull slightly. Slowly sit up, maintaining a contraction in the glutes. If you can’t pull yourself up right away, start with the negative part of the movement.

Full Contact Twists

These are similar to Tornado Ball chops, but they can be done in a gym without any special equipment. Get a 45 lb. Olympic bar and place one end in a corner to hold it in place. With your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and arms fully extended, hold the opposite end of the bar and rotate it overhead in a semi-circular motion. Be sure to rotate at the waist and feel the movement throughout your entire core. Do 1–3 sets of 15–20 reps.

Medicine Ball Throws on Swiss Ball

Assume the same position on the Swiss Ball as you would if you were doing weighted crunches, and position your feet under two dumbbells for safety. Ask a partner to help you with an 8–10 lb. medicine ball. While seated on the Swiss Ball in an upright position, have your partner throw the medicine ball over your head so you can catch it (under control) while lying back over the Swiss Ball. Sit up and throw the medicine ball back to your partner. Do 3 sets of 12–15 reps.

Cable Side Crunches

Using a cable in the highest position, grasp the handle with one hand and rest the other on top the hand grabbing the handle. Your hand should be at your temple. Keeping your arm completely stationary, crunch between the waist and lower chest only. The movement will be small and very isolated. Be sure to do both sides for about 3 sets of 12-15 reps with a challenging weight.

There you have it—if these 10 exercises can’t give your abs a good workout, nothing can!
When you get comfortable doing all these great exercises, you’ll be able to train your abs more instinctively, mixing up different exercises during each training session for maximum impact. You’ll be able to trust your gut and pick a variety of exercises that are most effective for you, and you’ll start getting results fast.

Always remember that abdominal training is the essence of a strong, stable, and attractive physique, so don’t be one of those guys or gals who never takes the time to add a few challenging ab exercises to your routine. With a little attention to detail, you’ll be well on your way toward getting the kind of tight, defined midsection that has the amazing ability to turn heads.

A wise man once told me something that I’ve burned into my memory and carry with me all the time. “I may not be where I want to be,” he said. “But thank God I’m not where I used to be!”
So just keep at it. You may still not like training your abs, but by spending the extra time and trusting your gut to choose just a few killer exercises, you and the rest of the world will certainly like what they see.

AUTHOR’S NOTE
If you don’t have all the items necessary to perform the exercises featured here, e-mail me at clark@clarkbartram.com and I’ll let you know where you can get them.
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