Arms just wont grow!

roadcrayon · Sep 25, 2008

in the past year or so my arms have really been lagging behind the rest of my body in terms of growth. this sucks becuase arms used to be a strong suit of mine.... no matter what i do i just cant get the same pump i used to in them and the next day they never hurt. i've been experimenting with everything from going extra heavy to very light and high reps (20+ range) and still they have a shitty pump and i feel like my shoulders and upper pecs are doing the brunt of the work. obviously i have been trying to do all isolation excercises to focus soely on the bicept but still no progress.... any suggestions?

hotttsauce · Sep 25, 2008

roadcrayon said:
in the past year or so my arms have really been lagging behind the rest of my body in terms of growth. this sucks becuase arms used to be a strong suit of mine.... no matter what i do i just cant get the same pump i used to in them and the next day they never hurt. i've been experimenting with everything from going extra heavy to very light and high reps (20+ range) and still they have a shitty pump and i feel like my shoulders and upper pecs are doing the brunt of the work. obviously i have been trying to do all isolation excercises to focus soely on the bicept but still no progress.... any suggestions?

Ever try 2 movements (regular/hammer), 3 sets of 6 with a finishing set of 1 set of 21's on each, 1 x per week?

edge250 · Sep 25, 2008

stop training them directly.

hotttsauce · Sep 25, 2008

edge250 said:
stop training them directly.

LMAO ... well, there are two totally different approaches

BigCanuck · Sep 25, 2008

I used to do a Tricep/Bicep superset to start off say Rope Pushdowns and Close grip EZ curls.Then finish off the Tri`s with your fav 2 exercises.Then go back to Biceps and do maybe Preachers and Hammer curls.This really works well for the biceps as i think doing them with Tri`s together helps keep the blood in the arm area.Don`t work anything after the Bi`s not even abs/cardio to keep the blood in there.

james001 · Sep 25, 2008

you need to learn how to work the muscle... you said yourself you feel your chest and shoulders doing most of the work.

you need to feel it in the target muscle... go light until you do. focus on the muscle contracting before you worry about using more weight.

edge250 · Sep 25, 2008

hotttsauce said:
LMAO ... well, there are two totally different approaches

just for a month or so. then when you go back to training them watch what happens.

we forget just how much indirect work arms get. if i increase my chest press by 50lbs and my bent row by 50lbs will my arms grow even though i didnt train them directly?

hotttsauce · Sep 25, 2008

edge250 said:
just for a month or so. then when you go back to training them watch what happens. we forget just how much indirect work arms get. if i increase my chest press by 50lbs and my bent row by 50lbs will my arms grow even though i didnt train them directly?

Granted I will give you that for sure, same as we aren't hitting traps right now and mine are doing just fine.

BoaMan · Sep 25, 2008

I do a lot less direct arm work since working with Phil. My arms are as big as ever.

TooPowerful4u · Sep 25, 2008

My arms probably are more stubborn than most people on this board and i still built a decent set. Find my thread i started on building arms, i did a whole writeup that alot have used and thanked me for....

ex-infantry · Sep 25, 2008

from TooPow:

http://www.professionalmuscle.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29724

i think this is the thread he was talking about

roadcrayon · Sep 25, 2008

im defiently going to focus more on the mind muscle connection and keep things light. but while doing so do you guys suggest supersets to force the most amount of blood in there?

roadcrayon · Sep 25, 2008

ex-infantry said:
from TooPow:

http://www.professionalmuscle.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29724

i think this is the thread he was talking about

yes thanks i gave it a good read and seems to make sence

Tom · Sep 25, 2008

overtrain=stagnation

roadcrayon said:
im defiently going to focus more on the mind muscle connection and keep things light. but while doing so do you guys suggest supersets to force the most amount of blood in there?

this thinking leads me to believe you're geared towards overtraining. the best advice i've seen here is from edge250. back off all arm training for at least a month and when you start back on them they will grow.

oldfella · Sep 25, 2008

edge250 said:
stop training them directly.

Took the words right out of my mouth........Just use the compound movements to work them. I know plenty of guys with good guns that never really train them directly. OH they throw in a set of curls every now and then and some pushdowns or something but that's it.

witefall · Sep 25, 2008

I had the same problem about 3 years ago. A friend suggested I stop all bi work and focus more on my back: deadlifts, bent over bar rows, pull ups and cleans. It was hard (mentally) to go a couple of months without doing a single curl, but sure enough, not only did my back get thicker, my bi's grew significantly.

Ever since then, I only do 2 sets of close grip preacher curls, 2 sets of wide grip preacher curls, and then finish with one set of seated db curls (light) for about 15 reps. I only do this once a week. My bi's have never looked better.

Just a thought . . . from my own experience.

james001 · Sep 25, 2008

Tom said:
the best advice i've seen here is from edge250. back off all arm training for at least a month and when you start back on them they will grow.

that could be one element to a solution but the guy cant even feel the muscles working. he needs to learn how to train and feel the contraction well either way.

Buildinthaskinnys · Sep 26, 2008

Im sorry, but i disagree with everyone, obviously he isnt training them hard enough. I recommend you triple the amount of sets you are doing now, since the arms recover the fastest increase your arm workouts to twice weekly if you arent already, and quadruple your protein intake. Train like this for 3 months before changing anything.(three months is how long it takes to see any results) If you need me I will be in my basement drinking coffee all night.

ferd · Sep 26, 2008

witefall said:
I had the same problem about 3 years ago. A friend suggested I stop all bi work and focus more on my back: deadlifts, bent over bar rows, pull ups and cleans. It was hard (mentally) to go a couple of months without doing a single curl, but sure enough, not only did my back get thicker, my bi's grew significantly.

Ever since then, I only do 2 sets of close grip preacher curls, 2 sets of wide grip preacher curls, and then finish with one set of seated db curls (light) for about 15 reps. I only do this once a week. My bi's have never looked better.

Just a thought . . . from my own experience.

I agree. Go a few months without doing ANY direct arm work. What can it hurt. I think you'll be surprised.

jrmuscle · Sep 26, 2008

try this

ok i know light weight works well i just use a luggage bag full of clothes and canned foods caus ei cant afford to go to the gym right now. but ive been doing this cause i had the same problem so here goes. for one week train all body parts around your arms light so they arent sucking up all your nutrition to repair. ok then on arm day do your normal routine at the end add in a set od db curls or bb curls depending how good you feel and do 100 reps seriously. after that do a heavier set right after and hold the last rep mid way til you cant hold it there nemore. seriously it should work try it and get back to me i have many crazy ass techniques for both strength and size. this is great for size.......... good luck