Specific arms routine

[Mute]

Man. This post was def meant for me to read. I truly struggle with arm development. I’ve tried moderate to heavy weight with low reps, and then moderate weight with high reps 12-20 with strict form. Granted my over powering delts really play a factor. I hit triceps at the tail end of my chest day and biceps at the end of my back day. The frustration comes out and I just say “I have shit genetics” but I really just need to go back to the drawing board. I’m open for criticism and thankful for any advice.

 

[Kaladryn]

Man. This post was def meant for me to read. I truly struggle with arm development. I’ve tried moderate to heavy weight with low reps, and then moderate weight with high reps 12-20 with strict form. Granted my over powering delts really play a factor. I hit triceps at the tail end of my chest day and biceps at the end of my back day. The frustration comes out and I just say “I have shit genetics” but I really just need to go back to the drawing board. I’m open for criticism and thankful for any advice.

I've tried putting biceps with back and triceps with chest and always had poor results. The problem is I can't use as much weight on bis/tris when I do this because they get tired out chest/back. However, I think it does help if you have a tendency to overtrain bis and tris.

If working bis with back and tris with chest works well for you, but arms are still stubborn, then try this: Reduce chest and back volume and/or weight and remove the bis and tris from your chest and back work as much as possible, add more rests days and then put biceps/triceps as far away from chest/back as possible. Go heavy but reduce volume in arm training.

Most arm stubbornness comes from overtraining, usually without realizing it, and usually from chest/back work.

 

[Mute]

I've tried putting biceps with back and triceps with chest and always had poor results. The problem is I can't use as much weight on bis/tris when I do this because they get tired out chest/back. However, I think it does help if you have a tendency to overtrain bis and tris.

If working bis with back and tris with chest works well for you, but arms are still stubborn, then try this: Reduce chest and back volume and/or weight and remove the bis and tris from your chest and back work as much as possible, add more rests days and then put biceps/triceps as far away from chest/back as possible. Go heavy but reduce volume in arm training.

Most arm stubbornness comes from overtraining, usually without realizing it, and usually from chest/back work.

I appreciate the feedback, I have the most basic split, Monday- Back and Biceps Tuesday- Chest and triceps and calves, Wednesday- Legs Thursday is my arm day and Friday I hit shoulders and calves. And take Saturday and Sunday off. But if I don’t go Friday I’ll do triceps and shoulders on Saturday after work.

 

[qbkilla]

I appreciate the feedback, I have the most basic split, Monday- Back and Biceps Tuesday- Chest and triceps and calves, Wednesday- Legs Thursday is my arm day and Friday I hit shoulders and calves. And take Saturday and Sunday off. But if I don’t go Friday I’ll do triceps and shoulders on Saturday after work.

One option could be

Chest, Biceps
Back, Triceps
Legs/Traps
Shoulders
Arms
Off
Off

Triceps are hit on the chest movements, then again after back (rather than with chest), then again on arm day. So sort of a bro split, but frequency is 3x per week. And the 2x per week you hit them directly, they should be fresh.

To me weather arms are actually lagging IMO should be relative to waist. Arms should be larger than half the waist. If waist is 32, arms should be bigger than 16. If waist is 36, arms should be larger than 18.

 

[Fit2Serve]

qbkilla, if ur arms r weak points now do u really believe u will ever get em up to match ur other naturally gifted parts?
bc of a new training routine?
u dont think insertions and tendons and ligaments and length of muscle has anyting to do with it?
just curious.
u just havent been training em right?
or did dennis wolf always have small calves?
milos always have lagging arms?
Iian villirare has zero calves
on and on i could go
so they just didnt train em right?

 

[Fit2Serve]

Man. This post was def meant for me to read. I truly struggle with arm development. I’ve tried moderate to heavy weight with low reps, and then moderate weight with high reps 12-20 with strict form. Granted my over powering delts really play a factor. I hit triceps at the tail end of my chest day and biceps at the end of my back day. The frustration comes out and I just say “I have shit genetics” but I really just need to go back to the drawing board. I’m open for criticism and thankful for any advice.

stfu ur arms look great

 

[qbkilla]

qbkilla, if ur arms r weak points now do u really believe u will ever get em up to match ur other naturally gifted parts?
bc of a new training routine?
u dont think insertions and tendons and ligaments and length of muscle has anyting to do with it?
just curious.
u just havent been training em right?
or did dennis wolf always have small calves?
milos always have lagging arms?
Iian villirare has zero calves
on and on i could go
so they just didnt train em right?

agree with you, it is unlikely any specific routine or training would make a major difference because I don't think intensity and form are an issue, and I have tried just about everything (high frequency, low frequency, low volume, moderate volume).

The only thing really left that I have not tried would be extremely high volume. Alfescos post was similar to what I was looking for in the fact it seemed like very high volume while limiting volume on other parts. But I agree it is unlikely anything will make a major difference and the only thing left would to be just jack up volume. Was looking more for a routine or program that has very high arm volume, while at the same time, still having adequate volume for other parts without completley overtraining.

I believe the most sets per week I have gone is 14 for bi and 14 for TRI as I am mostly low volume guy (6-9 sets per week per body part).

 

[Fit2Serve]

agree with you, it is unlikely any specific routine or training would make a major difference because I don't think intensity and form are an issue, and I have tried just about everything (high frequency, low frequency, low volume, moderate volume).

The only thing really left that I have not tried would be extremely high volume. Alfescos post was similar to what I was looking for in the fact it seemed like very high volume while limiting volume on other parts. But I agree it is unlikely anything will make a major difference and the only thing left would to be just jack up volume. Was looking more for a routine or program that has very high arm volume, while at the same time, still having adequate volume for other parts without completley overtraining.

I believe the most sets per week I have gone is 14 for bi and 14 for TRI as I am mostly low volume guy (6-9 sets per week per body part).

i had good arms. and crazy delts. so i reduced training on delts and modified how i posed.
but i never nor many many many smart pros never got their arms to catch up to their other stellar parts.....

 

[Mute]

One option could be

Chest, Biceps
Back, Triceps
Legs/Traps
Shoulders
Arms
Off
Off

Triceps are hit on the chest movements, then again after back (rather than with chest), then again on arm day. So sort of a bro split, but frequency is 3x per week. And the 2x per week you hit them directly, they should be fresh.

To me weather arms are actually lagging IMO should be relative to waist. Arms should be larger than half the waist. If waist is 32, arms should be bigger than 16. If waist is 36, arms should be larger than 18.

I do have a small waist I believe it’s actually around 32-33” I just might have to give that routine a try. On my arm day I use to rotate between a bi & tri exercise but lately I’ve been doing just biceps straight through and then triceps after, so that I can focus on that muscle individually.

 

[Kaladryn]

I would never train arms more than other body parts, especially since they already get hit on chest/back pretty hard as secondary movers, especially if you are chest and/or back dominant.

Everyone is either shoulder/triceps dominant on pressing or chest dominant on pressing and either arm dominant or back dominant on pulling.

 

[qbkilla]

I would never train arms more than other body parts, especially since they already get hit on chest/back pretty hard as secondary movers, especially if you are chest and/or back dominant.

Everyone is either shoulder/triceps dominant on pressing or chest dominant on pressing and either arm dominant or back dominant on pulling.

How do you tell, based on look? I am definitely a chest/back guy meaning the arms are small compared to the torso.

 

[Kaladryn]

How do you tell, based on look? I am definitely a chest/back guy meaning the arms are small compared to the torso.

It's usually really easy to tell, generally, you can tell based on development but also based on what people feel working during movements. People who are back dominant will naturally feel back movements very well in their back and not their arms. Chest dominant people will feel pressing movements in their chest and shoulder/triceps people will feel them less in their chest. I've training hundreds if not thousands of people over the last 30 years (99% not bodybuilders) and it's almost always easy to figure out. You can pick any bodybuilder and tell what they are (harder nowadays due to site enhancement/fake muscles though). Examples: Arnold was arm dominant on pulls and chest dominant on pressing, Yates was chest and back dominant, etc. Some have done a great job at balancing themselves out so it's hard to tell but they still started one way or the other.

 

[qbkilla]

It's usually really easy to tell, generally, you can tell based on development but also based on what people feel working during movements. People who are back dominant will naturally feel back movements very well in their back and not their arms. Chest dominant people will feel pressing movements in their chest and shoulder/triceps people will feel them less in their chest. I've training hundreds if not thousands of people over the last 30 years (99% not bodybuilders) and it's almost always easy to figure out. You can pick any bodybuilder and tell what they are (harder nowadays due to site enhancement/fake muscles though). Examples: Arnold was arm dominant on pulls and chest dominant on pressing, Yates was chest and back dominant, etc. Some have done a great job at balancing themselves out so it's hard to tell but they still started one way or the other.

Interesting and good information. I often notice most people at the gym are chest/back dominant or arms/delts dominant. I always thought it was about structure. Typically guys with a large torso (wide shoulders and wide hips) have a larger torso and thus arms look less impressive. But guys with narrow shoulders and hips, it gives the illusion arms are bigger, and delts.

So would I be correct in assuming that you feel for chest/back guys....a strategy to bring up arms would be to continue doing heavy compound exercises, but attempt to use arms more in the lifts than the chest/back? I'd assume most chest/back guys at some point have tried to correct their imbalance by training arms more..but that obviously doesn't work or these imbalances wouldn't be so prevalent.

 

[Mute]

It's usually really easy to tell, generally, you can tell based on development but also based on what people feel working during movements. People who are back dominant will naturally feel back movements very well in their back and not their arms. Chest dominant people will feel pressing movements in their chest and shoulder/triceps people will feel them less in their chest. I've training hundreds if not thousands of people over the last 30 years (99% not bodybuilders) and it's almost always easy to figure out. You can pick any bodybuilder and tell what they are (harder nowadays due to site enhancement/fake muscles though). Examples: Arnold was arm dominant on pulls and chest dominant on pressing, Yates was chest and back dominant, etc. Some have done a great job at balancing themselves out so it's hard to tell but they still started one way or the other.

As you can Tell from my first set of pictures I think I’m def Delt dominate and my back is decent for my height and size which is 5’9 220. I will most certainly have to figure out why my arms won’t grow, my chest also lags because of the lack of tricep strength as well.

 

[Kaladryn]

Interesting and good information. I often notice most people at the gym are chest/back dominant or arms/delts dominant. I always thought it was about structure. Typically guys with a large torso (wide shoulders and wide hips) have a larger torso and thus arms look less impressive. But guys with narrow shoulders and hips, it gives the illusion arms are bigger, and delts.

So would I be correct in assuming that you feel for chest/back guys....a strategy to bring up arms would be to continue doing heavy compound exercises, but attempt to use arms more in the lifts than the chest/back? I'd assume most chest/back guys at some point have tried to correct their imbalance by training arms more..but that obviously doesn't work or these imbalances wouldn't be so prevalent.

Being dominant in chest/back or arms doesn't necessarily mean you will be imbalanced, it's just how your body wants to work. I am biceps dominant on back work, my biceps really want to help me pull, it takes the correct exercises and mind-muscle connections for me to get my back to do work. If I'm not careful, my biceps will give out before my back does, really limiting how hard I can work my back. With time and know-how, I have no trouble "getting to" my back. I have to be careful with exercise selection or my biceps will be exhausted and subsequent exercises will be even more difficult to exhaust my back. The goal is always to exhaust the back before my biceps. Towards the end of my back workout I can use more biceps intensive exercises without an issue because my back is already tired and will give out first.

When I train chest, my pecs always want to do the work naturally, there is no issue or risk of my triceps giving out first.

Put a biceps dominant person on a lat pulldown, and they will feel it in their arms not their back unless they really know what they are doing.

I don't really notice hip structure having an effect or shoulder width, but a back dominant person will have the look of wider shoulders, usually. Hip structure is tricky, wide hips don't mean wide waist, people with wide hips can have very small waists, you often can't even tell their hips are wide if their legs are big enough and they can still have a tiny waist. Same with shoulders, clavicle width can be fairly narrow but with enough back and delt development, you still will have wide shoulders, Phil Heath is a good example. Phil is definitely shoulder/triceps dominant and has trouble developing his chest.

As for bringing up weak points, the problem chest/back dominant people have, is even though they FEEL chest/back exercises well in the appropriate spot, they can still easily overtrain their arms. You don't have to push a muscle to failure to overtrain it, and chest/back dominant people are usually strong in the chest/back therefore they easily can overtrain their biceps/triceps.

I would say being chest and back dominant is ideal for bodybuilding purposes, especially at the high end. Most Mr. O's are 'torso' dominant although there are plenty of exceptions, and it doesn't mean you can't still have great arms, just like being arm dominant doesn't mean you can't have a great chest/back.

 

[luki7788]

In 90% of cases, people who claim to have missing arms actually lack overall muscle mass, cannot be 50cm in the arm size against 60cm in the thigh or 110cm in the chest. So at the beginning I would consider if I just miss the overall muscle mass.

 

[juggy38]

Being dominant in chest/back or arms doesn't necessarily mean you will be imbalanced, it's just how your body wants to work. I am biceps dominant on back work, my biceps really want to help me pull, it takes the correct exercises and mind-muscle connections for me to get my back to do work. If I'm not careful, my biceps will give out before my back does, really limiting how hard I can work my back. With time and know-how, I have no trouble "getting to" my back. I have to be careful with exercise selection or my biceps will be exhausted and subsequent exercises will be even more difficult to exhaust my back. The goal is always to exhaust the back before my biceps. Towards the end of my back workout I can use more biceps intensive exercises without an issue because my back is already tired and will give out first.

When I train chest, my pecs always want to do the work naturally, there is no issue or risk of my triceps giving out first.

Put a biceps dominant person on a lat pulldown, and they will feel it in their arms not their back unless they really know what they are doing.

I don't really notice hip structure having an effect or shoulder width, but a back dominant person will have the look of wider shoulders, usually. Hip structure is tricky, wide hips don't mean wide waist, people with wide hips can have very small waists, you often can't even tell their hips are wide if their legs are big enough and they can still have a tiny waist. Same with shoulders, clavicle width can be fairly narrow but with enough back and delt development, you still will have wide shoulders, Phil Heath is a good example. Phil is definitely shoulder/triceps dominant and has trouble developing his chest.

As for bringing up weak points, the problem chest/back dominant people have, is even though they FEEL chest/back exercises well in the appropriate spot, they can still easily overtrain their arms. You don't have to push a muscle to failure to overtrain it, and chest/back dominant people are usually strong in the chest/back therefore they easily can overtrain their biceps/triceps.

I would say being chest and back dominant is ideal for bodybuilding purposes, especially at the high end. Most Mr. O's are 'torso' dominant although there are plenty of exceptions, and it doesn't mean you can't still have great arms, just like being arm dominant doesn't mean you can't have a great chest/back.

So bud if you had a thick chest/back guy…..would you move to supinated pulls close grip presses and keep isolation volume the same to bring up arms and NOT add more iso arm volume?