Building bigger biceps

K

Kwith

0
Hello, I'm new to the forum and although I've worked out before I really want to get into it again. I used to run Cross Country and I'm going to start running again. But I also have a weight bench with a thing to work out your legs and a curved barbell. For about two months now I have been lifting and have noticed very little improvement. I don't do the same work out everytime but this is what I usually do. Every other day I bench with about 50lbs and do 3 sets and each time lift it 25 times. Then I do some crunches and some "21s" that I heard about. I think I'm doing the 21's right with the barbell but I may be wrong. Can someone tell me clearly how to do 21s and are they a good way to build your biceps? I noticed it is getting easier to lift things but I don't appear to be getting any muscle. It would be nice to start lookin a little buff. How can I get some noticable biceps and abs?
 
can u explain exactly what equipment u have at home and if that is the only place u can workout w/ exercise equipment and do u have access to a gym
 
you might start with lowering your rep count, 16 max. im not exactly sure what a '21' is, but if you have a bench bar, you could use it as a curl bar, which usually does great things for biceps.. as for abs, that involves changing your diet..
 
I'm not sure how to explain my equipment. I could join a gym but I'd rather not. My equipment at home is I guess your basic weight bench, it has the thing at the end, to work out your legs. And it has the bar to do bench presses. But it isn't a straight bar that you put the weights on, it is curvy, I don't know what it would be called, if it is still called a barbell or not, I think it is a curl bar. But I heard somewhere about 21s with a standing barbell or curl bar. If you've never heard of them they are probably not the best way to build biceps. So a lower rep count can actually help me more? And should I use more or less weight than I am comfortable with? Should I stand up and curl the bar with weight on it to build biceps? And what kind of diet and exercise can help with building abs?
 
yeah definitely man lower reps and sets will maximize your muscle growth in your biceps try adding more weight and do like a 6 sets of 8 at about 80-95% and i never heard of 21's either and that curvy bar is called and ez curl bar

i would recommend joining a gym because i dont think u can get an efficient total bodyworkout with the equipment u have. You cant just expect your biceps to get bigger with those 21's or isolated exercises for your biceps. You would benefit alot better from compound exercises like push-ups,dips, and bench/ dumbbell, squats, deadlifts press you need to get a balanced workout

another person told me these his name is patsfan
if you do total body workouts, with squats and/or deadlifts first, you will pump tons of hormones (testerone, etc.) into your blood stream, given that the legs are the largest muscle groups in your body . These hormones will then help your upper body muscles get primed to grow while you are working them.
 
to correct myself your muscles in your arms such as bi's and tris will not be stimulated enough to grow just with isolated exercises hence the 21's they will be stimulated more with compounds
 
I think it would be nearly impossible to crank out 8 reps at 95% of anyones 1RM.

If you have a bar, some free weights, and bench you can get a fullbody workout. I'd also say go get a couple 5-10 paint buckets, some sand, and a duffle bag. You might also pick up a chin bar.

As long as you have the compound lifts going and you feel you need isolation work on your biceps, then go for it.
 
evolution of course its impossible to crank out 8 reps at 95 but if he averages out its possible to do it but hey its just an example and dont u think that it would be alot easier to join a gym because getting the equipment yourself at home could be a bit expensive and at home u might get to a point where u have improved to a point where the equipment u have is not giving u an efficient workout plus a gym membership at a ballys,golds gym, or la fitness can run u about can run about 300 to 500 a year which is reasonable
 
Well in late August I'll be attending PSU and students can use that weightroom whenever they like. Until then I just wanted to start building some muscle. So I can build biceps by using something heavier and do I stand up while I curl my ez curl bar? I don't get what you mean by do it at 95%. And also, is it ok to bench with a curl bar? And does benching build biceps? I suppose I should build some tricep muscle too but I can do that with a dumbell I have.
 
well just to clarify, i hope you have an ez curl barbell AND a straight bench barbell. do not do bench with an ez curl bar. people are always getting rid of spare weight bench parts, i reccomend just asking around, worst comes to worst and you can buy one used prob for under 25$, as long as your weight from the ex curl bar fits that bar.. speaking of which, how much does your ez curl weigh?
 
in case anyone doesn't know, 21's are a set of curls, where you do 7 full range reps, then 7 lower range reps, and lastly 7 upper range reps. They can be great for working through weak area's in your ROM, especially late in the set when short term fatigue sets in.

I'd suggest increasing weight, lowering reps. Force the biceps to adapt to a heavier weight, and the reps will increase, as will the size of your arms.
 
That is what I have. I don't have a straight bar, just that one. I guess I shouldn't bench with it, just curl with it. Mine weighs about 10-15lbs. I actually do have like a whole body workout machine. My uncle gave me all of this and he lost the instructions on how to put it together long ago and he doesn't know either. But the bench I figure I can use until I start going to a gym. I just got in and I'm going to run for about 20 minutes on my treadmill, then try some push ups and '21s' or whatever you would like to call them. What about my abs? I'm going to do some crunches I guess. Somebody mentioned that a better diet would help my abs a lot... what kind of diet or exercise should I do for them?
 
yeah a good diet would help out with your abs, because your abs are already there u just need to get rid of the fat on top of it which prevents it from showing

i got this from a friend named massive member in another forum

a good diet consist of Calories – you should be eating at least 6 times a day every 2-3 hours. A rough example would be 7:00am, 10:00am, 1pm, 4pm, 7pm, and 10pm.

Protein – 1 gram per pound of bodyweight. popular choices are chicken, turkey, eggs, cottage cheese, yogurt, peanut butter, milk, whey, lean cuts of red meat, fish

Carbs – 2.5 to 3 grams per pound of bodyweight. popular choices are whole grain brown rice, sweet potatoes, veggies, beans, whole grain breads and cereals, yams.

Fats – 20-30% of total caloric intake. good fats can be found in meat, fish, canola and olive oil, nuts, seeds, legumes, and sesame and soybean oil.

Water – 1 gallon a day.

Fiber – 20-35 grams daily.

Vitamins & Minerals – this is easily covered with a daily multi-vitamin/mineral.
 
I didn't know that it was fat that prevented your abs from showing, learn something new everyday. I'll try to start my day off tomorrow with some whole grain cereal and start snacking healthier. Guess I better reach for that granola bar instead of that cupcake from now on. As far exercise for the abs... I do have to work out my abs in addition to a better diet right? Crunches and Sit ups? And what is a good set and rep to do. And how often should abs be worked out? I heard abs have to be worked on every day and some say every other day, and some even say only once or twice a week.
 
it depends on your goals one thing though u need your abs to rest so about 3-4 times a week helps and have a day in between ab workouts to rest do crunches and sit-us till they burn go to this link it has great info on abs and shows u some great exercises
 
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