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Diabetic Muscle
04-13-2009, 12:08 AM
I seem to have trouble fatiguing biceps. It always seems like my forearms just take over. I have tried straight bar, ez bar, cables, and dumbells. As a side note I can't fully turn my hand to fully face up. I think its putting my biceps at a mechanical disadvantage. Any ideas?

ypmm5
04-13-2009, 11:02 AM
Just for clarification. Are you saying that your forearms give out before your biceps or is it the other way around

Frosty
04-13-2009, 11:18 AM
If your forearms dominate during curl movements, just cock your wrists back while you curl. It takes them out of the movement to a great degree.

Shadow
04-13-2009, 11:19 AM
Make sure you are keeping your hand and your forearm aligned when do any type of curling movement. If you allow your hand to flip backwards, the forearm takes more of the force. Also, not being able to fully supinate the wrist does effect how well you hit the biceps. What is causing this problem?

Shadow
04-13-2009, 11:20 AM
If your forearms dominate during curl movements, just cock your wrists back while you curl. It takes them out of the movement to a great degree.

We posted at about the same time. I've heard the opposite. I could be wrong.

Frosty
04-13-2009, 11:23 AM
Try curling with your wrists cocked back...much harder, which says to me that the forearms are taken out of the lift.

Diabetic Muscle
04-13-2009, 11:52 AM
Just for clarification. Are you saying that your forearms give out before your biceps or is it the other way around

My forearm is stronger than my biceps. So my biceps give out and the forearm takes over.

Diabetic Muscle
04-13-2009, 11:56 AM
If your forearms dominate during curl movements, just cock your wrists back while you curl. It takes them out of the movement to a great degree.

I have taken to using straps and cocking my wrists back. I have seen an improvement. So to me if you could prefatigue the forearm it would allow the biceps to be worked even harder. But I could be wrong.

Diabetic Muscle
04-13-2009, 12:08 PM
Make sure you are keeping your hand and your forearm aligned when do any type of curling movement. If you allow your hand to flip backwards, the forearm takes more of the force. Also, not being able to fully supinate the wrist does effect how well you hit the biceps. What is causing this problem?


I'm not sure why but I have noticed that the angle of my forearm in relation to my upper arm is greater than most mens.

Frosty
04-13-2009, 12:11 PM
I have taken to using straps and cocking my wrists back. I have seen an improvement. So to me if you could prefatigue the forearm it would allow the biceps to be worked even harder. But I could be wrong.

You could do that. For example wrist curls on a preacher bench or wrist curls with a barbell behind you for sets would work. Try it and see how it works with wrists cocked back as well.

Have you tried DB curls on an incline bench? These really hit my biceps hard.

Gerb
04-13-2009, 12:23 PM
I recently suffered an injury which has forced me to reduce my weights a bit. However, I have discovered a huge benefit, I am getting really sore in places such as my biceps which had never been sore before. I can't remember the last time I had sore biceps but after last weeks session my arms where destoryed.

I bet you'd benefit from similar training. I have in the past trained grip and foremans very heavy so my grip/forearm strength is much stronger than my bicep strength like you.

Here was my last routine, never hurts to try something new (you can trade out the exercises for others, these are just ones that don't hurt my back):

Alt DB Curls - 3 sets 20 reps (reach form failure at 20th rep)
Seated Alt Cable Curls on Free Motion - 3 sets 20 - 25reps (failure on last rep)
Life Fitness Preacher Curl - 3 sets 15 - 25 reps (failure on last rep of each set)
Rope Hammer Curls - 3 sets 20-30reps (more pain failure than anything)
Seated BB Wrist Curls - 3 sets max reps (40-50)

High reps/light weight are one thing but high reps/heavy weight is quite different (heavy meaning you hit form failure). Anyways, that is my 2 cents. If you try it, be prepared to suffer, you just gotta check the ego at the door if you are use to more standard 6-12 rep ranges. Good luck to you.

Wheels
04-13-2009, 01:46 PM
Frosty has the right idea. If your forearms are taking the brunt of the force, bend your forearms down throughout the movement and really focus hard on hitting the biceps. Also, if you have any isolation machines available to you in your gym try those to help build the biceps up, eventually you'll help to even out the disparity between forearms/biceps.

SteveG, makes a good point too. Many experienced lifters, such as Yates, recommend you halving the weight if you're not feeling it in the muscle the exercise is intended for. Once you achieve the proper mind/muscle connection and even out any imbalances, you can begin to pile the weight back on. We are bodybuilders after all, not ego lifters :).

TPT
04-20-2009, 01:02 PM
I have taken to using straps and cocking my wrists back. I have seen an improvement. So to me if you could prefatigue the forearm it would allow the biceps to be worked even harder. But I could be wrong.



you would want to "prefatigue" the biceps to further stress the biceps. brachioradialis is strongest at a neutral position of the forearm. it is a very strong elbow flexor as well. so take the forearm out of neutral. learn to transition from pronation into supination as you flex the elbow. or just use a straight bar to stress biceps brachii.

now the problem remains we do require the forearm to carry the load. prefatigue the biceps using examples of isolation exercises and follow with a compound movement such as the pull up. use supersets, rest pause, etc. the lats would be unfatigued per se and assist in further stressing biceps brachii. again maintain supination.

again, forerm use is still present. so your third step would be to use straps since you will be able to even further stress biceps when your forearm muscles are finally faitgued.

ChunkyThunder
04-20-2009, 02:24 PM
you would want to "prefatigue" the biceps to further stress the biceps. brachioradialis is strongest at a neutral position of the forearm. it is a very strong elbow flexor as well. so take the forearm out of neutral. learn to transition from pronation into supination as you flex the elbow. or just use a straight bar to stress biceps brachii.

now the problem remains we do require the forearm to carry the load. prefatigue the biceps using examples of isolation exercises and follow with a compound movement such as the pull up. use supersets, rest pause, etc. the lats would be unfatigued per se and assist in further stressing biceps brachii. again maintain supination.

again, forerm use is still present. so your third step would be to use straps since you will be able to even further stress biceps when your forearm muscles are finally faitgued.

What about doing reverse curls prior to any heavy biceps work?

TPT
04-20-2009, 03:31 PM
What about doing reverse curls prior to any heavy biceps work?


that sequence would stress brachioradialis.

orhochris
04-20-2009, 06:44 PM
If your forearms dominate during curl movements, just cock your wrists back while you curl. It takes them out of the movement to a great degree.

agreed. bob chicerillo has a training dvd that goes into this . he says at the top of the curl it should look like you're holding a tray in your hand. you don't want to knock the tray over. so as you life, your extend your wrist to make your hand holding the db parallel to the floor.

thepump
04-20-2009, 06:49 PM
Mind muscle control would be a big contributor in your problem. As many have said cocking the wrist back is one of the best ways to take the forearm out of the equation. Twisting the wrist at the top and squeezing the bicep while doing the movement will also help.

Diabetic Muscle
04-21-2009, 12:01 AM
I appreciate all the responses. Reducing the weight and working on the mind muscle connection would probably going to be the key to more growth. I have eked out 1.75 in growth in a year so from here on it I'm starting to see technique is going to become crucial. Again thanks for the help.