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I'm trying to improve my arm/biceps muscle tone. Yes I want them a tad bigger. I own a curl bar and use to do the basic lifting with that a while back but put it on vacation for many months and forgot I even had a curl bar until recently.
Now, is that one of the most sure ways of building and toning up the arm muscle?
Thanks
Location: Visitation between Wal-Mart & Home Depot
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Curls are great for the biceps and forearms, but if your technique is unsound you aren't getting the full benefit. Your back needs to be totally straight, head up, elbows against your sides. Try to make sure that nothing moves other than your arms. If it feels like it gets easier at the top of the motion, you're doing it wrong. You may find out that you aren't as strong as you thought!
You can also do upright rows, bent rows, forearm curls and change your grip/hand position to make subtle adjustments to the part of the muscles that are absorbing the strain. For example, close grip is different from wide grip is different from reverse grip (palms facing down rather than up). My favorite is preacher curls, but you need some additional apparatus.
can you expand on wide grip vs. close grip? What muscles for each one are more affected.
when you say back is straight. Do you have a link or photo of the example of a straight back and head up (does that mean chin and head pointed towards the top of the wall or ceiling I am near?) Need photos to see what you mean.
Also when my back is straight my chest tends to poke out more. Is that correct?
Quote:
Originally Posted by jimboburnsy
Curls are great for the biceps and forearms, but if your technique is unsound you aren't getting the full benefit. Your back needs to be totally straight, head up, elbows against your sides. Try to make sure that nothing moves other than your arms. If it feels like it gets easier at the top of the motion, you're doing it wrong. You may find out that you aren't as strong as you thought!
You can also do upright rows, bent rows, forearm curls and change your grip/hand position to make subtle adjustments to the part of the muscles that are absorbing the strain. For example, close grip is different from wide grip is different from reverse grip (palms facing down rather than up). My favorite is preacher curls, but you need some additional apparatus.
I would also mix in some dumbbell work. Dumbbells have a lot of advantages - they work on stabilizing muscles/tendons more, they work your bis independently, and there are so many variations you can do. Hammer curls, normal standing curls, seated curls, incline curls, concentration curls, etc. Mixing it up is key to making sure your muscles continue to grow.
Also, dumbbells are good if one arm is slightly stronger than the other. Just stop the exercise for BOTH arms when the weak arm fails - gradually it'll catch up.
One thing I'd add though - don't just work your arms. Come up with a workout program that works everything. You don't want to be unbalanced, and believe it or not, exercises that work things like your legs can make your arms grow! (your leg muscles are big and working them causes a substantial testosterone boost as compared to working small muscles like the biceps).
Finally, you mention wanting "tone." Tone is just the presence of muscle in the absence of fat. So, lift, and get those guns bigger, and lower your bodyfat, and you'll get more toned!
Just make sure you up the weight when you can. Don't be afraid to add heavier weight when possible.
Also, the triceps is 2/3 of your arm mass. So if you want larger arms, you should work the tris just as hard to get the arms 'bigger'.
To touch on the advise above... some people don't even do arms/biceps during their workouts because the other movements they do work so well in making their arms grow. Exercises like Back Rows, deadlifts, bench press, dips etc... will allow you to use much heavier weights and make your arms grow more than a simple isolation exercise like curls. Having said that, if you workout at home and only do arms or are interested in arms, then yes, curls will make them grow. Just keep upping the intensity when you can, in the way of weight or reps etc..
If you stand with your back against a post, you will probably be using a stricter form when doing curls. good luck.
The number one workout for bi's ,is a military pull up with plates between your legs!! your arms will explode...you must do close grip with palms facing each other.
Tri's Tri's Tri's. Can't say anything more. Work your Tri's real hard every week and your arms will grow in size.
As stated above they take up 2/3 of your arm.
The way to "tone" your muscle is to cut body fat.
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