Hi all

Straight to the point: I have a rather strange build. I'm 13 stone, my chest is very defined, such that I have to usually get XL tops which then go down too far below my waste - but any smaller and it pulls tight across my chest.

Yet my arms, in comparison, aren't developed. My forearms are probably a shade under the size you'd expect for my chest, but my forearms are noteably under.

Can anyone point my in the right direction to doing something about this?

I used to train, and formulated a program with strong emphasis on the arms, with the help of people on forums. But I was told to stop by a doctor (false alarm - I can now restart). I never really saw any arm progress though.

A few facts:
1) I'm vegetarian but eat well and plenty
2) My mum's a very, very slight build - maybe I'm stuck with it?

Thanks in advance for any help

Well i just wouldnt train arms alone if thats what your thinking. How many times a week are you going to train, and at a gym or at home etc?
When you say you used to train, what were your training patterns etc and how advanced did you get?
You could either do all over body routines every time you went the gym or split body parts into seperate days and do a split training routine.
Depends on your sitution mate.

5 Times Baby, Still 5, For now....

"You're not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on." Dean Martin

Hey - thanks for the response.

I used to train 3 times a week, at home, with bar and dumb bells.

The frustrating thing is the other parts of my body don't need to build like my arms do. Would I really need to do leg and shoulder etc exercises if I'm aiming to build my forearms?

The other conundrum is: if I eat lots and rest with a view to buillding my arms, how do I ensure that doesn't just go onto my waste as fat?

Thanks again

Well if your traing 3 times a week imo id go with a 3 day split. Have a look thorugh here or in the journal section for ideas on routines.
I cant comment on diet as i havent a clue in that respect, even more so with you being a veggie. Im sure somewhere there will be many posts on this. Do a search and see what comes up. Otherwise have a look on the meal plan site and see if James has wrote something up for your circumstances.
Dont just train arms mate, they will progress steadily enough if you just give it time. You'll also get labelled as a biccep boy which no body wants. Remember you will use your arms in many other exercises anyway. eg, you will use your triceps when benching so eventually your arms should catch up.
Good luck anyway.

5 Times Baby, Still 5, For now....

"You're not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on." Dean Martin

Yeah when I first got into this I read some veggie diets and tried to incorporate them. I live out in Russia for most of the year and you can't get tofu, which is a right pain in the arse if you're in my position.

So you're saying it's just a matter of time? I need to be most patient then... I was doing 3 times a week, full body, and not really seeing any improvement on arms.

I don't want to get too seriously into supplments and all that sort of stuff, but I've read/heard whey is good for this. Would that help my situ, or would it just put weight where I don't need it too e.g. tummy?

Thanks again

Something i can understand mate.

Im not a veggie but my chest, shoulders and trapz are huge now where as my forearms and arms in general dont match!!!!!!!!

My trainer has told me this maybe because i box/ martial arts ect but his advice was and mine to you is, only alter your training in way of isolate each muscle in your arms as much as you can. Try the arnie routine for your biceps (google it), try forearm curls for them and isolate them with the inside of your leg ( rest tricep on inner quad and preform curl reps, this prevent shoulder and chest and delts cheating i.e helping your arm lift the weight) forget the amount of weight you lift, you need technique right first or your fcuking yourself in the long run!!!!!!!!

cheers and good luck , s33nyboy

I take it your not using any supplements at all then and your a vegie..?
You need a good amount of protein (amongst other things aswell) to build muscle. Look well into diets first mate or you may just be wasting your time.
Ive not looked but try...

http://www.mealplansite.com/default.aspx

5 Times Baby, Still 5, For now....

"You're not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on." Dean Martin

ORIGINAL: Red Man

I take it your not using any supplements at all then and your a vegie..?
You need a good amount of protein (amongst other things aswell) to build muscle. Look well into diets first mate or you may just be wasting your time.

agreed, key source for bodytraining is meat, however im not suggesting in anyway you cant bodybuild/ get bigger/ stronger without meat. just consider creatine, protein, whey shakes ect as these would help you considerably. IMO ofcourse

s33nyboy

Thanks a lot guys, most helpful.

I do take multi-vitamin and iron tablets, like many people, but nothing special.

Yes protein source for me is a concern, hence I'm keen to stock up on tofu while I'm back in the UK (in notts, incidentally - whereabouts are you, s33nyboy12?). Also seen these protein bars (look like flapjacks basically, might give them a go too. Will check out creatine.

Cheers

Notts city centre............. Where do you train???

I'm in Trowell. Erm... well I live out in Russia for most of the year so I train in my front room, or in my garage when I'm back here.

Russia!!!!!! Bet thats a bitch of a place to train!!!!

Not really because, like I say, I use barbell and dumbells, so I don't train in gyms whichever country I'm in.

But in terms of facilities you'd be surprised what's available. The gyms are very snazzy - not to mention costly. The stereotype of Russia still being run down, bread queues etc, is way off... sure there's poverty, but you should see the city centres.

Cheers

ORIGINAL: mitya

Not really because, like I say, I use barbell and dumbells, so I don't train in gyms whichever country I'm in.

But in terms of facilities you'd be surprised what's available. The gyms are very snazzy - not to mention costly. The stereotype of Russia still being run down, bread queues etc, is way off... sure there's poverty, but you should see the city centres.

Cheers

I would have said living as a veggie in Russia would be much harder than finding a good gym lol. Moscow wouldn't be too bad I guess, but elsewhere

Proportions are largely genetic, get new parents

Depends where you go. Regional cities are huge and very developed. I live on pasta, sarnies, rice, etc etc so it's alright - I just miss the Quorn and tofu stuff.

So it IS genetic - i.e. nothing you can do about it? So I'll continue to generally build but arms won't budget? Buggar.

ORIGINAL: mitya

Depends where you go. Regional cities are huge and very developed. I live on pasta, sarnies, rice, etc etc so it's alright - I just miss the Quorn and tofu stuff.

So it IS genetic - i.e. nothing you can do about it? So I'll continue to generally build but arms won't budget? Buggar.

I'm sure you can get by, it's just not something Russians I kown would condone lol.

Your biceps will get bigger, but perhaps not as fast as other body parts.