What ever i try i just can get my arms to grow. Why?

I train biceps on back day and triceps on chest day. There quite strong (can dip 200lb + bw for reps and curl 60kg for reps, quite strict ect) but what ever i do they just want grow. Ive tried really heavy for a few reps, drop sets, higher reps and set ranges and nothing works.

I eat loads and everything else grows but my arms dont.
I normal do 2 exercises after back and chest traing on my arms. 3 sets per exercise.

Any ideas to make them grow please?

Have you ever tried supper setting Biceps and triceps.....i trained that constantly for months and my arms developed tremendously... be sure to work all sides of the biceps too by doing strait arm curls and hammer curls..... standing against or leaning on a wall will make your standing curls stricter too.....and ez bar curl with my back aagainst the wall is my favourite, super setted with some skull crushers

yes tried that mate, gives a great pump but never results in muscle growth. is it possible your arms reach a limit and then just wont grow any more??

Eat more dinners!

This has been bedated exensively elsewhere. If you gain weight everywhere, your arms will grow. Nice dipping btw!

42.5kg to go.

ORIGINAL: Epcelon

There quite strong (can dip 200lb + bw for reps and curl 60kg for reps,

Just to be clear - that's bodyweight plus two hundred pounds

Never underestimate the positive effect of a kind word

Wow, thats quite a dip. I can't imagine your arms being too weak if you do that much weight....

ORIGINAL: Fat Pete

Just to be clear - that's bodyweight plus two hundred pounds

If that's what he means, it's AWESOME! I think he means his bodyweight is 200+ lbs.

Epcelon, are you getting adequate rest? Do you squat? Weighted chins are good for beefing up arms.

You might be training for strength, not for hypertrophy. Post your routine, and if you aren't shy, post a pic of yourself. You might have massive arms but they just don't look big to you. :p

For me, I find I got the best arm growth if I give them their own session.

I don't normally train them alone as I'm a big believer in keeping training frequency to a minimum to allow for maximum recovery..etc. so it depends on where I'm at in my training. I normally only give them their own session for about 3 or 4 weeks, then go back to my normal routine.
I normally do Chest + Bi's & Shoulders + Tri's together for most part - but I definately got/get the best results when I train arms alone and hammer them.

What works best for me is to do 1 bicep exercise, then 1 tricep exercise: 2 or 3 sets for each exercise and then include a superset at the end (so 2 different exercises: one set for bicep, followed immediately by one set for triceps - 2 supersets total in this fashion).

Weighed Dips: 3 Sets
Barbell Curls: 3 Sets
Close Grip Bench Press: 3 Sets
Seated Dumbbell Curls: 3 Sets
Cable Curls/Pushdown (supersets): 2 Sets

Normally in the region of about 8 - 10 reps on each, although occassionally go a bit lower.

This looks like quite alot, but is only 8 sets total for both triceps and biceps respectively. So the volume is still low enough as to reduce the chance of overtraining them.

It could be that you're overtaining them or you're other muscle groups may just be overpowering your arms. Like Ultron says, you may actually have huge arms, but they may not look as big on you. A lot of bodybuilding is illusion and creating a balance I think.

I don't know if you follow bodybuilding at all (in which case you probably don't have a clue what Im on about here)...but take 6 time Mr Olympia Dorian Yates for example; he had huge arms by most guys standards, but the rest of his body overpowered them. On the other hand, you have someone like Lee Priest standing at like 5ft 5 tall, who's the exact opposite of that and arms tend to overpower the rest of him making some of the rest of his muscle groups look smaller in comparison.

thanks for your reply's
to confirm thats 200lb around my waist and i weigh about 100kg give or take a 1 kg.

I eat loads but everything grows much faster than my arms, especially my waist so your all probably right they look out of proportion to the rest of me. they measure just under 17 inches (waist currently 36 :O lol ) and would like to get them to 18.5.

Never really do alot of high reps as it never feels as good as using heavy poundage for between 5-6 reps.

yes i always squat mate, without fail even if i feel **** lol.

id like to train arms on there own but then struggle to fit all the other training sessions in. find i cant press or pull as much because there still f**ked. Can anyone suggest a 3 and 4 day training split they have found successful please?

might just focus on get my waist down, 33 would be good!

It's late where I am at, so I might have missed it, but I am not sure what exercises you do. But I think two that you should definitely have in your routine are:

Bicep Curls
Tricep Extensions

The exact way they are done is up to you - which ever method feels the best. Preacher Curls or Hammer Curls. Skullcrushers or Bent Over Tricep Extensions. Whatever feels best for you is the method you should use.

Do something like 75% of your one rep max, for 10 reps. I hear 8-12 is the best rep range for maximum muscle size, so make each set have reps about that range. But focus on form and stay consistent with your training. I hope this helps! :)

Im wanting to do super sets for my arms but need help understanding how to do it correctly -

Do i do this: Bicep curls 3x8 - No rest - Tricep Extensions 3x8

OR: Bicep curl 1x8 - No rest - Tricep Extension 1x8 - 1min rest - repeat process another 2 times??

Age: 21 Height: 5"7
Start BW: 8.7st
Current BW: 9.5st
BF: 11%
Goal - Size: Reach 10st - BF: 8-10%

My Journey - Only Beginning

Just found what im looking for. I do bicep curls 1x8 then straight to tricep extensions then repeat another 2 times with NO rest at all

Age: 21 Height: 5"7
Start BW: 8.7st
Current BW: 9.5st
BF: 11%
Goal - Size: Reach 10st - BF: 8-10%

My Journey - Only Beginning

Yep, a superset would be 1x8 barbell curls followed immediately by 1x8 skullcrushers for example - no rest inbetween.

I would use them sparingly though - they're pretty intense.

I normally do 2 supersets as a finisher if I do train arms independantly and focus more on a pump effect with a lighter weight just to get the blood in there and for variety.

Epcelon, what does your current routine look like bud? I'm curious as to what you currently do for arms.

It sounds like you're definately shifting some pretty big weight there, but that might actually be part of the problem.

As Ultron suggested, the 8-12 rep range is normally a good range to work in for arms. Low reps/heavy weight works pretty well in general - but for certain muscle groups (smaller ones such as arms in particular) it's not always the best solution if you're actually aiming to build size.

I think biceps in particular respond better to a moderate weight with slightly higher reps (10 - 12) where as triceps seem to do well off heavier weights, 6 - 8 reps.

I prefer to use a classic pyramid rep/set scheme for arms, something like:

Set 1: 10 - 12 Reps with 70% 1RM
Set 2: 8 - 10 Reps with 75% 1RM
Set 3: 6 - 8 Reps with 80% 1RM

This seems to be a pretty good way of getting a good balance between reps, volume and weight. I don't normally use that particular set/rep scheme on everything though - but for arms it seems to work pretty well (for me anyway).

or if you really want to go heavy
75% 1RM
80% 1RM
85% 1RM

6 - 8 Reps per set.

routine generally looks like this mate.

Day 1 - Squats, leg press, ham curls. 3x5-8 on all
Day 2 - Bench press, incline press, pull overs, dips, abbs, calfs. 3x5-6 on all
Day 3 - Deadlift, Bent rows, Lat pull down, Barbell curls, Preacher curls. 3x5-6 on all
Day 4 - Shoulder press (dumbells or barbell), Behind neck press, lateral raises, rear delts, abbs, calfs. 3x5-6 on all

Have 1 days rest between each session.

Im normally ****ed after every workout which normally takes 1.5 hrs so adding more bicep/tricep specific exercises would be pretty detrimental IMO. Biceps feel pretty fried after all the back work first, Pulling 500lbs for reps and rows with 300lbs is what im currently doing (i want my biceps bigger as my triceps are where i get most of the size from). By the end of the bicep exercises my arms feel totally dead and normally have a good pump to, so feels enough.

I find all the chest and over head pressing exercises combined with 1-2 heavy tricep specific exercises is enough on them, any more and it doesnt feel good.
For biceps, im normally to tired to do any more biceps exercises after everything else. Might try adding an extra 3 sets of hammer or dumbell curls after legs. See if that produces abit of additional growth.

Ok mate, because I'm a nice guy and you sound like a hard worker in the gym I will help you.

My arms are just under 18", training well under 2 years natural, and I dip nowhere near what you can. But the reason I have decent arms is because I work very hard on them. TBH, to get any bodypart good, you're gonna have to work hard, unless you're blessed genetically, even then it'll need work.

My advice, is this, because it works for me, and worked for others too. Biceps and triceps are small muscle groups, and if lagging, you can train them more frequently and with more intensity. What I do, is finish triceps off on chest day with 6-7 quality sets to failure, cable pushdowns (3-4) and rope pulldowns (3). Rep range is 6-12 and I start heavier then pyramid down to higher reps. So for 4 sets of an exercise I'd typically do 2 sets heavy, 1 medium, 1 lighter. I then do similar but 4/5 sets for biceps.

I then have an arm day. 3 exercises for triceps, 2 for biceps, but quite a lot of sets. Dips, Tricep Pushdowns on the machine, then Rope Pulldowns. 6 sets dips, reverse pyramid 5-10 rep range, 4 sets pushdowns 8-10 reps, then 3 more with the rope (10-12) with a triple drop set to finish (ouch ...).

With biceps, I do 5-6 sets of DB Curls, very heavy. 3 sets in the 3-5 rep range, then 3 sets 5-7 rep range. Then I go onto a preacher machine my gym has, and do 5 sets: 3 heavy (7-8), 1 medium (9-10), 1 lighter (12-13) then a triple drop to kill them completely.

Yes this is demanding but that's how I train, balls to the wall. Remember diet and genetics are important too. But in all honesty, it's just a case of working them harder: More sets, more volume, drop sets and doing them away from chest/back days so they are fresh and capable of more.

Good Luck

MM

try not training bi's at at all for a few weeks.
I don't train bi's and I've got 17" arms atm.
maybe they just need a rest?

5' 11" 95kg
SQ:205 BP:150 DL:245 OHP:110

It's easier to overload/overtrain biceps and triceps because they are both relatively small muscle groups. So sometimes I think lifting too heavy isn't the answer to growth.

You're obviously a strong dude and your routine looks solid, but maybe you'd do better upping the reps a bit on the arm exercises to say 8 - 12 as oppossed to 5 or 6 and lighten the weight slightly.

Of course still throw in some heavy sets nown again to maintain the strength, but IMO 5 - 6 reps is too low for arms and you're only really teasing the muscle. Will definately build strength, but it's not ideal for building size.

This is why I like to use the pyramid method on arms because you get a varied rep/weight range to work in. So you still do a heavy set for 5 or 6 reps, but you also work in the higher rep range aswell - so your arms are exposed to a variety of stimulus.

Triceps seem to grow pretty well with heavy weight. But I really feel biceps in particular respond better to medium weight, with reps in the range of 10 - 12 - so they actually do well off more of a "pumping" effect, focusing more on peak contraction as opposed to trying to overloading them with sheer weight. It's a very small muscle, so you don't need to use a whole lot of weight - you just need to feel a good contraction/squeeze.

As is the case with Barbell Curls. You can obviously go pretty heavy on these, but in no way is the weight you lift applied solely to the bicep. The heavier you go, the more tendacy there is for other muscle groups to come into play. Same with Dips.
Both excellent exercises, both very effective and have their place - but sometimes you've got to take a different approach other than just focusing on weight.

I used to train everything like you do - heavy as possible, including arms and guess what?...they never really responded until I changed my whole approach.

Geneticlly we have a higher percentage of certain muscle fibres in certain muscle groups. So ultimately you've got to find a formula which works for your body type.

So another idea might be to divide the exercises up into: 1 heavy, 1 medium, 1 light - something like

Barbell Curls (heavy weight) 5 - 8 Reps
Seated Dumbbell Curls (medium/moderate weight): 8 - 12 Reps
Cable Curls (light weight): 12 - 15 Reps

I wouldn't nessessarily recommend what Mad Manic does for arms - IMO that may actually kill you, lol...but hey, not knocking it - it works well for him so fair play.

thanks, ill give that a go. See how i get on for the next few weeks