Bicep junkies

**BudoMonkey** · Posted On: 9/02/2008 1:42pm

So I see all of these guys in the gym, freakin bicep junkies- the lot of them. By that, I mean that they come to the gym, do a thousand godamn curls and leave. No squats, deadlifts, benchpress, pull-ups, no no no, these guys don't care about having pointy little man-tits so long as they have ridiculous bicep strength. And I'll give it to them, they curl more than I do and have big ol' arms, but I usually find myself way more strong than these types when they stroll into a grappling class.

So me...I'm starting to wonder. Is there a reason why people would do this? I don't know too much about excercise, granted, but I'm in damn good shape and I am strong enough to handle my own wrestling against dudes much bigger than me. I do curls and rows, sure, but I don't devote nearly enough time to it as some guys seem to. I dedicate way more time to what I consider functional strength- chest, legs, back, lats, traps, triceps, cardio etc. Is there any reason why I would want to devote an entire day to bicep curls, or are they just shmucks who want to 'look' fit?

**Emevas** · Posted On: 9/02/2008 1:55pm

People are stupid. Don't try to understand them.

**Vorpal** · Posted On: 9/02/2008 2:01pm

Originally Posted by Emevas

People are stupid. Don't try to understand them.

One quote. Useful for so many threads.

**threetoe** · Posted On: 9/02/2008 2:16pm

Nice Rant!!!

Chicks dig big guns.

This was a driving force for me for a while. No matter how hard I tried or how much I ate I could never get the biceps to grow much (my arms peaked out at about 16", genetics I guess). Though I would never neglect the other body parts (sort of the body as a pyramid phliosophy), I would always try harder on the biceps. I even used a full day vacation from work to try this stupid 8 hour arm workout I read about in a magazine.
Anyways, I used to be intimidated by guys with big arms, but since I have been grappling these guys with thin wastes and big arms are always telling me how strong that I am (not complaints because of spaztard noobness by the way). Go figure.

**Emevas** · Posted On: 9/02/2008 2:21pm

If you want big arms, the triceps add way more size than the biceps.

JCMECH, if you still want bigger arms, you might consider more focus on board pressing and heavy lockouts.

**Fearless Ukemi** · Posted On: 9/02/2008 2:36pm

Ever since I stopped doing tons of curls and isolation exercises, and shifted my focus to the "big 3" with various assistance lifts using a barbell and free weights, my arms have gotten much bigger.

Originally Posted by BudoMonkey

So I see all of these guys in the gym, freakin bicep junkies- the lot of them. By that, I mean that they come to the gym, do a thousand godamn curls and leave. No squats, deadlifts, benchpress, pull-ups, no no no, these guys don't care about having pointy little man-tits so long as they have ridiculous bicep strength. And I'll give it to them, they curl more than I do and have big ol' arms, but I usually find myself way more strong than these types when they stroll into a grappling class.

So me...I'm starting to wonder. Is there a reason why people would do this? I don't know too much about excercise, granted, but I'm in damn good shape and I am strong enough to handle my own wrestling against dudes much bigger than me. I do curls and rows, sure, but I don't devote nearly enough time to it as some guys seem to. I dedicate way more time to what I consider functional strength- chest, legs, back, lats, traps, triceps, cardio etc. Is there any reason why I would want to devote an entire day to bicep curls, or are they just shmucks who want to 'look' fit?

Are these the guys with gel in their hair and sleeveless shirts?

**threetoe** · Posted On: 9/02/2008 2:48pm

Em
Thanks for the tips. I'll definitely give the lockouts a whirl. Seem like rotated dumbell tricep extensions - only heavier and with less range of motion.

I have never seen board presses before. If I try this, should I concentrate on lighter weights and isolation like with the close grip bench? Or should it be heavy, working the Pecs as well as the tris?

**Emevas** · Posted On: 9/02/2008 2:51pm

Woah...I don't quite know what the lockouts you looked up look like, but it should just basically be a partial bench press done from the power rack. Unless I'm just misreading you.

The board press is gonna use heavier weight, not lighter, as the range of motion is less. That being said, you shouldn't be focusing on isolation with the close grip bench, as it's a compound exercise that works the pecs as well, just to a lesser extent than a wider grip bench.

**muddy** · Posted On: 9/02/2008 3:03pm

Its not so strange ... some of these guys want to get strong and/or big but dont really have a clue how to do it. Theyll either figure things out or get bored and stop working out. As long as they arent getting in the way it doesnt bother me.

At least they arent injecting synthol ... yet ...

**Nemesai** · Posted On: 9/02/2008 3:29pm

I tried working out with a buddy like this once. Week after week he'd slam the curls, slam the bench, back and forth while I do 10 different excersizes. The whole time suggesting he mix it up. Men are stubborn sometimes. You tell someone a better way to do something, and you can tell before you finished that they're not listening, or they're aggravated you're suggesting anything in the first place.

About 4 weeks later he wasnt working out anymore. But continued to suggest "we hit the weights sometime."

Nothing makes me happier than to find a better way to do anything.