Ab Wheel / GHR Similarities

[Mark Rippetoe]

Have you ever regretted the decision to include the ancillary exercises in Starting Strength?

Maybe not the partials and the variations, but the others?

Ab Wheel / GHR Similarities

[AndrewLewis]

Reminds me of Lyle McDonald's Rapid Fat Loss Book.

In the preface, he basically says "I don't recommend anyone do this. This is not a healthy, smart way to lose weight. But you dumbasses are going to do it anyway, so you might as well be smart about being dumb"

[Mark Rippetoe]

Oh con trare mon frare. They are all useful exercises, depending on your level of training advancement and what you want out of your training.

[AndrewLewis]

I don't see the value of biceps curls when chins work just fine. Even for men who just want "bis for the guys"

[Mark Rippetoe]

If you are interested in biceps, you'll have to do some heavy barbell curls. Chins involve too much other muscle mass, and don't hit the biceps as well.

[Scaldrew]

If you are interested in biceps, you'll have to do some heavy barbell curls. Chins involve too much other muscle mass, and don't hit the biceps as well.

Could've fooled me. My arms respond really well to my chins-only training. Not yuuge by any means, though. Maybe that's where extra curls come in.

Gosh, this thread is giving me a lot to think about.

[Eric Schexnayder]

I don't see the value of biceps curls when chins work just fine. Even for men who just want "bis for the guys"

Spousal attention in response to barbell curls has been favorable.

I've found that 3x10 once a week (on Fridays) is sufficient to elicit this response. I've been able to manage a 5 lb increase per week at this point. I don't really take them seriously; If I don't get to them then whatever. Just getting swole brah.

[Eric Schexnayder]

Not yuuge by any means, though. Maybe that's where extra curls come in.

That makes sense, because your biceps do a relatively small amount of work in a chin up. The lats provide far more muscle mass in comparison, and both they and the triceps take the arm/humerus through a much greater range of motion than the biceps takes the ulna/radius through.

The curl does not take the glenohumeral joint through the range of motion than the chin up does and so much more dependency on the biceps is required. You use much more weight on the chin up (I don't think most people can curl their own bodyweight), but the lack of ROM around the GH joint forces the biceps to work much harder.

Hence, teh peakz.

[MartinB]

Rip, I really look up to you as a coach but I think that your arms' training considerations throughout the years have been delirious and contradictory. First claiming that chins are the best exercise to train the bicep, than saying that biceps are "peripherally developped by the pulls" and that triceps do the most work on benches since there is the most weight on the bar compared to other pressing and tricep exercises. Now barbell curls seem to be required for big biceps.
I think that it's reasonable and smart to change opinion as one gets more experienced but everytime you talk about arms training you bring up something new. Have you considered writing down your opinion on the matter so you remember it or just refrain from commenting on the topic?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Perhaps there a subtle difference lurking here between the advice I'd give a novice vs. a more advanced lifter.