Too Much Bicep?

[kermit]

Hey Guys,

I've been running the advanced novice program for a few of weeks now and doing body weight chins on Monday and weighted chins on Fridays. I've also been doing 3x8 bicep curls at the end of my session on Wednesdays.

Im wondering if this is too much strain on my biceps? My arms have gotten noticeably bigger over the last few weeks and my weighted and body weight chins keep increasing so at the moment this schedules quite addictive.

I don't want to set myself up for an injury later on however so I'm asking for your opinions on whether its an ok approach or i need to cut it back.

I also don't do any direct triceps work, they get battered on bench, press and dips, but I'm wondering with all the bicep work if I should maybe start giving the triceps a direct hit.

What do you think?

[Immortal_k]

Why such the emphasis on biceps?

Try incorporating lying triceps extensions into your program, check the platform video. They'll help with increasing the bench press and press.

[dkggpeters]

Do pullups instead.

[cpbellavia]

Keep the chins on MF, ditch the curls on wednesday. Replace with the triceps as suggested above, or just remove completely.

[Patrick Stroup]

if anything your biceps are actually getting some work to PREVENT injury will the curls.

You will be fine. keep doing the gun work.

[squat_gnome]

Whatever you do, do not train your biceps at low reps. I split my left biceps tendon doing 3 reps heavy dumbbell curls some years ago. it has not healed ever since (i mean it has not merged again). it feels fucking annoying when i suddenly move my left arm. i don't know if that makes it easier to rupture or not. i bet if i supinate my left arm at a heavy deadlift i will rupture it.

here's my recipe for splitting (or ripping) your biceps tendon:
no warmup. fuck that.
3x3 dumbbell curls at the heaviest weight you can.
after finishing the 3rd set, rest for exactly 10 seconds, then immediately pick up a very light dumbbell and do as many reps as you can, as fast as you can, until REAL TOTAL FAILURE.

[melody]

I do curls and triceps twice a week, and chins/pulls once a week. They are doing nothing but helping my arms. If you don't feel strained I'd say it isn't a problem. If you want big arms make sure you do something for your triceps too, since they are a much larger muscle.

[FKYT]

Your current set-up sounds reasonable to me. You're hitting almost every other muscle 3x per week anyway, so why not biceps?

I think bench and OHP are sufficient for triceps for now, unless you have a specific reason to add triceps extensions.

I agree with squat_gnome that curls should not be done for low reps, but then again I think this is the conventional wisdom regarding isolation exercises anyway. 3x8 curls sounds fine.

[kel]

I read the Average broz gym has the Olifters do curls to prevent elbow injury. No idea how often they do them, I'd guess once a week.

It gets mentioned briefly here:

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_...uats_every_day

[skipbeat]

i just started doing curls and they're fucking awesome. if everything's progressing, keep em truckin!