I'm a 26 year old female trying to get muscle defintion and strength in my arms and back. i'm 5'10" and about 163 llbs,still trying to lose more fat(already lost 50 lbs)and really am trying to achive the "buffed arm look". I don't like the program i'm doing now, i'm sure i'm not lifting or doing the right amount of sets and or reps,5 arm/back exercises 3x week- 2 sets of 15 reps. any advise??

By Ratdaddy on Sunday, September 05, 1999 - 09:47 pm: Edit

this will work!! use the cable crossovers for biceps instead of chest..start with shoulders even with the rest of your body.and pull towards your ears or slightly behind them.do 5 sets 8-12 reps then increase every set by 5 lbs.then do seated hammer curls. same amount of sets and reps.increase 5lbs. every set. if you wanna work in another arm exercise you can i usally dont. i do not suggest doing preacher curls it put to much pressure on the joints.although they are excellent to do.

By Anonymous on Monday, September 06, 1999 - 04:47 am: Edit

use two exercises per body part once a week with more intensity.

By laura on Thursday, September 09, 1999 - 12:01 am: Edit

hi "anonymous" do you mean more sets as suggested by "ratdaddy" for increased intensity? so if i work out 3x week idealy i should be doing bicept day one, triceps day two and sholders/back day three? for 5 x 8-12?
"ratdaddy" if i can only curl 20lbs for 15reps right know, should i be doing the cable crossover starting at a weight that i can end up adding 5lbs each set and still be able to finish 8-12reps?
thanks guys, i'll keep ya informed, Laura.

By Anonymous on Thursday, September 09, 1999 - 03:36 am: Edit

first disregard anything that comes from something called ratdaddy. intensity comes from pushing yourself hard, lift until your muscles fail. this is what forces them to adapt by building back bigger and stronger. if you train with true intensity you will be sore for a few days after you exercise. you want to give these muscles time to recover this is when they rebuild. unless you take steroids you will need a few days to recover. if you train this way you will see your body change fast. you might shoot for a rep range of 8-12 but most important is that you lift until you can't complete another rep if your life depends on it. you need to reach deep down inside to get here because most people quit when it gets uncomfortable and never get those last few reps in (the most important ones ) 2 exercises with 3-5 working sets per muscle group is plenty. these workouts will last no longer than 1 hour if you train 'all out'. you will be spent but feel great afterwards. sounds strange but you will understand if you try this. i follow a push-pull program: day 1 is chest,shoulders,triceps day 3 is legs, abs (payday) day 5 is back,biceps i do cardio on days 2,4,6 day 7 is rest day. then repeat cycle. you must also have a good clean nutrition program to get maximum results.

By laura on Friday, September 10, 1999 - 02:51 am: Edit

thanks "anonymous", sounds good. i'm going to give it a try and train really hard the next 6 weeks. I'm getting o.k. results now, but i want to push myself 'cause i know i have it in me, but just wasn't sure of the way to aproach it. Should I try to do more cardio than 3 days a week as I am still trying to lose the last 10-15lbs., or would that be over training?
i think my nutrition is pretty good, i went to a nutritionist and she told when i should be feuling my body with what. should i worry about supplmenting? i'm sure that's a hole other ball game! i really apprciate you giving me all this information- i'm finding it hard to get awnsers that make cense and for my trainer(former) to understand that i really did want a program that will give me a good strong healthy body and am willing to put in the hard work and time to achive it.thanks again, Laura.

By Anonymous on Friday, September 10, 1999 - 06:03 pm: Edit

if you can handle more cardio go for it. supplements can help you get better results faster from the time you spend exercising and can help complete your nutrition program. (meal replacement powders and vitamins) creatine will help you recover faster from weight training. that is all i supplement with. remember to lose fat, eat less calories than you burn and try to eliminate sugar and saturated fat from your diet as much as possible. good luck!

By laura on Saturday, September 11, 1999 - 03:16 am: Edit

Thanks again!! check back in a couple of weeks and i'll give ya an up date. i really pushed myself this am and can feel the difference from just doing it to doing it for a goal. Laura

By tedson on Saturday, September 11, 1999 - 10:49 am: Edit

learn from a professionals who really know the science. ask a question on the personal trainer corner under the misc column. my name is tedson and one of the certified personal trainers willing to help

By Anonymous on Friday, December 31, 1999 - 11:29 pm: Edit

The bicep is an interesting muscle. Much of the training involved is mentally challenging. A good mind/muscle connection is imperative. Do not do an exercise that doesn't feel right. There are tons of exercises to work the biceps, find at least 3 that you really like. These will be exercises that develope the best pump while providing maximum control. And all the exercises can be modified or tweeked just a little. Even basic bar curls can be changed by going for a wide grip, peak contraction, or slow negatives just for starters. The motion in the rep can be changed to a body dragging type curl where you shrug you shoulders while your curling the bar as close to your body as possible. The bottom line is that 3 or 4 exercises is all you need-because they can be modified. Once this is done the next step is to watch the intensity. Train smarter, not harder. Train them twice a week--1 time with fairly moderate intensity-as in no forced reps, the other time hit them with fairly high intensity-as in a few forced reps. A forced rep is the highest intensity rep variation. Stop working you biceps when you have achieved a good pump. There is a law of diminishing returns in weightlifting and it is very easy to break this law when training biceps. If you train them too much they may not respond. Another tip is to split you bicep and back routine. There is no rule anywhere that says you have to work biceps with back and triceps with chest. Try working biceps with chest for a fairly moderate intensity workout then the next day work you back, but keep an eye on your back exercises. If you feel you biceps doing more work than your back, its time to stop and readjust the routine. A positive, confident attitude goes a long way. You'll soon learn that the number of reps you do is irrelevant. The intensity of the exercise is what counts. This intensity is determined by previous and upcoming workouts. Also try to keep building on the pump. That is never wait till your biceps are completely healed to work them again. A good number to go by is about 90% healed. This is characterized by no charlie horses when contracted and no tearing feeling. This is where experimentation really comes into play. Think of pumping up your biceps like blowing up a balloon. With every breath a little bit of air escapes but the net result of every breath becomes greater and greater. I realize this all seems philosophical. In time working out will become second nature and all your questions will answer themselves. You'll soon learn that there really isn't much to working out.
My upcoming website (betterworkout.com)is designed to help clear up the confusion and solve the problems many weightlifters have.
You might have to read this twice but take my word for it, in time it will all make sense and you'll experience a rebirth in weight training.

By QLD on Saturday, January 29, 2000 - 05:58 am: Edit

Look, if you don't let the muscles heal, the
muscles will not grow or develop, either, plunging
you into overtraining. I don't care who has an
ACE certification, because I can bench more than
you, I promise, and I lift one set, twice per
month, for 8 muscle groups. Read Power Factor by
John Sisco and Peter Little. It will help all of
your problems. By the way, your biceps are not
balloons, nor do they fill with any appreciable
levels of gases, other than nitrogen, in the
muscle cells. Using anything less than highest
possible intensity is only a waste o

By Anonymous on Friday, March 03, 2000 - 05:44 am: Edit

QLD:
DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT AN ANALOGY IS, YOU MORON. go ahead and train once a year for all I care. My business is in helping give advice to people who are interested. This WAS an A-B conversation, please "c" your way out of it. and don't let the door hit you on the ass on the way out.

By Anonymous on Friday, March 03, 2000 - 06:54 am: Edit

haha!

By Anonymous ( - 63.64.74.193) on Tuesday, April 25, 2000 - 07:46 pm: Edit

I have a question regarding making your muscles stronger verses building Bulk. Does lifting heavier weights with lower repetitions build stonger more defined muscles and less weight with more repetitions builds larger muscles. I don't know if I asked the question right but could you answer that for me.

By Anonymous ( - 209.197.132.30) on Sunday, June 25, 2000 - 03:09 am: Edit

In responding to the question an anonymnous person said, lifting heavy weights with few repetitions, will "bulk" which increases pretty much just size.4 - 6 reps. To in increase strength, lift a moderate amount of weight and and go around 8 - 12 reps, always lift till positive muscle failure. (after you become a little more advanced, add some negatives or forced reps on your exercises.

By Geezer ( - 62.7.63.97) on Friday, September 08, 2000 - 12:59 am: Edit

I need help with my arms, they are small at the moment, and I want to build them up to be big and defined.
The equipment I have is a bench, a barbell, and 2 dumbells. and the weights of course.
Im 17 male, and weigh about 125lbs.
Thanks

By Justinside on Tuesday, February 13, 2001 - 11:57 am: Edit

I need massive arms, but I only have machine weights. Any ideas?

By jack off (199.105.162.11) on Monday, May 14, 2001 - 07:24 am: Edit

jack off a real lot that should do the trick...

By AL (210.215.48.9) on Monday, May 14, 2001 - 03:16 pm: Edit

The best advice I can give on getting big arms Laura is to give Triceps priority over biceps as Triceps are a much larger muscle gruop. Try doing about 7 sets to failure for triceps, Lying french press would be undeniably the best mass builder, do 3 sets of them then do 3 sets of skull crushers. Follow up with 2 sets of dumbell extensions and keep the reps between 8-12 reps. With Biceps I wouldn't do more then about 6 sets, 6 sets is plenty and go to failure on each set. As with triceps stick with between 8 and 12 reps for each seat. I think barbell curls and preacher curls are your best bet but with both Bicep and Tricep workouts, alternate from week to week to keep your muscles confused and growing...even use cable curls. Goodluck Laura and remember plenty of protein and moderate carbs, im sure you'll reach your goal, keep up the good work!!.

By Anonymous (63.52.201.23) on Monday, September 24, 2001 - 06:19 am: Edit

Post deleted, spamming

-Big Cat

By SrFlexALOT (206.43.25.56) on Monday, September 24, 2001 - 09:09 am: Edit

dude, would you PLEASE shut the hell up already. you're ruining the threads a hole