glenis

Sorry for the simplistic question...

But how many times a week can I work my biceps and get maximum growth please ?

At the moment I'm doing them only once a week, and I feel i could be training them more frequently to speed growth.

Thanks.

ballin

iTrader: (1)

at least 5 days between

glenis

Oh ok, thanks

glenis

I suppose it doesn't help being impatient

Chrissy_bwoy

what exercises are you doing in that session?

perhaps change em about or change ya set type to see some inmprovement

glenis

Just basic curls

Stu @ M Developments

iTrader: (12)

Is that 100% correct?Ive been doing mine every other day for weeks and they have grown from 15" to 16.5".

Would i have seen better growth waiting 5 days between workouts?

Paul Eggleton

Stu, you will be going through the honeymoon phase at the moment as its all pretty new still. As the weights go up along with your intensity your routines will change and more rest will be required.

Biceps are quite a small muscle group and can be pounded quite hard. If you train back properly they also get a lot of stress with all the pulling. Once a week is fine when you are settled in to a nice split routine.

I never train back after biceps or vice versa

Stu @ M Developments

iTrader: (12)

So will training every other day, or even EVERY day actually do any harm or will my body signal its time to give it a rest by giving me some PAIN?

I find it all a little confusing to be honest....

Chrissy_bwoy

you will know when its had enough, the aching and the fact what you did yesterday is bloody hard to do today.

Paul Eggleton

As you creep into overtraining Stu expect the following symptoms

1) Takes longer to recover - muscles and joints ache for days when they used to just ache for 36hours max
2)tired and lethargic
3)Mentally not up for training.
4)Loss of appetite
5)If you go to the gym you can't lift the amount you lifted before.

Similar to a cold really but without the snotty nose

If this starts to happen, I personally won't train. I will also take extra protein and a few more carbs. This usually helps.

Some people advocate a whole week off every 6-8 weeks to give your body a rest. I don't go this far but I'll have 4 weeks off in total throughout the year.

Kieron

I think the type of training you are doing Stu allows you to be able to train everyother day. If you were bodybuilding as such then you would probably spend 40-60 minutes on your biceps alone. I trained mine tonight and the session took an hour. Admittedly I trained with two other guys so there was plenty of rest between sets and if I was alone I could have got done a lot quicker. But by training alone you don't push as much without having a spot.

Tonight in bed I may well get cramps in my arms as I have blown them up so much, they will hurt tomorrow for sure and I wont train them again till next Monday. I wouldn't imagine you are pushing yourself that much?

In answer to the original question. Let your body tell you when its ready to train again.

Stu @ M Developments

iTrader: (12)

I am aiming to up my CV now and will be going to teh gym every day but doing mainly rowing and x training etc to improve my overall fitness and hopefully shed some fat.

I 100% sure i dont push myself anywhere close to what you chaps do, but i am still lifting, and pressing to failure and upping the weight on the 4th set to bring on failure if i can, and i am still 100% dedicated to the "New Me"

Excellent advice as always, so essentially, if i can continue, then do so, when it starts to hurt excessively or my strength starts to falter, stop for a few days?

Kieron

Exactually! Just remember rest is as important as training and diet.

Paul Eggleton

rest and recuperation is where the change occurs stu, training is just a means to an end and one part of the jigsaw, if you enjoy it too then thats always a bonus

Stu @ M Developments

iTrader: (12)

The wierd thing is, if i have a day off from training i start to beat myself up for being LAZY

ballin

iTrader: (1)

i actually prefer to work biceps after back....they are pre-fatigued for a start and as you said yourself - back works biceps (and chest triceps etc) so working them different days is like training them twice a week.

Paul Eggleton

I know where you are coming from, but I try to hit each muscle as fresh as possible so I can lift heavier

TRaining a fatigued muscle will just build more endurance IMO

Kieron

I find the same. My bicepts will get a massive pump if I train them straight after back but they will be ready to go again the next day. Its whatever works for you at the end of the day.

cossywal

sorry to interfear but what sort of diet should you have when building body, i do a bit of light training here and there and wouldn't mind getting in to it a bit more, just it confuses the f**k out of me with all this protein and carb stuff!!!!

Chrissy_bwoy

have a look in the main fitness forum, theres a sticky topic detailing all of that

RSPTG

& the "What Foods?" Post.

extra18

I used to train back and biceps together and then two days later id train chest and triceps, two days later id do legs and two days later id do a bit of cardio and and thing id missed (shoulders etc). I was led to believe that the best way to blast your biceps was after a good sesh on the bench press, the same for triceps after back work. Could be total bollocks tho.

Paul Eggleton

Dude, you've just totally contradicted yourself unless you planned on doing the complete opposite to what you were told was meant to be the best way (which I believe it's not IMO )

extra18

Haha i fooked up there, i meant the other way around! Was too exited about xmas.... haha..