T Nation

Lift Progression Thread

Bodybuilding
#1

Rules:

  • Post the bodyparts that progress fastest for you. In size and strength.

  • Explain the methods you used to get the most growth.

  • Do you still use that method? If so why? If not why not?

  • What bodypart progresses the slowest for you?

I’ll start it off.

For me chest grows the fastest and I’ve mentioned that this year I switched to incline only and dumbbell based work for my chest.

I generally stick to the traditional rep ranges for hypertrophy and focus a lot on feeling a stretch. I attempt to push with my chest but that’s very much hit and miss.

Triceps improve very fast in terms of strength. I do dips, close grip floor presses, pushdowns, overhead extensions and sometimes skullcrushers. The mainstay two seems to be pushdowns and overhead extensions.

I actually lift fairly high reps for triceps (8-15) despite hearing they do well with low reps. For me they don’t actually grow as well as they get strong. Wouldn’t mind some tips here.

Biceps and forearms are my problem areas. My biceps don’t seem to ever want to progress in strength. It’s just not the case of lift more reps and next time come back and do less reps on a slightly heavier weight. It just never gets any easier. Wouldn’t mind some input but I’m hoping to steal some of your methods which is why I made this thread.

Forearms are like toothpicks. Since I joined a decent gym I’ve been able to use dumbbells with thicker handles and I’m sure they’ve made some difference but not a whole lot. I’ve noticed if a guy genetically has good calves his forearms tend to suck and vice versa. Odd but just something I noticed.

Looking forward to some juicy information!

#2

I personally found that preacher curls with ez bars and DB hammer curls do wonders for biceps…

Oh and as strange and idiotic as this may sound, for some odd reason if I have 1 beer like an hour or two before working out, I can lift alot and set new personal records… it feels like its “numbing” the effects of the heavy weight (?!) But more than and obviously the lifting suffers… probably psychological more than logical…

#3

[quote]RedBaron1981 wrote:
I personally found that preacher curls with ez bars and DB hammer curls do wonders for biceps…

Oh and as strange and idiotic as this may sound, for some odd reason if I have 1 beer like an hour or two before working out, I can lift alot and set new personal records… it feels like its “numbing” the effects of the heavy weight (?!) But more than and obviously the lifting suffers… probably psychological more than logical…[/quote]

I’ve heard of beer as a post-workout but not a pre lol but whatever works man!

#4

I’m interested if the bigger guys will post
Ill go at it:
My fastest growing features are my shoulders and chest. They grow like weeds with a ton of raises meadow style and behind the neck press really high reps. Chest heavy incline dumbbell presses and then heavy db flat press and then high rep machine flys.

Worst is hamstrings and biceps
My arms are like 75% tricep at almost 19inches. I have good forearms from deads and farmer walks and back work but biceps are weak. I try to do every curl under the sun.

Hamstrings: strong enough to deadlifts in the high 500s but they are so small compared to quads and I hope some mountain dog love might fix that