[quote]Aero51 wrote:
Im new here, but whats the point of a barbell curl when you could just do a (weighted) chin up? Arent chin ups generally better simply because they involve many more muscles?[/quote]
There is no dichotomy here. Do both.
[quote]Velvet Elvis wrote:
I hit bi’s twice a week … 6-10 sets each session.
The first workout always incorporates a few heavy (5-7 reps) BB curl sets, followed by a lighter drop set before moving on to another exercise
The second workout is more hammer curl and preacher oriented … Higher reps for each
I honestly think I get more “muscle building” out of the second workout, but you can’t get beat the bicep and forearm strength you get from heavy BB curls. Going heavy on BB curls always makes me stronger on my other bicep exercises.
Plus strict curling with 135 just looks cool, lol … [/quote]
In an article by Bret Contreras (I think) it was pointed out that once you get to 135, strict BB curls really become a full body exercise because the upper back isometrics are really tough. Not so good for isolating biceps. Sort of like how seated dumbell presses are gonna be bettter for shoulder hypertrophy than strict military presses. Still, everyone knows which one is more badass
I think we had a thread about this in the T-Cell once, but I get crippling pain trying to do straight bar curls. It literally feels like my ulna is going to snap if I do anything but the absolutely lightest of weights(like, not even a barbell, I’m talking the pre-set 20-30lb straight bar sets some gyms have).
pinwheel curls yo
I actually did a couple months of 5/3/1 … Using BB curls, lol
I would do the 5-3-1 sets, then BBB for 5 sets of 10 at about 50-60% … Put about 50 pounds on my curl, and I definitely feel them more in my biceps than I did before - used to get a lot of front delt action going on
…don’t tell Wendler …
I used BB curls a lot when I was younger, and they definitely helped give me a decent basic foundation. As I got stronger, and more experienced with my focus and actually being able to target specific muscles better, I started relying much more on other movements. Non-support concentration curls, incline DBs, Spider curls… Eventually, I reincorporated BB curls, but always at the end of my session, and always stupidly slow and strict, with a slightly higher rep range (8-12) than most guys cheating over-loaded bars up might use.
All in all, I feel that as you progress more, and it becomes more difficult to make progress, the more methodical approach (not simply a “lift big” MO) served ME well. I do recall some instances of wrist/forearm issues when I used to really try and load as much weight as I could on the bar, but with my current approach, I never really need to go above 80 lbs. I’m not in the gym to impress anyone 
S
I been lucky. No elbow nor wrist pain From straight bar curling. I’ve done strict curling w. Lighter weight and cheater curls up to sets of 10 w. 135. E.z bar curls rotating strict and heavy. Dumbbells supinating and hammer curls. Got decent results but body seemed to adapted to all at one point. Bi s kinda stalled. Arms grew when I focused on closegrip bench again.like an inch total. Bi s grew again when I dropped all direct work and just did sets of chins each week… which added another inch.
[quote]Velvet Elvis wrote:
I actually did a couple months of 5/3/1 … Using BB curls, lol
I would do the 5-3-1 sets, then BBB for 5 sets of 10 at about 50-60% … Put about 50 pounds on my curl, and I definitely feel them more in my biceps than I did before - used to get a lot of front delt action going on
…don’t tell Wendler …[/quote]
Lol that is awesome
Lots of good info and opinions, as expected. FWIW, out of 20 responses here, 14 mentioned ditching straight bar curls due to elbow pain. Talk about a significant factor. I also do notice some issues when going heavier, but it’s more in the wrist than the elbow, almost regardless of grip width.
I was mentioning in another thread that I’ve been playing around with curls in the rack (blasphemer, yeah yeah), but starting the curl from the top position. Set the hooks as if you’re going to overhead press, grab the bar in your curl grip, and go to town. Avoiding the initial deadstop and capitalizing on the stretch reflex feels pretty good and still lends itself to going a bit heavier than usual. As a change of pace, I’m enjoying it without much trouble at all.
[quote]The Anchor wrote:
[quote]Aero51 wrote:
Im new here, but whats the point of a barbell curl when you could just do a (weighted) chin up? Arent chin ups generally better simply because they involve many more muscles?[/quote]
What’s the point of skullcrushers when you can just do a bench press?[/quote]
Fixed, for a more accurate analogy. But yep, it’s definitely not an either/or situation. Do both and prosper.
[quote]Velvet Elvis wrote:
I actually did a couple months of 5/3/1 … Using BB curls, lol
I would do the 5-3-1 sets, then BBB for 5 sets of 10 at about 50-60% … Put about 50 pounds on my curl, and I definitely feel them more in my biceps than I did before - used to get a lot of front delt action going on
…don’t tell Wendler …[/quote]
He already knows and he’s cool with it.
"I started [barbell rows] at 225 pounds for 10 good reps. Six weeks later or so, I was up to 285 x 16.
So yeah, you can apply 5/3/1 to other lifts, and yes, it even works with barbell curls."
Wendler cautions not to overdo this scheme - don’t try to perform 5/3/1 with four different lifts per workout - but as long as they’re major barbell lifts, don’t be afraid to experiment with things like barbell rows, barbell curls, and power cleans.
“Just please don’t email me looking for help applying 5/3/1 to lateral raises and triceps pressdowns.”
[quote]Chris Colucci wrote:
I was mentioning in another thread that I’ve been playing around with curls in the rack [/quote]
[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
[quote]Chris Colucci wrote:
I was mentioning in another thread that I’ve been playing around with curls in the rack [/quote]
…
[/quote]
Eh, could be worse.
But really, when there’s five people in a gym with three squat racks, I feel no shame.
[quote]Chris Colucci wrote:
[quote]Velvet Elvis wrote:
I actually did a couple months of 5/3/1 … Using BB curls, lol
I would do the 5-3-1 sets, then BBB for 5 sets of 10 at about 50-60% … Put about 50 pounds on my curl, and I definitely feel them more in my biceps than I did before - used to get a lot of front delt action going on
…don’t tell Wendler …[/quote]
He already knows and he’s cool with it.
"I started [barbell rows] at 225 pounds for 10 good reps. Six weeks later or so, I was up to 285 x 16.
So yeah, you can apply 5/3/1 to other lifts, and yes, it even works with barbell curls."
Wendler cautions not to overdo this scheme - don’t try to perform 5/3/1 with four different lifts per workout - but as long as they’re major barbell lifts, don’t be afraid to experiment with things like barbell rows, barbell curls, and power cleans.
“Just please don’t email me looking for help applying 5/3/1 to lateral raises and triceps pressdowns.”
[/quote]
That’s a relief … I feared complete and total 5/3/1 excommunication from the high priest himself …
I’m an oddball. The EZ bar hurts my dam wrist. Even “popped” something recently too with that freaking bar.
Love the strait bar though…but only fully pumped already, less weight, 10-15reps with a somewhat wide grip. Sensation is awesome…but lack of gainz probably tells me not doing much for hyper—trophy tmw voice, lol
I’ve always liked straight barbell curls. My training partner injured his wrist a few weeks back so we’d been using the swiss bar lately for them. Normally though regular old barbell curls would be the first thing we did on arm day.
[quote]csulli wrote:
I’ve always liked straight barbell curls. My training partner injured his wrist a few weeks back so we’d been using the swiss bar lately for them. Normally though regular old barbell curls would be the first thing we did on arm day.[/quote]
Swiss bar is great for hammer curls. I’m a huge fan of doing skull crushers with it too. It seems to be the only thing to make my elbows not feel funny when doing skulls.
I always change it up when doing curls. Sometimes I use a straight barbell, sometimes the ez curl, sometimes dumbbells. I use the EZ Curl the most though and the barbell the least. The EZ Curl is the only bar I’ll use for preacher curls too. I’ve tried using dumbbells before on the preacher pad and it just doesn’t feel right.
[quote]lemony2j wrote:
I kept trying them for years because I knew they were one of the things I was ‘supposed’ to do but whenever I got up to any kind of weight resembling heavy my elbows hated me for it. It just didn’t feel right with my arms being so externally rotated so I gave up on them for a long time.
In the past couple of years I have made use of the ez bar and go for the semi-internally-rotated grip and I get on with them MUCH better.
I focus on moderate weight so 10-12 reps and a good ol squeeze most of the time. Occasionally I will throw in a few heavy sets with some body English allowed though. Hammer curl variations are where most of my heavy bicep work happens. This style of training has worked very well for me.[/quote]
Exactly this!!
Wrists and elbows screams if I try straight bar curls.