PLEASE Help Me Put a Few Inches On

Just looking for some tips here, preferably from someone over six feet tall, or with unusually long arms for their height.

Brief background:

I’m a 6’4 200 lb lifter right now (down 10 lbs since I started biking all over denver). I have about 6 years of lifting experience and am an ACSM certified personal trainer…long story short I pretty much know my shit (for the most part!).

I have tried what seems like every program in the book to put inches on my biceps. I don’t have much trouble hypertrophying my triceps and have a nice “horseshoe” look to them, but the biceps still lack. Last I measured they were just about 15" which for a tall guy not looking for massive bulk isn’t too bad, but I would definately want them coming in at 17" at some point without adding fat.

I first tried taking about 2 weeks off of training period since I had been going hard for what seemed like months with some progress. Unfortunately, the rest helped my overall strength but the biceps atrophied down about an inch. I retain decent strength as I can straight bar curl 135 for a few reps with a slight cheat (I’ve often heard that slight cheating helps tall lifters overcome the mechanical disadvantage).

Anyone got any schemes that worked for them? I’m open to anything, I’ve tried high reps, cluster sets, rest/pause training and some simple 3 x 10 across 3 or 4 exercises.

Well im not 6ft but i think i see a problem already. You’re 6’4 and 200lb. Perhaps your diet is what needs to be fixed.

Aside from that, there are dozens of Bi workouts. Ramping, pyramding, Dropsets, supersets, trisets, giant sets. Everything works. Put forth the effort before you attempt to reap the benefits.

[quote]bhetz864 wrote:
Just looking for some tips here, preferably from someone over six feet tall, or with unusually long arms for their height.

Brief background:

I’m a 6’4 200 lb lifter right now (down 10 lbs since I started biking all over denver). I have about 6 years of lifting experience and am an ACSM certified personal trainer…long story short I pretty much know my shit (for the most part!).

I have tried what seems like every program in the book to put inches on my biceps. I don’t have much trouble hypertrophying my triceps and have a nice “horseshoe” look to them, but the biceps still lack. Last I measured they were just about 15" which for a tall guy not looking for massive bulk isn’t too bad, but I would definately want them coming in at 17" at some point without adding fat.

I first tried taking about 2 weeks off of training period since I had been going hard for what seemed like months with some progress. Unfortunately, the rest helped my overall strength but the biceps atrophied down about an inch. I retain decent strength as I can straight bar curl 135 for a few reps with a slight cheat (I’ve often heard that slight cheating helps tall lifters overcome the mechanical disadvantage).

Anyone got any schemes that worked for them? I’m open to anything, I’ve tried high reps, cluster sets, rest/pause training and some simple 3 x 10 across 3 or 4 exercises. [/quote]

Check out the posts in “another big arm thread.”

[quote]Akuma01 wrote:
Well im not 6ft but i think i see a problem already. You’re 6’4 and 200lb. Perhaps your diet is what needs to be fixed.

Aside from that, there are dozens of Bi workouts. Ramping, pyramding, Dropsets, supersets, trisets, giant sets. Everything works. Put forth the effort before you attempt to reap the benefits.[/quote]

Lookin good, brah

[quote]kingbeef323 wrote:

[quote]bhetz864 wrote:
Just looking for some tips here, preferably from someone over six feet tall, or with unusually long arms for their height.

Brief background:

I’m a 6’4 200 lb lifter right now (down 10 lbs since I started biking all over denver). I have about 6 years of lifting experience and am an ACSM certified personal trainer…long story short I pretty much know my shit (for the most part!).

I have tried what seems like every program in the book to put inches on my biceps. I don’t have much trouble hypertrophying my triceps and have a nice “horseshoe” look to them, but the biceps still lack. Last I measured they were just about 15" which for a tall guy not looking for massive bulk isn’t too bad, but I would definately want them coming in at 17" at some point without adding fat.

I first tried taking about 2 weeks off of training period since I had been going hard for what seemed like months with some progress. Unfortunately, the rest helped my overall strength but the biceps atrophied down about an inch. I retain decent strength as I can straight bar curl 135 for a few reps with a slight cheat (I’ve often heard that slight cheating helps tall lifters overcome the mechanical disadvantage).

Anyone got any schemes that worked for them? I’m open to anything, I’ve tried high reps, cluster sets, rest/pause training and some simple 3 x 10 across 3 or 4 exercises. [/quote]

Check out the posts in “another big arm thread.”

[quote]Akuma01 wrote:
Well im not 6ft but i think i see a problem already. You’re 6’4 and 200lb. Perhaps your diet is what needs to be fixed.

Aside from that, there are dozens of Bi workouts. Ramping, pyramding, Dropsets, supersets, trisets, giant sets. Everything works. Put forth the effort before you attempt to reap the benefits.[/quote]

Lookin good, brah[/quote]

Lol thanks KB, back > the front tho =(

Your height your weight you need to just get bigger.

Its not get your biceps bigger per se its get YOU bigger. And as stated that means EAT MORE.

Why are you biking all over Denver? Sounds awesome for cardio fitness & um, I guess the environment but I think not condusive to you gaining size. Do you have options besides burning massive amounts of calories to transport yourself around? A suggestion.

And I will now turn my attention to Akuma. DAMN!
Just this last year you haz kilt it!
Damn.

[quote]Hallowed wrote:
Your height your weight you need to just get bigger.

Its not get your biceps bigger per se its get YOU bigger. And as stated that means EAT MORE.

Why are you biking all over Denver? Sounds awesome for cardio fitness & um, I guess the environment but I think not condusive to you gaining size. Do you have options besides burning massive amounts of calories to transport yourself around? A suggestion.

And I will now turn my attention to Akuma. DAMN!
Just this last year you haz kilt it!
Damn.[/quote]

Lol, I can’t tell whether that’s bodypaint or not.

[quote]kingbeef323 wrote:

[quote]Hallowed wrote:
Your height your weight you need to just get bigger.

Its not get your biceps bigger per se its get YOU bigger. And as stated that means EAT MORE.

Why are you biking all over Denver? Sounds awesome for cardio fitness & um, I guess the environment but I think not condusive to you gaining size. Do you have options besides burning massive amounts of calories to transport yourself around? A suggestion.

And I will now turn my attention to Akuma. DAMN!
Just this last year you haz kilt it!
Damn.[/quote]

Lol, I can’t tell whether that’s bodypaint or not.[/quote]

whispering

Its panties
Printed to look… like denim

I’m not sure what to make of this post. You say you’ve tried every program in the book, yet you “pretty much know your shit”.

I can’t tell if it’s just an exaggeration or not, but I find it strange you lost an entire inch off your arms in only 2 weeks.

Anyway, x3 on eating more. Nothing works if your not eating enough.

You’re skinny, eat more. Problem solved.

Can’t tell if OP is troll or not.

If not, OP if you’ve been lifting 6 years and have 15" gunz you most certainly do not “know your shit”. They aren’t going to grow unless YOU grow. Eat a lot of protein and above maintenance calories.

I was 6’3" 180, and had to put on 40lbs just to get my current 16" gunz. I’ll probably need 40 more to get 18". That’s just how it is.

Youre a liar! Denver is not in Wisconsin.

Anyway, eat more, increase volume. 3x10 is not enough volume for biceps. Do your heavy rows, then run the rack of the db’s

preacher machine supersetted with db curls

5x10 on each

concentration curls 3x15 (very light weight)

1x per week :slight_smile:

[quote]bhetz864 wrote:
I have about 6 years of lifting experience and am an ACSM certified personal trainer…long story short I pretty much know my shit
[/quote]

wait… so you “pretty much know your shit” but you’ve been lifting for 6 years and only have 15 inch arms?

1 + 1 = 37

[quote]gregron wrote:

1 + 1 = 37[/quote]

Pretty much.

mate,

6 foot 4! push hard and be the monster you can be.

agree witn the above-more food required.

add 10% to whatever youre eating.keep doing what youre doing,give it a month see how you feel.

potential to be seriously impressive man.

Eating more is pretty obvious, and pretty easy as an answer, but I would say the type of training is probably what is causing you problems. Bicep is very small and requires only a small amount of direct work in any one session for growth stimulus. However, because they are small they tend to recover the fastest. Low volume in a session, 2-3 sessions per week (including back day). On back day, finish off the session with ONE move on bicep for 2-3 sets, same again on leg day for 1-2 sets (you don’t have to thrash a muscle to give it the stimulus for growth), then have a dedicated arm day in your weekly splits, on arm day only 2 moves on bicep, MOVE 1 - Any bicep curl…preacher, drag, DB, BB…whatever but rotate every session and add resistance bands too, MOVE 2 - Hammer curl without compromise.

Note: Why on leg day? because you will be flooded with GH and Test’.
This is an optional day and is used to keep the muscle ‘alive’ and growing between back day and arm day, hence only 1, max 2 sets

Kick start arm day with snatch pulls.

Now you should eat more :wink:

[quote]bhetz864 wrote:
Just looking for some tips here, preferably from someone over six feet tall, or with unusually long arms for their height.

Brief background:

I’m a 6’4 200 lb lifter right now (down 10 lbs since I started biking all over denver). I have about 6 years of lifting experience and am an ACSM certified personal trainer…long story short I pretty much know my shit (for the most part!).

I have tried what seems like every program in the book to put inches on my biceps. I don’t have much trouble hypertrophying my triceps and have a nice “horseshoe” look to them, but the biceps still lack. Last I measured they were just about 15" which for a tall guy not looking for massive bulk isn’t too bad, but I would definately want them coming in at 17" at some point without adding fat.

I first tried taking about 2 weeks off of training period since I had been going hard for what seemed like months with some progress. Unfortunately, the rest helped my overall strength but the biceps atrophied down about an inch. I retain decent strength as I can straight bar curl 135 for a few reps with a slight cheat (I’ve often heard that slight cheating helps tall lifters overcome the mechanical disadvantage).

Anyone got any schemes that worked for them? I’m open to anything, I’ve tried high reps, cluster sets, rest/pause training and some simple 3 x 10 across 3 or 4 exercises. [/quote]

everyone one above has great advice take it

Do you have an arm day?
Have you increased frequency in working your arms? especially since you just had a very long deload period for 2 weeks.

there are too many things that could possibly help to you list them out. But work out your whole arm dont just try to increase your bicep size because there is no way that with a 15 inch arm that your triceps dwarf your biceps for this to happen you would literally have to have no bicep

Hey man, try this:

Eat red meat with every meal. Every time you do a goddamn bicep curl, remember that it’s a fraction of a pullup you COULD have done but didn’t because you’re too fixated on your biceps. If you really weigh as much as you say you do, your biceps aren’t your problem.
I don’t want to be one of the people on T-Nation who put down any guy under 200 pounds but, at the end of the day, if I can pick you up and throw you, you’re not worth a biological fu*k

[quote]gregron wrote:

[quote]bhetz864 wrote:
I have about 6 years of lifting experience and am an ACSM certified personal trainer…long story short I pretty much know my shit
[/quote]

wait… so you “pretty much know your shit” but you’ve been lifting for 6 years and only have 15 inch arms?

1 + 1 = 37[/quote]

No bro, he was training for functionality. You just don’t get it. You’re not advanced enough.

[quote]captain slow wrote:
preacher machine supersetted with db curls

5x10 on each

concentration curls 3x15 (very light weight)

1x per week :)[/quote]

thank you for finally posting something useful on this thread and not just questioning my knowledge. I tried once a week workouts hoping to smash them and let them get plenty of rest especially since I already do lots of heavy barbell rows…I think I need to let a little more info on the situation to not confuse people.

by “know my shit” I only mean that I have done countless hours of research, tried many programs and talked to many serious strength athletes. Not trying to sound like a know it all but I’m not the guy busting bicep workouts 3x/week for months on end wondering why they are not growing is all.

Also, I am at 8% bodyfat and am not “skinny” lol…I’m not huge but I’m definately not skinny I’ve seen to that!

I ride my bike only because my car broke down and I was tired of dumping $$ into it. I don’t bike more than 5-6 miles a day, and try to make up for the burnt calories, but we know how hard that is! I already eat entire bags of chicken, veggies and rice at one sitting. Eating enough is actually one of the biggest problems just because of the cost.

I guess my goal is to put inches on the arms without adding more than 2% bodyfat if possible. Looking for input from people that have long arms an preferably had to overcome the same problem.