The More I Work Arms, the More They Shrink

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
1

I am 40, less than 1 year training. My bf is under control.

My body always respond better to a 5-8 range, with the last three being hard to reach. The 8-10 range, don’t make me grow and find it exhausting and body reducing. 3-5 helps strength in a slowly pace. I eat plenty, protein shakes, et al. increasing average of 0.4pounds of weight by week (7 months stats.). I alternate 2 week 5-8 and 1 week on 3-5 ranges.

About 2 months I started doing some pushups on morning, I saw some improvement on arms. this is a bodypart wich is always lagging. i decided to start a “arm day” on my routine. but, again, the most I work out my arm, the most it shrinks, if I don’t do direct work, it keeps growing, very slowly but certainly.

I have made two shock routines this year and both increased the arm girth.

some time ago a trainer insisted on using a higher rep routine wich leads me to the greater reductions on arms from wich I recovered later.

Any ideas on why does this happens? it is not important as an answer, it is just to twist it on my side.

I really want a huge body, but by now, i want thicker arms. Please don’t send me to the articles, I have tried plenty. i say. look my profiles pics and give me some advice.
Facts already know:
I am skinny compared to most people here.
I am eating plenty (most people surprise of my beeing skinny and eating half chicken in front of their eyes and belive me, I eat a lot).
I work hard and maybe hardest in my gym.

is there any cortisol/gh/testosterone matter to adjust?

Any ideas on what my approach should be?

2

Eat more.

You know what you eat now?

Just take that, and add more.

Eat a full chicken instead of a half next time, get back to us a year and 25lbs later.

3

[quote]juanjromero wrote:

I am 40, less than 1 year training. My bf is under control.

My body always respond better to a 5-8 range, with the last three being hard to reach. The 8-10 range, don’t make me grow and find it exhausting and body reducing. 3-5 helps strength in a slowly pace. I eat plenty, protein shakes, et al. increasing average of 0.4pounds of weight by week (7 months stats.). I alternate 2 week 5-8 and 1 week on 3-5 ranges.

About 2 months I started doing some pushups on morning, I saw some improvement on arms. this is a bodypart wich is always lagging. i decided to start a “arm day” on my routine. but, again, the most I work out my arm, the most it shrinks, if I don’t do direct work, it keeps growing, very slowly but certainly.

I have made two shock routines this year and both increased the arm girth.

some time ago a trainer insisted on using a higher rep routine wich leads me to the greater reductions on arms from wich I recovered later.

Any ideas on why does this happens? it is not important as an answer, it is just to twist it on my side.

I really want a huge body, but by now, i want thicker arms. Please don’t send me to the articles, I have tried plenty. i say. look my profiles pics and give me some advice.
Facts already know:
I am skinny compared to most people here.
I am eating plenty (most people surprise of my beeing skinny and eating half chicken in front of their eyes and belive me, I eat a lot).
I work hard and maybe hardest in my gym.

is there any cortisol/gh/testosterone matter to adjust?

Any ideas on what my approach should be?

[/quote]

If you aren’t gaining weight, stop assuming you eat enough and quit expecting to make much progress. Your arms won’t grow if the rest of you isn’t. Your muscles won’t grow much at all while in a caloric deficit. I don’t believe for a second that direct arm work makes your arms smaller.

Smaller than what? You aren’t that big to begin with.

4

Compound works first then single joint movements…

If you bothered to read Chris Thib’s stuff, you’d see most of the programming for arms are towards the later end of the program…theres a very good reason for that…

5

if you are doing high rep work and your arms are getting smaller then I think that you are loosing fat and not muscle.
common sense would say that if you stress a muscle it responds by growing.

your attitude is kind of defiant and you seem to know whats best so for you sir,I say good luck to what you are doing and have a great day.

6

[quote]Professor X wrote:
juanjromero wrote:

I am 40, less than 1 year training. My bf is under control.

My body always respond better to a 5-8 range, with the last three being hard to reach. The 8-10 range, don’t make me grow and find it exhausting and body reducing. 3-5 helps strength in a slowly pace. I eat plenty, protein shakes, et al. increasing average of 0.4pounds of weight by week (7 months stats.). I alternate 2 week 5-8 and 1 week on 3-5 ranges.

About 2 months I started doing some pushups on morning, I saw some improvement on arms. this is a bodypart wich is always lagging. i decided to start a “arm day” on my routine. but, again, the most I work out my arm, the most it shrinks, if I don’t do direct work, it keeps growing, very slowly but certainly.

I have made two shock routines this year and both increased the arm girth.

some time ago a trainer insisted on using a higher rep routine wich leads me to the greater reductions on arms from wich I recovered later.

Any ideas on why does this happens? it is not important as an answer, it is just to twist it on my side.

I really want a huge body, but by now, i want thicker arms. Please don’t send me to the articles, I have tried plenty. i say. look my profiles pics and give me some advice.
Facts already know:
I am skinny compared to most people here.
I am eating plenty (most people surprise of my beeing skinny and eating half chicken in front of their eyes and belive me, I eat a lot).
I work hard and maybe hardest in my gym.

is there any cortisol/gh/testosterone matter to adjust?

Any ideas on what my approach should be?

If you aren’t gaining weight, stop assuming you eat enough and quit expecting to make much progress. Your arms won’t grow if the rest of you isn’t. Your muscles won’t grow much at all while in a caloric deficit. I don’t believe for a second that direct arm work makes your arms smaller.

Smaller than what? You aren’t that big to begin with. [/quote]

Somewhere it was lost that I increase 0.4pound (of my body weight) by week on average.

Smaller than my self, not compared to anyone else.

Do you have a hint?

7

[quote]weib wrote:
Compound works first then single joint movements…

If you bothered to read Chris Tib’s stuff, you’d see most of the programming for arms are towards the later end of the program…theres a very good reason for that…[/quote]

I am already doing compound, do you have the specific article?

Thanks.

8

[quote]nichaaron wrote:
if you are doing high rep work and your arms are getting smaller then I think that you are loosing fat and not muscle.
common sense would say that if you stress a muscle it responds by growing.

your attitude is kind of defiant and you seem to know whats best so for you sir,I say good luck to what you are doing and have a great day.
[/quote]

No, I have made mistakes on posting, and need help because I have to make the most from my workouts, can’t waste it doing something to see if it works. Your opinion (plural) is valuable when it is directed to answer the question.

My mistake has been to try to make a point of pointles situations instead of just getting the real stuff that is: how do I become big. And in that case I am completly ignorant as a fact I has never been big.

I am very sorry for making you adopt that attitude, because I consider that among some crappy comments, there is a lot of info that helps to improve, based on experience from people like you with more years behind to back what they say. I am just a begginer with a lot of interest and time to read.

I sincerely need your opinion.

9

[quote]nichaaron wrote:
if you are doing high rep work and your arms are getting smaller then I think that you are loosing fat and not muscle.
common sense would say that if you stress a muscle it responds by growing.

your attitude is kind of defiant and you seem to know whats best so for you sir,I say good luck to what you are doing and have a great day.
[/quote]

No, I am not doing high rep anymore, it make me feel tired, etc. I think it over trained me. as for BF, I went to a fat loss regimen on months before I decided to train.

when I do compound, they grow, just slowly. I want them to reach a larger size and that is why I tried to do direct work. but whenever I do, the next morning it is at least 1/4" smaller. On legs, they are growing fine, as for chest which is shaping. but arms, if I don’t make a shock therapy from time to time, don’t grow at all.

10

Use fitday.com and log in what you REALLY eat, not what you think you eat.

Until then, until you KNOW FOR A FACT that you are eating [more than] enough, we can’t address your issues.

I would think that all questions about gaining weight should require an exact weekly eating plan and total calories, protein, carbs and fat readout before any answers are given.

Every bit of advice depends on you getting that right, not merely assuming you are.

11

[quote]derek wrote:
Use fitday.com and log in what you REALLY eat, not what you think you eat.

Until then, until you KNOW FOR A FACT that you are eating [more than] enough, we can’t address your issues.

I would think that all questions about gaining weight should require an exact weekly eating plan and total calories, protein, carbs and fat readout before any answers are given.

Every bit of advice depends on you getting that right, not merely assuming you are.[/quote]

I already did months ago for 1 complete year, I left that phase behind and I learn to eat plenty. I discovered how short I was falling on the diet thing. Last months don’t do it again, just pile the morning food when on doubt. My issue is not weight, because I gain almost half a pound weekly. I have an excel with all my measures weight, bf%, body to analyze in different time span (7days/1month/3months). as for legs and chest, they are growing and shifting some fat spots. my snaks are: 30g protein, 1 spoon of flax seed, 250ml milk, 1 banana/ raisins, peanut butter all blended twice the morning, twice the afternoon. breafast: 5 eggs (whole), oatmeal with cinnamon (i know but i needed for the rush). at lunch per week 2xbeef, 4xchicken breast, 1xtuna, plenty of vegetables at this time. potatoes. at dinner: chicken breast, spaghettis, two boiled eggs. if I wake up around mid night 1 protein shake with milk.

I did use to do cardio, but that shit was drawing me back, and I got better result from strength training, my arms veins are visible (no have a decent camera to show). legs are showing decent definition. keep asking, because on that way I could realize my mistake.

I forgot, drink at least 1 gallon water, 1.1/2 at most.

12

[quote]juanjromero wrote:
derek wrote:
Use fitday.com and log in what you REALLY eat, not what you think you eat.

Until then, until you KNOW FOR A FACT that you are eating [more than] enough, we can’t address your issues.

I would think that all questions about gaining weight should require an exact weekly eating plan and total calories, protein, carbs and fat readout before any answers are given.

Every bit of advice depends on you getting that right, not merely assuming you are.

I already did months ago for 1 complete year, I left that phase behind and I learn to eat plenty. I discovered how short I was falling on the diet thing. Last months don’t do it again, just pile the morning food when on doubt. My issue is not weight, because I gain almost half a pound weekly. I have an excel with all my measures weight, bf%, body to analyze in different time span (7days/1month/3months). as for legs and chest, they are growing and shifting some fat spots. my snaks are: 30g protein, 1 spoon of flax seed, 250ml milk, 1 banana/ raisins, peanut butter all blended twice the morning, twice the afternoon. breafast: 5 eggs (whole), oatmeal with cinnamon (i know but i needed for the rush). at lunch per week 2xbeef, 4xchicken breast, 1xtuna, plenty of vegetables at this time. potatoes. at dinner: chicken breast, spaghettis, two boiled eggs. if I wake up around mid night 1 protein shake with milk.

I did use to do cardio, but that shit was drawing me back, and I good better result from strength training, my arms veins are visible (no have a decent camera to show). legs are showing decent definition. keep asking, because on that way I could realize my mistake.[/quote]

I am still stuck on “training my muscles makes them smaller”.

13

[quote]Professor X wrote:
juanjromero wrote:
derek wrote:

I am still stuck on “training my muscles makes them smaller”.[/quote]

yeah,maybe i am not good chosing the subject.

It is kind of they don’t grow if I don’t shock them. and this phenomenon i see it only in arms. the others body parts are growin at amazing pace, legs grow 1.1/2" on these weeks on 20rep xsquat. I am preparing for next phase, because, now, arms are starting to look smaller that the rest of the body, and proportion, that is really my obsession. (Willoughby driven).

14

I bet if you put on another 30 lbs of smart size, your arms will be bigger!

Ya think?

15

[quote]juanjromero wrote:
Professor X wrote:
juanjromero wrote:
derek wrote:

I am still stuck on “training my muscles makes them smaller”.

yeah,maybe i am not good chosing the subject.

It is kind of they don’t grow if I don’t shock them. and this phenomenon i see it only in arms. the others body parts are growin at amazing pace, legs grow 1.1/2" on these weeks on 20rep xsquat. I am preparing for next phase, because, now, arms are starting to look smaller that the rest of the body, and proportion, that is really my obsession. (Willoughby driven).[/quote]

…and “shocking them” to you means not training them directly?

You know, if you have genetics that cause muscles to shrink when you train them, this may not be the best activity for you…OR you could find out why you really aren’t making progress and stop acting like biceps curls equate to using a shrink ray on your humurus.

16

This question is crucial to me, because it is a lagging part, and when a body part is laggin, I use the approach of starting the week with it and use more volume, but arms are “deflated” the next day, as overtraining. but instead if i do push ups, and some db curls on the morning, something lite, they keep growing, all along, not peak, but all along. maybe it is not developed enough? and the peek can’t grow any further because there is not enough mass to support it? but i am looking the right approach for them.

17

[quote]Professor X wrote:

…and “shocking them” to you means not training them directly?

[/quote]

Speaking of “humorous”.

18

[quote]derek wrote:
I bet if you put on another 30 lbs of smart size, your arms will be bigger!

Ya think?[/quote]

Yeah, that is for sure, but I need 30/0.4=75 weeks to do that.

may be you are right and I have to adjust my expectation.
Some people already tells me how good they look. but (at least for me) it is never good enough. you know?

19

[quote]juanjromero wrote:
This question is crucial to me, because it is a lagging part, and when a body part is laggin, I use the approach of starting the week with it and use more volume, but arms are “deflated” the next day, as overtraining. but instead if i do push ups, and some db curls on the morning, something lite, they keep growing, all along, not peak, but all along. maybe it is not developed enough? and the peek can’t grow any further because there is not enough mass to support it? but i am looking the right approach for them. [/quote]

I just gave up.

20

[quote]juanjromero wrote:
derek wrote:
I bet if you put on another 30 lbs of smart size, your arms will be bigger!

Ya think?

Yeah, that is for sure, but I need 30/0.4=75 weeks to do that.
[/quote]

Are you REALLLLLY frustrated because it may take a year and a half to add 30 lbs of mass?