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Arms lagging...

S

sjay

New member
Had my follow up DEXA scan today after a 4 week cut followed by a 6 week bulk (ongoing). Results compared to last scan:

Fat mass -1.51 kg

LBM + 1.56 kg

Pretty happy about that and seems to correlate with what i'm seeing in the mirror. Here's the LBM break down:

Trunk +0.70 kg

Left Leg + 0.49 kg

Right Leg + 0.39 kg

Left arm + 0.001 kg

Right arm -0.03 kg

So, squats and deadlifts are working even though I have to take a break due to knee cap issues. Rows are working well as I can see lats looking far more developed in the bodycomp scan image.

Now arms don't seem to be budging and it shows in the mirror. Have always had long and skinny arms with very small joints. Maybe that's the problem?

My workouts are full body compound 3 days a week. I don't do curls or any targeted tricep exercises, just compounds. Regardless I would have expected some gain in the bi's, tri's and shoulders from the bench, rows and press.

Should I add some additional exercises for arms? Shoulders should be fine with the press alone but the results don't show it? Appreciate your thoughts...
 
It's good to base your training on compound exercises but no-one gets muscular arms without working them directly.
biceps and triceps are no different to any other muscle, if you want them to grow you need to work them just as hard.
 
Do they really need 1 week to recover / grow?

thinking of adding:

curls 12-15 reps
close grip bench 12-15 or dips
lateral raises or just double the standing press sets per week for shoulders?
 
Darkoz said:
It's good to base your training on compound exercises but no-one gets muscular arms without working them directly.
biceps and triceps are no different to any other muscle, if you want them to grow you need to work them just as hard.
Click to expand...

Fair enough but shoulders are being worked directly. maybe they need more volume.
 
Started on SS, mutated it then moved onto this routine for the last 5 weeks: forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=4195843&page=1

Note I dropped the curls and calf raises to save precious time
 
They aren't lagging dude. You aren't training them.

Don't believe everything you read on the web. There are legitimate exercises that do not involve two joints.
 
Just do something which hits each body part with ~6-9 sets minimum up to ~12-15 sets maximum*, once a week.

Eat. Sleep. Repeat.




*adjust volume based on your results over a decent amount of time.
 
Define "hits each bodypart"?

Currently doing 8-12 reps x 6 work sets each of overhead press, bench, and rows a week all of which hit the shoulders to some extent, some more than others of course. Would you say that's a total of 18 sets "hitting" the shoulders weekly?
 
There is a very good chance that your arms have grown regardless.

The only way you will truly know results of anything Is to devise some form of measure, at one point in time to another.

In this case you should of measured the circumference of your arm.
I would back it in that yor arms will have increased if you say your routine was progressing.

Your arms will not change shape, it is not possible, but your arms would have increased in size.

*heavy* BB curls and tricep pushowns directly work the arm.
 
sjay said:
Define "hits each bodypart"?

Currently doing 8-12 reps x 6 work sets each of overhead press, bench, and rows a week all of which hit the shoulders to some extent, some more than others of course. Would you say that's a total of 18 sets "hitting" the shoulders weekly?
Click to expand...

Fair enough you've got your overhead press for 6 sets of overhead press. 6 sets of bench which is plenty for your front delts. If you're doing your rows properly, I wouldn't be relying on them for rear delt growth. For me, I would want to be doing at least 3 sets of side delt raises and 3 sets of some form of rear delt work.

As for your actual arms, give them heavy direct work of 6 sets over a couple of exercises. Try that for a while, actually measure your arms, and see how that goes before making any further adjustments (i.e. before adding another 3 sets). Do this for both biceps AND also for triceps (although I think it's better to do more work for triceps as they are bigger).

Also Goosey, I find it a strange comment to say that you can't change the shape of your muscle, only the size. If I was to heavily hit my lower pecs with plenty of chest-oriented dips and decline presses, the change in the size of my lower pecs would improve the shape of my chest.
 
judgey said:
Fair enough you've got your overhead press for 6 sets of overhead press. 6 sets of bench which is plenty for your front delts. If you're doing your rows properly, I wouldn't be relying on them for rear delt growth. For me, I would want to be doing at least 3 sets of side delt raises and 3 sets of some form of rear delt work.

As for your actual arms, give them heavy direct work of 6 sets over a couple of exercises. Try that for a while, actually measure your arms, and see how that goes before making any further adjustments (i.e. before adding another 3 sets). Do this for both biceps AND also for triceps (although I think it's better to do more work for triceps as they are bigger).

Also Goosey, I find it a strange comment to say that you can't change the shape of your muscle, only the size. If I was to heavily hit my lower pecs with plenty of chest-oriented dips and decline presses, the change in the size of my lower pecs would improve the shape of my chest.
Click to expand...

Changeing the shape of the pec by changeing exercises is a myth.
look back at any bodybiulder of the 70's and look at that guy over the years, it doesnt change, maybe gets overall bigger or smaller, but the overall shape doesnt change in spite of the fact, he or she probably did a variety of exercises, then look at that BB compared to his contemperarys they all have different shape even though theyve all done the same exercises.

once you are training your muscle shape is your muscle shape.

under great loads and efforts, there is a successive recruitment starting with the closest and working its way out, so even if you could work the sternal portion of the pec, the most proximal muscle groups, the other clavicular and abdominal attachments would unavoidably get involved.

More specific to the pec's is the middle, inner and outer.

They all converge over the shoulder.

The upper, middle and lower has slightly more substance.
They work seperatly to a degree, conceivably you could work each seperatly, but would that change the shape?

Or does it just reduce the weight in your hand because less muscle is working at an awkward angle?

You've got to look at the safest path of movement for the shoulder joint.

Doing that, whatever shape youre going to get your going to get it more efficiently.
 
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it seems like everyone is squatting and deadlifting now.'

gotta love the facebook revolution.

heavy compounds aren't cool now because everyone's doing them.

you want to be a trendsetter, do arm only days!
 
Ok I've taken some measurements and will add in the extra sets and exercises. I'll see where i'm at in 6 weeks. If no joy I'll give the arms only day a try.
 
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