If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact contact us.
The Ausbb - Australian BodyBuilding forum is dedicated to no nonsense muscle and strength building. If you need advice that works, you have come to the right place. This forum focuses on building strength and muscle using the basics. You will also find that the Ausbb- Australian Bodybuilding Forum stresses encouragement and respect. Trolls and name calling are not allowed here. No matter what your personal goals are, you will be given effective advice that produces results.
Please consider registering. It takes 30 seconds, and will allow you to get the most out of the forum.
I don't know man. I mean I'm a big believer in isolation exercises but I still reckon you wouldn't have spaghetti arms if you ditched curls as a beginner
As mentioned pretty strict form is needed when training arms.
As with most isolation exercises, you need to think about isolating and contracting the muscle with the least amount of assisting muscles possible.
These are a few of my favourite exercises, I change it up sometimes also.
Tri's
Closegrip Bench
Skullcrushers
Rope Pulldown/Bench Dip SS
DB Isolation Kickbacks DS
Bi's Incline DB Curl Seated/Standing SS
Barbell Curl
Preacher/Cable Curl SS
Reverse Cable Curls
I don't have big arms now but they are pretty much the same size as they were in this pic taken 4 years ago. At the time, I was doing the PTC beginners program with chin-ups instead of curls and I also do a lot of chins/dips in general as I love them (and other bar calisthenics moves). (never did a single bicep curl)
I could do a chinup with 60kg hanging off me at this point in time. Muscles are dumb pieces of meat. They don't know if you are curling a db or pulling your body up to a bar.
I now do curls as well as chin-ups. No difference in size.
The other thing is gaining weight. Not going to grow significantly in size without some overall body weight increase IMO.
I BB curl and do lying tricep extensions / pushdowns 4x a week. Easy to add onto the end of the training session, and I back off the intensity before bench / OHP days.
Even in our PL gym it's well known about the value of doing direct arm work and isolation movements for upper body and arm strength.