Am I lifting to heavy?

pipsta

Hi chaps

Im new to this body building game, so am presently experimenting which workout is best for me

Wonder if you could give me a few pointers... Please

My current point of focus is the bicep and tricep.

my question is, am i lifting to heavy?

From reading lots, i have come to the conclusion, to get big, lift big?

So im currently doing bicep curls (single arm) using around 30lbs...
being a small chap i can manage around 10 before failure.

I have tried the same using 15lb per arm and roughly doubling the amount of reps before failure.

My question is which one is giving me a better work out?

Reason i ask is, my muscle feels weaker after trying the lower weight!

Therefore is this giving me a better work out than the heavier weight?

Thanks chaps

Jon

Tall

Allo mate.

If you want your arms to grow you need to pack on some serious bodyweight IMHO - which is most easily done via squatting and deadlifting (Hands up whos been reading brawn! )

You are right to get big you need to lift big. And while having a focus of big bi and tris would be great, it wont stand you in good stead in the long run.

Whats your current routine total routine?

Most people lifting weight would do 3 sets of 8-10 reps of a given weight, not 10 reps or 20 reps.

I know this doesn't answer your question directly... but fire up your routine and we'll help.

andyboro

100% agree with ths there mate.. with the greatest of respect, you're a pretty small guy so to get any real size into your arms the rest of you is gonna have to grow too...

personally, i think of bi's and tri's as secondary things (mainly cos they will grow quite well without being totally hammered) and concentrate more on squats, deads and bench.

Ali M

Although i agree with you the TH&L, however, i had a mate who owned a gym huge guy and i mean huge, but man did he have legs? NO! Huge upper body but no legs, never trained legs and lots of peeps don't and still get big upper bodies. I myself do not train my legs to any intensity anymore, reason been is im happy with them as they are.

with reference to lifting heavy, it works for most however, you will get a few people who respond better from lighter weights and higher rep range.

TH&S is right as in the rule book sais squats and dead lifts and lifting heavy is the way to pack on the size and i agree with him, however, i still think you can get big with out doing squats and dead lifts and lifting heavy.

Remember bodybuilding is a strange game, what works for one does not always work for the other, we are all different and respond to different things.

Tall

Hi Ali, I know someone like that and I'm guessing a few people know someone like that... I wouldn't like to guess as to whether they were Natty or not, but you have to admit they must look out of proportion...?

I'm also guessing he was much older than Pipsta?

Its the whole 80:20 thing I guess - 80% of the people will be able to get big on 20% of the exercises - i.e. basic heavy compounds.

As ever everything I say is just my opinion. I've had much better results my keeping it simple and lifting heavy.

Ali M

Thats the way mate Simple and heavy, and i go with that... and yeah he looked out of proportion... I just thought i'd mention that people can get big without doing there legs...

P.s. whats with the natty or not thing?

PScarb

guys please post your post's in the correct sections of the board this is a training question so should be in the training section not the general...

i will move it this time....

Tall

My thinking is it must be easier to get big without doing legs if your on cycle - localised injections etc

Richard

Hi, i don't do any squats or deadlifts because i hate them, they feel awkward, horrible, my back hurts when doing them more then my legs.

I agree with lifting heavy though, it's starting to work for me now!

bulldozer

No offence intended to anyone!

But if you dont squat or deadlift in time you will end up shaped like a golf tea