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Gary writes "I realize everyone's progress is different, so maybe
there's no easy answer. I've been working out for six months and
have added about 3/4" to my arms. Does this seem right for
six months? Is it good, average, below average?"
To
Gary, and a great many others I presume, I'd point out that improvement
isn't to be measured in relative muscle size increase alone. You
may be making natural body chemistry and neural advancements not
evident to the eye but essential to forthcoming muscle growth and
health. Look at other areas to assess your development which are
perhaps better indicators; well being, energy and endurance, overall
strength, bodyweight, muscle density - shape - separation, skin
tone, diminishing bodyfat content, level of spirits and fortitude.
A
3/4" increase on a twelve inch muscular arm is good as compared
to, say, the same increase on a fifteen inch fatter arm. Hard to
answer your question without more info.
Don't
get to caught up in the measurements and/or too closely critiquing
yourself. Drive 'ya crazy. Train and eat like a horse, get huge.
Stay tuned.
"Scream"
adds "I've been training my biceps for a while now and they are
pretty big with mass. One of my biggest problems is that I don't
have a good peak. Can you give a routine and or exercises for this?
The
best bicep builders for all purposes are standing barbell curls,
seated DB alternates, and 60 degree incline curls. Peak, shape,
fullness, size and density come with the years and bodybuilding
maturity. Genetics
play a major role in your muscular outcome.
Make
your arm training fun by putting two days aside for arms only, supersetting
biceps and triceps follows:
Barbell
curl 4 X 15, 12, 10, 8
supersetted
with
Lying
tricep extension 4 X 12 - 15
Seated
DB alternates 4 X 10, 8, 6
supersetted
with
Overhead
tricep extension 4 X 10 - 12
DB
inclines 4 X 8
supersetted
with
Pulley
pushdowns 4 X 15
Form,
focus, pace. Always curl from a fully extended starting position
to assure full development. Look for pump and burn. Feed the muscles
and rest them. Do this twice a week for six weeks, giving your arms
priority, realizing the workout though arm specific is blasting
a lot of upper body.
Here's a longer
version of Arm Priority
Training.
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