Build Bigger Biceps with just One exercise

Millions Knives
Millions Knives Members Posts: 249 ✭✭
edited January 2011 in The Weight Room
If you want to build bigger biceps (and who doesn’t?) you could spend hours performing all sorts of curls.

Or, you could take a shortcut and focus on the very best exercise for
building your biceps.

I’m talking about the close-grip chin-up.

Certain exercises are more effective than others and when it comes to building size and strength, the chin-up is the best exercise for the biceps.

Why? Well, it’s simple really.

First, the chin-up allows you to use a lot of weight. And all things being equal, the exercise that allows you to use the most weight will usually be the most effective.

For example, if you were to do dumbbell curls you would probably use anywhere between 20 -75 pounds. But if you do chin-ups, you are forcing your biceps to move your entire bodyweight. (over 150 pounds and up).

But don’t take my word for it.



Gymnasts build big biceps with chins, not curls.
Just look at the outstanding biceps development of any olympic gymnast. Even though these guys don’t even lift weights, they usually have huge biceps.

Why? Because they do hundreds of chin-ups.

So if you want bigger biceps, skip the curls and focus in the chin-ups.

Comments

  • playmaker88
    playmaker88 Members Posts: 67,905 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 2010
    I do pullups now,i need to do both... ? my wrist up and cant do pushups or dips.. Never tried close grip will give it ago tommorow
  • shadb33
    shadb33 Members Posts: 3,810 ✭✭✭
    edited August 2010
    It'll only get u so far until u gotta switch it up.

    I used to only do Calisthenics. I used a playground to do this circuit workout me and my homeboy created. We did chin-ups, pull-ups, dips, etc. No weights. I got in pretty good shape but honestly it wasn't enough for me.
  • Millions Knives
    Millions Knives Members Posts: 249 ✭✭
    edited August 2010
    shadb33 wrote: »
    It'll only get u so far until u gotta switch it up.

    I used to only do Calisthenics. I used a playground to do this circuit workout me and my homeboy created. We did chin-ups, pull-ups, dips, etc. No weights. I got in pretty good shape but honestly it wasn't enough for me.

    Thats when u gotta invest in a weightbelt and chain......as long as your increasing your reps or the amount of weight you use....u will continue to build muscle.
  • bless the child
    bless the child Members Posts: 5,167 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited September 2010
    Bumping this...I've been doing this for the past month and its really working. My biceps are building alot faster doing close grip pullups. I also do two sets of bicep curls and if I have the energy two sets of concentration curls. ? is working miracles.
  • a.mann
    a.mann Members Posts: 19,746 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2010
  • Copper
    Copper Members Posts: 49,532 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2010
    how far apart should your hands be to qualify as a close grip??
  • bless the child
    bless the child Members Posts: 5,167 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2010
    the width of your body when you put your arms flush to your sides. Thats about a foot I would say, for me at least.
  • Craig Robinson
    Craig Robinson Members Posts: 2,819 ✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2010
    i'ma try these today
  • Sourpatch Kid
    Sourpatch Kid Members Posts: 3,809 ✭✭✭
    edited October 2010
    I do 80-100 chin ups every morning and still no results, I think you have to find what exercise works best for you. Some people get bigger bi's through curls, some through cable curls and other's through pullups. Sometimes one part of your body will grow when you start working on an underdeveloped body part. Let's say you have small legs, maybe working on them legs will make your biceps bigger so it all varies.
  • Craig Robinson
    Craig Robinson Members Posts: 2,819 ✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2010
    I do 80-100 chin ups every morning and still no results, I think you have to find what exercise works best for you. Some people get bigger bi's through curls, some through cable curls and other's through pullups. Sometimes one part of your body will grow when you start working on an underdeveloped body part. Let's say you have small legs, maybe working on them legs will make your biceps bigger so it all varies.

    like dude said in this thread, you may need to invest in a weight belt and chain...if you gettin that many reps then you definitely need to up the weight
  • Sourpatch Kid
    Sourpatch Kid Members Posts: 3,809 ✭✭✭
    edited October 2010
    like dude said in this thread, you may need to invest in a weight belt and chain...if you gettin that many reps then you definitely need to up the weight

    Guess you're right, I have the pullup pro in my house so I just find it convenient to get those out the way in the morning. I dunno if my door frame can withstand my body weight plus an extra 45 though.
  • 100%Sag
    100%Sag Members Posts: 294
    edited October 2010
    Speaking of biceps....

    I did this weight lifting routine that focused on biceps on Wednesday- I really dont lift or do weights but Im getting intense about it now because I need to drop lbs fast. Anyway, that was Wednesday, and it's now Saturday and they are still sore. It's hard to fully extend my arms or fully contract and bend my arms. LIKE, THEY HURT/ they are still really sore.

    Normal or not? And how do I get rid of the soreness? I've worked out since then, even done arms again, and I try to massage them too and it's not any better.
  • bless the child
    bless the child Members Posts: 5,167 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2010
    100%Sag wrote: »
    Speaking of biceps....

    I did this weight lifting routine that focused on biceps on Wednesday- I really dont lift or do weights but Im getting intense about it now because I need to drop lbs fast. Anyway, that was Wednesday, and it's now Saturday and they are still sore. It's hard to fully extend my arms or fully contract and bend my arms. LIKE, THEY HURT/ they are still really sore.

    Normal or not? And how do I get rid of the soreness? I've worked out since then, even done arms again, and I try to massage them too and it's not any better.

    If you didnt work them for a while then yeah, ur biceps are gonna be sore like hell.
  • livethadream
    livethadream Members Posts: 21
    edited January 2011
    100%Sag wrote: »
    Speaking of biceps....

    I did this weight lifting routine that focused on biceps on Wednesday- I really dont lift or do weights but Im getting intense about it now because I need to drop lbs fast. Anyway, that was Wednesday, and it's now Saturday and they are still sore. It's hard to fully extend my arms or fully contract and bend my arms. LIKE, THEY HURT/ they are still really sore.

    Normal or not? And how do I get rid of the soreness? I've worked out since then, even done arms again, and I try to massage them too and it's not any better.

    yea thats normal, after a while u will only be sore for a day or 2 max

    reason being, when you work out you are damaging/ripping your muscles to an extent, the recovery period is when your muscles actually grow & repair

    i would reccomend u only workout a certain body-parts 2 times per week, or even once if your still sore, dont worry you will still acheive your goals. the quickest way to NOT acheive your goals is to rush/over-do it

    & if you are trying to drop lbs, make sure you are doing only light-weights & high reps (like 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps)

    also look into a supplement powder, i'm not in the U.S so i'm not sure of brands but anything that helps with muscle recovery or has a high protien/low carb mix. basically u need protien straight away after a work out, about 40grams is ideal & helps alot with reduced soreness. even a protien choc bar would be enough
  • whatevathehell
    whatevathehell Members Posts: 4,015 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2011
    100%Sag wrote: »
    Speaking of biceps....

    I did this weight lifting routine that focused on biceps on Wednesday- I really dont lift or do weights but Im getting intense about it now because I need to drop lbs fast. Anyway, that was Wednesday, and it's now Saturday and they are still sore. It's hard to fully extend my arms or fully contract and bend my arms. LIKE, THEY HURT/ they are still really sore.

    Normal or not? And how do I get rid of the soreness? I've worked out since then, even done arms again, and I try to massage them too and it's not any better.

    are your biceps sore or are your forearms sore. ive had this same problem with my forearms. the key thing is to decrease the weight till they dont hurt so much after your workout and start building up your forearms with reverse curls. my biceps by themselves are never sore, tight sometimes but sore, no.
  • Will Munny
    Will Munny Members Posts: 30,199 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2011
    The reason to do chin ups is it helps build secondary muscles that will in turn make your other bicep lifts better, thus giving you bigger biceps.
  • bscoop
    bscoop Members Posts: 478 ✭✭✭
    edited January 2011
    I do 80-100 chin ups every morning and still no results, I think you have to find what exercise works best for you. Some people get bigger bi's through curls, some through cable curls and other's through pullups. Sometimes one part of your body will grow when you start working on an underdeveloped body part. Let's say you have small legs, maybe working on them legs will make your biceps bigger so it all varies.

    How long are your negatives?

    The long the negative the better the build

    Try a 5 second negative if you feel you aren't getting results
  • Recaptimus_Prime360
    Recaptimus_Prime360 Members Posts: 64,801 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2011
    hmmm. good advice