Quick history. Turned 37 December 2006, and decided since I wasn't getting any younger I needed to get in physical shape. I am 6'0", 160 (at the time) with little or no real muscle definition.

My routine since then has been 4-5 miles running every other day with a 2-day break every two weeks. I don't go for speed, but make sure my heart rate is around 140 for at least 30 minutes. I also incorporated a push up routine to enhance upper body definition -- started low, but have worked up to 50 push ups every 4 minutes, 8 sets, for a total of 400. I do those 5 days/week and take the weekend off.

After 10 months, I am 150lbs., and have generated a lean, defined chest area. My problem lies with my triceps. They are huge. Not by body builder standards, but with my frame. I have no extra time nor money to do a machine or go to a gym, but I need to build up my biceps so they are proportional to my tri's. Is buying a bar with weights and doing curls my only option? And should I cut out my push-up routine all together?

arms do not grow unless the whole body grows. so in other words, no

Is there a park where you jog?
Sometimes some public parks have pull up bars.
Try incoporating pull ups/chin ups in your routine.

i like brussel sprouts

if you do pull-ups and dips your arm can get pretty big

Alex, so if you only do bicep curls and do them heavy and proper, raising the weight when you can, you can't make them bigger? Even if you eat a lot + protein.

Surely you would see SOME increase?

SinJester said:

Alex, so if you only do bicep curls and do them heavy and proper, raising the weight when you can, you can't make them bigger? Even if you eat a lot + protein.

Surely you would see SOME increase?

Click to expand...

try it and see.

for the body to create new tissue there must be a sufficient demand. doing purely bicep work will not create enough of a demand, otherwise the bicep brigade would have huge arms and very little else

SinJester said:

Alex, so if you only do bicep curls and do them heavy and proper, raising the weight when you can, you can't make them bigger? Even if you eat a lot + protein.

Surely you would see SOME increase?

Click to expand...

Yep you would. Not MASSIVE increases, but a noticeable gain, you certainly would. You only have to look at the gym for evidence of that, the people who do curl after curl - big arms. Just not as big as the guy who curls, squats, benches and deadlifts and has a correct diet.

I'm not trying it NOW Alex. I'm doing what you and the other guys told me to do.

Did it before, sure I seen a little bit of an increase.

Guess Cuzza is right?

if you are 130 with 11" arms you'll see an increase just like you'd see a chest/tri increase if you just did pushups.

but if you're trying to get 16-20" arms forget it

and for the record I have yet to see a guy who ONLY does curls have big arms. I've seen a few Mr Upper Bodies (tiny legs, big chest and arms) but they didn't just do curls, they did other stuff too (bench and db rows being favourites) and lifted reasonable weights

cuzza, show me one guy who ONLY does curls with big arms