Bulking out the biceps and legs

[MoreThanSmooth]

I know this is probably the most overdone fitness question ever but I'm still yet to get good bro-advice on it no matter how much googling I do.

I haven't been working out properly for a few months and I've got rather skinny biceps as a result.

My old routine was very calisthenics heavy, so I've got a hefty chest and triceps from pushups but the biceps and legs are under-developed. Used to do some chin-ups for biceps but found they developed very, very slowly by comparison.

What sort of weight level would you recommend for bicep curls after a long hiatus? I have an incline bench at home, but getting the right level of weight to pack on muscle is driving me crazy. I can manage to curl 20 kg a few times but the form is poor due to my lack of strength.

For legs I've been doing kettle squats but they're pretty useless because the biggest bell I have is 10 kg...should I invest in a good barbell?

 

[Fzatf]

I know this is probably the most overdone fitness question ever but I'm still yet to get good bro-advice on it no matter how much googling I do.

I haven't been working out properly for a few months and I've got rather skinny biceps as a result.

My old routine was very calisthenics heavy, so I've got a hefty chest and triceps from pushups but the biceps and legs are under-developed. Used to do some chin-ups for biceps but found they developed very, very slowly by comparison.

What sort of weight level would you recommend for bicep curls after a long hiatus? I have an incline bench at home, but getting the right level of weight to pack on muscle is driving me crazy. I can manage to curl 20 kg a few times but the form is poor due to my lack of strength.

For legs I've been doing kettle squats but they're pretty useless because the biggest bell I have is 10 kg...should I invest in a good barbell?

Up your curling weight until you max out at about 6-8 reps per set to failure or 1 rep short of failure. You'll want to do about 3 sets. I tend to go too easy on my curls and notice more significant gains when I ensure I'm lifting a heavy enough weight.

You can use a bar and curl with both of your arms, but I prefer individual dumbbels for each arm to get an equivalent workout.

Don't ignore your triceps either. You can have larger arms by hitting up both exercises a minimum of two times per week.

 

[Poonstra]

You can invest in a barbell, I've got one. However, once your squats get serious you're gonna need a rack. I squad 82,5 Kg at the moment, and I'm still adding 2,5 Kg a week so the end is not in sight jet. There is no way I can get that weight from the ground on my neck. So I hope it's obvious I do this at a gym and not at home. But the home barbell is useful for curls and such.

 

[EyeBRollin]

Your best bet is Stronglifts 5X5 or Starting Strength. An old 5X5 formula will serve you well to add mass.

Point is, you shouldn't worry about isolating body parts until you can do proper full dept Pull Ups, and Squat / Deadlift twice your body weight.

If you want big legs, you have to squat. If you want big arms, you have to Bench Press and do Pull Ups. Once you become "advanced" at the old school lifts, only then is it worth investing time and money on vanity exercises like curls.

 

[user43770]

Heavy squats, chins and a caloric surplus.

 

[MoreThanSmooth]

Appreciate the advice boys. F*ck me it's hard getting back into exercise.

Weird thing is, my body shape has hardly changed aside from packing on the pounds. I guess due to calorific surplus I've had for ages with my stress eating and lack of workout tme.

I can even look aesthetic in clothes. But my strength is awful now. I can still machine out push ups, only far less of them...20 rather than 90 sets. Can barely do a chin up now, pathetic.

Kind of looking forward to getting fit again because it's going to be a welcome challenge but at the same time it's brutal how you lose fitness so fast! It's only a few months of sitting on my butt and it's amazing the difference it makes.

Not to mention how much more daunting and boring exercise is when you struggle. I used to love doing chins and push ups because they were easy, but when it's hard as s**t it's much less compelling. I can see how people get obese...

 

[MoreThanSmooth]

Well, nearly a month later and I finally got round to a decent programme. Bought a really cool book on fitness by an SAS guy, lots of nice tips in there for building routines and stopping plateaus.

Two days in though and my body feels broken. I've never had Delayed Onset Soreness so bad. I can't fully extend either of my arms at the moment and my whole upper body aches...I guess that means I hit the right things though...ha.

 

[EyeBRollin]

You should be a little sore starting out but not debilitatingly sore. Soreness in weight training means too much volume. Weight training is best done for strength, not volume (strength = size).

 

[CBear]

https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/optimal-workout-volume/ Good info on how much volume per week you should aim for.

Just be consistent with legs and keep adding on a little more weight each week. 2.5-5 lbs each exercise. Always have some kind of squatting movement involved. & yes, if you don't have the equipment, I'd invest in a barbell.

For bi's and tri's, do at the very least 2 drop sets immediately after your finished with your sets for that exercise. Lower the weight by 20-25% for each drop set.

With this, your arms and legs will bulk up very nicely. Good luck!