lifting question

[emmer]

I began working out again this year around early spring and have been hitting the gym about 2-3 times a week. For my normal routine, I focus mainly on upper body... bench/shoulder press, rowing machine, lat bar, preacher curl etc. My problem is on the preacher curl. I'm about 6'0, 160lbs and I curl 80lbs. After I am done with my first rep of about 10-15 curls it feels like my forearm is going to snap in half. I have to stop because my radius/ulna hurts long before my muscles get tired.

So what should I do?

[Kwonryu DragonFist]

I've said it before and i'll say it again!

Leave the Ego outside the gym or you'll get injured!

Don't try to impress people by lifting as much as possible, use as heavy weight you can while feeling muscle-contact!

You see, musclecontact is the key!

I'll recommend that you use a weight that you can do MAX 8 reps with per set!

Lift only with the biceps, the rest of the body isn't there!

So, lower the weight and you will see better results and less injury.

When your biceps have adapted to that weight, raise the weight a little, cause you dont want the muscle to feel comfortable, you have to shock it and confuse it!

Once you get more advanced in your training, i have some other methods for improvement, but start with MAX 8 reps per set.

You must NOT feel "Hey this is easy, i can do 2 more reps", the weight should be so that you feel 8 is max!

Stretch after every SET and spend at least 15 mins after the whole workout with stretching.

-

A Pro doesn't not try to make the weight feel lighter(cheating/using the whole body/bad form etc), he tries to make the weight feel heavier!

Contract slooowly, feel the muscle work. It's just like training back, think of the arms as hooks attached to your body and that you are lifting the weight with your lats and just your lats!

Musclecontact = Results!

[masteen]

You might also want to start adding some sets of wrist curls to help build up the tendons and ligaments that are prolly the source of your pain. DO NOT expect to impress the ladies with these, as the weight you'll be using will be light. Don't forget to do top and bottom.

I used to do these with just an empty 45 lb. barbell, but in a month, I had not only caught up w/ my friends on the biceps, but my bench and back had also increased dramatically, purely from the increase in grip strength.

EDIT: Illustrated, for her pleasure

[Raulthiel]

Following up on what Masteen said, make sure to make the best out of every rep. Dont be satisfied by just pulling the weight up. When you curl it up, you should get a good pump everytime, the key is getting as much blood to the muscle as possible.

[Asheran Mojomaster]

I've said it before and i'll say it again!

Leave the Ego outside the gym or you'll get injured!

Don't try to impress people by lifting as much as possible, use as heavy weight you can while feeling muscle-contact!

You see, musclecontact is the key!

I'll recommend that you use a weight that you can do MAX 8 reps with per set!

Lift only with the biceps, the rest of the body isn't there!

So, lower the weight and you will see better results and less injury.

When your biceps have adapted to that weight, raise the weight a little, cause you dont want the muscle to feel comfortable, you have to shock it and confuse it!

Once you get more advanced in your training, i have some other methods for improvement, but start with MAX 8 reps per set.

You must NOT feel "Hey this is easy, i can do 2 more reps", the weight should be so that you feel 8 is max!

Stretch after every SET and spend at least 15 mins after the whole workout with stretching.

-

A Pro doesn't not try to make the weight feel lighter(cheating/using the whole body/bad form etc), he tries to make the weight feel heavier!

Contract slooowly, feel the muscle work. It's just like training back, think of the arms as hooks attached to your body and that you are lifting the weight with your lats and just your lats!

Musclecontact = Results!

Ok, well on the subject of curls, you say to do something that the max you can do is 8 curls, I am able to do that with 65lbs or so, but I don't feel as if I get as much of a workout with 65 as I do with 55. I can do 65 without arching my back or doing the curl itself wrong, and I bring it all the way up, til it touches skin, and then let it all the way down til it is touching my legs, but it just feels wrong for some reason.

It doesn't hurt, or feel uncomfortable, it just doesnt feel like I am really doing as much as I am when I do 55 for some reason.

Edit:BTW, those wrist curls look like a really good idea, I think I am going to add those in to my workout. How many sets \ reps per set did you start with?

[masteen]

3 sets, burnout reps, every other day. I used to do these at the end of my regular workout, along with my calves, which I exercised the same way. I quit getting shin splints from running about 6 weeks after adding the calf exercises.

[Alfan]

You can take a smooth wooden rod (8-10 inches long) that provides ample grip room. Then tie a peice of rope about four-five feet in length to a ten pound weight on one end and the rod on the other. Then hold your arms straight out and turn the rod until the weight comes all the way up like on a spool. Go backwards. Do it a few times daily and it can help your forearm strength.

-Alf

[Abelard]

there's also different ways to do curls.

i lower the bar very slowly when doing them and i feel a good stretch when doing this..i find i've developed a more full look to my biceps as a result.