How Much Weight Is Too Much For Bodybuilders To Lift?

There is conflicting information on the amount of weight that bodybuilders should lift

In this article, we will explore some of the available research related to the amount of weight that bodybuilders need to lift in order to build muscle. Hopefully, this would clarify some of your conflicts and answer questions, placing you on the road to happy and successful bodybuilding.

McMaster University researchers found that light weights are effective for building muscle and gaining strength

In order to test their theory that light weights were just as effective as heavy weights in building muscle and strength, the researchers studied healthy, young male volunteers.

Their aim was to measure how their leg muscles reacted to different forms of resistance training over a period of 10 weeks.

How the study was conducted

The participants were assigned to three different programs that required them to complete sets of repetition with assigned loads. There were typically eight to twelve repetitions per set at the highest weights and 25 to 30 repetitions at the lowest weights.

The three programs used in the combinations were:

one set at 80% of the maximum load.
three sets at 80% of the maximum.
three sets at 30% of the maximum.

The researchers first determined the maximum weight each subject could lift one time in a knee extension. Each subject was assigned to a different training program for each leg.

Results of the study

Results were confirmed after 10 weeks of training done three times per week. It was found that the heavy and light groups that lifted three sets saw significant gains in muscle volume. This was measured by MRI and there was no difference among the groups.

The group that trained for a single set showed approximately half the increase in muscle size seen in both the heavy and light groups.

The researchers concluded that lifting light light loads can induce muscle growth, provided it is lifted to the point where it is difficult to maintain good form.

COMMENT – I infer that the frequency of sets is important in muscle and strength building.




SOURCES

C. J. Mitchell, T. A. Churchward-Venne, D. D. W. West, N. A. Burd, L. Breen, S. K. Baker, S. M. Phillips. Resistance exercise load does not determine training-mediated hypertrophic gains in young men. Journal of Applied Physiology, 2012; DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00307.201

McMaster University. (2012, April 30). Light weights are just as good for building muscle, getting stronger, researchers find. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 25, 2019 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120430105358.htm

Lean Muscle: Research Shows That The Concentration Curl Tops 8 Other Biceps Exercises In Biceps Engagement

Which exercises produce the highest degree of biceps engagement?

In an independent study commissioned by the American Council on Exercise (ACE), researchers attempted to discover which of the most popular moves most effectively strengthen the biceps brachii. The researchers were drawn from the University of Wisconsin, LaCrosse, and was led by John Porcari, PhD.

According to Cedric Bryant, Ph.D and ACE’s Chief Science Officer officer, the study helped the organization to identify the specific exercises that produced the highest degree of biceps engagement.

Study participants consisted of sixteen people – eight healthy female and eight male volunteers. Each individual had weight- lifting experience. They attended one pre-study session in order to allow researchers to evaluate their ability to perform each exercise correctly and were also acquainted with the testing procedures.

How was data collected?

Data was elicited via electrodes attached to the biceps brachii, anterior deltoid and brachioradialis muscles of each subject. Researchers studied muscle activity during the cable curl, barbell curl, concentration curl, chin-up, EZ curl (both wide and narrow grip), incline curl and preacher curl.

Study results

Results showed that the concentration curl produced significantly higher muscle activity in the biceps than any of the other exercises. Researchers theorized that when a body builder does the concentration curl, there is greater isolation of the biceps, since the humerus is pressed against the leg and does not allow the upper arm to sway.

In contrast, other exercises depend on muscles such as the anterior deltoid to support the lift. When the exercises are ranked by Maximum Voluntary Contraction (MVC), it can be seen that the cable curl and chinup come a close second to the concentration curl.

Cedric Bryant, ACE CEO, reiterated that “…several of the other exercises elicited more than adequate biceps muscle activation and can serve as viable options for improving biceps muscle strength and function.”

Muscle Activation of the Biceps Brachii
Source: https://www.acefitness.org/

Implications for bodybuilders’ exercise routines

Researchers advocate that bodybuilders should include the concentration curl in every arm workout. However, since good arm function is dependent on other muscles, bodybuilders should activate other key muscles of the arms by including all of the other seven biceps exercises into the exercise routine.

How is the concentration curl performed?

Concentration curls are performed with the upper arm pressed against the leg, resulting in better isolation of the biceps muscle. During the other exercises movements, the upper arm is able to sway and contribute to the movement as indicated by a higher level of anterior deltoid muscle activity.

Sources
https://www.acefitness.org/about-ace/press-room/press-releases/4989/new-study-reveals-best-biceps-exercises

https://www.acefitness.org/education-and-resources/professional/research-studies/

Lean Muscle: Researchers Reveal TWO Dumbell Curl Exercises For Rock Hard Biceps

Dumbbell exercises catch the attention of researchers

Bodybuilders worldwide use dumbbells in their exercise routines to bulk up the biceps. The key question that we need to answer is, “how do you work your biceps with dumbbells?” Interestingly, scientific research reveals that there are TWO TOP dumbbell exercises which sculpt the biceps.

Which dumbbell exercise is good for sculpting the biceps?

New research has come to hand regarding the best dumbbell   exerciseto sculpt the biceps. Researchers studied two variations of the standard  Dumbbell Biceps Curl (DBC) – the Incline Dumbbell Curl (IDC) and Dumbbell Preacher Curl (DPC). These curls are generally applied to optimize biceps brachii contribution to elbow flexion by fixing the shoulder at a specific angle.

In the Incline Dumbbell Curl protocol the biceps brachii long head is initially lengthened, whereas in Dumbbell Preacher Curl the shoulder is flexed. The biceps long head is initially shortened during these two exercises. The researchers expected to seE greater neuromuscular activity for the beginning of the Incline Dumbbell Curl and Dumbbell Preacher Curl exercises than for the Dumbbell Biceps Curl, mainly due to different changes in posture.

What did the researchers want to discover?

The aim of the study was to identify changes in the neuromuscular activity of the biceps brachii long head with two variations of the Dumbbell Biceps Curl (DBC) – the Incline Dumbbell Curl (IDC) and Dumbbell Preacher Curl (DPC). Researchers paid particular attention to the changes in load moment arm and muscle length elicited by each dumbbell  curl.

The researchers also wanted to find out if neuromuscular activity of the biceps brachii long head would change with different phases of contraction of the muscle.

 

Biceps long head

 

Who participated in the study?

Study participants included 22 righthanded males who had been doing resistance training for at least a year. Data was collected via electrodes attached to their biceps. These electrides measured the degree of work that the biceps used during each exercise.

How was the data collected?

The participants were positioned as follows:

– Dumbbell Biceps Curl- DBC – standing with a comfortable support base and the arms alongside the body
– Incline Dumbbell Curl – IDC – seated with 50° of trunk hyperextension and the right arm hanging freely;
– Dumbbell Dumbbell Curl – IDC – seated with trunk in vertical position and right shoulder flexed at 50°;

 

Participants moved the elbow joint through different angles through a full range of motion which ended with the dumbbells against the biceps:

Flexion – start point – 0 degrees; 33 degrees, 86 degrees; 100 degrees/right up to the biceps and back throguh the same angles during extension.

Note that the researchers did not state the exact volume of weights lifted, although the report indicated that they were a submaximal load of 40%, perhaps lighter than usual.

Which of these three dumbbell curls is the best bicep workout?

The researchers found that the results varied depending on the degree of range of motion used during the exercise. The Incline Dumbbell Curl and the classical Dumbbell Biceps Curl  resulted in similar patterns of biceps brachii activation for the whole range of motion. There was considerable neuromuscular effort throughout the whole elbow range of motion when the Incline Dumbbell Curl and the Dumbbell  Biceps Curl were performed.

In contrast, theDumbbell Preacher Curl   elicited high muscle activation only for a short range of elbow movement. However that angle was not specified and this finding does indicate that the Dumbbell Preacher Curl is still an effective exercise. Based on the range of motion used in the study, we can infer that the dumbells should be raised to a 33 degree angle when performing the Dumbbell Preacher Curl.

In contrast, other studies showed that the moment arm of the biceps appears to peak around 90 degrees of elbow flexion   (Ettema et al., 1998; Jarrett et al. 2012 and Murray et al, 1995). Murray et al, (1995) also found that the minimum biceps length of 20mm occured at 20 degrees of elbow flexion. In other words, this is the shortest contraction or bulking of the muscle.

Moment arm is the distance from the muscle’s line of action to the joint’s center of rotation which in this case is the elbow joint. The image shows that the moment arm in “A” 20 degrees. If this were a dumbbell curl, it would mean that:

– the elbow joint is almost fully extended.
– the elbow is flexed to about 20 degrees.
– the width between the joint and the elbow is shorter, in other words, the muscle is very contracted.
– although the muscle appears to be longer in length.

 

In “B”,

– the muscle is flexed to 50 degrees.
– there is greater distance between the joint and the muscle.
– however, the muscle is shortening or contracting. The degree of contraction would be therefore greatest at 90 degrees of elbow flexion.

 

 

Moment arm

 

Testing on myself, unscientifically, I found that the biceps long head contraction was most noticeable when I raised my hands from full extension at my sides and flexed to 20 and 90 degrees. The muscle appeared to lose tension when I raised my fists right up to the shoulder.

These latter studies show that the dumbbells only need to be raised from full extension into 20 and 90 degrees and that the dumbbells do not need to be carried right up to the shoulders.

 

How can bodybuilders use these study findings in their exercise protocols?

1. Use both the Incline Dumbbell Curl and the classical DumbbellBiceps Curl to achieve the greatest degree of biceps brachii activation.
.2.  Follow the diagram to repeat the exact positions used in the study on biceps activation based on shoulder position.
3. Take the elbow joint from 0 degrees; 33 degrees, 86 degrees; 100 degrees/right up to the biceps and back throguh the same angles.
4. Raise the dumbbells to a 33 degree angle when performing the Dumbbell Preacher Curl in order to achieve the highest degree of activation.
5. Also try out different reps with the dumbbells at 20 and 90 degrees of elbow flexion to benefit from the high degree of contraction that is produced.

What is Range of motion?

Range of motion is the measurement of movement around a specific joint or body part. In other words, range of motionrefers to the degree of movement that is carried out at the elbow in order to move the biceps muscle. Two actions help to move the biceps muscle up and down. They are FLEXION AND EXTENSION.

FLEXION is being demonstrated since the elbows were moved upward to contract or shorten the biceps muscle.

DUMBBELL BICEPS CURL IN FLEXION

Extension occurs when the dumbbells are returned back to a stretched out position, thus relaxing or lengthening the biceps.

DUMBELL BICEPS CURL IN EXTENSION

FULL RANGE OF MOTION means that the biceps muscle, or any muscle is moved from its longest possible length throuhg to its shortest possible length. In the case of the biceps, the longest possible length would occur with full extension, while the shortest possible length would occur with full flexion.

While the dumbbell curls in this study were performed by raising the dumbbells right up to the shoulder, other scientific research shows that full flexion and therefore contraction can be attained by raising them to 20 and 90 degrees.

Where can you learn to perform these dumbbell exercises?

 

Dumbbell Exercises and Lifting Routines can be done at home without a gym. I’d like to recommend a home exercise program that would Help You Gain More Muscle, Lose Weight, or Just Get Yourself in Better Physical Shape… WITHOUT the Hassles, and Expenses of Health Clubs. All You Need to do these exercises Is A Set of Dumbbells and An inexpensive flat bench.

You absolutely DO NOT Need:

– a partner to spot you!
– to take up much space
–
What you get with this dumbells exercise package for tbe biceps

What you will receive with this package is over 75 ubique, illustrated dumbbell exercises to sculpt your biceps and a full range of muscles. This package comes with videos and can be immediately avaiable for download to get you started right away. The best part is that it is super inexpensive although it is valued at about US $47.00 or more.

Here’s what’s included in this amazing package:

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Dumbbell Routines & Exercises

Dumbbell exercises for the biceps

READ

THE research study source is Effect of the shoulder position on the biceps brachii emg in different dumbbell curls

Biceps

Why Range of Motion Matters for Your Strength Training Goals