Top 5 Arm builders

[Chillen]

When thinking terms of what the body naturally does, its fine to do direct arm work, to say otherwise, isn't correct. In addition, the arms (when performing compounds) are responsible for engaging the larger upper muscle groups, and sometimes the arms can be the weak-link, not allowing pre-mature exhaustion of the larger muscle groups, and therefore, doing some (reasonable) direct arm work to remedy this compliction, is good dependent on the individual person.

[Fazc]

Couldn't agree more Chillen.

[TitanWIP]

I stick with heavy presses and rows. I hate working arms directly.

[Soldier]

Originally Posted by 5kgLifter

So, I shouldn't do any bicep work because I can't do a chin-up? But I've had great bicep progress by doing dumbbell work. The problem is in assuming that people can do chin-ups which is seldom the case (and I can't anyway due to the TOS, which is beside the point) and for those that can't, there is nothing wrong with curls, or for those that can for that matter.

If a person states, don't do A until you can do X-number of exercise B, if a person can never do B then A always suffers and they will get nowhere at all.

I'm not saying someone shouldn't be allowed to do direct arm work unless they strengthen OTHER muscles first. In fact, it doesn't get much better than chins and dips for arm development. What I'm saying is that someone shouldn't NEED direct arm work until they've reached these milestones in their training.

Doing curls and triceps extensions when you can't yet do chins and dips is like using bands, chains, and partials your first day in the gym. It's not needed yet and I'd consider it a waste of time and effort.

Of course, people are free to do what they will, and being in the gym at all is better than doing nothing.

[5kgLifter]

Originally Posted by Soldier

I'm not saying someone shouldn't be allowed to do direct arm work unless they strengthen OTHER muscles first. In fact, it doesn't get much better than chins and dips for arm development. What I'm saying is that someone shouldn't NEED direct arm work until they've reached these milestones in their training.

Doing curls and triceps extensions when you can't yet do chins and dips is like using bands, chains, and partials your first day in the gym. It's not needed yet and I'd consider it a waste of time and effort.

Of course, people are free to do what they will, and being in the gym at all is better than doing nothing.

It's not about "being allowed to" it's about whether it's any good or useful; and the sentence above has you saying it's a waste of time...I have to differ on that viewpoint. Some people will never be able to do dips and/or chins, which leaves them curls etc.

[Soldier]

Originally Posted by 5kgLifter

It's not about "being allowed to" it's about whether it's any good or useful; and the sentence above has you saying it's a waste of time...I have to differ on that viewpoint. Some people will never be able to do dips and/or chins, which leaves them curls etc.

Are we talking about specific situations in which for some physical reason people can't do dips or chins? If that's the case, then of course generic rules don't apply. Personally I don't see why anyone wouldn't be able to build the strength to do at least a few of both. Bench presses and pushups will build the strength to start doing dips, and pull downs, rows, and inverted rows with a reverse grip will build the strength to do chins.

Not that long ago I could only do a couple chins. Now I can pop off 12+ with little issue.

[BendtheBar]

I can't do chin ups

[Soldier]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

I can't do chin ups

You also don't do curls!

[Disciple X]

You serious?

[Soldier]

I bet if he was hanging off a cliff he could pop off a couple. Anybody that can row as much as he can could pull himself up if he needed to.