• 👋Hello, please SIGN-UP FOR A FREE account and become a member of our community!
    You will then be able to start threads, post comments and send messages to other members. Thanks!
  • 💪IronMag Labs® 30% Off Easter Sale👉www.ironmaglabs.com Coupon code: EASTER30🐰

An upper body that just doesn't grow

snaff05

Registered
Joined
May 4, 2014
Messages
1,450
Reaction score
81
Points
48
Get Shredded!
So I have been training all upper body muscle groups 2:1 to my legs and yet only my legs want to grow. Tried nearly every training tip i have ever learned over the last 8 years and nothing works. I change weight, rep range, tempo, rest times, negatives, etc etc etc.... Here is what I looked like after back day today
268e08462d1146ad97e0b0f2989095b7.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Grow upper body grow!!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
from the pics, your bi's actually look solid, nice roundness to them. how are the tris? have you tried any of the mountain dog arm workouts?
 
What's mountain dog arm? Never heard of it. I guess I could probably Google it


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I am doing a minimum of 24 sets per body part 4 sets for each workout with my last set being a 3 drop dropset


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
4 sets for each exercise*


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
your legs are a freak show. that tank top doesn't do your upper body justice. yeah you need to bring up your arms a lil. mainly lower bicep. so when they hang they give the appearance of being bigger. anyway ease up on the legs or you will end up like roger Stewart
 
IML Gear Cream!
I'd stop legs altogether for awhile. You're upper won't be able to catch up if you don't. Sick quads though!
 
It's been since 2009 since I have gone through gvt i should probably give it a try


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Solid legs. You might be being a little hard on yourself. Also be happy with your genes I would kill for those legs.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Overtraining? A lot of guys can work a body part every other day and grow and some guys can't. Have you tried taking a break then coming back to it, but eat a wee bit more? I know you may think you are eating enough if your legs are growing, but if you are working everything, your legs will take the bulk of the nutrients and if there isn't enough left over for the upper body, you will get no growth.
 
Are you using heavy barbells for pulling movements? If so are you using/overusing straps? The only reason I ask is because honestly your upper body doesn't look small, but your forearms do appear under developed compared to everything else. I wouldn't say you have an upper body that refuses to grow by any means.
 
Need a side shot to get an idea of your overall thickness up top...but, what are your current rep ranges, do you do 4 sets no matter what?, split?
 
Get Shredded!
Are you using heavy barbells for pulling movements? If so are you using/overusing straps? The only reason I ask is because honestly your upper body doesn't look small, but your forearms do appear under developed compared to everything else. I wouldn't say you have an upper body that refuses to grow by any means.

I do use straps only deads and heavy BB and DB rows. My elbows KILL ME if I don't. To be honest it's the only muscle group (forearms) that I don't make sure I hit simply due to the limitations on other muscle groups afterwards due to pain


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Need a side shot to get an idea of your overall thickness up top...but, what are your current rep ranges, do you do 4 sets no matter what?, split?

I will post a side shot next time I go inside for some calories. Yea, generally 4 sets with the last set of that exercise being a drop set. Rep ranges vary from 6-10 and 8-15( failure each time of course)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
are you training around an injury, sometimes you have a mental block keeping you on the safe side of re injuring yourself
 
are you training around an injury, sometimes you have a mental block keeping you on the safe side of re injuring yourself

Nope no acute injuries just lots of overuse


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
The side shot is a little deceiving I feel like it gives me more justice than what is due... So I did another front shot as well
e668b1600b18c58b90da838fd5c6295d.jpg
12320b11e7a08949da34849ccf44e69d.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
You aren't under developed in yiur upper body, your quads are over developed. I'm guessing back and leg days are your favorite days. It's what your build says. Your foreams carry into your upper arms and if they don't build up your arms, even your upper arms, will never pop the way you want. If you drop the straps for a bit and just quit back day when your grip fails you will start to rebalance. GVT type workouts for chest might be worth a few weeks to see what happens.
 
You aren't under developed in yiur upper body, your quads are over developed. I'm guessing back and leg days are your favorite days. It's what your build says. Your foreams carry into your upper arms and if they don't build up your arms, even your upper arms, will never pop the way you want. If you drop the straps for a bit and just quit back day when your grip fails you will start to rebalance. GVT type workouts for chest might be worth a few weeks to see what happens.

What about when the weights get too heavy for my forearms. Just keep the weight light and see if the forearms eventually catch up? I haven't had any elbow pain in at least 4 months so, it's at least wroth a shot


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Yeah your forearms are gonna fry. Deadlifts, barbell and dumbell rows, dumbell shrugs, pull ups, etc, all those are going to fry your forearms a long time before your back fails. If you can't stand the thought of going lighter at least completely burn your forearms out before you go to the straps. If you can still hold 70 pound dumbells your forearms are not done. Maybe add some hammer curls in as well but be mindful your bicep is going to be able to take way more weight than your brach. Your brach rolls through the elbow and if it's not developed you will never have three dimensional upper arms. You're just imbalanced man. You look great. It's the balance that is off.
 
I don't think you are underdeveloped at all other than maybe trap, a little chest work, and some forearm work...
As far as forearms go...for now only use straps on your heaviest work..you eventually won't need them(I used to be the same way). No need to really focus on them but, throw either hammer curls or reverse curls into your bicep work.. I usually alternate them every other workout.
Traps..pound reps and more reps..I usually start off in the 20-30 range and pyramid up. Change up your grip every now and then. I alternate upright rows every other workout...
Chest try this...work up to 3-4 heavy sets of 4-6 reps...drop to a weight you can get 18-20 reps with and do 3 more sets at that weight....jump 10lbs on your lighter weight every week. Only do this on one heavy compound movement(DB, Incline DB, Flat BB, or Incline BB...whatever your first compound movement for chest is.)
I don't think your legs are so far ahead you should start backing off there...you are just genetically gifted there.
 
Back
Top