Bicep 21's - Still my most effective bicep workout

Joined
Mar 19, 2014
Messages
11
Reaction score
2
Points
0
When I first started 21's years ago, I HATED it. It was a painful workout since it was new to me. Then I started to do it week after week and then switching off to every other weak. My bicep peek started to raise and I felt less fatigue for other exercises.
I realized that no matter how strong I got, it was always smart to stick to a light easy-curl bar (30-40 lb) because those last full motion 7 reps felt like my biceps were about to explode.
Reaching that last 7 rep threshold is where the real muscle/strength started to pile on.

Heres a video to anyone who doesn't know about 21's.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvRBXCKFXMI
 

Popeye

Elite
SI Founding Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2012
Messages
1,564
Reaction score
634
Points
0
I love 21's...its my go to bicep workout also
 

ProteinFarts

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2014
Messages
257
Reaction score
44
Points
0
Lately ive been doing 3 or 4 sers of a excersise and then my 5th is a burn out of 21s. Agree its a Arnold goody
 

ProteinFarts

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2014
Messages
257
Reaction score
44
Points
0
I got a good one that i never ever see anyone else doing. I put the bench incline - just a tad bit more elevated than incline chest bench is. Grab a good heavy weight - whatever. And hang your arms to the side. Now lift and do bicep curls exactly as if you were doing a front double bicep. Just dont bring your arms as high as a actual bicep pose. That will rip your biceps a new one.
 

Seeker

Veteran
SI Founding Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2013
Messages
8,859
Reaction score
10,718
Points
333
21's are great for sure. Not just for biceps...
 
Joined
Mar 19, 2014
Messages
9
Reaction score
3
Points
0
I got a good one that i never ever see anyone else doing. I put the bench incline - just a tad bit more elevated than incline chest bench is. Grab a good heavy weight - whatever. And hang your arms to the side. Now lift and do bicep curls exactly as if you were doing a front double bicep. Just dont bring your arms as high as a actual bicep pose. That will rip your biceps a new one.

Definitely going to try this as a variation on the standard incline DB curls. I bet the pump from these is insane...
 

ECKSRATED

UG BENCH KING
Joined
Feb 2, 2014
Messages
8,629
Reaction score
9,007
Points
283
I got a good one that i never ever see anyone else doing. I put the bench incline - just a tad bit more elevated than incline chest bench is. Grab a good heavy weight - whatever. And hang your arms to the side. Now lift and do bicep curls exactly as if you were doing a front double bicep. Just dont bring your arms as high as a actual bicep pose. That will rip your biceps a new one.
i do those too. Keep my elbow against my side though. Nothing but bicep
 

ProteinFarts

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2014
Messages
257
Reaction score
44
Points
0
i do those too. Keep my elbow against my side though. Nothing but bicep

It's my staple. Now thinking about my form, when light weight I keep my arms tucked to my sides. As I go heavier I raise them a bit. But raising still rips the shit out of them. I'm up to 40s on my last set now. Strong for me. Getting there at least.
 

ProteinFarts

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2014
Messages
257
Reaction score
44
Points
0
But sorry to bogard. All of Arnold's stuff is gold. He tutted the 21s right? I'm a big fan of his rib cage stretcher too.
 

Azog

Elite
SI Founding Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2012
Messages
2,984
Reaction score
632
Points
83
My bi pump has been soooo painful lately, that I think 21s may actually make my bi explode/skin rupture.
 
Joined
Dec 17, 2013
Messages
1,442
Reaction score
272
Points
83
I love doing this exercise using it as a nice warm-up set or a burn out set for a finisher. Either way I get a great pump from doing these.
 

Metalhead1

Elite
Joined
Feb 3, 2014
Messages
2,388
Reaction score
3,120
Points
153
I got a good one that i never ever see anyone else doing. I put the bench incline - just a tad bit more elevated than incline chest bench is. Grab a good heavy weight - whatever. And hang your arms to the side. Now lift and do bicep curls exactly as if you were doing a front double bicep. Just dont bring your arms as high as a actual bicep pose. That will rip your biceps a new one.

I do this also, but i do one arm at a time. Usually a slight lean to the arm im working to focus solely on it. I usually do 2x8-12 each arm back to back
 

ProteinFarts

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2014
Messages
257
Reaction score
44
Points
0
I do this also, but i do one arm at a time. Usually a slight lean to the arm im working to focus solely on it. I usually do 2x8-12 each arm back to back

Cool cool. I do both arms at the same time here. Regular dumbell curls I alternate arms though.
 

Oldebull

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2014
Messages
189
Reaction score
92
Points
0
I've been going heavy E-Z curls, 2 sets of 6, then a set of 21s to finish it off. I'll use @40-50% of my 6 rep weight for these.
 

shenky

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2013
Messages
1,010
Reaction score
209
Points
0
21's give me a nasty pump! It's a staple!
 

New Threads

Top