Overtraining biceps question

[dragon1952]

Even though I'm on cycle my arm measurement hasn't increased in a couple months even though I'm getting stronger and curling and pressing more weight. My weight gain has stalled a bit but even so it seems like I should have gained 1/4" at least. When you research this the first thing people like to say is overtraining. My question is, if you are getting stronger you couldn't possibly be overtraining could you? The fact that you are getting stronger should indicate you are recovering adequately. Yes or no?
I've also read a lot of people saying you need to gain an additional 10lbs for every inch, but recently I've seen a couple articles saying this is bunk.

 

[brock8282]

haha i wish you gained an inch on your arms for every 10lbs!

But yeah if you are getting stronger you probably are not over training. The question would be is if your biceps are actually getting stronger or are you allowing your front delts to do more of the work. I would examine this more as this may be the reason for the lack of progress. Also what are your main movements that you are doing for biceps?

 

[El Gringo]

I’m not picking on your age, but aren’t you almost 70 and have been lifting for 40+ years?

Lou Ferrigno probably I imagine has the same problem.

 

[snake]

My guess is you have no records to fall back on, right? This would tell the story if you did.

For me, on and off equals 1/2" at the same body weight after about 10 weeks on. After that, I level off.

 

[dragon1952]

I’m not picking on your age, but aren’t you almost 70 and have been lifting for 40+ years?

Lou Ferrigno probably I imagine has the same problem.

Ha ha....70? Very funny. I'm not even 68 yet ;^ )

 

[dragon1952]

My guess is you have no records to fall back on, right? This would tell the story if you did.

For me, on and off equals 1/2" at the same body weight after about 10 weeks on. After that, I level off.

OK...maybe I'm not doing that bad. I was at a bit over 16" before my 10 week recomp from 194 to 174 lbs and 15 1/2" after the cut and now I'm 16 1/2" but have been stuck on that for a couple months it seems. The biggest I've ever been was just 17 1/4" natural as a 5'9" ecto at around 210 lbs.

 

[dragon1952]

haha i wish you gained an inch on your arms for every 10lbs!

But yeah if you are getting stronger you probably are not over training. The question would be is if your biceps are actually getting stronger or are you allowing your front delts to do more of the work. I would examine this more as this may be the reason for the lack of progress. Also what are your main movements that you are doing for biceps?

Could be. My shoulders have shown progress lately.

 

[dragon1952]

haha i wish you gained an inch on your arms for every 10lbs!

Also what are your main movements that you are doing for biceps?

Maybe they mean for every 10 lbs of muscle? Anyway, my main exercises are ez curl bar curls working up to 3 working sets of 6-8...sometimes a set of 4 added, followed by alternate standing dumbbell curls 2-3 sets of 7-10 reps and then 2 sets of standing one-arm cable curls 15-20 reps. I do this every 3rd to 4th day depending on how recovered I feel. With curls I usually stop a working set at the point where I would not be able to complete another rep without a serious cheat but sometimes with a slight cheat on the last rep.

 

[dreamscraper]

Real overtraining syndrome is a systemic issue from massive amounts of training stress. I mean a mailman's calves are not overtrained from too much walking.

Everyone has different genetic potential. The closer you get to that potential the harder it is going to be to make any progress. If your main goal is the tape measurement maybe it is your triceps that need more attention too?

 

[John Ziegler]

What kinda steroid cycle are you doing ?

how many weeks into the cycle & dosage ?

 

[dragon1952]

Well I decided to stretch it out a few extra weeks after adding deca in week 7 as I really needed the potential joint relief, so I'm on week 19 of test cyp @600mg/wk (I did switch to prop for about 6 weeks because I came into a bunch) and week 13 of deca @ 400mg/wk. I was going to quit at week 12 of deca but I've started to make my best strength gains of the cycle just these past few weeks so I thought I'd ride that out a bit. I'm on TRT so will just go straight into cruise mode.

 

[dragon1952]

.......If your main goal is the tape measurement maybe it is your triceps that need more attention too?

Yeah well aware of that ;^ ) In the past I've always gone heavy on bench and done skull crushers but due to various ailments I can't do either so I've been relying on 30 deg bench which probably doesn't hit the triceps as hard? I've been relying on going heavy on the seated tricep press and then lots of pushdowns in the 12-15 rep range, both two-handed and one-handed.

 

[Uncle manny]

A result of over training biceps would be tendinitis, or rotator cuff pain.... if you have neither you should be fine.

 

[Joliver]

Do less volume, more often.

 

[dragon1952]

Do less volume, more often.

So if I was currently doing 16 sets over 2 workouts every 7 days what would be an example. 4 sets EOD?