Q: How did you get your arms like that? How much can you curl?
A: I do not do curls. I have not done them for 25 years. Curls are for girls! (On silly TV infomercials that is!) Real people know better. You may see bodybuilders or models on TV doing curls but that is only for show. It looks good on camera and is convenient to shoot, the same way you see in shape women posing with little chrome dumb bells. I use chin ups. It is safer and much more productive to work your small muscle groups like biceps along with your large muscles just as they function in real life. Biceps are small muscles, and you can easily strain their connecting tendons with even small amounts of weight, like a 65 pound barbell. Use your more powerful upper back muscles and learn to progress with chin ups or pull ups. Most people tend to shy away since it 's difficult. Anyone who tells you that it is not is trying to sell you something. If you want to get into "better" shape then you have to work at it. The systemic workload of lifting your own body-weight in a vertical chin-up, if it's a problem can be easily remedied with a few assistive methods, such as using jump chins or a special apparatus to "make you lighter".
Years ago I was "accused" of taking steroids. Since I had such a tough time adding just a pound to my six foot, 133 pound skinny skeleton, that comment came as a big compliment, since I had become almost 215 pounds and a size 54 jacket. Not bad for a lanky nerd with a bad lower back, poor genetics for strength training and an academic- not sports- background. My waist always remained about 33 during that 82 lb. gain. I never so much as drank coffee or took a Tylenol when I was "bulking up" ( I really thought I was building pure muscle!) The steroid accusation did sadden me however since it made me realize how some people assume that you cheated. Well... they told me that I could never build muscle without animal protein or supplements, so I proved them wrong. After my auto accident, the doctors said I may never walk properly, but I did. When I decided to eliminate animal products, many told me that I needed "protein" to survive. I survived. Then when I decided to take health up a major notch by eating 100% raw vegan, they warned me again. "They" became like a broken record- quite annoying! Now it's ten years later and I am still healthy on a raw vegan diet.
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