Triceps/Biceps

[goldenpath]

When lifting weights using your triceps and biceps, what type of weight combination should you be using:

1. Even weight for Triceps and Biceps.
2. Heavier for Triceps and Lighter for Biceps.
3. Heavier for Biceps and Lighter for Triceps.

I want my arms to be balanced but I am really not sure on the weight combination.

Thanks for your help.

Debbie

 

[mklap]

I don't know what you *should* use but I use lighter weights for triceps and heavier weights for biceps.

Missy

 

[crazystepr]

>I don't know what you *should* use but I use lighter weights
>for triceps and heavier weights for biceps.

Ditto.

For tricep kickbacks I use lighter weights than biceps but for overhead extensions, I can go pretty heavy. (Except I'm only using one dumbell for both triceps so that would probably still be lighter than the combo of the two dumbells I use for bicep curls...) Alright, I'm babbling......

Allison

http://www.picturetrail.com/allisonj90

 

[atiman]

For me, in an endurance workout the poundage would be lower and the poundage would almost be about equal.

For slower and heavier workouts.
I can heavy up on triceps (ex. 25lbs for overhead), but I can't do the same for biceps. I can only do a few 20lb dumbbell reps for biceps. 15lbs. would be my norm.

Then everything slightly change up in poundage if I use a barbell.

It's normal to have certain muscle group stronger than others. As long as you train them equally, then the weight combination shouldn't matter.

Namita

 

[kathryn]

Lift as heavy as you can for the exercise (the last 2 reps should be tough).

The triceps are a bigger muscle group, but I suspect that because of the different leverage, most people use lighter weights for triceps than for biceps.

 

[kimyenchu]

Kathryn,

> The triceps are a bigger muscle group, but I suspect that because of the different leverage, most people use lighter weights for triceps than for biceps.

That is news to me. I always thought my biceps and shoulders were smaller muscle groups compare to biceps because I always use lighter weights for these.

What do you mean by different leverage exactly?

Yen

 

[kathryn]

>What do you mean by different leverage exactly?

The way the joints move and the length of the lever (arm) makes a weight 'feel' lighter or heavier (which is why sometimes shorter people, who have shorter levers, can lift heavier than people with longer arms/levers).

The 'curling' motion seems easier to do (and therefore easier to use heavier weights with) than the 'extension' motion (I think because the 'curling' motion of a bicep move is a shortening motion, while the 'extension' motion of a triceps move is a lengthening motion.)

Perhaps 'leverage' isn't the right term, but then I'm not sure what is ;-).