In particular, my biceps (shoulders, too).

Ever since I started working out, I can't progress to curling 60 lbs no matter what I do. By curling, I mean both arms simultaneously, not individual arms (sorry, I don't know the terminology :))

I do:

12 reps of 30 lbs
10 reps of 40 lbs
8 reps of 50 lbs
and 6 reps of 60 lbs

When I reduce the weight on all sets by 5, I can do them without any problems, but it seems that when I add the 5 on, I can't do the final 6 reps of 60. I'm fine on all the other sets until my 4th rep of the last set. Can't do 5, can't do 6.

I was at 30/40/50/60 for 2 weeks, then dropped to 25/35/45/55 for 3 weeks, and now I'm back up to 30/40/50/60 with basically the same results I had when I started.

I usually just do the machines or the free weights for biceps. I don't normally do each arm by itself, so would that be part of the problem?

For shoulders, I use the machines: lateral raises (where you take the two handles and raise your arms up from your waist to shoulder level), military press (lifting the bar straight up), and delts (?) where you pull the handles back toward you in a rowing motion.

My daily diet is 2000-2200 cals (I'm 215 lbs) 40 p/40 c/20 f with mainly chicken breasts, salmon, oatmeal, tuna, whole wheat breads, peanuts, and plain deli lunch meat. I admit, I'm trying to cut, not bulk, but I find it odd that in all my time of working out, progressing, and gaining muscle everywhere else, I can NOT progress in biceps/shoulders. Are these generally harder muscles to build than the others?

What would you guys recommend doing to progress beyond this?

The shoulders and biceps are very small muscles. Most of the time, you need to use increments smaller than 5#s.

50
52.5
55
57.5
60

This can be accomplished with the help of Plate Mates, which are small weights you can buy for a moderate price on the internet.

Alternatively, you can try training using different exercises or doing your rep ranges a different way.

Try other methods (3x8-10 for example) or work 30, 40, 50, 55. By going from 30-40-50-60 to 25-35-45-55, you are dropping 20#s of work. Isolation work can also help.

Why are the 10 lbs steps so important? Why don't you do 30/40/50/55 for a while, and ease into 60? You could also try doing more sets to failure. If I understand you correctly, all the sets are okay, even when you start at 30, but the last one fails. If you try to bring more sets closer to failure you will probably benefit from it.

The only advice I can give you for shoulders is to do free weights instead of machines. This way you'll work the supporting muscles more, and will probably grow stronger.

zerotime,
You can't expect to always get stronger as you cut. It's possible, but mostly if you're a newbie, with newbie growth/gains. As long as you go to failure on that last set, you should be overloading the muscle enough to stimulate growth. My recommendation would be to not worry so much about the numbers and concentrate on overloading the muscles as you cut.

zerotime,
You can't expect to always get stronger as you cut. It's possible, but mostly if you're a newbie, with newbie growth/gains. As long as you go to failure on that last set, you should be overloading the muscle enough to stimulate growth. My recommendation would be to not worry so much about the numbers and concentrate on overloading the muscles as you cut.

Exactly right!

If you are anything like me, it takes a while to go up in weight. When I first started I was only doing 95lbs on bench press for 6 reps. :o It has been 3 months since then and has gone up. As for biceps and other muscle groups, I add 5 lbs every 2-4 weeks. Mostly leans towards 4 weeks... Just stick with it and you will get stronger!

My suggestion is two-fold:

1. Use smaller increments for moving up weight.
2. Change up the exercises. Try doing chin-ups, bent-over rows with an underhand grip, hammer curls, zottman curls, reverse curls, etc.

Other suggestions:

3. Change you rep scheme, set scheme, or weight scheme.
4. Make sure you log everything because 1 more rep per week is still an improvement.
5. Change up your tempo.
6. Take a week off and let your arms rest.

You'll get there, it just takes time, patience, dedication, and hardwork.

Some may disagree with me on this, but when I workout unless im warming up I do every set to failure, now you may already be doing this but it appears that your not since your increments are so structured, try upping the weight on the early reps, and not worry about finishing so much. Do everyone to failure, thats what I do and I always make gains, however since I rarely do the exact same exercise twice I tend not to concern myself with comparing one days weight lifted with another, when I do my workouts there are often variations on how many reps/sets/weights I do but whenever I max out or just in general I can tell that I am making gains

Also you may need to change exercises ( I find that works well also)

Everybody has an area of the body that is difficult to build.
I am sure everyone on this board can mention a trouble muscle group. My traps increase with out ever working them, but my calves never seem to want to cooperate. :d_mad:

Genetics is a factor along with diet, rest, routine, and technique.

I am no expert, but If I want to gain strength this is what works for me.

3 sets of 10 reps. Hammer curls (enough weight so that the last three reps in each set are a struggle) Remember it is the last one or two reps that count.
Three sets 10 reps. preacher curls. (weight as above)
Three sets of 10 reps. dumbbell curls one arm at a time (weight as above)

And that is it. Any more and I over train. Technique is realy important Technique is a whole other issue.

When I hit a plateau I will also do things like 6 sets of 6 reps at a higher weight. (enough weight so that the last two reps of each set are a struggle)

Swolecat is a good one for lifting advice.

Ever do partials when curling? That might get you going.

Heres a thought...

Why up the weights at all ? Why not pick a weight that you can do however many reps you want to do and do three reps of that. Eg

3 sets of 6 reps @ whatever weight makes you fail at 6 reps.

(With proper warmup first obviously).

As long as you are switching it up every 6-8 weeks, and training with high intensity...I would be willing to bet its not your training.

As some people said before, the reason you are not progressing is because of your diet.

My advice if you want to gain strength...Eat more! :eat:

As long as you are switching it up every 6-8 weeks, and training with high intensity...I would be willing to bet its not your training.

As some people said before, the reason you are not progressing is because of your diet.

My advice if you want to gain strength...Eat more! :eat:

Another question to ask is how are your gains in other areas? If your diet is really off, you should be struggling across the board.

If your diet is on track, you are not overtraining, and you are getting enough rest, then I woluld focus on your routine.

Make sure you aren't doing reps too fast or in bad form. Could be contributing.

A good way to shock your arms "for me anyways and alot of guys in my gym aswell" do 21's.

By this and I'm sure some of you know what I'm talking about..

Take a 25 lb dumbbell in each arm... Alternate curls --

7 reps do full range of motion
7 reps do half rang of motion, only bringing it up halfway
7 reps do full rang of motion

All in one sitting.

Do this 3 sets and superset everyother bicept day with hammer curls... You'll see some great strength increase and size to boot.

Balt.

All of the advise that everyone has given is right. Switching exercises, smaller weight increments, maybe even fewer reps/sets. Your forearms are another part of curling and strength gain in your bi's. If you forearms aren't strong enough, your gains will be a lot slower.
I never use machines for bi's or shoulder work and see major gains in the arms and shoulders. (Probably my best features) I work them once a week on the same day. Dumbells for everything, except at the end of my workout, using the smaller staight bar, I put on (1) 10# weight and (2) 5 # weights on and curl until failure. Strip a plate off every time. By the last set, I can barely curl the bar by itself for more than 10 reps.
That's just what works for me. In 3 months, my arms have gone from 14-1/2 to 15-1/2" and I'm cutting.

Ditto ya gotta eat. I made my best strength gains starting my third week of a bulk cycle, I added 10 lbs on bodyweight. Carbs Carbs Carbs can't be cutting and expect to gain strength. Try a 4 week bulk cycle then start cutting again after you gain the strength and see what happens.