well he is really tall...he's like 6'7"

one of the best...

Arm placement:

So, is arm placement a factor in how the biceps are worked? For example with triceps, overhead extensions work the muscles differently than say, a Tate Press.

I think most understand supinating versus a hammer curl, but that's not what I'm asking. I guess I'm asking more elbow placement versus shoulder for lack of a better description.

Is it just a function of weight? But, I've seen vids where they go elbows high-to-face from the beginning.

I see a couple different variations. Dorian Yates seems to keep his elbows high and curls to his nose:

(forward to 5:00)




Vic keeps his elbows by his side (forward to 4:10)



Andreas Frey (elbows at side, low bar -- but last rep(s) goes higher)


That Frey vid also leads into high cable curls


More high cable curls:




versus low (concentration) curls

Arnold:

Steely, the tricep thing (overhead/incline compared to torso vs. elbows at the side as in dips/pushdowns) is because the long head of the tris has another function not shared by the medial and lateral head (shoulder adduction).
Doing a pullover+extension with retracted shoulder blades and elbows not flared to the max will actively train that function of the long head as well as the elbow extension function of all three heads. I'd stop with upper arms at an incline rather than perpendicular to the floor on those, btw.

One of the bicep heads also crosses the shoulder joint and helps with raising the arm (not when it's internally rotated too much though), as in a supinated or semi-supinated front raise etc. That tendon at the shoulder joint is what many people injure when pressing with rounded shoulders...

So incline curls put that head in a stretch, also raising the elbows during curls will help train the raise-the-arm function of that head of the bis together with the elbow flexion function.

Then there's yet another one for the bis:
Supinating the wrist. Offset-grip DB curls going from hammer or reverse position (that last one would be zottman's I think?) and supinating the wrist as you curl up trains that function of the bis...

I'm no anatomy buff mind you, I might have gotten something wrong or forgotten something there on accident.

FWIW, with biceps I think you just have to find what feels best to you... Doesn't hurt the forearms, wrists, shoulders, elbows... I can't, for example, do those elbows flared (to some degree) EZ curls many pros do... I have to keep mine more tucked.

can someone point out the difference between a hammer curl and a pinwheel curl for me? is it just that hammers should be at the sides, up and down, vs. pinwheels come across the body somewhat?

There's a comic called Judgement on Gotham in which Batman is tied up by Judge Dredd and manages to escape by curling his arms so the ropes snap. So don't tell me big gunz ain't functional :p

awesome, thanks

Johnny Jackson: