How To Step Up Training For Lagging Body Parts

If you’ve got a stubborn muscle group that refuses to grow, it’s almost never genetics.

Most of the time, you’re just not prioritizing it.

Lagging body parts aren’t fixed by “trying harder.”

They’re fixed by training smarter, and the smartest move is simple:

Train that muscle more often and train it when you’re freshest.

Here’s how to actually do it.

1. Hit It 2–3 Times Per Week

Muscle grows from stimulus and frequency is the easiest lever to pull.

If you only train a weak muscle once a week, you’re basically giving it one chance to grow…and then ignoring it for the next six days.

Bumping frequency to two or three timesper week gives you:

More high-quality sets
Better skill development
More opportunities to provide tension
Faster progress in both strength and mind-muscle connection

A lagging muscle thrives when it gets frequent reminders.

If your biceps are underdeveloped, hitting them once on back day isn't going to fix the problem. They need their own spotlight.

2. Put the Weak Body Part FIRST in Your Training Session

If a muscle is lagging, you can’t leave it at the end of your workout.

That’s where energy is lowest, intensity falls off, and you’re mentally checked out.

Training a weak muscle first instantly upgrades:

The weights you can use
The quality of each rep
The amount of tension you create
The focus and intent you bring

If a muscle isn’t where you want it to be, put it at the top of the list, not buried under your “main lifts.”

3. Use Biceps As The Perfect Example

Let’s be honest:

Most people train biceps when they’re already smoked from back day.

You’ve already done:

Rows
Pull-downs
RDL variations
Maybe even deadlifts

Your biceps are pre-fatigued before your first curl ever starts.

That means:

Less load
Worse contraction
More cheating
Less total stimulus
Compromised form

Then people wonder why their biceps aren’t growing.

If biceps are lagging, training them after back is basically guaranteeing failure. They’re an afterthought at that point. Not a priority.

Flip the script:

Put curls first in the session two or three days a week and watch what happens.

Fresh biceps perform differently:

Heavier weights
Higher quality contractions
Better pump
Actually hitting the muscle you want instead of your forearms and shoulders doing the work

It’s night and day.

4. Use A Mix Of Movements That Challenge the Muscle in Every Position

A lagging muscle needs to be hit with more intent, not just more exercises.

For biceps, use:

Lengthened work: incline curls, Bayesian curls
Mid-range work: dumbbell curls, EZ bar curls
Shortened work: preacher curls, cable high curls

Rotating through these across 2–3 sessions ensures you’re stimulating the entire muscle, not just repeating the same pattern every time.

5. Keep Volume Reasonable, Not Excessive

More frequency doesn’t mean go crazy with volume.

Target 10–14 high-quality sets per week split over 2–3 sessions.

You’ll be able to train harder, recover better, and avoid junk volume.

This is how you actually grow a lagging body part instead of just exhausting it.

6. Track Something You Can’t Lie About

Progressive overload matters even more for weak muscle groups.

Track:

Reps
Weight
Execution quality
Proximity to failure

Even micro-progress adds up fast when frequency is high.

The Bottom Line

If a muscle isn’t growing, it’s not cursed.

It’s just not a priority yet.

Fix that by:

Training it 2–3 times per week
Putting it first in the session
Using smart exercise selection
Keeping weekly volume appropriate
Tracking performance so you can’t hide from the truth

Weak muscles grow fast when you stop treating them like an afterthought.

Tommy's Take by Tommy Pomatico 11/24