Category: 2009

 

Everyone I talk to wants bigger arms.  When designing an arm workout, you must consider a number of things like:

1. Arms are used in all upper body workouts (And some lower) so volume has to be low, especially if you train intensely.
2. Picking exercises that suit your body (when you perform them you feel it in the muscle and not your joints.)
3. They are small muscle groups, so you should use less sets than other muscle groups.
4. They need sufficient time to recover like other muscle groups.
5. Any muscle will eventually adapt to a certain way of training.
6. Exercises don’t necessarily need to be changed; other variables like number of reps, exercise techniques like rest pause, x’s, XTDers, drop sets, super sets and static holds can be enough to keep muscles guessing.

Here is my current arm workout 8 weeks out from the NZFBB Masterton show. I weigh approx 66 kg. I usually alternate arm workouts and complete after shoulders:

All exercises are super sets or rest pause/drop sets.

Workout 1

	P.O.F	Exercise	Weight	Sets	Rep range	New weight
1	(Midrange) SS 1	Weighted Dips	40kg	12, 6 = 18 + 15sstat hold*	11-15	42.5 kg
2	(Midrange) SS 1	DB Curls	20kg	10, 5+ 5 XTD**=15	11-15	20kg
3	(Contracted)	Cable kickbacks	2 x 2 plates	15, 6 + 6x’s =21	11-25	2 x 2 plates
4	(Contracted)	DB conc curl (seated)	11kg	11+ 5x’s*=11	11-25	11kg
5	(Stretch)	Kneeling overhead triceps extension	2 x 3 plates	12, 6=18	11-20	2 x 3 plates
6	(Stretch)	Cable Reverse curl	11p, 6p,3p	6, 6, 10*=22	11-20	11p,6p,4p

 Workout 2

	P.O.F	Exercise	Weight	Sets	Rep range
1	(Midrange) SS 1	Triceps pushdowns	2 x 7p	2	11-15
2	(Midrange) SS 1	Leaning DB curl/ drag curl	16kg/ x’s 30-40kg	2 + XTD	11-15
3	(Contracted)	Reverse cable kickbacks	2 x 2 plates	2	11-25
4	(Contracted)	DB concentration curl ( Db row position-arm hanging)	20-30kg XTD	2	11-25
5	(Stretch)	Cable 1 arm overhead tri-extension	3 plates	2	11-20
6	(Stretch)	Db incline curl	10kg	1  x’s	11-20

This has worked well for me this year. The idea is to hit the muscle with an exercise that works the belly of the muscle with maximum weight while using techniques to take the set beyond failure. Then get a maximum pump with slightly higher reps and a contracted exercise before using a stretch exercise to stretch out muscles and fascia. As a result my biceps have filled out more by the elbow and the long heads of my triceps look fuller also.  As you can see my arm workout is very brief; generally 6-7 sets for triceps and 5-6 for biceps (remembering arms are hit during other compound exercises for back, shoulders and chest- even during leg exercises like front squats).  I find anymore than this and my progress falls away.  If you haven’t had any progress for awhile give these workouts a try- you won’t know if it works for you unless you give it a go!!

*POF= positions of flexion an approach created by Steve Holman.

*X’s= when no more full reps can be completed perform partials in the stretch position of the exercise to fatigue muscle further.

This reminds me!-(On occasion I like to do DB/BB curl 21’s with 7 full reps first(mid-range), 7 top half partials(contracted) & then 7(or more) bottom half partials(stretch) as opposed the traditional way of bottom, top and full reps).

**XTDers= when curling I use a supinated grip, when I can no longer perform any more reps I rotate internally to a semi-supinated grip to further extend the set.

STATIC HOLD= after completing a normal set I hold weight in a static hold either in the contracted, mid range or stretch position (this depends on exercise).

 

My goal has always been to develop a classic physique.  However, trying to add muscle in the right places can be difficult and not everyone has the structure of a Frank Zane, Francis Benfatto or Flex Wheeler.  Here are some ways I try to attain a classic physique.

Keep in shape.

It is very hard to assess your body parts when you bulk up; the muscle bulk you think is there may be just body fat (it is amazing how some peoples’ body shape and proportions can change when they lose body fat).  It then makes sense to stay in shape so you can make adjustments based on what’s really there.

Prioritise certain parts of the body to create an x-frame.

 Larry Scott (the first Mr Olympia) often talked about pivot points or parts of the body that gave the wow factor to a bodybuilder to give them that classic look.   This has definitely influenced how I train.  Here are the body parts I emphasise in my training and the exercises I use to create a classic x-frame physique:

Side deltoids: Omni DB side rows, Leaning DB side raise, incline bench DB side raise.

Rear Deltoids: DB bent row, BB Behind the back shrug (emphasis on the rear deltoid) DB incline side raise.

Upper Pecs-Chest: BB Incline Bench, Omni Incline Db Bench, Bench press ups, Omni Db flyes.

Long head of the triceps: Seated 1-arm overhead triceps extension, kneeling triceps extension (Kneel facing away from weight stack with small triceps bar attachment, flex at hip (around 90 degrees so you can rest elbows on a bench to perform this version of overhead triceps extensions).

Latissimus dorsi (Lats or wings): Weighted chin ups (different grips), Db Row, Bent over row, Pullovers, Straight arm pull-down.

Lower Biceps & brachialis (between bicep & tricep): reverse curls, My XTD reps are in the semi-supinated position.

Forearms: BB off the end of the bench wrist curls. Standing cable wrist flexion.

Vastus medialis (teardrop-part of quad): Slightly raised heel Squat (to make sure emphasis is on the teardrop not glutes*), Front Squat, Leg press, Leg extension, sissy squats.

* be careful with this style of squatting- it could cause damage to the knee if done incorrectly.

 Hamstrings (Biceps Femoris): Leg curls, BB or DB Stiff legged deadlift, bent legged back extensions.

Calves: Leg press kicks, leg press raise, hack raise, seated calf raise

We all may not have the genetics to look like Frank Zane, however, with consistent effort we can slowly change our shape and proportion for the better if we assess our weaknesses and apply the appropriate exercises to accentuate the right muscle groups.

It is amazing how many people dream of achieving success without having any goals to achieve them.  For me dreams are really goals that need to be written down so that a plan can be devised to bring them to reality.   With bodybuilding and life I like to use the old acronym SMARTER as a way of helping me work through the goal setting process to achieve my dreams.

 

Your goals must be SPECIFIC.  For my bodybuilding goals I personally write down specific body weight, body measurements and structural improvements I aim to achieve and then devise a plan to reach those specific goals.  For 2008, one of my (many) goals was to improve my shoulder width by developing the side and rear aspects of the deltoids.  I researched and experimented with several ideas on how to do this and then went to work.

 

Your goals must be MEASURABLE.  A simple way to measure progress is to set small incremental increases in exercise intensity which you can do through several ways: lifting more weight, performing more reps or shortening rest periods.  My personal favourite is to set a rep range for a particular exercise and completing a total of, say 11-20 reps over 2 sets.  When I can perform more than 20 reps I add a small amount of weight and shoot for 20 reps again.

 

Your goals must be ACHIEVABLE & REALISTIC.  As a natural athlete you need to be realistic on what is possible.  I have always known that I have a relatively small bone structure with high muscle bellies in several areas.   I know I will never be competing in the Mr Olympia, but I can definitely make improvements to my physique with a dedicated approach to training, diet and supplementation.

 

Your goals must have a TIME-FRAME.  Having a set time or deadline is one of the best ways to motivate you to reach your goals.  There is nothing better than knowing in 4-5 months you are going to be up onstage in small posing trunks to motivate you to get into shape.  If that doesn’t work nothing will.

 

Your must be able to EVALUATE your goals and RESET them when necessary.  You can evaluate goals after each competition.  What worked well?  What do you need to work on?  Were you lean enough?  Why/ Why not?  I personally like to evaluate my training on a monthly basis.  This does several things for me; it keeps me motivated to keep pushing myself, it assures me that specific strategies I have put into place are working and it allows me to RESET goals if they are not.

 

SMARTER goals have allowed me to reach my dreams in bodybuilding and other areas of my life. If you apply these principles to your dreams/goals there is every chance you will too.