You need to build strength by moving heavy weight for less reps befor any higher rep movements will make your arms grow.
Also rows, chins, COMPOUND MOVEMENTS, should be the staple of the workout and isolate if you need to.
Only do 9-12 sets total for biceps or triceps.
Any more is overkill when combined with your major muscle group work.
Do heavy deadlifts and high pulls. Seriously, heavy deadlifts plus some direct high rep training always adds to my arms.
Big Arms…
come from endless high rep sets of curls in the squat rack.
- Someone had to do it, I guess that would be me this time.
Now, my arms aren’t anything to write home about (14.5), but they did start out at 12in. and I have found that the best way to see results on them are to use the heavy compound lifts and standing barbell curls.
Big Arms…
come from endless high rep sets of curls in the squat rack.
- Someone had to do it, I guess that would be me this time.
Big Arms…
come from endless high rep sets of curls in the squat rack.
- Someone had to do it, I guess that would be me this time.
I’m also a big believer in big compound exercises and no need for isolation work. But a great finisher i found for triceps…
Stand facing a wall about two feet away with a medicine ball. Now do chest passes agianst the wall, almost like ‘rapid fire.’ At extension, the ball should go about an inch or so and hit the wall, catch the ball immediately after it hits the wall on its return, and repeat as fast as you can for a certain amount of time, usually about 20-30 seconds…
I’m a lacrosse player and like i said…dont feel there is a need for direct arm work, but this would fit in as a nice finisher for tri’s…
My tip for bigger arms? Squat and Eat! No you’re probably saying “what? is this guy crazy?” And the answer is yes, but there is some merit to what I’m saying. I remember reading in T-mag a long time ago (I think Chucky P said it) that in order to gain an inch on the arms, one had to gain around 10-15lbs overall. You’ve really got to eat to support overall mass gains. You can’t make the guns grow on a hypocaloric diet. Now onto squats…that was only a partial answer. What I mean is that you have to work on the big compound lifts. Squats, deadlifts, bench, rows, and dips should all be part of your training. Exercise selection should consist of picking the exercises that allow you to use the greatest load and that recruit the maximum number of motor units. Of course, there is no one way to train, and yes, even the lowly triceps kickback has its place. (Check out Ian King’s 12 week programs…usually week one.) But generally speaking, if ya want big guns, you gotta Eat Big and Lift Big!
Dips are the squat of the upper body. Your tri’s will grow as much as your chest if you do them with weight and good form.
I got huge gains when I supersetted DB hammer curls (5 reps) with bench (5x5). I think the principle behind it is reciprocal inhibition. Aside from that one exercise I did no other focused arm training and just used pull-ups and other pressing movements and I broke a year long plateau in arm girth.
I’m partial to reverse grip bench presses with a close grip. Definitely not easy on the wrists and definitely shouldn’t be done without a spotter, but once I started moving some serious weight in that exercise, my triceps really started to grow.
Squats, Deadlifts and basic compound movements will always be better than any isolation movement for making HUUUUUGE arms.
For your triceps, cycle heavy rack lockouts every few weeks or so in your training, they’ll grow like weeds.
I’ve found better progress in my upper arms as my lower arm grip strenth has improved. I keep an Ivanco gripper in the office and use it during phone calls.
compound lifts are best and shouldn’t be neglected, but I’ve found that having a day singled out for isolation of arms has made my arms grow huge!
boo
try preacher curls on a cable machine, it keeps a constant 45 degree angle of resistence on your arms at all times, much better then a regular preacher curl.
For me I train with the same guidelines as other bodyparts. Variety! Change reps, weight, load, tempo, order, exercises etc. You do not need to change all of these at once, but cycle so you might do 8-10 reps for 4 weeks and then 5-8 for 4 weeks then change the exercise etc.
Bench dips are worthless and painful.
Don’t be one of those guys who does bench dips and places plates onto his lap: just do dips on bars or rings!
i recommened the compound movements as well for arms. chins can be done with a variety of grips to train different parts in different ways. it also kills your forearms if you add extra weight, which is an added bonus, stronger grip!