No Holds Barred - Biceps Specialization?

CT

What would you recommend as the absolute fastest, quickest way to add pure size on my biceps without regard to anything else at all? No holds barred, nothing off limits, don’t care about strength, and have a limited time to try to make this happen?

You know I never really ask about anything arm related, being mostly a powerlifting and performance guy, so I am really hoping you will take time to answer this one :). I am doing some stage acting/ production stuff for film in the next 8 weeks or so, and I am happy with my power look other than biceps specifically. Basically, this becomes a “hollywood” thing, but I feel fine about the other power look muscles as they have received good attention and focus.

Yes I do know how to train them “normally” and have done so in the past (i.e. as part of a normal split), but recently I very rarely do serious work for them unless they are paining me with elbow inflammation. To be completely honest a) I honestly despise bicep training and b) I have had other priorities I feel have been more productive.

The only 1 single caveat I would have is that Wednesdays are my heavy DL and back thickness/row days and I would not want to be debilitatingly sore in my biceps for rowing work and pulls that one single day of the week haha.

How would you do it?

[quote]Aragorn wrote:
CT

What would you recommend as the absolute fastest, quickest way to add pure size on my biceps without regard to anything else at all? No holds barred, nothing off limits, don’t care about strength, and have a limited time to try to make this happen?

You know I never really ask about anything arm related, being mostly a powerlifting and performance guy, so I am really hoping you will take time to answer this one :). I am doing some stage acting/ production stuff for film in the next 8 weeks or so, and I am happy with my power look other than biceps specifically. Basically, this becomes a “hollywood” thing, but I feel fine about the other power look muscles as they have received good attention and focus.

Yes I do know how to train them “normally” and have done so in the past (i.e. as part of a normal split), but recently I very rarely do serious work for them unless they are paining me with elbow inflammation. To be completely honest a) I honestly despise bicep training and b) I have had other priorities I feel have been more productive.

The only 1 single caveat I would have is that Wednesdays are my heavy DL and back thickness/row days and I would not want to be debilitatingly sore in my biceps for rowing work and pulls that one single day of the week haha.

How would you do it?[/quote]

I would train biceps / triceps 4x a week.

Sunday: Biceps & Triceps heavy
Monday: Biceps & Triceps pump
Tuesday: OFF
Wednesday: Deadlift / heavy back / Heavy biceps
Thursday: Biceps crazy ass pump
Friday: Bench press / Delts / Chest / Heavy triceps
Saturday: Legs

DAY 1. Biceps & Triceps heavy

A1. Close-grip decline bench press x 4-6 reps
A2. Standing barbell curl x 4-6 reps
6 sets

B1. Triceps dips x 4-6 reps
B2. Hammer curl x 4-6 reps
6 sets

C1. Top half bench press from pins x 4-6 reps
C2. Reverse curl x 4-6 reps
6 sets

DAY 2. Biceps & Triceps pump

A1. Preacher curl high double contraction x 8-10
A2. Rope triceps extension low double contraction x 8-10
4 sets

B1. Preacher low double contraction x 8-10
B2. Rope triceps extension high double contraction x 8-10
4 sets

C1. Preacher curl 8-10 full reps + maximum top partials
C2. Rope triceps extension 8-10 full reps + maximum top partials
4 sets

D1. Preacher curl 8-10 full reps + maximum bottom partials
D2. Rope triceps extension 8-10 full reps + maximum bottom partials
4 sets

DAY 4 (deadlift and back)
Do 5-6 sets of 6-8 reps on a biceps exercise

DAY 5
GIANT SET
Reverse grip preacher curl x 8-10 reps
15 sec
Reverse grip standing curl (same weight max reps)
15 sec
Preacher curl x max reps (same weight)
15 sec
Standing curl x max reps (same weight)
30 sec
Preacher curl isometric hold at 90 deg x max time (same weight)
Rest 4 minutes between sets, do 6 sets

DAY 6 (bench, chest, delts day)
Do 5-6 sets of 6-8 reps of a triceps extension

“Biceps crazy ass pump” haha! I love it.

Thank you so much for your time and advice. I’ll put this into work right off. I’m curious as to why you picked only bench variations for heavy triceps (aside from dips) instead of including any military/push pressing. Obviously the benches work and I know that, just curious. Was the primary reason the extra weight you can handle on bench?

[quote]Aragorn wrote:
“Biceps crazy ass pump” haha! I love it.

Thank you so much for your time and advice. I’ll put this into work right off. I’m curious as to why you picked only bench variations for heavy triceps (aside from dips) instead of including any military/push pressing. Obviously the benches work and I know that, just curious. Was the primary reason the extra weight you can handle on bench?[/quote]

Mostly, yes. And being shoulder dominant I never got much triceps growth strictly from overhead work.

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:

[quote]Aragorn wrote:
“Biceps crazy ass pump” haha! I love it.

Thank you so much for your time and advice. I’ll put this into work right off. I’m curious as to why you picked only bench variations for heavy triceps (aside from dips) instead of including any military/push pressing. Obviously the benches work and I know that, just curious. Was the primary reason the extra weight you can handle on bench?[/quote]

Mostly, yes. And being shoulder dominant I never got much triceps growth strictly from overhead work.[/quote]

Sounds good. I’ve identified shoulder strength (as opposed to visually, although you can always be wider!) as a weak point so have been working towards fixing it recently, but I have no qualms about doing exactly what you’ve written out above. Many thanks.

I am going to steal this and use it later on. If I may horn in and ask, how long would you suggest that this training be followed before dialing it down a little? 4 to 6 weeks?

I would say 3-4 weeks like in a specialization phase. (But I could be wrong ;P)

[quote]OldOgre wrote:
I am going to steal this and use it later on. If I may horn in and ask, how long would you suggest that this training be followed before dialing it down a little? 4 to 6 weeks?[/quote]

Yes a spec program should be about 4 weeks long.

Looks great. If I can only work out 5x / week could I do Legs after arms on Sunday or Monday instead of on Saturday?