The Ultimate Arms Workout: 4 Weeks With 8 Gain Exercises
When I used to train at Gibson's Gym in Manchester, Connecticut, one of the slogans on the back of the gym T-shirts read, "It doesn't matter what kind of car you drive. What matters is the size of the arms hanging out of the window."
Big arms not only symbolize masculinity, but they're also the most visible body part you have. So it's no surprise that big arms seem to be what every guy, and even many women, want.
Regardless of where you're starting from, this 6-week program will heap a noticeable amount of size onto your arms. Some of you can expect to put on an inch or more on your arms by the end.
This 6-week program is a progression that ramps up the training frequency (how often you train arms each week) starting at once per week in week one; twice per week in week two; and three times per week in weeks three through five. Then you back way off in the final week, number six, to just once per week again.
Trust me, there's a method to this madness.
Week one is designed to annihilate your biceps and triceps. You'll pull out all the stops, using negative rep training to really destroy every single muscle fiber you can in your arms.
You'll need a good week to recover from this onslaught. The next week pops your guns with lighter weight and higher reps. Volume will be low in these workouts, by design. You'll still be recovering from the previous week.
These workouts will help you to better recover from the previous week and will get you ready for the crazy three weeks that are to come.
In weeks three, four, and five, you will be hitting arms three times per week. If you think that sounds like overtraining, you're precisely right. But overtraining does not happen immediately. It takes several weeks to actually become overtrained. The technical term for training that can lead to overtraining is called overreaching.
And what's interesting about overreaching is that research shows that if your diet is adequate in calories, protein and carbs, as well as the right supplements, then you can actually capitalize on overreaching and turn it into a way to grow bigger and stronger.
Several studies from the university of Connecticut have shown that when subjects overreach for several weeks, during the two weeks following, they grow significantly bigger and stronger while taking it easy. The key is to stop the overreaching just before it turns into overtraining.
That's why you'll be training arms three times per week in weeks three through five and then switch it up to just once per week in week six. I also suggest that the week after week six you take it fairly easy on your arms and train them just once that week before getting back into any serious training programs.
You only do this once a week as well. As tempting as it may be, do not do this more than once a week for four weeks.
Barbell Curls
Hold a barbell with an underhand grip with your hands shoulder-width apart. Keeping your chest up, core braced and elbows tucked in to your sides, curl the bar up to your chest, squeezing your biceps as you go. Lower it back to the start.
Slowly begin to bring the bar back to starting position as your breathe in.
Repeat.
You will do four sets:
-The first one for 10 reps.
-Second set for 8 reps.
-Third for 6 reps.
-Drop a set where you go to failure.
-Lower the weight on the bar, go to failure again and then lower the weight on the bar and go to failure one more time.
Dumbbell biceps curl
Hold dumbbells by your sides with straight arms, palms facing forwards. Keeping your chest up, core braced and elbows tucked in to your sides, curl the weights up, squeezing your biceps as you go, then lower them back to the start.
You will do four sets:
-The first one for 10 reps per arm.
-Second set for 8 reps per arm.
-Third for 6 reps per arm.
-Drop set where you go to failure, lower the weight, go to failure again, and then lower the weight and go to failure one more time.
Chin-up
Hold a chin-up bar using an underhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart. Brace your core, then pull yourself up until your chin is higher than the bar, keeping your elbows tucked in to your body. Lower until your arms are straight again.
Sets 8 Reps 8 Tempo 2011 Rest 60sec
Close-Grip Bench Press
- Lie back on a flat bench. Using a close grip (around shoulder width), lift the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked.
- As you breathe in, come down slowly until you feel the bar on your middle chest.
- After a second pause, bring the bar back to the starting position as you breathe out and push the bar using your triceps muscles. Lock your arms in the contracted position, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly again.
- Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
- When you are done, place the bar back in the rack.
You will do four sets:
-The first one for 10 reps.
-The second set for 8 reps.
-Third for 6 reps.
-Then a drop set where you go to failure.
-Lower the weight on the bar, go to failure again and then lower the weight on the bar and go to failure one more time.
Dumbbell triceps extension
Stand tall holding a dumbbell in each hand over your head, with arms straight. Keeping your chest up, core braced and elbows pointing up, lower the weights behind your head, then raise them back to the start.
You will do four sets:
-The first one for 10 reps,
-The second set for 8 reps,
-The third for 6 reps,
-Then a drop set where you go to failure, lower the weight on the bar, go to failure again and then lower the weight on the bar and go to failure one more time.
Triceps dip
Grip rings or parallel bars with your arms straight. Keeping your chest up, bend your elbows to lower your body as far as your shoulders allow. Press back up powerfully to return to the start.
You will do four sets:
-The first one for 10 reps.
-The second set for 8 reps.
-The third for 6 reps.
-Drop set where you go to failure, lower the weight on the bar, go to failure again and then lower the weight on the bar and go to failure one more time.
Diamond press-up
Start in a press-up position but with your thumbs and index fingers touching to form a diamond. Keeping your hips up and core braced, bend your elbows to lower your chest towards the floor. Push down through your hands to return to the start.
Sets 4 Reps 12-15 Tempo 2010 Rest 45sec
Triceps Push-down
- Attach a straight or angled bar to a high pulley and grab with an overhand grip (palms facing down) at shoulder width.
- Standing upright with the torso straight and a very small inclination forward, bring the upper arms close to your body and perpendicular to the floor. The forearms should be pointing up towards the pulley as they hold the bar.
-Using the triceps, bring the bar down until it touches the front of your thighs and the arms are fully extended perpendicular to the floor. The upper arms should always remain stationary next to your torso and only the forearms should move. Exhale as you perform this movement.
- After a second hold at the contracted position, bring the bar slowly up to the starting point. Breathe in as you perform this step.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions
- For this exercise you will do two sets of 20 reps with one minute of rest in between.
Big arms not only symbolize masculinity, but they're also the most visible body part you have. So it's no surprise that big arms seem to be what every guy, and even many women, want.
Regardless of where you're starting from, this 6-week program will heap a noticeable amount of size onto your arms. Some of you can expect to put on an inch or more on your arms by the end.
This 6-week program is a progression that ramps up the training frequency (how often you train arms each week) starting at once per week in week one; twice per week in week two; and three times per week in weeks three through five. Then you back way off in the final week, number six, to just once per week again.
Trust me, there's a method to this madness.
Week one is designed to annihilate your biceps and triceps. You'll pull out all the stops, using negative rep training to really destroy every single muscle fiber you can in your arms.
You'll need a good week to recover from this onslaught. The next week pops your guns with lighter weight and higher reps. Volume will be low in these workouts, by design. You'll still be recovering from the previous week.
These workouts will help you to better recover from the previous week and will get you ready for the crazy three weeks that are to come.
In weeks three, four, and five, you will be hitting arms three times per week. If you think that sounds like overtraining, you're precisely right. But overtraining does not happen immediately. It takes several weeks to actually become overtrained. The technical term for training that can lead to overtraining is called overreaching.
And what's interesting about overreaching is that research shows that if your diet is adequate in calories, protein and carbs, as well as the right supplements, then you can actually capitalize on overreaching and turn it into a way to grow bigger and stronger.
Several studies from the university of Connecticut have shown that when subjects overreach for several weeks, during the two weeks following, they grow significantly bigger and stronger while taking it easy. The key is to stop the overreaching just before it turns into overtraining.
That's why you'll be training arms three times per week in weeks three through five and then switch it up to just once per week in week six. I also suggest that the week after week six you take it fairly easy on your arms and train them just once that week before getting back into any serious training programs.
You only do this once a week as well. As tempting as it may be, do not do this more than once a week for four weeks.
Barbell Curls
Hold a barbell with an underhand grip with your hands shoulder-width apart. Keeping your chest up, core braced and elbows tucked in to your sides, curl the bar up to your chest, squeezing your biceps as you go. Lower it back to the start.
Slowly begin to bring the bar back to starting position as your breathe in.
Repeat.
You will do four sets:
-The first one for 10 reps.
-Second set for 8 reps.
-Third for 6 reps.
-Drop a set where you go to failure.
-Lower the weight on the bar, go to failure again and then lower the weight on the bar and go to failure one more time.
Dumbbell biceps curl
Hold dumbbells by your sides with straight arms, palms facing forwards. Keeping your chest up, core braced and elbows tucked in to your sides, curl the weights up, squeezing your biceps as you go, then lower them back to the start.
You will do four sets:
-The first one for 10 reps per arm.
-Second set for 8 reps per arm.
-Third for 6 reps per arm.
-Drop set where you go to failure, lower the weight, go to failure again, and then lower the weight and go to failure one more time.
Chin-up
Hold a chin-up bar using an underhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart. Brace your core, then pull yourself up until your chin is higher than the bar, keeping your elbows tucked in to your body. Lower until your arms are straight again.
Sets 8 Reps 8 Tempo 2011 Rest 60sec
Close-Grip Bench Press
- Lie back on a flat bench. Using a close grip (around shoulder width), lift the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked.
- As you breathe in, come down slowly until you feel the bar on your middle chest.
- After a second pause, bring the bar back to the starting position as you breathe out and push the bar using your triceps muscles. Lock your arms in the contracted position, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly again.
- Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
- When you are done, place the bar back in the rack.
You will do four sets:
-The first one for 10 reps.
-The second set for 8 reps.
-Third for 6 reps.
-Then a drop set where you go to failure.
-Lower the weight on the bar, go to failure again and then lower the weight on the bar and go to failure one more time.
Dumbbell triceps extension
Stand tall holding a dumbbell in each hand over your head, with arms straight. Keeping your chest up, core braced and elbows pointing up, lower the weights behind your head, then raise them back to the start.
You will do four sets:
-The first one for 10 reps,
-The second set for 8 reps,
-The third for 6 reps,
-Then a drop set where you go to failure, lower the weight on the bar, go to failure again and then lower the weight on the bar and go to failure one more time.
Triceps dip
Grip rings or parallel bars with your arms straight. Keeping your chest up, bend your elbows to lower your body as far as your shoulders allow. Press back up powerfully to return to the start.
You will do four sets:
-The first one for 10 reps.
-The second set for 8 reps.
-The third for 6 reps.
-Drop set where you go to failure, lower the weight on the bar, go to failure again and then lower the weight on the bar and go to failure one more time.
Diamond press-up
Start in a press-up position but with your thumbs and index fingers touching to form a diamond. Keeping your hips up and core braced, bend your elbows to lower your chest towards the floor. Push down through your hands to return to the start.
Sets 4 Reps 12-15 Tempo 2010 Rest 45sec
Triceps Push-down
- Attach a straight or angled bar to a high pulley and grab with an overhand grip (palms facing down) at shoulder width.
- Standing upright with the torso straight and a very small inclination forward, bring the upper arms close to your body and perpendicular to the floor. The forearms should be pointing up towards the pulley as they hold the bar.
-Using the triceps, bring the bar down until it touches the front of your thighs and the arms are fully extended perpendicular to the floor. The upper arms should always remain stationary next to your torso and only the forearms should move. Exhale as you perform this movement.
- After a second hold at the contracted position, bring the bar slowly up to the starting point. Breathe in as you perform this step.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions
- For this exercise you will do two sets of 20 reps with one minute of rest in between.
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