Exercises and arm training for girls in the gym. The best exercises for arm muscles Arm training for weight program for men

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One of the main goals of young people new to the gym is to pump up their arms and chest. It is these two areas of our body that, when properly developed, are associated with aesthetics, beauty and strength. The topic has already been covered on the blog, we even talked about how to train and (separate complexes), and today we will put everything together into a single training process. Arm training for mass is a whole dedicated day that you will devote to building strong and strong arms.

Information on building a training process for arm muscles

Features of hand training

Why is it worth setting aside a whole day to train your arms? “Our hands are not for boredom,” one song says. It just so happens that the hands are occupied in almost all exercises, including working out (for example,). The load they have to bear is sometimes colossal. And at the end of such a workout, you are going to purposefully work on your arm muscles.

But after a series of heavy approaches, the arm muscles are significantly tired. You simply won’t be able to give them enough stress to make them grow; you will underperform. It is the allocation of an entire training day for working out the arms that is the best alternative in this matter. And the muscles are fresh and there is no need to rush anywhere, the only drawback is that you will have to set aside a separate day for such training.

The secret to arm growth is no different from the growth of other muscles. The formula is simple:

You apply stress that the body has not previously experienced and allow the muscles to fully recover so that they become a little stronger and a little bigger.

We’ll talk about how to apply stress a little lower, but I’d like to say a few words about it. Do you know why many people’s arm muscles don’t grow? They simply do not have time to recover. The hands are busy in many movements and are additionally tired with special training. The only way out here can be through choosing the optimal training regimen for yourself:

• Long pauses between training one muscle group, separate days of training for large muscles. Separately the back, separately the arms, separately the chest. As a result, the cycle of working out the whole body can last 10-15 days. Suitable for higher level athletes with at least 1.5-2 years of experience.
• Train all pulling or pushing muscles in one day. Together with your back you will train your biceps, with your chest triceps.
• Training on the principle of antagonistic muscles. The triceps will go with the back, the biceps with the chest.

The advice is very conditional and gives only a general understanding of how to combine different muscle groups. The fact is that each person will have their own recovery time, so you will have to choose the required duration of rest and the optimal layout of muscle groups, based on your own characteristics.

Training priorities

There is a remark: the lower a person’s level of fitness, the more concerned he is with the issue of arm training. Your workouts should be balanced and include working all muscle groups. Have you ever seen a man with thin arms and a powerful chest and back? I didn’t see it either!

A natural athlete should devote a little time to arm training and use it as usefully as possible, i.e. focus on basic movements and heavy weights, isolation should be very small, i.e. priorities:

1. Lifting the barbell for biceps instead of concentrated lifting dumbbells on the bench.
2. Close-grip presses instead of cable extensions, etc.

When working with basic exercises, you lift weights that you would never be able to handle in isolated movements. Heavy weight is the stress that you need; doing light arm extensions on a block or dumbbell curls for biceps will not build powerful arms!!!

A few words about the forearms. The brachioradialis muscle is responsible for the mass of the forearms. It makes no sense to train it specifically for beginners.

You won't grow small muscles until big muscles grow!

Think about this sentence and then you will understand how futile it is to try to pump up your biceps by lifting dumbbells. , and will give you mass and strength, because huge layers of muscles are involved. Instead of the total weight of the body, the arms will also increase in volume - they will tighten up, because our body is harmonious!

Thus, training the forearms makes sense for experienced athletes with existing muscle volume. The main exercises can be lifting the barbell for the biceps with a reverse grip, all kinds of pronation and supination, as well as squeezing the expander.

Secrets of hand training success

Well, now about the most delicious thing. How to build an effective arm workout. What should you pay attention to?

• Exercise technique. Must be at the forefront of the training. Learn the mechanics of movement to perfection over 3-4 workouts with light weights, slowly approaching the work (basic exercises help).
• Know how to feel the working muscles and turn off the auxiliary ones. In all arm exercises, there is a temptation to help yourself with body strength or inertia. Perform flexion or extension only in the working joints with a fixed body position, feeling that the work is being done by the muscle that you are training.
• Don't put too much stress on your hands. It is not advisable to do 10 approaches to biceps - it will not grow, it will most likely think about how not to die - growth will stop, a plateau state is guaranteed for you (when there is no growth or progress on the scales).
• Ignoring load progression. It was said above that the muscles of the arms are the same muscles of our body and they grow according to the same principles as the rest. I am sending you to study the article about.

What techniques to train your hands

You should be familiar with concepts such as drop sets, forced reps, negatives, etc. These lovely things will simply destroy your arm muscles, and you will have to forget about training them for at least a week and a half to two weeks until they are completely restored (with the exception of all exercises that involve your arms during this period). The strategy is so-so, although it works.

Well, now to something that is closer to reality. Super series is when you perform two exercises, one after the other without stopping. In training arms for mass, we will slightly modify this principle. We will perform one biceps exercise, do a standard rest pause, then do a triceps exercise, pause again and return to the biceps.

Why will this work:

• You increase the rest time for one muscle group. This is a prerequisite for better recovery and the ability to do more work (more stress).
• Biceps-triceps are antagonist muscles. By training your triceps, you actively restore your biceps, and vice versa. Blood flow in the biceps improves, recovery occurs better and faster. The muscles don't cool down.

How to work

The rotation of work may vary. For example, a set for biceps, a rest pause, a set for triceps, etc. Or so, the first exercise is for biceps, the first exercise is for triceps, the second exercise is for biceps, the second exercise is for triceps.

There is no 100% valid scheme in bodybuilding. You will have to choose the best option for yourself experimentally. There is also no specific answer as to where to start working with biceps or triceps. Usually beginners start with the biceps and continue with the triceps, but this should not be an axiom. You may find that working your triceps first is a good warm-up for your biceps, so watch your body's response.

Arm training program for mass

Always start your workout with basic movements. For biceps this is “conditional”.

Hand program It is important to correctly include them in the training split so that by the time they train, they have recovered and reached the point of supercompensation. At the same time, the training itself should be optimal in terms of volume and quality of exercises. The optimality is to, on the one hand, load exactly the target muscle group, at the desired pace and range of motion, but at the same time progress. But we have already talked enough about this in previous part articles. Now let's look at the features of biceps and triceps training, and also repeat the key points of the exercise technique. Since we are talking about antagonist muscles, it goes without saying that the recommendations are different.

Biceps workout

The most effective exercises are the basic ones, so they should form the basis of your arm program. At the same time, you already know that the biceps heads should be pumped separately, since the length of the heads is different, and accordingly, the length of the amplitude in which one or another head can take on the load is also different. The external fascicle of the biceps must be trained in a short amplitude, and the internal fascicle in a long amplitude, therefore, to train the internal fascicle, the elbows should be brought forward, and to train the internal fascicle, on the contrary, placed behind the back. But all exercises with a barbell and dumbbells will be only conditionally basic, and a truly basic exercise for biceps is reverse grip pull-ups.

During the biceps pull-up, all the rules for training the biceps muscle are characteristic! That is, the shoulders are in a fixed position, and flexion occurs only at the elbow joint. If you also include your shoulders, the load will shift to the front deltoids and latissimus dorsi muscles. To target the biceps, you can use barbell curls, manipulating the position of your elbows to target the target biceps. But in this way you will train only one function of the biceps muscle, so you should definitely include exercises with dumbbells in the arm program so that you can supinate the hand and thereby pump up the biceps even when turning the hand.

The speed at which you perform exercises when training your biceps depends on which muscle fibers you train. During pump training, the speed should be slow, you should perform about 12 repetitions per set in 50-60 seconds. During strength training, when you train fast muscle fibers, 10 repetitions should take 30 seconds. Thus, in both cases you will lift the barbell in 1 second, that is, the speed in the positive phase of the exercise does not change, but with the speed in the negative phase you should experiment. During pumping workouts, the negative phase should take 3-4 seconds, during strength training it should take about 2 seconds.

The volume of training for biceps cannot be too large, since the muscle is small and if you overtrain it, it will begin to burn. A burning sensation in the muscles indicates the production of lactic acid. Lactic acid breaks down into hydrogen ions and lactate. Hydrogen ions are needed, we talked about this in detail in the article about muscle hyperplasia , but lactate is harmful, it inhibits the process of protein synthesis, in fact, we also already talked about this in the article about muscle soreness .

Conclusion: The volume of training depends on the fitness of the athlete, on how much volume he can endure until the muscles begin to “acidify.” If you feel a burning sensation in your muscles and they hurt the next day, then this means that you have overtrained. The volume of training should be reduced! Most likely, you should select a range of approaches in the region of 12-16. You can perform 3 sets of pull-ups, 3-4 sets of barbell curls for the internal beam, 3-4 for the external one, and finish it all off with dumbbell hammer curls or supination curls.

When you perform supination, the dumbbell should not be taken in the middle of the handle, but closer to the upper edge of the dumbbell, which is located near the thumb. This must be done in order to shift the load to the target muscle group. The dumbbell is balanced on both sides, but if the athlete increases the lever, then he shifts the center of gravity and complicates his life. Accordingly, the more complex the load, the greater the need to adapt to it. It's hard to learn, but it's easy to fight!

So, the arm program involves two biceps workouts: one for slow muscle fibers, the second for fast muscle fibers. The biceps performs two functions: bending the arm at the elbow and turning the palms up, that is, supinating the hand. Accordingly, it is necessary to train the biceps by bending the elbow joint and turning the wrist, since two always give better results than one! You can train your biceps relatively often, but the training must be adequate and you cannot overwork your biceps. The speed at which you perform the exercises depends on which muscle fibers you are training, but the movements should always be controlled. The shoulder girdle is fixed, and movement occurs only at the elbow joint.

The program for the arms, of course, also includes training the triceps, and the triceps should be given even more attention than the biceps, since the triceps occupy 2/3 of the volume of the arm. There are some peculiarities in training the triceps muscle of the arm. Firstly, flexion and extension should occur in the same way in the elbow joint as during biceps training, because if the athlete uses the shoulder, the anterior delta and pectoralis major muscles will turn on, as a result of which the triceps will not receive enough load. The range of motion during triceps exercises is also partial. The athlete should fully extend their elbows at the top, or almost fully if using heavy weights, to avoid injury to the elbows. But when lowering the barbell down, for example, during close-grip presses, the athlete should not place his elbows behind his back, that is, the barbell does not touch the chest, because if the elbow is behind the line of the body, the load will be transferred to the latissimus dorsi muscles.

The speed of the exercise is faster than during a biceps workout, but the barbell should always be controlled. The negative phase should take 2-3 seconds, the positive phase 1-2, so that the muscle is under load for the optimal time. Exercises, of course, should be preferred to basic ones, but the emphasis should always be on the internal triceps bundle, so spreading your elbows to the sides is not allowed. Your arm training program must include exercises such as the California press and the standing French press; these are two irreplaceable exercises. In addition to these two exercises, we recommend you the reverse grip press and cable extensions.

The volume of a triceps workout may be greater than the volume of a biceps workout, but if we are talking about an arm program, it is better to train both muscles equally. The point is that resources are not infinite, and if you train one muscle more, then more resources will be spent on it, and accordingly, the second muscle will not receive enough of them. But, of course, if you feel that the triceps are noticeably underworked, then you should add an extra set of 1-2 exercises. That is, you perform 4 sets for biceps and 5 for triceps. The optimal number of approaches is again 12-16, but you can do 20. However, it all depends on the fitness of the athlete. We remind you once again that this training program is not for beginners, it is for those who have already built muscle mass, but have noticed that their arms are lagging behind.

As for the frequency of training, it coincides with the frequency of biceps training, while the program for the arms in this case also involves training both fast and slow muscle fibers. It is better not to use dumbbells when gaining muscle mass when training triceps, since exercises with a barbell and your own weight are much more effective. At the same time, too complex basic exercises, such as dips, will not be suitable in this case, because if you are wondering how to train your arms, then most likely they are lagging behind you. This is why it is so important to choose the optimal balance between arm isolation and the ability to progress the load. For progression, it is necessary to use basic exercises, and for isolation, formative ones, which is why we recommended the above-mentioned presses and extensions. And exercises such as dips, when your arms are lagging, will simply load stronger muscle groups.

Hand program

Monday – arms: training on a BMW
Superset:
Reverse grip pull-ups – 4 sets of maximum reps

Riddle: what is the first thing people notice about your physique? What is the first thing that tells the world whether you are strong or a complete weakling? If you're still guessing, here's the answer: it's your hands. Let's face it. The size and shape of your hands are visible under all but the bulkiest winter coats. Small arms cannot be seen from a kilometer away, but large, muscular arm muscles are what separates men from boys.

• The truth about skinny arms
• Arm training program
• Fake arm workout
• Anatomy of hands
• Biceps workout
• Triceps muscle training
• Curve force
• The best exercises for hands
• Nutrition for building muscle mass
• 12 week arm workout
• Training principles

The painful truth about hands

• Flabby arms make you look fat and shapeless
• Skinny arms make you look like a total wimp.
• Only big, muscular arms make you strong

Don't believe me?

Go outside on a warm day. Find someone in short sleeves. Do you notice their belly or neck? Hardly. In fact, you probably noticed their hands first and foremost, and in a split second, appreciated their strength, health, athleticism. What you are about to learn in this cutting-edge arm training program will change the very way you train your arms once and for all, and will equip you with the knowledge to finally develop the strongest arms your genetics will allow. This guide provides information that will not only tell you what to do, but why you are doing it. Knowing what's going on under the skin takes your training to a whole new level. As mentioned above, your arms are a very noticeable part of your body and are usually the first thing someone will look at to judge how strong and muscular you are. Let's face it, most guys want three things in life - impressive bench press strength, well-defined abs and big arms. Unfortunately, you can’t solve all three problems today, but you can take care of your skinny arms.

Chances are you've heard someone ask or asked someone yourself:

“Show me your muscles?”

What's the first thing someone usually does when asked this question?

They don't strip and flex their pecs like bodybuilders, no. They flex their biceps, raise their arms, and get into a classic stance. The desire for guys to want big, impressive arms is understandable, but height can be a real sticking point for some people in this area. Maybe you're just starting out with weight training for the first time and want to start with arm development. Or maybe you've been working out for some time and have built an overall muscular physique, but your arms are lagging in growth. Or maybe you just want to fill a gap in your sleeve and look good in a T-shirt.

No matter what your reason for wanting bigger arms, the information in this guide and workout program will give you jaw-dropping tips for getting bigger arms. This is the biggest, baddest (in a good way) arm workout in the history of mankind... it is one of the most effective programs that causes muscle growth.

Why is this arm training program so effective?

There are many poorly designed and ineffective hand development programs that played a role in the motivation to write this article and training program. Some of the arm building programs you've seen will force you to train only your arms for a certain number of weeks, completely neglecting all other muscle groups. This is a terrible way to structure any workout. Not only will this lead to an unbalanced physique (arm muscles becoming disproportionately larger than other muscle groups), but you will also miss out on the synergistic effect that training larger muscle groups has on arm development. For example, all upper body pressing exercises such as the chest press and shoulder press work the triceps. All upper body pulling exercises such as deadlifts and pull-ups target the back muscles and engage the biceps. Performing compound exercises that target large muscle groups in your targeted arm workout is highly beneficial for development.

There is no point eliminating other muscle groups when starting an arm-focused training program, as training other large muscle groups will also activate and stimulate arm muscle growth. Training your back, chest and shoulders will indirectly help develop arm muscles and strength. Also, your shoulders are part of your arms, so it's important to include this muscle group as part of your overall arm development program.

Beware of Fake Arm Training Programs

Another thing to consider with arm training programs is the ridiculous size gains claims they can make. Not only are some of these claims untrue, but they actually charge you for the information, usually in the form of some kind of downloadable digital document. Statements such as “add 5 centimeters to your arms within 7 days.” These things piss everyone off because they are scammers. There is no way anyone on this Earth could add 2 inches of muscle tissue to their arms in a week, period! Of course, you can temporarily increase your hand size by an inch or two per week. But that extra size is not pure muscle, it is inflammation and fluid retention. There are people who add 2 centimeters to their arms in one 30-minute workout from creating a huge pump.

A muscle “pump” is caused by plasma trapped inside the muscle. Repeated and intense muscle contractions increase blood flow in the muscles, which causes plasma to move from the capillaries into the interstitial spaces in the muscle cells, creating the appearance of a large muscle. Bodybuilders typically perform exercises to “puff up” their muscles before appearing on stage, to make their muscles appear larger and fuller. But this is just a temporary “fake” size. Within a few hours the blood drains, the pump effect goes away and the muscle returns to its normal size. This arm workout is definitely not your typical muscle-building program. It is designed to achieve maximum muscle growth. Of course, you may experience a big pump effect from this training regimen, but that's just a side effect. The information, exercises, and workout structure in this guide will give you the tools you need to build real muscular arms, not some temporary “pump.”

Anatomy of the hand

Before we get into the actual training program and training variables, we'll look at the functional anatomy of the major muscles of the arm. This will help you know what's going on behind the scenes and understand exactly what muscles you'll be working to grow.

Biceps

The biceps is the muscle on the front (facial) part of the upper arm. I hope this isn't a shocking surprise to anyone. On the front of your arm are the three main muscles that you are most interested in.

Biceps brachii

The biceps has two heads: a long one, which is located on the outer part of the arm, and a short one, which is located on the inner part of the arm. The main function of the biceps is to flex the elbow and rotate (supinate) the forearm. Many people do not realize that when rotating the wrist from palm down (pronation) to palm up (supination), the biceps brachii muscle controls this movement. Try it yourself, with your right upper arm perpendicular to the floor, raise your forearm with your palm facing down. Squeeze your right bicep with your left hand. Now rotate your right hand to raise your palm upward. You can feel the biceps working even with this small twisting motion.

Brachialis muscle

It's also important to know that the biceps don't work alone. There are two more supporting muscles. The first is called the brachialis, which is located under the biceps and acts as a second biceps. It does not participate in pronation or supination. The main role of this muscle is to help flex the elbow joint. The brachialis muscle has great potential for growth, but is often underdeveloped. Targeting this muscle with some specific techniques is a surefire way to add extra size to your arms.

Brachioradialis muscle

Another muscle that is briefly mentioned above is the brachioradialis, which is actually more of a forearm muscle but plays a supporting role in biceps movements and makes up a good portion of the thickness of the arms. Usually people train the upper arm and completely neglect this muscle. But if you really want impressive arms, then you must train this muscle in harmony with your upper arm. Large muscular biceps and thin weak forearms will look less impressive. This means that it would look like a well-toned upper body standing on skinny legs. It would be very inappropriate.

Biceps muscle training

To build biceps, the workout includes exercises for both flexion and supination. By manipulating the position of the shoulder, you can increase the involvement of the long or short head of the biceps. Biceps exercises performed with your elbow at midsection will better work the long head of the biceps. The dumbbell curl, performed on an incline bench, is a good example of an exercise that puts more stress on the long head of the biceps. Biceps exercises where the elbow is in front of the midline of the body better train the short head of the biceps. Scott curls are a good example of an exercise that places a little more stress on the short head of the biceps muscle.

The workout includes effective exercises to develop the supporting muscles of the biceps (brachialis and brachioradialis). All the best exercises for developing arms will also be discussed in detail later. But first, let's take a look at the anatomy and function of the triceps.

Triceps

If you want bigger arms, then you need to give your triceps the same attention and exercise as your biceps. When it comes to arm muscles, most people pay a lot of attention to training their biceps and neglect their triceps. Building bigger arms is more than just training your biceps. If you really want to have sleeve-ripping arms, then you need to do more than just biceps curls, because the triceps make up about 75% of the entire arm. The triceps brachii is a muscle made up of three heads (hence the name triceps) and is located at the back of the upper arm. All three heads of the triceps brachii muscle converge and insert into the elbow.

Side head

Located on the outside of the arm and is the most visible part of the triceps. This part of the triceps muscle originates in the upper humerus and attaches to the elbow.

Medial head

Located close to the elbow and is the smallest part of the triceps

Long head

Located on the inside/back of the arm and connects to the shoulder blade. This part of the triceps muscle is slightly different from the lateral and medial capitis because it connects to the scapula bone at the back and elbow. The triceps work as a whole with the primary function of extending the elbow joint (erector arm).

Triceps muscle training

As mentioned above, the triceps consists of three heads. All three heads work together when performing any triceps exercise. It is impossible to reduce one head without involving others. However, with certain exercises and training techniques, we can apply more tension to the selected triceps head. For example, placing your arms overhead isolates the long head of the triceps. When performing overhead triceps exercises such as dumbbell presses or cable rows, you stretch and isolate the long head of the triceps. This arm workout program includes a variety of exercises structured to target all of the major arm muscles for maximum development.

Force curve

This training program is structured so that you train the muscle optimally at different points on the strength curve. This means that you will develop strength through a full range of motion. Most people start maxing out their strength in the middle of the range. For example, in barbell curls, the point at which the bar reaches the middle of the movement is where the muscle is placed under the most stress and tension. Therefore, the muscle will develop more force in the middle of the range of motion. When the barbell rests at the top of the thigh in the biceps starting position, there is no tension on the biceps. As you lift the barbell upward, the tension increases and peaks in the middle of the movement and then decreases at the top. If you have always simply trained your biceps with exercises that maximize tension in the middle of the range of motion, then you will become strong at this point of the strength curve, but weak at the beginning and end of the muscle's range of motion. Adding an exercise such as low cable curls will create maximum tension at the bottom of the range where dumbbell and barbell curls will not. You can create greater overall muscle stimulation by applying force at all points of the force curve. Receiving a strong load at the beginning, middle and end of a muscle's range of motion will result in better development of that muscle.

The most effective exercises for arms

In this section we will look at the best exercises for growing arms.

Selected muscle building exercises are based on the physiological response caused by a specific movement. Although science has classified resistance training exercises in many ways, one of the most reliable and comprehensive classifications involves the use of EMG - Electromyography. EMG is a technique that records and evaluates the electrical activity produced in specific muscle groups. Any movement produces electrical activity, and EMG allows researchers to determine which exercises produce the most activity. Knowing this, an objective measurement can be obtained.

In serious strength training, Dr. Tudor Bompa, Professor Emeritus of York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, obtained results from applying EMG to various muscle groups and found that some exercises created more muscle-building stimulation than others. Your arm workout will start with big exercises. This will ensure that your muscles are fresh and ready to move a lot of weight. Starting with large, heavy exercises such as barbell curls or close-grip bench presses will allow you to overload your muscles with weight in order to create a lot of tension within the muscles. The heavy lifts are accompanied by specific isolation exercises that really focus on different areas of the arms to maximize development.

Descriptions of biceps exercises

Exercise 1: EZ Bar or Barbell Curls

Barbell curls should be the main exercise in your biceps training program. This is a good isolation exercise that works the biceps brachii, brachialis, and to a lesser extent the forearms. This exercise can be performed using an EZ bar or barbell. It is recommended to use an EZ bar if you see one available at the gym because it is light on the wrists and elbow joints and comfortable to use. Remember to keep your upper arm still to minimize any involvement of the shoulder muscles. Keep your top arm straight and don't swing the bar. Concentrate on contracting your biceps and move only your elbow joints.

Exercise 2: Dumbbell Curls

Chances are, the first time you started weight training, you picked up the right dumbbells and did a few curls. This is a very popular and excellent isolation exercise that works the biceps, as well as the brachialis and brachioradialis muscles to some extent. The great thing about dumbbell curls is the ability to rotate your wrist as you lift the weight up. Remember that the biceps not only create flexion (bending the arm at the elbow), but also supination (rotation of the forearm). As you lift the weight up, twist your wrist as much as possible clockwise at the top of the movement. Squeeze your biceps tightly and then slowly release the weight for 3-4 seconds under controlled tension. Dumbbell curls take the biceps through their natural range of motion (flexion, pause, and supination) and allow you to twist, squeeze, and fully contract the biceps at the top of the movement.

Most people will do dumbbell curls by alternating each arm after each rep, which is fine. But it is better to prefer to train one arm at a time. For example, do 8 reps using your right arm, then switch and do 8 reps using your left arm. This is the best way to train your biceps because you get a better muscle-brain connection. You will be able to fully focus on one muscle at a time. The biceps are also under constant tension because you are not allowing them to rest like you would when alternating arms after each rep.

Exercise 3: Incline Dumbbell Curls

Performing incline dumbbell curls brings your elbows behind your body. Since your elbows are behind your torso during this exercise, it will dramatically change how you engage your biceps, giving a better stretch to the biceps and more emphasis on the long head. Set up an incline bench so that your arms extend behind your torso in the starting position. If you set the incline too low, you can strain your biceps and create unnecessary friction in your tendons.

Exercise 4: Scott Bench Curl

Remember how most people show their biceps when asked to show off their muscles? Well, this exercise helps develop the inner short head of the biceps, the muscle most visible when you show off your anterior biceps. Because your arms are in front of your torso during this exercise, the tension on the long head of the biceps is reduced slightly, putting more stress on the short head. This is one of the best isolation exercises for working the biceps, with a heavy emphasis on the short head of the biceps and brachialis muscles. This is a very serious movement that allows you to focus on a muscle with a strong contraction. It is impossible to use other muscles and “cheat” with this exercise because your hands are fixed on the support platform. EMG testing has shown that this is one of the best stimulating exercises for the biceps.

Exercise 5: Hammers (dumbbells or cable machine)

This is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the brachialis, brachioradialis, and to a lesser extent the biceps. It can be performed using dumbbells or a cable trainer. This exercise is performed using a neutral grip (thumbs facing up), which places the brachialis muscle in a straighter line of pull, increasing muscle recruitment and development.

Exercise 6: Reverse Curls

This is an isolation exercise that targets the radialis brachialis, and to a lesser extent the biceps. Performing curls with a reverse grip (palms facing down) with an EZ bar or barbell covers the biceps attachment point. This means that the biceps lose mechanical advantage, transferring a strong line to the shoulder of the radialis muscle. When flexing with a pronating grip, the radialis muscle does most of the work. Because the radialis minor does most of the work, you don't need to use a lot of weight in this exercise.

Exercise 7: Cable Pull Down

Remember how it was said above that there is no tension at the bottom of the biceps curl when using a dumbbell? Well, this exercise is a great way to create a lot of tension in the lower biceps curl. This is an ideal addition to a biceps workout as it puts the biceps in a lengthened position and builds strength at the lower end of the range. Perform the exercise one arm at a time, using the handle mount on a low cable (you need to stand with your back to the machine).

Descriptions of triceps exercises

Exercise 1: Close Grip Bench Press

This is a large compound exercise that gives you the ability to move a lot of weight, putting a lot of tension on your triceps. It works all heads of the triceps, but works best on the medial and lateral heads. When most people think of the bench press they think of chest training. It's true that the bench press is primarily a chest exercise, but you also get a lot of stretch on the elbow, which works the triceps. And with some changes in arm position, you can force the triceps to do most of the work. This is a great exercise for gaining muscle mass for the triceps muscles.

People make the mistake of keeping their hands too close to the bar when doing this exercise. This can cause a lot of tension in the wrists at the bottom of the movement. You need to hold the barbell shoulder-width apart with your arms perpendicular to the floor. Another common mistake when performing this exercise is that people tend to pull their elbows out to the side. Don't do this - keep your elbows close to your body throughout the entire movement.

Exercise 2: Bars

Bars are another great compound exercise that works all three heads of the triceps muscles at once. It has been called the "upper body squat" but you must take great care to perform this exercise with perfect form. It can cause stress and pain in the shoulder joint in some people. If you find this exercise very uncomfortable or painful in the shoulder area, stop immediately. Some people don't do well with parallel bars, even if their shape is good enough. If this exercise is not for you, then replace it with a close-grip bench press.

Exercise 3: Lying Triceps Flyes

Lying triceps flyes are a very popular triceps isolation exercise. Some people find this exercise quite uncomfortable and sometimes cause pain in their elbows. To make this exercise as comfortable as possible for your elbows and overall, use an EZ bar. If your gym doesn't have an EZ bar or you still feel uncomfortable, use dumbbells with a neutral grip (palms facing each other). There are several exercise variations. Some lower the bar to the chin, others to the head. But the second name of the exercise, “skull crusher,” suggests that it is usually performed by lowering the weight to the forehead.

Exercise 4: French Press

This is a very effective isolation exercise for the triceps. Because this exercise is performed with the arms overhead, it provides a greater stretch and better activation of the long head of the triceps. This exercise can be performed using dumbbells or a cable machine.

Exercise 5: Triceps Cable Row

A great exercise using a cable in a machine engages all three heads of the triceps and engages the lateral heads of the triceps more than using a barbell.

Exercise 6: Standing Arm Extension

This is an absolute must-have exercise for maximizing triceps development. It places a lot of stress through the full range of motion and MRI studies have shown that the greatest emphasis is placed on the lateral and long heads of the triceps and moderate on the medial head. EMG testing has shown this to be one of the best triceps stimulating exercises.

Exercise 7: Reverse Grip Arm Extension

This is an isolation exercise that primarily works the medial and lateral heads of the triceps muscle.

Important Workout Components

Knowing which exercises are best for building big, muscular arms is good, but there are some important training components that are necessary to make any muscle-building program successful. In order for this program to work, you must understand and apply these components to your training.

Ascent rate

The term "tempo" is used to define the rate at which the weight is lifted and released during a repetition. This is usually expressed as a combination of four numbers:

1. This is the starting position of the movement
2. This is the concentric part of the movement (lifting)
3. This is the final position of the movement
4. This is the eccentric part of the movement (lowering)

One biceps curl rep would look like 0/2/1/3:

• 0 seconds in starting position
• 2 seconds to lift the weight (concentric)
• 1 second for pause at the end
• 3 seconds to lower the weight to the starting position (eccentric)

... and then repeat.

Why is repetition rate so important?

To truly maximize growth from each rep, science tells us that performing a fast, explosive concentric contraction will be optimal. During muscle contraction, motor units and muscle fibers are recruited to the force generated by the muscle. The more motor units and muscle fibers activated during a repetition, the greater the muscle growth response. So, when you lift the weight, it should be quick, with a strong contraction, and last between 1 and 2 seconds.

What about lowering the weight?

A lot of people make the mistake of letting gravity do all the work. This significantly reduces the time that the muscle is under tension and will lead to a decrease in the rate of mass growth. The muscles must be under constant tension while lifting and lowering the weight to increase the time under tension. Below are examples of how lifting speed affects time under tension:

Example 1: You do 8 reps of barbell curls. It takes you 2 seconds to lift the bar, then you slowly lower the weight under tension for 3 seconds. Muscles are in a tense state for about 40 seconds per approach.

Example 2: You do 8 reps of barbell curls without controlling the weight as you lower. It takes you 2 seconds to lift the barbell. Then you relax your muscles and let gravity do most of the work in losing weight. The muscle is under tension for about 16 seconds in one set.

Do you see how important it is to lose weight in a controlled manner?

Research shows that negatives have a greater impact on muscle hypertrophy than concentric training, and there is evidence that maximum growth is not achieved unless eccentric muscle actions are performed - Brad Schoenfeld

Research tells us that the eccentric (lowering) part of each repetition causes muscle growth and is just as important as the concentric (lifting) part. But you must lower the weight in a controlled movement, keeping the target muscle under tension. It will take you 3 – 4 seconds to return the weight to the starting position. Some people are very conscious about the tempo of the lift, counting every second of every part of the rep. This is stupid and completely unnecessary. You don't have to obsess over every second - trying to make sure every part of the climb hits right at the prescribed tempo of the climb. You don't have to count the rising tempo in your head as you perform each rep. It's just a distraction. All you need to do is keep two things in mind:

1. Fast, explosive rise (1 – 2 seconds)
2. Slow, controlled descent (3 – 4 seconds)

Number of repetitions per set

Scientific studies have classified repeats into 3 main ranges:

• 1 – 5 mostly strength/muscle growth
• 6 – 12 mostly muscle growth/strength
• 15+ mostly muscular endurance

As you can see from the list above, a moderate number of repetitions in the range of 6 – 12 is optimal for muscle growth. Now the most important thing is the weight you use. Simply picking up any light weight and counting out 10 reps will not produce growth. Muscles don't react to numbers, they react to tension. You should choose a weight that pushes you to failure (the point at which you cannot perform another repetition). Approximately between 6 – 12 repetitions. This ensures that the muscle you are training receives enough tension and time under tension to increase growth. In an arm training program, it is best to narrow the range to 8 repetitions per set. It may take several “rehearsal sets” to find the appropriate weight so that you reach failure around the 8th rep. If you can easily do more than 10 reps during a set, then the weight is too light. Increase the weight a little on your next set. If you struggle to reach 8 reps during a set, then the weight is too heavy. Lighten the weight a little on your next set.

Rest and recovery

The whole point of a training program is to increase the level of protein synthesis of a specific muscle group. Protein synthesis is the method by which muscle is built. In this program, you focus on maximizing arm growth, which means increasing protein synthesis in those muscles as often as possible. Right now, your muscles are performing a balancing act known as protein turnover. Protein turnover is the balance between protein synthesis and protein breakdown. More synthesis than destruction is indicated by the anabolic position that builds muscle tissue. More nervous breakdown than synthesis means a catabolic state that burns muscle tissue. Balance of muscle protein synthesis and degradation:

• Synthesis = degradation = stable muscle mass (no change)
• Synthesis > degradation = muscle hypertrophy (growth)
• Synthesis< деградация = атрофия мышц (сокращение)

There are a number of different stimuli that affect protein turnover, but the two that are most interesting to you are exercise and nutrition. So what does all this have to do with rest and recovery?

After intense training, our muscles go through a period when protein synthesis levels increase. Depending on the intensity and volume of training, post-workout protein synthesis levels increase within 24 to 72 hours. This means that the process of protein synthesis to build muscle tissue takes time and requires rest. This is why training programs include rest days and muscle groups have a set number of rest days between workouts. The time between training for the same muscle group is a rest period. Your main focus during this period should be to give sufficient rest to your trained muscles and provide them with nutrients. After training, the level of protein synthesis only increases, provided that there is a sufficient amount of amino acids from protein products. If you don't give your body enough protein during rest and recovery, you won't see muscle gains from your workout. Which brings me to my next point... nutrition for bulking!

A few words about nutrition

An arm weight training program will lead you nowhere without a solid nutrition plan. It is physiologically impossible to build muscle tissue without sufficient nutrients. In order to build any amount of muscle you have to eat! You should eat more calories every day than you burn. This condition is usually called calorie excess. And this is a necessary requirement for muscle growth. The very first thing you need to do is figure out how many calories you need to consume in order to gain weight. There are many different calculations and formulas for counting calories. Poor nutrition is the number one reason why people fail to gain significant amounts of muscle. Going to the gym is the easy part. Sticking to your diet from the moment you wake up until you go to bed is where people have problems. Don't limit your results by being inconsistent with your nutrition.

What have you learned:

• Anatomy and biomechanics of the main muscles of the arms.
• The best exercises for building muscles and developing arms.
• The optimal lifting rate for muscle growth.
• Optimal rep range for muscle growth.
• Why rest and recovery are important for success.

Now it's time to take this information and start a 12-week arm workout. In the next section, you'll get your new workout program, which is designed to not only maximize arm growth, but also build muscle throughout your entire body.

12 week workout program

You're excited to hit the gym and get started with this arm workout program. But before you do that, you need to understand how this program was developed and why it is so effective. Over the next 12 weeks, you will rotate between two different workout routines. Each workout has been intelligently designed to stimulate as much growth as possible in your arm muscles. Real muscles... not some temporary “pump” that most other muscle building programs provide.

The workout is a modified version of the classic bench press, deadlift, and leg split. A push/pull/legs split is a workout schedule that divides the body into 3 groups: upper body pushers, upper body pullers, and legs. Each group then trains separately on their own training day.

• Push Day – Train all upper body muscle groups involved in pushing exercises. (Chest, shoulders and triceps)
• Deadlift Day – Train all upper body muscle groups involved in deadlifting exercises. (Back and biceps)
• Leg day - train the whole body. (Quads, hamstrings and calves)

The Push/Push/Legs workout is a highly effective mass-gaining program. The main addition to this program is Hand Day. Including this arm day, you will have two arm workouts per week. Small muscle groups such as the biceps and triceps recover faster than larger muscle groups, so smaller muscle groups can be worked at a higher training frequency. By training your arm muscles twice a week, you will receive more growth stimulation training over the next 12 weeks. This program includes large compound exercises for large muscle groups. Many other arm development programs will severely neglect other muscle groups in the body. As mentioned earlier, large compound exercises for large muscle groups such as the chest, shoulders and back also stimulate arm growth. By incorporating these exercises, you can really overload your arms with heavy weights while training large muscle groups.

Here is how the training program is structured for 1 week:

You will train your biceps on the first day (arm day), then again 4 days later when you train all the “pulling” muscle groups. The triceps will also be trained on day 1 and then again 3 days later as you train all the "pushing" muscle groups.

Arms / Legs / Presses / Rows:

Monday: Hands
Tuesday: Legs
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: Presses
Friday: Deadlifts
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Rest

This structure is designed so that you train 4 days a week on a fixed schedule. So you work the same days every week, resting and recovering on the weekends. If you prefer to train on the weekends, simply move your training days around so they look like this:

Weekend training:

Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: Hands
Thursday: Legs
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Presses
Sunday: Deadlifts

Your weekly workouts for 12 weeks will look like this:

Week 1: Workout 1
Week 2: Workout 2
Week 3: Workout 1
Week 4: Workout 2
Week 5: Workout 1
Week 6: Workout 2

The two rotating workouts were created to take all of the most effective arm training exercises, thoroughly work them from different angles, and stimulate muscle fibers across all points of the strength curve. Nothing potentially important for growth was left unattended. Another benefit of varying workouts is that it allows you to hit each muscle group at maximum intensity. For example, the workout in week 1 starts with the biceps and then works the triceps. When switching from 2 workouts to 2 weeks, you'll start by training your triceps and then your biceps. This makes it possible to train each muscle group at maximum intensity when you are fresh and full of energy. If you were to always start with a biceps workout, your intensity may drop a bit when you move on to the triceps. This means that your triceps will always be getting a workout when your energy levels start to drop. Constantly rotating between workouts 1 and 2 each week eliminates this potential problem and gives you one day each week where you can actually focus on each muscle group at maximum intensity.

Training principles

Note: Do not use the program all year round. This is a slightly unbalanced program with an emphasis on maximizing arm growth. This means that other muscle groups such as the chest, back, shoulders and legs will be trained less frequently. Therefore, the growth of these muscles will be less than that of the arms. The program is designed to be completed over a period of 12 weeks (or up to 16 weeks).

Warm-up

Each muscle requires a sequence of warm-up sets. This will activate and prepare the muscles and central nervous system for heavy work sets. A few warm-up sets can go a long way toward improving performance and reducing the risk of injury. Some of the main benefits of a series of warm-up sets are:

• Increased synovial fluid in joints.
• Increased body temperature.
• Nervous awakening of the central nervous system.
• Opening of capillaries in muscles.
• Metabolic attitude towards heavy loads.

Warm up before working each muscle group. You don't need to do this before every exercise, just once before you start training a specific muscle group. For example, if you start with Workout 1 on Day 1, then your first work exercise is barbell curls. It is necessary to perform the following series of warm-up approaches:

1. Warm-up Set 1: (barbell curls) 12 reps with empty bar
2. Warm-up Set 2: (barbell curls) 8 reps using light weights
3. Warm-up Set 3: (barbell curls) 5 reps with moderate weight
4. Warm-up Set 4: (Barbell Curls) 1 rep using weight

Each set gets heavier as you add more weight, gradually increasing the weight with each set, with the final set at your working weight. Now you're ready to start training your biceps with your first working set of barbell curls. Now every set is a work set that must be performed with maximum focus and intensity.

Rest between sets

Don't be obsessed with long rest times between sets. Rest 1 to 2 minutes between sets for small muscle groups (biceps, triceps, shoulders) and up to 3 minutes for larger compound exercises such as squats or deadlifts.

Exercise technique

It is important that you know how to perform each exercise correctly to maximize target muscle growth and reduce the risk of injury. If you are not sure how to perform any exercise, then take some time to watch the instructional video and become more familiar with the exercise.

Workout 1

Arms (biceps, triceps)

Presses (chest, shoulders, triceps)

Rows (back, biceps)

Workout 2

Arms (biceps, triceps)

Legs (quadriceps, thighs, calves)

Presses (chest, shoulders, triceps)

Rows (back, biceps)

Answers to frequently asked questions

How should I follow this program?

This arm training program consists of two workouts (1 and 2) that you should alternate week after week. The first week you will do workout 1, and the second you will switch to workout 2, then again, and so on for twelve weeks. Here's how you'll see alternating between workouts 1 and 2 each week:

Week 1: Workout 1
Week 2: Workout 2
Week 3: Workout 1
Week 4: Workout 2
Week 5: Workout 1
Week 6: Workout 2
...and so on for 12 weeks.

For example, Workout 1 would train your arms on Monday, your legs on Tuesday, and rest on Wednesday. Follow the program as shown above. Let's summarize what you need to do. In the first week you'll start with workout 1, then switch to workout 2, then workout 1 in the third week, then workout 2 in the fourth week. You need to continue by alternating workouts 1 and 2 every week for 12 weeks.

What is the logic behind this curriculum?

The program is designed to recruit and stimulate as many muscle fibers as possible in your arm muscles over 12 weeks. Each exercise is research-proven for muscle growth, and the program is structured to maximize muscle tension across all points of the strength curve.

When is the best time to use this program?

This training program is the ideal solution for those who want to accelerate muscle growth in their arms. It is ideal for both beginners and experienced athletes.

Beginning:

You can use this program if you are a complete newbie to weight training and want to start increasing the height of your arms. Maybe you just have really skinny arms and want to fill a gap in your T-shirt sleeve, or maybe you just want big guns to show off.

This is an ideal program if you've been training for a while but find that your arms are a stubborn muscle group that doesn't grow in proportion to other muscle groups. Follow this program for 12 weeks and then return to your standard routine.

Remember, this is a slightly unbalanced program that is designed to increase arm muscle growth faster than other muscle groups. You should use this program for 12 weeks, then move on to a more balanced program for 6 to 12 weeks before using it again.

Should you train to failure on every set?

The term “refusal” is thrown around lightly and is not well understood by most people. There are 2 types of failure in the bodybuilding world:

• the point in a set where you can no longer perform another full positive rep without assistance and with good form.
• the point at which you scream, spit, rip your pants, rupture blood vessels in your eyes (I've seen this happen) and the form breaks to the point where every muscle in the body is used to shift the weight.

It would be impossible to complete every set if you trained to true failure as described in point two, you would burn yourself out before the workout even started...and need a change of pants. You should be working with a weight that is 75 – 80% of your 1RM (repetition maximum). This means that the weight that causes you to reach failure is around 8-10 reps. Your last two or three reps should be very difficult and require a lot of effort. But you should be able to maintain good form until your last rep, when you can no longer lift the weight to complete the next rep.

What does rep range mean?

Approximately 8 – 10 repetitions are prescribed for each set for maximum muscle hypertrophy (muscle growth). If you reach the point of muscle failure on the 6th rep, is that still considered a working set? Yes, absolutely, but reduce the weight slightly on the next set so that you are able to perform a couple of extra reps. If you go beyond 10 reps and reach muscle failure on the 13th rep, is that considered a working set? Yes, this will also still count as a working set for building muscle, but increase the weight slightly on the next set so that you feel failure in the prescribed 8-10 rep range.

If you're a beginner, it will take a little trial and adjustment to find your working weight. Most experienced lifters know how much weight they can bench press or lift for 10 reps. Remember that the working weight will change over time as you get stronger. You should always push as hard as you can in order to increase your lifting weight in small increments over time. When 10 reps of a certain weight feel very light, it's time to increase the weight so that those 10 reps always feel heavy.

Should you exercise a muscle if it is still sore from a previous workout?

Muscle pain that occurs after exercise is called sore throat, and it feels as if the muscles are bruised. The pain usually lingers, usually 24 to 72 hours (can be up to 7 days for beginners); it also takes longer to subside than short-term muscle pain. Think about how your legs will feel a day or two after doing a lot of heavy squats and climbing stairs. This is an example of sore throat. This type of delayed-onset soreness, depending on its severity and duration, has the adverse effect of inhibiting muscle activity until it subsides to a tolerable level. Some muscle soreness is great for lifting weights. If it's very painful, you may need to tone it down a bit (fewer sets, lighter weight) or take a day off altogether. Beginners are very prone to sore throat. But your muscles will adapt to the stress of training and the soreness will become less frequent over time. Muscle soreness is not an indicator or necessity for muscle growth. You will adapt to the training and the soreness should subside. If you experience any persistent pain around your joints, stop all exercise and consult a doctor. The most common places where people develop injuries are the tendons around the elbows and shoulders, so be wary of any pain developing around these areas. The main reasons why people develop tendon or joint pain is poor exercise form. Therefore, it is very important to learn how to perform each exercise in perfect form.

MustDo you exercise with cardio equipment?

This is a muscle building program. This is not an endurance or fat loss program. Cardiovascular exercise is not required as part of this program. However, everyone should add some kind of cardio exercise to their workout routine. At least one day a week to improve your health. Regular cardio exercise keeps your heart healthy. Choose one of your rest days (not after leg day) to do some cardio exercise for cardiovascular health.

Why are there no abdominal exercises in the program?

Most of the exercises in the program will help build a strong core, so there is no real need to do any isolation exercises on the abdominal muscles. This is an arm focused program that also provides a good level of stimulation to all other muscle groups in the body. If you want to include abdominal exercises in the program, that's fine, you can add them to your leg day. But if you have more than 10% body fat, you won't be able to see your abs, and ab workouts won't burn belly fat. This is a muscle building program that focuses on your arms. Developing 6 well-defined abs requires a completely different training and nutrition program.

The arms are the most visible part of the body, and large, pumped arms give a masculine appearance to the entire appearance. A carefully designed program, designed for 6 weeks, will allow you to break through the plateau in muscle growth and give them volume. By the end of the workout, everyone can count on an additional three centimeters of volume, and sometimes even more.

This 6-week arm training program is created according to a progression scheme, where the frequency of training changes by week. The load volume is not stable and fluctuates throughout the weeks of training. Initially, there is only 1 workout per week, in the second week you will need 2 workouts, and in weeks 3-5 you will need to pump your arms 3 times. The last sixth week provides only 1 arm workout. Believe me, this method works and shows excellent results.

The first workout is designed to cause the destruction of the triceps and biceps, and will give impetus to the growth of muscle tissue. This effect is exerted by a certain set of exercises on the hands. The load on your arms will be so high that you then need to rest for a week, restoring damaged muscle tissue.

In the second week, the weight needs to be reduced, but at the same time increasing the number of approaches. The second week does not include exercises that provoke muscle growth. While recovery continues from the load received in the first week and preparation for intensive work over the next three weeks.

As already mentioned, the third, fourth and fifth weeks provide 3 arm workouts in 7 days. Many people will think that this is too much and the result may be overtraining. Of course, these doubts are completely justified, but don't worry - it will take more weeks to overtrain. Of course, it is assumed that during 3-5 weeks you will get enough rest - sleep at least 8 hours a day and try not to do heavy physical work.

Do not forget that the risk of overtraining in an athlete who consumes sufficient amounts of carbohydrates, protein and calories is very small.

The whole trick of this program is overvoltage. There are studies that were conducted in Connecticut, where it was proven that 2 weeks of muscle overexertion provokes their increased growth. At the same time, a person training in this mode is able to withstand extreme loads. But the main thing is to avoid excessive overexertion in a timely manner, otherwise it actually causes overtraining.

Attention! This training program is partially compiled! Only exercises on arm training days are indicated. To work properly with this program, you must independently complete the days of training for other muscles on the days specified in the program.

Is the T-shirt sleeve hanging loosely around your shoulder? Use expert advice on your arm days and pump up your biceps and triceps!

If you are guided by the rule “the less you know, the better you sleep” when training your arms, you are most likely not interested in learning something new and finding a way to pump up your biceps and triceps even more. You can walk around the gym with 35-centimeter cans, not realizing that armed with a minimum of knowledge and a little effort, you could pump up your biceps to 40-43 centimeters, or even to larger sizes!

If this prospect seems tempting to you, it's time to forget about old habits and hit the books. First, check out the nine most underrated biceps and triceps training tips. You'll find that when building quality muscle is on the line, knowledge is just as important as hard work. So, let's go!

1. Set aside a separate day for arm training.

One of the most popular approaches to organizing a training split is to combine large and small muscle groups on deadlift and press days. As a result, triceps are often trained with the chest muscles, and biceps with the back day. This approach works for many bodybuilders, but over time people begin to notice that the second muscle group - the arms in each example - is not receiving the same training load as the first.

The problem is solved by providing special training for the arms. Without heavy lifting or pulling exercises that will drain you early, you'll be able to approach your workout with full tanks, which will help you perform at your best. Because you can lift more weight, your muscles will be stimulated to grow.

2. Start with the maximum weight

I stress this a lot, but it's really important: start your arm training with exercises where you can lift your maximum weight. There is no need to immediately start doing or after warming up. You can give your muscles double or even triple the load in the simulator for or in.

If we are talking about biceps, it is foolish to start with or, when you can give the muscles a much greater load in or. The first exercise you do on arm day will have the biggest impact on your overall results, so think carefully about where you want to start your workout.

Once you've found the right exercise to start training your arms, don't miss your chance by going too light. If you're building mass, don't be afraid to work with weights that stop you after 6-8 reps. This will give you more incentive to increase strength and mass than if you rely on light weights for high-repetition training with a pumping effect.

3. Train your biceps by thinking about "angles"

Elbows-at-the-sides, shoulder-width grip - this should be your starting position for biceps curls. But, as with the basic bench press and bench press, it makes sense to explore different variations that can spur muscle development in your arms.

When the arms are in front of the torso plane, such as in Scott curls, the long head of the biceps cannot fully extend and emphasis shifts to the short head. By analogy, when the arms are behind the plane of the body, as in the incline dumbbell raise, the long head is fully stretched and can contract more, making it the main target of the movement.

To shift the emphasis, you can change the position of your hands while lifting the barbell. The long head of the biceps is located outside the short one, therefore, with a narrower grip on the barbell (relative to shoulder width), you work it more effectively. Conversely, by using a wider grip, you focus primarily on the short head.

4. To pump the long head of the triceps, raise your arms above your head

For every body part, there are one or two tricks you need to master to pump your muscles in an advanced style. One of the main tricks to developing horseshoe triceps is moving the training to the overhead plane. The fact is that the fleshy long head is attached above the shoulder joint, which means that it is fully stretched only when we raise our arms above our heads. Remember that a muscle contracts with maximum force only after it has been fully stretched. Therefore, when the elbows are located on the sides of the body, the outer head of the triceps takes on the lion's share of the load.

Any triceps exercise that places your arms above your head will change the alignment. and, or extension of the arms above the head on a block transfers the load to the long head. A similar trick can be performed in some simulators. It is worth noting that if the arms are positioned perpendicular to the body, for example, in, the long head is already stretched to some extent. But as soon as you raise your arms above your head, for example, during the same exercise on, you get even greater activation of the long head of the triceps.

5. Use different grips for maximum height.

With an underhand grip, biceps curls are reduced to simply lifting the apparatus due to muscle contraction. Of course, this is a great way to build muscle, but it’s far from the only one. The fact is that the arm flexors consist not only of the biceps brachii, that is, the biceps muscle. Beneath it lies the brachialis muscle, pumping which will significantly increase the overall volume of the arm.

To train the brachial muscle, you need to perform it with your hands in the so-called neutral position and your palms facing each other. Hammer grip curls can be performed with dumbbells or on a lower pulley with a cable handle.

The brachioradialis muscle, which forms the volume of the upper forearm on the thumb side, is also involved in curling with a hammer grip. You can also work it out by doing barbell curls with a reverse grip.

6. Don't swing your elbows

It seems that there is nothing easier than extending your arms at the elbow joints in triceps exercises. However, on your way you may come across a small obstacle in the form of your elbows moving to the sides. In any exercise, from French bench or standing presses and lat extensions to close-grip bench presses, keep your elbows close to your torso to maximally target your triceps.

This is easier said than done - especially for big guys - because the elbows naturally move out to the sides. With this movement of the elbows, the muscles of the chest and shoulder are involved, and this reduces the effectiveness of the exercise. To increase triceps isolation, keep your elbows close to your torso.

7. When doing biceps curls, don’t lift the weight too high.

By far the most common mistake in biceps exercises is wanting to lift the bar as high as possible in an attempt to go through the maximum range of motion. I'm all for full range of motion training, but in this case you don't need to lift the bar too high. Most often, the front deltoids are included in this movement.

Let me explain. With your elbows close to your sides, bending your arms can lift the barbell to approximately shoulder height. But years of bad habits leave their mark, and for many bodybuilders, moving their elbows forward in an effort to lift the projectile even higher becomes second nature.

As the elbows move forward, the single-joint movement becomes a multi-joint movement involving the front delts. This not only connects another muscle group, but also creates a comfortable rest area for the biceps in the upper phase of the movement. The hands are located directly above the elbows, which means that the load on the biceps is sharply reduced.

For better isolation, stay true to the single-joint nature of biceps exercises. Remember that your elbows tend to move forward as you lift the barbell. Keep them pressed to your sides throughout the entire movement.

8. Don't focus on pumping

There is a persistent and popular belief that to succeed on arm days you need (insert one of the adjectives: killer, monstrous, incredible) muscle. The problem is that for a pump, high-repetition training is more suitable, in which blood fills the target muscle and stretches the muscle fascia by increasing volume.

Yes, this is one of the mechanisms of muscle growth known as sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. However, I believe that it is better to save the pump for the final stage of training, when the heavy exercises are over.

Training with heavy weights activates myofibrillar hypertrophy, in which actual damage to the muscle fiber structure occurs. The relatively light weight fills the cells with fluid, but does not necessarily lead to deep disruption of the cellular structure.

The question arises: why not use both options? This is possible if you work with heavy weights at the beginning of the training session, and use the pumping effect at the end. The main rule: save the killer pump for the end of the workout.

9. Train your arms more often

Large muscle masses, such as the legs, require grueling workouts, after which you have to recover for several days, so one session per week is enough. With small muscle groups, everything is a little different, and therefore many athletes train their calf and abdominal muscles up to three times a week. As for the biceps and triceps, they represent the golden mean of muscle groups and are somewhere between the first and second.

If you have the energy, time and desire, adding a second round of arm training to the end of your weekly split is easy, provided your split is planned correctly. Here's a chart I used a few years ago (does not include abs or calves).

• Day 1: Chest and triceps
• Day 2: Back and biceps
• Day 3: Shoulders
• Day 4: Legs
• Day 5: Biceps and triceps
• Day 6-7: Rest

If you're going to train your arms twice a week, I recommend adding variety and making your workouts completely different in terms of exercise selection and approach. Let one be heavier than the other, with an emphasis on working on weak points and increasing the number of unilateral (one-handed) exercises. Try different techniques for increasing intensity, such as (blood flow restriction training) and eccentric phase training ().