WEEK SIXTY-TWO :: How Can A Bodybuilder Add Inches To The Arms In The Shortest Time? [Archive]

xraided85

02-03-2006, 02:53 PM

INTRO

When adding size to your arms you have to remember your Biceps do grow faster than your triceps, so for a good balance I would train triceps more often than biceps as I do. However, we are going for size and quickness so Id say the biceps are going to be the best bet so work them first, and the hardest. I would also suggest hitting them twice a week each if possible.

BICEPS

First I would start off with the precher curl. For me it is the hardest exercise for the biceps so Id go with that first to push out as much as I can.

Second alternating dumb bell curls, usually seated or with your back to the wall. Keeping your back staright is very key in this exercise. Some people find they cant do nearly as much weight when their back is actually straight.

Third, the alternating hammer curl, hitting your biceps from another direction. Make sure to hold and squeeze these at the top for approx. 2 seconds. If your not a fan of the hammer curl (IE like my brother) you can try the concentration curl and still hit that 2 seconds of contraction.

Finally when your biceps are burning, and feeling like they are ready to stretch clean off your arm go for some chinups until failure.

Preacher Curl (warm up set)10 6,6,10
Alernating Dumb Bell Curl 12,10,8
Alternating Hammer Curl 12,10,8
Chin-Ups to Failure

TRICEPS

Now to hit the triceps. Your arms should already be burning but youll feel great when your through this.

Skull crushers are a great place to start because you need to hold the weight over your head at all times, which can become more difficult once your triceps are tired. For me this one feels really great once you stop to squeeze at the top and then push your wrists up to help contract the muscle.

Second the rev. tricep pressdown or concentration tricep press. Both cable exercises hit the tricep in same way however I find its easier to get more weight with the single arm concentraion press.

Finally dips; my triceps would be nothing without dips. Weight or not, its up to you. Usually I find at this point Im far too tired to even think about adding weight to my dips, they usually end with me falling from the dip machine when my arms give out.

Skull Crusher (warm up set)10 8,8,10
Tricep Press 12,10,8,6
DipSets 10, to failure

SUPPLIMENTS

As far as suppliments go, Nitric Oxide products have always worked best for me due to the long lasting pump. Just pump out a couple reps every day and your arms will always stay pumped up another 1/2" to 1" almost all day long. My arms are usually around 14 and 3/4" and they would be well over 15 and 1/2" all day long.

As far as my personal gains go nothing can top the first 3 months of my training but Im assuming most people see huge gains when they first start weightlifting. But since then my biggest gains has to has to be about 2 months ago when I was supplimenting with NO2, CEE and glutamine with this program I previously explained. I was able to gain 3/4" on my arm (mostly at my bicep) in just over a month and personally I find that it was a good accomplishment.

Finally dont forget everyones arms are different and taller people generally have a much longer bicep and tricep making them much harder to make big gains on. I am 5'10" 170 pounds so my biceps are not nearly as long as my brothers who is 6'3" and 185 pounds, but we both have the same measurements for our biceps.

I hope this helps, this is my first post on a topic so thank you and good luck to everyone else as well.

DoubleO Ferret

02-03-2006, 04:20 PM

THE INTRO:
So you're looking to build those big bulging, high peaking biceps and the long, defining triceps, along with some Popeye forearms? Well, you're not the only one! Arm size is one of, if not THE most, sought after gains in any bodybuilder. Why? Because your arms are something you can easily show off and people can see and be intimidated by, along with other reasons. You're usually not going to pull up your pantleg and show off your calves to the girls, they'll usually notice your arms. So in order to achieve some nice arms in a short amount of time, read on, and good luck to everyone in their goal to achieve this!

THE ARMS:
To understand how to build the biggest arms possible in a short amount of time, you need to know a bit about the makeup of the arms and how they are made. To start, a very important thing to know is that the majority of your upper arm, which is arguably one of the most impressive features on a bodybuilder, is more than any other part, your tricep. Your tricep is the bottom half of your upper arm, facing the floor. On top of that, is the bicep, which everyone wants a nice peak and mass to. Commonly forgotten though, are the forearms, another part of gaining massive arms. To gain the biggest arms possible, you need to work all of these muscles.

THE WORKOUT:
Since we are concentrating on specifically arm growth/strength, you should train your arms at the BEGINNING of your workout so that all of your energy can be put forth into them. First of all though, I would recommend doing some stretching and warmup to get the blood flowing and to prevent injury. Stretching is also very important because, as a lot of people don't know, when you stretch out the muscle, your maximizing the volume of blood it can hold, thus, getting the maximum pump you can and increasing the space your body needs to fill, important during and after the workout. I would recommend starting with the biceps because they are the hardest, in my oppinion, to get to failure and wear out. Since we are concentrating on size and not so much strength, you usually DO want to train to failure, but you will also gain strength doing this, just not as much as some other methods. I would also recommend super-setting the first bicep lift with the first tricep lift. This means you would do the first lift, let's say Dumbbell Curls, then IMMEDIATELY after that, you should do your first tricep lift, let's say Tricep Extensions, without almost no break in between. Now you can take a break between that and your next superset, but not between the two. You want to use a weight that you can do about 12 times MAX, no more no less and you shouldn't be able to do another repitition if you were offered a million dollars for it. Failure is a big key here. Below are a list of the exercices for the 3 main arm muscles and why they are very good for this goal:
BICEPS:
Barbell Curl - This is one of the best exercies for your biceps, if not the best. I HIGHLY recommend the barbell over the dumbbells if at all possible. I used to not think much difference but when you use the barbell, you won't go back. While using the barbell, it is MUCH harder to cheat without trying, hence, giving you a better workout to those bi's.
Hammer Curl - This exercise is good for hitting the part of the biceps that the standard barbell curl misses. Gives the forearms a little bit too.
Pull-Ups - This is a good exercise if you don't mind giving your lower back a bit of a workout at the sametime. Similar to the work of the barbell curl, not as important though.
Concentration Curl - This is the best exercise for gaining that "peak" in the biceps that everyone's after. Doesn't create as much mass because of the worked area as the barbell curl, but gives the biceps a better definition and look. The preacher curl could also be used in place of this.
TRICEPS:
Tricep Extension - My favorite tricep mass-builder. I mean, just doing the exercise with a heavy weight, you can feel your WHOLE upper arm working, not just a certain part of the tricep. A very good mass-building for your arms exercise, if not the best.
Kickbacks - I was never a fan of these myself until I really started putting hard work into them and WOW. They don't build as much mass as the extensions but they definitely build a lot and they give them SUCH a good look. Makes it so you can see them as if they're flexed at all times.
Pushdowns - Done on a lat pulldown overhead pulley machine or something of the sort, good for going to failure and as an ending tricep exercise.
FOREARMS:
Wrist Curl - Done with the dumbbell, you just do as it sounds. I would superset them with the next exercise which is...
Behind-the-Back Wrist Curl - Just as it sounds, gives a little more work on the forearm though because of the lack of support, just a little bit better.

NUTRITION:
For gaining the max amount of mass on your arms that you can in a short time, it's the same as any other mass-building diet plan basically. Just consume more calories, 500+ extra, than you would on a normal maintenence plan, with little cardio so you're not burning those calories. You should consume 2g of protein per lb. of bodyweight for max gains, 1.5g AT LEAST. I would recommend doing a bulking phase of creatine at the same time. Take your multi-vitamin each day to make sure your body is getting what it needs. Drink AT LEAST a gallon of water everyday and make sure your breakfast and post-workout meals are your best for building muscle. You should consume casein proteins before bed, such as milk/cottage cheese/casein protein powder, because casein proteins take much longer to absorb into the muscles than whey proteins for instance, so you're getting nutrition all through the night. Get at least 7-8 hours of quality sleep minimum. I would use whey protein powder coupled with creatine as a post-workout meal, along with whatever else you need, carbs included. Oats are good for this. For a supplement list, I would PERSONALLY recommend:
ON 100% Whey Protein Powder
Higher Power Creatine (powder form)
Animal Stak multi-vitamin
Those are the highly recommended supplements from personal use and for the lot of us on a budget, all available here on Bodybuilding.com. I would also recommend buying one of their shaker bottles, it makes your pre-workout drinks SO much easier.
If you have a bit higher of a budget, I would recommend some NO-xplode and some glutamine, both are great for building muscle and the recovery process, along with pumps.
One tip I would give is to constantly flex your arms in the mirror, it's very good for them to get bigger and better looking, but is often overlooked.

PERSONAL BEST GAINS:
Just follow EVERY guideline and do every exercise as described, and, depending on your genetics of course, you can gain an inch to your arms in about 2 weeks if you follow it very closely! Trust me, I've done it myself. The VERY best I've gained off this basic program, coupled with basic full-body workouts, is about 1/2" per week for 3 weeks straight, gaining 1 1/2" on my upper arms and about 1" on my forearms that way! As you know, that is VERY quick gains and not easy to do. Of course, it was toward the beginning of my lifting and I have decent genetics for building mass, but a lot of you could do it if you worked your hardest and followed every guideline! Don't give up, it's totally worth it! After using this program for awhile, I even started to get the compliments from the ladies on them noticing my arms, now THAT is a motivational booster, let me tell you! :)

OVERVIEW:
With the previous workout and meal plan, you can gain A LOT of mass on your arms, and I mean A LOT. Thanks for reading everyone and good luck ripping those shirt seams! :)

ITSLIKECUMING

02-03-2006, 05:12 PM

Adding vast amounts of muscle to your arms is simple if you approach it logically. First off.... there is no "miracle" drug or anything thats gonna get you to where you want to be... at least not without health consequences... but to do it safely here is what I did to gain an easy 2 to 2 1/2 inches within a month (after all muscle swelling from working out)

Nutrition/Supplements:
1. Early morning when I first wake up I take 5-10 grams of L-glutamine... personally I have no preference as to what kind... they are all the same... ALSO it would be best ingested right before bed but due to my schedule Im forced to workout rather late at night... therefore I take it in the morning due to reason I will explain
Why take L-glutamine?
a. over 60% of the amino acids in skeletal muscle are L-glutamine
b. Glutamine keeps your muscles from deteriorating.... it also is an
important amino acid involved in keeping up your immune system...
c. Glutamine has shown to increase growth hormone levels by up
up to 400%
2. For most male individuals it's important to keep your caloric intake at LEAST over 3000-4000 calories a day.... larger individuals will of course require more... Keep in mind I'm talking about quality calories so try to eat healthy with foods high in protein and low in fat
3. About 30 minutes before working out I take 2 to 2 1/2 scoops of BSN's NO XPlode... I back this product fully it's amazing... but make sure to take it on an empty stomach to allow the product to be fully get absorbed
**Important note: Glutamine is not to be taken at around anytime you are taking any product containing Creatine... if you workout in the early morning take glutamine at night... if you workout at night take it in the early morning... reason is is that L-Glutamine and Creatine both compete for the same receptors... the result of taking them both is you are basically wasting one of the products
4. Post-Workout I immediatly consume a few more grams of creatine... I recommend a scoop of BSN's Cell Mass... and meanwhile take out a good ole' George Foreman grill (everyone of you guys should have one) and cook up a nice chicken sandwich as a post-workout snack (you can get them in bulk supply really cheap from Sam's or Kosko's or any bulk supplier)... I like to cook it for 15-20 minutes one side then 15-20 the other... this not only insures that the chicken is fully cooked but also that I've given the creatine enough time to absorb.

The Workout:
All exercises listed are to be kept with a weight that will allow you to keep your reps as close to 10 as possible to allow the greatest bulking potential possible
1.Bicep Exercises:
A. Standing dumbell curls 4 sets
B. Standing barbell curls 4 sets
C. Seated barbel preacher curls 4 sets
D. Hammer curls 3 sets
2.Tricep Exercises:
A. Close-Grip benchpress 4 sets
B. Seated Tricep Extensions 4 sets
C. Kickbacks 4 sets
D. Tricep pulldowns 3 sets

If this seems like you are over-doing it believe me while on NO-Xplode you'll only want to keep doing more and more... I sometimes have to just MAKE myself leave the gym... also with the combination of L-Glutamine/NO-Xplode/Creatine you should be in an extremely high anabolic state and your body will be able to sustain greater amounts of stress and heal faster.... With the supplement combination and workout plan you should be adding inches to your arms in very little time.

Liquid_diet

02-04-2006, 03:28 PM

When it comes to arms I like to work each twice a week when sticking to a chest/tris and back/bis combo. I will work the arm section of my workout second. On the first day I like to work a two-handed exercise followed a single-arm isolation exercise. On the second of each arm day of the week, I like to start off with a "combo" exercise (3-way tris, barbell "21" curls), followed by another arm exercise. These combo exercises will create an amazing pump, especially when combinded with a NO2 product.

Tri workout#1(after chest)
-Seated Incline Bench barbell tri extensions-12,10,10,8. I prefer this inclined version of skull crushers, as you can observe your form in the mirror and really isolate the tricep.
-One Arm Cable Pushdowns-12,10,10,8. Isolation of each arm ensures the dominant arm isn't doing more of the work. Focus on the contraction of the muscle at the end of each rep.
-Dumbell Kickbacks-12,12. Adding a couple sets of kickbacks with the "hammer" grip will finish off the tris from a different angle.

Tri workout#2(after chest)
-"3 way tris"-3 sets. In this "combo" exercise you will do three consecutive sets of 10 reps at three different tri exercises. Use the ez curl bar. First will be skull crushers, followed by bent arm pullovers, and finishing with close grip bench. Choose a weight that allows good form for this combined 30-rep set.
-Cable pushdowns w/rope-12,10,10,8. Focus on muscle contraction at the end of each rep. Try to start with your hands close together at the top of the motion, and then pulling your hands more out to the sides as you reach the completion of the movement.

Bi workout#1(after back)
-Standing Barbell Curls-12,10,10,8. Use the ez curl bar and perform this standard bi exercise.
-Seated Incline Bench Dumbell Hammer Curls-12,10,10,8. Back support while watching yourself in the mirror allows you to focus on single-bi isolation. The hammer curl grip allows you to work the bi from another angle.

Bi workout#2(after back)
-Barbell "21" curls-3 sets. Use the ez curl bar and do seven reps of a barbell curl up to the halfway point, that is, so your forearms are parallel to the floor. Immediately do seven reps from halfway to a finished barbell curl, and finish with seven reps using the complete motion of the barbell curl. Again, choose a weight that allows you to complete this 21-rep set with good form.
-One Arm Cable Curls-12,10,10,8. Once again, isolate each arm and focus on the muscle contraction at the end of each rep.

I like to perform a "negative" on the last rep of the last set for each exercise. I will take about 10 seconds to lower the weight to its starting position in order to fatigue additional muscle fibers.

I find that the pump after the "combo" sets is hard to match if you're using a NO2 product. While glutamine is the most abundant amino in the skeletal muscle, taurine is the second. I supplement with both before and after exercise. I also use an insulin mimicker (vanadyl sulfate), which will help your body utilize any nutrients supplied, as well as contribute to your pump. I take this with a protein/carb shake after my workout to replenish glycogen stores in the muscle and for protein synthesis.

Eating 4-6 times spead out throughout the day is important for gaining mass. 1-2 of these meals can be a protein shake. Lots of water is a given, and taking a multivitamin should be. Universal Animal Pak is an amazing multi that is surprisingly affordable considering its quality and effects. I would also consider supplementing with rhodiola rosea as an adaptogen and cortisol suppressant.

*This routine is meant to increase permanent mass/definition in the arms. For a temporary instant pump, supersetting bi/tri exercises and pullups/dips will give your arms an instant increase in size.

zocipro

02-05-2006, 06:24 PM

Hi boys,im 22 and have to train from i have 17..until now my arms its almost 44 cm, i have 106 kg...and much more i like to take kick boxing trainings.but i want to know from u more professional bodybuilders...I dont practice so usually and with some special supplements, because im working and studing i dont have much time to training like every bodubuilder so even i can training 2 days and then 2-3 days do not to train, some days cant eat good ...so my training is like i said....but i want to write to my email or eve if u use MSN messenger about how to grow my arms much more, esspecially i want to know what workout is best to make that grown....thx
zocipro@hotmail.com

p.s.So if u want boys we can talk even about bodybuilding and other similar sports if u like and u know the way how u can find me:)

mivi320

02-05-2006, 09:03 PM

How Can A Bodybuilder Add Inches To The Arms in The Shortest Time?

Intro

The truth is that most lifters out there wouldn’t mind having a set of python arms. Most lifters fail to train their arms fully by training the biceps exclusively, and neglecting the triceps and forearms. For proportional and monstrous arms, you must train the biceps, triceps, and forearms with the same intensity!

Tired of those "twigs" for arms?

Then read up and learn how to increase the size of your arms in just 1 workout!

For short, and even temporary gains in the arms, what can a bodybuilder do?

Take a Week Off

Before starting the program, take one week completely off from training. This will allow your body to fully recover from previous weeks of intense weight training.

The fact of the matter is that at least 90% of the trainees at your gym are overtraining. The last time I checked, more is not always better - as infamous bodybuilding legend Mike Mentzer once said.

Use the week off from the gym before the program to your advantage. Relax and take some time to sit back and enjoy life - something bodybuilders alike fail to do from time to time.

The week off will guarantee that your body is fully recovered and ready to add some serious size to those arms!

Not For The Weak

Expect to add some size to your arms after just one arm workout with this program!

If you don't have the right mindset to push yourself to the extreme no matter what, then stop reading right now. This program is only for the hardcore and experienced lifter.

To be truly successful with this program, you must have the guts, the right mindset, and the dedication that amateur and beginner lifters often fail to possess.

Four hours, 72 sets, and sore muscles, a recipe for size.

Recipe For Size

In order to add some serious size to your arms in the shortest amount of time (1 day), the exercise selection is arranged in a specific manner that will fight off fatigue for the longest period of time.

To delay pre-exhaustion on heavy compound movements, the goal is to isolate the biceps, triceps, and forearms for the first 9 sets with pure isolation movements. Then you are to introduce heavy compound movements such as barbell curls and close grip bench presses for the next two hours of training, and then go all out with some heavy compounds (using 75% of your one-rep max and forced reps).

The chosen repetition pattern is that of a four-second concentric (positive) motion and three-second eccentric (negative), with a brief pause in between. This will truly overload the arm muscles!

The goal is to start out with a weight which is not too heavy or too light for the 9 sets - which is about 60% of your one-rep max for the lift. Then you are to slowly go up in weight on the subsequent 18 sets and then finish up with the heavy sets that are near impossible to complete on your own, thus finishing with some forced reps with the help of a spotter.

mivi320

02-05-2006, 09:04 PM

The Workout

The 72 sets are to completed within four hours. The combination of the 3 sets at the particular time is to be that of a tri-set (you are to complete the three sets as one giant tri-set - meaning no rest in between sets) and drop sets (here you perform a set of any exercise to failure or shy of failure, then decrease the weight and strive for more repetitions with the decreased weight.

Remember that the workout is to be completed in a total of four hours -

Time - 2:00
1 Tri-set of 15 reps each
Incline Dumbbell Curl
Dumbbell Tricep Extension
Palms-Down Wrist Curl

Time - 2:20
2 Tri-sets of 12 reps each
Incline Dumbbell Curl
Dumbbell Tricep Extension
Palms-Down Wrist Curl

Time - 2:40
1 Tri-set of 6 each
Incline Dumbbell Curl
Dumbbell Tricep Extension
Palms-Down Wrist Curl

Time - 3:00
3 sets each - using drop sets
Incline Dumbbell Curl
Dumbbell Tricep Extension
Palms-Down Wrist Curl

Time - 3:20
2 sets each each - using drop sets
Barbell Curl
Close-Grip Bench Press
Dumbbell Hammer Curl

Time - 3:40
1 set each - using drop sets
Standing Dumbbell Curl
Reverse-Grip Bench Press
Dummbell Hammer Curl

Time - 4:00
3 sets of 6 each (straight sets)
Barbell Curl
Close-Grip Bench Press
Dummbell Hammer Curl

Time - 4:20
2 sets of 15 each (straight sets)
Standing Dumbbell Curl
Reverse-Grip Bench Press
Dummbell Hammer Curl

Time - 4:40
1 set of 8 each (straight sets)
Barbell Curl
Close-Grip Bench Press
Dumbbell Hammer Curl

Time - 5:00
3 Tri-sets of 15 each
E-z bar Curl
Tricep Dips
Reverse Curl

Time - 5:20
2 Tri-sets of 6 each
Standing Dumbbell Curl
Reverse-Grip Bench Press
Dummbell Hammer Curl

Time - 5:40
1 Tri-set of 6 each
E-z bar Curl
Tricep Dips
Reverse Curl

Time - 6:00
1 Tri-set of 20 reps each
Incline Dumbbell Curl
Dumbbell Tricep Extension
Palms-Down Wrist Curl

Workout Notes

Remember to warm up thoroughly before starting this or any workout program

If regular tricep dips with your bodyweight are too easy, try adding some weight to a dip belt and do some weighted dips!

Most importantly, have fun with this workout! Watch your arms grow a full 2 inches over the course of just 4 hours!

Which supplements go hand and hand with this workout?

To remain in a anabolic state during training, it is imperative to get amino acids in for tissue repair, carbohydrates for regulating energy levels and fluids for hydration. This can be accomplished with the following supplements:

Scivation Xtend

Drinking a few servings throughout the workout will aid in the recovery and building of new muscle tissue, hence bigger and stronger arms! My favorite flavor is the "Refreshing Watermelon" as it reminds me of watermelon flavored candy!

Ny-Tro Pro-40

Drinking a quality MRP such as AST Ny-Tro Pro 40 every hour or so will also guarantee enhanced recovery and the rebuilding of muscle tissue!

Endurox Accelerade

Enduox Accelerade is a top of the line endurance enhancer, which speeds more energy to working muscle - at a super fast rate! A good idea is to mix a few servings of Accelerade with Xtend for a great tasting anabolic cocktail!

Controlled Labs White Blood and Green Bulge Combo

This combo is by far the best for muscle pumps and an overall feeling of "hardness." Taking the recommended dosage prior to the workout will guarantee a pump that is out of this world and unprecedented muscle "fullness!"

Bonus Question: What were the most impressive gains you've made on your arms in a short period of time? How long did it take?

I actually used this workout to add some size to my arms during the summer. I was spending the weekend down at the beach, and the hotel I happened to be staying at had a fitness center.

I made up this workout after reading an article in a bodybuilding magazine (Muscle and Fitness) about training the chest and back every 20 minutes for five hours - causing an increase of two inches in the chest muscles!

I thought that was pretty interesting, so I extracted some of the principles the folks from "Muscle and Fitness" used, and created my very own arm workout that would be sure to increase my arms drastically in just a matter of hours!

I showed off my "pumped" arms at the beach - what a great feeling!

It took me 4 hours to complete, but I got the biggest pump in my arms EVER! It was unreal. My arms measure a regular 15.5 inches cold, but after this workout, they measured a solid 17.8 inches! It was crazy!

The pump lasted for 2 whole days and when I measured my arms a week later (after the pump had subsided), the measurements had increased significantly! I was stoked!

This workout benefited me greatly and I'm sure you will benefit from it as well!

Strive for nothing but the best,

Mike

References: November Muscle and Fitness, "Add 2" In Just One Day" by David Sandler.

maffie2

02-06-2006, 12:13 AM

You made this off the top of your head? It looks like that in the August issue 2004 of M&F...

mivi320

02-06-2006, 05:56 AM

You made this off the top of your head? It looks like that in the August issue 2004 of M&F...

I constructed it using proven intensity techniques that are guaranteed to work such as tri-sets, drop sets, and controlled negatives. I also manipulated the rep ranges in a manner which will induce several forms of hypertopy (muscle growth) and conclusively provide a mind blowing pump. I based my format on training every 20 minutes over the course of hours on the M&F article "Add 2" to your chest today." So in short, the only thing that is similar between the two is the fact that you are to train every 20 minutes over a course of several hours (in this case, 4 hours). I really liked that idea and format - so I extracted that principle and created my very own arm workout from it!

LJ57

02-06-2006, 09:48 AM

How Can A Bodybuilder Add Inches To The Arms In The Shortest Time?

From the beginning, I’ve had a difficult time getting my arms to grow. The strange thing is I can make practically any other bodypart grow rather easily. Legs, for instance, require only a minimal amount of effort from me to initiate growth.

Arms are an entirely different story. Going from a little less than 14” as an absolute beginner to their current 16.75” has been a lesson in trial and error. However, I found one arm workout plan that helped me to accelerate my gains and keep gains going steadily for almost two months. In that time and using the following program I was able to add about 1.5 inches to my arms without hitting any plateau whatsoever.

If you are dieting then you should not bother with trying to increase arm size at this time. Your nutrition will need to be meticulous at this time and consuming excess calories is extremely beneficial in increasing your chances of success with this program. You should make sure you are getting not only adequate calories but also protein, carbs, and fat. Aim for at least 1.5g of protein per pound of bodyweight, 300-400g of carbs, and 75-100g of fat. Be sure to include healthy fats such as fish oil, flaxseed oil, and olive oil. These are not only beneficial for muscle building but also improve overall health.

Another important aspect of this program that should never be neglected is post-workout nutrition. Fail to feed your muscles after a workout and you will fail to make the tape measure budge a centimeter. Post-workout nutrition should consist of a sufficient amount of fast-digesting protein and high glycemic carbs. Once you finish a workout you should immediately consume 40-50g of protein (preferably from a fast-digesting source such as whey protein isolate) and 75-100g of refined carbohydrates. I used a combination of dextrose and table sugar added to my protein shake to supply my body with the quick acting carbs it needed to assist with recovery. If you prefer to avoid sugar and dextrose for health reasons you can opt for a good food source such as mashed potatoes or white rice.

There are several supplements that will be beneficial in putting the maximum amount of muscle on your arms in the minimum amount of time. A potent multi-vitamin/multi-mineral supplement (such as Animal Pack) and whey protein are two supplements that should be considered mandatory on this program. Next, creatine is probably the most important supplement you can use for packing muscle on your arms. In fact, a 2004 study showed that “supplementing with creatine after training of the arms resulted in greater increase in muscle thickness of the arms.” Unless you are a non-responder, I would highly recommend using creatine on this program. Nitric Oxide (NO) products can also be extremely beneficial in feeding your muscles on this program. Universal Storm and Gaspari Super Pump are two high quality NO products that I have used with good results. These products can get the blood flowing to the muscles and improve the delivery of nutrients and oxygen.

This workout involves training both biceps and triceps once per week and on the same day. Some people prefer to train biceps with back and triceps with chest. My greatest success in getting my arms to grow occurred when I started training triceps and biceps together. After several weeks, however, you may want to switch to a back/biceps and chest/triceps split for a few weeks just to change things up a bit and prevent yourself from hitting a plateau. When I did make the switch I was still making good gains but since my philosophy is, “if it ain’t broke, break it” I changed my workout nonetheless. After 4 weeks I returned to doing biceps and triceps on the same day. My arms grew approximately 1.5 inches over a two month period.

Avoid taking arms to absolute failure on this program. In fact, you should avoid taking any bodypart to failure on this program. Doing so will increase the likelihood of overtraining and can lead to diminishing gains and the many dreaded symptoms of overtraining. The goal here is to “stimulate not annihilate”. You can push yourself to the point where your last rep takes a lot of mental and physical effort but avoid completely exhausting the muscle.

Arms need to be trained only once per week. I learned the hard way that, regardless of training experience, more frequency rarely results in greater gains. Arms are no exception. If you work them properly once per week there will be no need for additional arm work. Resist the temptation to train them again even if there is little or no soreness present in your arms. Use the time to let them fully recover for the next workout.

Just as important as warming up with a couple of light sets is stretching. Stretching for 5-10 minutes before and after the workout is a great way to reduce the risk of injury and also to lengthen the muscle. Stretching is also believed to be capable of increasing range of motion, reducing soreness, and improving recovery.
The following exercises are the ones I used to get my arms growing. There is no specific order that these exercises should be performed in. In fact, I switch the order around every week as well as the order in which I work each muscle group. For example, one week I might start off with barbell curls and then the next week start off with concentration curls. The general consensus is that concentration curls should be used as a “finishing off” movement at the end of the workout. However, I found that occasionally putting them first seemed to help in shocking the muscle with change. As far as the muscle groups themselves, one week I would begin with triceps first and then start with triceps the next week. This kept my body guessing what I would be doing next. The unpredictability helped me avoid hitting a plateau.

The Biceps Exercises

Barbell Curls – after properly warming up you should begin your arm workout by performing 3 sets in the 10-12 rep range. Don’t worry about how much weight you can use on this or any other arm exercises. The important point is to control the weight and focus on keeping constant tension on the muscle. Always use a weight that you can control for every rep. If you start getting sloppy and slinging the weight up then you need to strip some weight from the bar.

Alternating Hammer curls – this exercise is great for developing the thickness of the bicep. Many people regard this exercise as optional or never bother incorporating it into their routine, but I found that making it a mainstay of my biceps training led to an increase in thickness. Do three sets of 10-12 reps for each arm.

Concentration Curls – like barbell curls, you will perform 3 sets in the 10-12 rep range. It is especially important to focus on slow and controlled movement for this exercise. Unlike the barbell curl which should give you continuous tension, the concentration curl should involve a squeezing at the top of the movement before moving into the controlled negative.

The Triceps Exercises
Dips (behind the back) – this is perhaps the best triceps mass builder there is and can be done practically anywhere. If I could do only one exercise for triceps this would be the one. I place my hands on a bench about shoulder-width apart and prop my feet up on another bench. Do three sets of 10-12 reps. If this is too easy for you try having someone put a weight plate across your legs.

Skull Crushers (Lying Triceps Extension) – this exercise is great for working the triceps as a whole, but especially the outer head. Do three sets of 10-12 reps.

Cable pressdowns – while many people like to finish off a triceps routine with an isolation exercise such as kickbacks, it is better to forego them in favor of another good mass-building exercise. Cable pressdowns, in my opinion, are a good intermediate between an isolation exercise and a mass-building exercise. I prefer to use a v-handle bar but you can also use a lat bar attachment or rope if you prefer. Again, perform three sets of 10-12 reps.

crappyvoner

02-06-2006, 07:15 PM

INTRO
Everybody wants crazy freaking looking arms to add as an addition to their physique. The reason for this is simple, they are the most noticable bodypart and can make girls go crazy while your boys are simply stunned by their size (presuming they are HUGE)

When trying to add size to the arms one has to remember that the triceps are a bigger muscle as compared to the biceps. The arm consists of the biceps brachii and triceps brachii; and not to forget the forearms which is also very important as a functional muscle and also more obvious to the general public. The triceps are located in the upper arm right next to the rear deltoid and is the bottom half of the upper arm; developing freaky looking triceps with striations makes any bodybuilder look impressive. While the biceps are located directly opposite to the triceps muscle.

For the most muscular hypertrophy to happen as well more energy has to be used on recovery as opposed to the amount of energy burned during the workout. This simply means workouts should have to be as short as impossible but INTENSE enough to start the bodys adaptive response happening. As for making the exercises more effective i find that certain triceps exercises should be performed 3/4 of the way to lockout to increase muscle tension whereas biceps exercises should be performed at the full range of motion and held at contraction for 1second at the top of the movement; when i do the latter i find a better pump as more blood is rushed to the muscles.

For a short and even temporary gain in the arms I would have to suggest the inclusion of Arganine supplements also more commonly known as NO used prior to training. other methds for quick gains would be to include variety into the training program. There are many ways of doing this such as switching around the order of sets and reps and exercises. Another common example could be "pre exhaustion" training. This is the use of isolation movement type exercises first in a workout as opposed to compound movement exercises. The logic behind this is that the muscles are so fatigued from the isolation exercises that they get the most out of the compound exercises. Another tactic is to include the much hyped about "X-REPS" into your routine. If you have not tried it out i highly suggest it.

THE WORKOUT
Since the main objective is for pure musclular hypertrophy in the arm region I suggest that the workout be conducted on a seperate day from other muscle groups, either that or starting of your workout with this cycle. The workout consists of 2 tri-set exercises and a supersetted exercise, this is done to save time and hence energy burnt at the gym which could be used for growth. Another addition to this routine is that muscles trained MUST be trained to failure, forced reps can also be added to the routine provided you have a training partner; this would definitely increase gains.

First warmup the arms by doing a light 20rep set of standing bicep barbell curls and close grip bench presses (for the triceps). Make sure before you start the workout that sufficient warmup and stretching.

EXERCISES

Biceps
Underhand grip chinup - although this works out the lats as well it is a great compound type biceps exercise which promotes growth in a long range of motion.

Standing Barbell Curl - About the most common biceps exercise that people do in the gym. Because you can use alot more weight than dumbell curls i believe these can manage to add on more mass as compared to training with dumbells. while doing this exercise one can either stand upright against a wall or bent facing slightly towards the ground to prevent cheating. X reps should be done at the end of each set. This is just like a partial rep or burn but performed at the bottom half of the exercise just at about the turnaround point of the exercise and then going back into a full rep once you are done.

Hammer Curl - This exercise hits the lower part of the biceps brachii that the standard barbell/dumbell curl happens to miss alot of the time. It adds abit of work to the forearms and is another good mass builder. To add variety to this exercise you can perform it while lying down on an incline bench. I find this adds a longer range of motion, a harder lactic acid burn and makes it harder for the trainee to cheat.

Triceps
Tricep dips - I am a firm believer in this compound type exercise and find it is the best mass gainer for the triceps. weight plates can be added for resistance and rep ranges should go for between 6-8. If a trainee has difficulty completeing this there are many gyms out there with seated dip machines. To add "resistance" and increase muscular tension perform the exercise 3/4 of the way to lockout.

Skull crushers - Another excellent mass gaining exercise. This exercise focuses on the longhead or outer bit of the triceps. I find that X-reps, or partials are very effective in this exercise. like tricep dips i believe the exercise should be only be completed with 3/4 of the way to lockout and a few X reps should be done at the end of each set. This is just like a partial rep or burn but performed at the bottom half of the exercise just at about the turnaround point of the exercise and then going back into a full rep once you are done.

Tricep Cable pulldowns - a good finishing exercise. This is mainly an isolation exercise and adds to shape more rather then size. I find that changing the handle for a V-BAR or an EZ-CURL bar gives for a better contraction and is more effective at hitting the triceps as to a straight bar.

Forearms
Behind the back wrist curls - I find that more weight can be lifted using this exercise as opposed to wrist curls on a bench. i however find that this exercise has a shorter range of motion but is less prone to causing an injury than the forementioned exercise

Reverse wrist curls - also known as "Palms-Down Wrist Curl Over A Bench". This exercise hits the other part of the forearms that is less worked on.

ROUTINE
Sets Exercise No. of reps
4 Tricep Dip 12, 10, 8, 6
Chinup 12, 10, 8, 6
Behind the back Wrist curls 15, 12, 10, 10

4 Barbell Curls 10, 8, 6, 8 (add in a few X reps)
Skull Crushers 10, 8, 6, 8 (add in a few X reps)
Reverse Wrist curls 15, 12, 10, 10

4 Hammer Curls 8, 10, 12, 12
Cable Pulldowns 8, 10, 12, 12

*remember to stretch PROFUSELY
** the rep range was used because i believe that the 6-8 rep range is BEST for muscluar hypertrophy

SUPPLEMENTS
Creatine - Creatine is a good ergogenic aid with little to no side effects. it increases strength where phosphocreatine stores in the body run out from the ATP/PC cycle. thus giving the user more energy and an extra rep or 2. a writeup once also showed that creatine was more effective in adding size/strength in the arms as to legs. the reason for this may be that we have more fast twitch type muscle fibers in the arm region as to the legs.

NO - Composed mainly of L-arginine and supposedly ergogenic i think this supplement basically gives the user a better pump and a better overall feeling from an increase in the size of a bodypart. very good in a stack with creatine.

L-Glutamine - A very useful anti-catabolic and cell volumizer. this is a non-essential amino acid thats also been shown to slightly increase GH levels.

Amino acids - These are useful in increasing gains through their anti-catabolic action. 5g should be used before weights training and a further 5g before bed time

Multivitamin - You dont want to run into any vitamin deficiencies. pick up a good multivit/antioxidant.

* The most impressive gains I have made with my arms was when i stacked Higher Power Creatine Ethyl Esther (CEE) with a daily dosage of L-Glutamine and daily dosages of amino acids as well. in a month my arms grew well over an inch. Other reasons for this was a changeup in my routine and of course, an increase in dietary intake. Other supplements that have caused a surge in size would be the DYMATIZE XPAND. i highly reccomend that product. it consists of glucocyamine, Creatine trimalate and NO all packaged in great tasting flavours. it has been a long time since i have used that product so i dont remember results but what i do remember is a pump that lasts ages coupled with good strength increases, the only downfall; PRICE!

Thanks for reading,
Lawrence

PS This is my first time writing something on a topic so GOOD LUCK everyone

Aussie LTD

02-06-2006, 07:55 PM

I constructed it using proven intensity techniques that are guaranteed to work such as tri-sets, drop sets, and controlled negatives. I also manipulated the rep ranges in a manner which will induce several forms of hypertopy (muscle growth) and conclusively provide a mind blowing pump. I based my format on training every 20 minutes over the course of hours on the M&F article "Add 2" to your chest today." So in short, the only thing that is similar between the two is the fact that you are to train every 20 minutes over a course of several hours (in this case, 4 hours). I really liked that idea and format - so I extracted that principle and created my very own arm workout from it!

I think we need a reference to m and f.

mivi320

02-06-2006, 09:23 PM

I think we need a reference to m and f.

Good call.

Will - The edit option is no longer available since it has been 24 hours since I wrote the article. If mine happens to get chosen, please include the Novemeber 2004 M&F article entitled "Increase your chest 2" today!" as a reference, as I used a similar format.

Thanks a ton,

Mike

upandcomming

02-07-2006, 02:16 AM

Impressive arms are sought by everyone in the fitness world, but particularly by bodybuilders. Why? The arm has always been a symbol of strength and size among bodybuilders. As Arnold said, "When someone tells you to show them your muscle when do you lift up your pant legs and show them your calves?" The first thing that comes to mind when someone asks this question is flexing your bicep.

So let us begin the journey to adding size to our arms and improving our physique.

For Short and Temporary Gains (these can also be done for long-term gains)

1) Increasing Caloric Intake- Nutrition is the most important area within bodybuilding. No matter how hard you train, you will not grow unless you have a proper diet. By increasing you calories, you allow your body to grow. It is recommended to be taking in 1-2 grams of protein per pound of body weight.

2) Changing the Weight- By increasing for decreasing the weight you make your muscles adjust to the load and grow based on the work they must do. This is part of the shocking technique. When you continue doing a normal routine your arms, get used to the training but by doing something such as lighter weight and more repetitions your shock the muscle into growth. The same goes for heavier weight and less repetitions.

3) Changing the Exercise- Bodybuilders must also change their exercise routines periodically to hit each muscle from a different angle. By doing this growth is forced upon the muscle to compensate for the strenuous task of completing that exercise.

4) Resting- Resting along with nutrition is very important to muscle growth, if you train constantly and fail to rest than overtraining will ensue and muscle growth will fail to happen. Not only that but your muscles might actually deteriorate! Don't be the person in the gym who goes there every day to do curls and bench press work your whole body and allow it to rest and recover.

5) Imrpoving Other Muscle Groups- Believe it or not by working other muscle groups and improving their appearance you actually make your amrs look better. For instance if you train your shoulders especially side deltoids your bicep pops out more and appears more defined. So improving other muscle groups is important to overall arm developement and appearance.

The Exercises

Arms should be trained once a week to allow for full growth and recovery. The number of sets depends upon how you train your arms. If you train your arms with a major muscle group (example: back and biceps on Wednesday and chest and triceps on Friday) than you might want to do less sets. Working out back and chest tends to use your biceps and triceps as secondary muscles leaving them more fatigued and worked. In the first section I will list various exercises and also possible set and repetition schemes for each.

Biceps- The biceps are the smaller portion of the upper arm (only around 1/3 of your upper arm is bicep). All bicep exercises should be performed with good form attempting to refrain from cheating. Also an emphasis on the negative.

Standing Barbell Curls- The most well-known and used bicep exercise. I recommend doing 2-4 sets of this exercise with higher weight and less repetitions (6-12).

Dumbbell Curls- Interchangeable with standing curls. More focus on each individual arm allowing for very strict form uses. the same set and repetition scheme as Standing Barbell Curls.

Incline Dumbbell Curl- A very good exercise to stretch and work the bicep. Usually put the bench between a 30-45 degree angle. I recommend 2-4 sets of 6-10 repetitions.

Concentration Curl- 2-3 sets of 8-12 repetitions.

Preacher Curl- Another good stretching exercise for your biceps and one of my favorite. 3-4 sets of 6-10 repetitions. Make sure you go all the way down slowly before beginning another repetition. Most people only go down partially and come back up.

Hammer Curls- A great exercise used to hit areas of the bicep neglected by other exercises. Adds more thickness to the upper arm. A definite in my routine. 2-4 sets of 6-12 repetitions.

Reverse Curls- Another exercise to hit neglected areas like hammer curls. 2-4 sets 8-12 repetitions.

Chin-ups- great compound movement. 3-4 sets usually done to failure

Biceps are also involved in back workouts, so by working heavy while doing back you are also working your biceps.

Triceps- makes up the larger portion of your upper arm (about 2/3 of it). Like when training biceps form is the most important. Leave the ego at home and focus on form and on every rep and growth will occur.

Close Grip Bench Press- Excellent mass builder. Allows you to lift heavier weight with your triceps and still focus on strict form. 3-4 sets of 6-12 repetitions.

Reverse Grip Bench Press- Another excellent mass builder but difficult to some individuals becasue of the grip. 3-4 sets of 6-12 repetitions.

Skullcrushers- My favorite of all tricep exercises. Make sure you keep your elbows locked in place otherwise focus will be shifted to other muscles. 3-4 sets of 6-12 repetitions

Dips (machine, weighted, or bodyweight)- Never fully lockout elbows but dip as low as possible before completing the repetition. 3-4 sets to failure.

Tricep Extension or Tricep Press- Once again make sure your elbows are locked when doing this exercise. 2-4 sets of 6 -12 repetitions

Tricep Kickbacks- Slowly and controlled focus on squeezing every repetition. 2-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions

Cable Pushdowns- Another one of my favorite tricep exercises. Make sure you come up slowly, push down and spread yoru hands at the bottom of the movement squeeze your triceps on every repetition. 3-4 sets of 6-12 repetitions.

Forearms- necessary for full arm development and grip. Best results in forearms for me came from heavy weight but strict form.

Wrist Curls- A favorite among bodybuilders 3-5 sets of 10-15 repetitions

Reverse Wrist Curls- to really work the top of your forearms 3-4 sets of 10-15 repetitions

Behind the Back Wrist Curls- different form of Wrist Curls 3-5 sets of 10-15 repetitions

Sample Workout-
Biceps-
Standing Barbell Curls 4x12,8,8,6
Preacher Curls-3x10,8,6
Hammer Curls- 3x10,8,8

Triceps-
Close Grip Bench Press-4x12,10,8,8
Skullcrushers-4x10,8,8,6
Cable pushdown-3x12,8,6

Forearms-
Wrist Curls-5x15,15,15,12,12
Reverse Wrist Curls-3x12,12,12

After back or chest workout
Back/Biceps-
Standing Barbell Curls 3x8,8,6
Preacher Curls-2x8,6
Hammer Curls- 2x8,8

Chest/Triceps-
Tricep Press- 3x12,8,6
Skullcrushers-3x8,8,6
Cable pushdown-3x12,8,6

Forearms-
Wrist Curls 3x15,12,12
Reverse Wrist Curls-3x15,12,12

Training Methods-

Pyramids- Pyramids are very productive in stimulating new muscle. By increasing the weight each set you increase the challenge placed upon your muscles.

Drop Sets- By starting with a heavier weight you tend to lose form if you continue to work with that weight. Drop sets allow you to drop the weight so you can still maintain form but still have difficulty lifting the weight

Supersets- By supersetting your muscles have minimal time to recover therefore must recruit more muscle fibers quickly to complete the second exercise.

Rest-Pause- By pushing out as many repetitions as you can your muscle is stimulated; however, by doing something such as rest-pause or supersets you can further stimulate muscle growth. Rest-Pause gives your muscles a short break then forces you to push out a few more repetitions.

Longer Negative- Bicep movements are more productive when on the negative. By lowering the weight slowly before beginning another repetition you allow your muscles to work to the fullest of every repetition both stretching and building muscle.

Supplements

Once again, I state that proper nutrition is the most important thing for a bodybuilder. All the supplements in the world will not matter if nutrition is not correct. With that said, assuming your diet is perfect, I will now list and price the supplements which have helped me the most.

Whey Protein- Protein is essential in your diet especially directly post workout. Optimum Nutritions 100% Whey Protein is my favorite protein supplement out there now. Why? Because of its high content in Branch Chain Amino Acids and focus on Whey Protein Isolates. Whey protein Isolates are delivered to the muscle very quickly and begin recovery immediately whereas food takes longer to digest. Perfect for post workout. A 2 pound tub of this cost around $14, a 5 pound tub around $30, and a 10 pound tub a little less than $60. A quality product.

Creatine- For more water retention, strength and size gains this is a great product. I am currently using and have been using ALRI’s CR2 and have achieved great results with it. 240 capsules sell for about $25. This product is Creatine Ethyl Ester- the newest form of creatine, which is absorbed easier than monohydrate and does not cause bloating.

Nitric Oxide- A great pre-workout supplement designed for mental focus and pump. Not necessary but provides good results. My favorite of the product was BSN’s NO-Xplode which sells for around $40.

Multi-vitamin- Vitamins are necessary for every function in the human body especially if you put your body under more physical stress. I use NOW ADAM which is a quality product that sells 60 tablets for $10 or 120 tablets for about $17.

Amino Acids- Aid in recovery and protein synthesis. I use Optimum’s BCAA 1000 caps 200 capsules for around $15

L-Glutamine- Also aids in recovery and is anti-catabolic. Higher Power L-Glutamine 1000 grams for $30.

Weight Gainers- For people having trouble gaining weight. My favorite was Optimum Nutritions Serious Mass for around $30

webmaster

02-07-2006, 04:46 PM

Send it to me in an email and I will update it...

- w

Good call.

Will - The edit option is no longer available since it has been 24 hours since I wrote the article. If mine happens to get chosen, please include the Novemeber 2004 M&F article entitled "Increase your chest 2" today!" as a reference, as I used a similar format.

Thanks a ton,

Mike

mivi320

02-07-2006, 06:32 PM

Send it to me in an email and I will update it...

- w

Sent :)

upandcomming

02-07-2006, 06:55 PM

Bonus

The quickest gains I made, probably like every other bodybuilder, was when I first started training. My muscles grew at alarming rates and within a few weeks I started noticing differences in strength, size and clarity of muscle. Within a few months my growth and change was amazing. Most bodybuilders refer to this as newb gains and it is without a doubt your most productive period. Results that last will not come quicker than this. Right now I am making some quick and good gains on the supplements I listed above with a perfect or as close to perfect as it will come diet but it will never be the same as when I first started.

For maximal developement of your arms and the rest of your body the following are listed in order of importance.
1) Nutrition
2) Exercise
3) Sleep
4) Supplementation

Also here are a few of the pages you can use to check exercise form, and current top supplements
http://bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.htm -exercises
http://bodybuilding.com/store/top50.htm - supplements

Videos on how to perform exercises
http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html
http://www.bsu.edu/webapps/strengthlab/home.htm

Great priced products
http://bodybuilding.com/store/index.html

thank you for your time,
Mike

WeahSauce

02-08-2006, 01:25 AM

How to get massive arms:

Rule 1: Do heavy compound movements. Do them every session. Do them with all your might. Pullups, rows, presses, dips...
Rule 2: Eat a crapload of food. I mean a lot. Track it and make sure you gain weight.
Rule 3: Throw in ONE isolation exercise for bis/tris each upper body workout. 3 sets of 8-12.

I win :)

HD-MENTZER

02-08-2006, 06:15 AM

I've seen most of the post here on this topic and they all include Supplements and Extreme rountines. Most of these gain appear as water retention and edema.

In my opinion and the Scientific Community, you do not require supplements. Just a balanced diet. The single most important factor in muscle building is stimulus and adaptation. Not massive amounts of supplements and protein.

My rountine to increase muscle strength and size of the the arms. In the shortest period of time 2 per part exercises.

These exercises should be perform with weight that you can barely get for 6 reps using proper form and rep speed. If you are able to do this, next time you work arms, increase weight by 5 to 10 lbs.

Biceps
Lat pulldown 2 sets 6 reps
barbell curls 2 sets 6 reps

Triceps

Close grip press 2 sets 6 reps
dips 2 sets 6 reps

*Between Sets only take 30 seconds rest, this creates intensity*
Of course warm up first. This rountine should only take you about 7-10 minutes. Then you need to rest for 4 to 5 days with no training at all. If you are still sore after 5 days wait until the day after you are not sore to train a different bodypart.

Happy Inches

RippedJordanian

02-08-2006, 03:06 PM

Plz find my article attached

acespade21

02-08-2006, 07:50 PM

Introduction

The truth is, no guy would mind having 24" arms like those of Hulk Hogan. Or, in the words of Will Ferrel, "The only way to bag a classy lady is to give her two tickets to the gun show." The arm is composed of three major muscle groups: the Biceps, the Triceps, and the forearms. In order to build huge arms quickly, you need to work all three. Let's look deeper.

For Short, Even Temporary Gains in the Arms, What Can a Bodybuilder Do?

One word: hypertrophy. Hypertrophy is the splitting of muscle fibers, ultimately leading to a bigger muscle. For big arms, you need to hit the weights hard and properly. How do you do this? Start by doing most of your arm exercises in the proper range. Research has shown that the best rep range for hypertrophy is 8-12 reps.

The Workout

An ideal workout would consist of about 7 different exercises: 3 for biceps, 3 for triceps, and 1 for forearms. Mix and match different exercises to keep the body guessing. Combine biceps and triceps exercises to make supersets, making the workout a lot shorter. Rest 1-2 mins between supersets and then continue. Perform 3 sets of 8-12 reps for each exercise, with the exception of the last biceps and triceps exercises, when you should do 2 sets of 15-20 reps to get testosterone levels up. Perform this type of workout 2-3 times a week to see gains in no time! Below are some examples of exercises.

Biceps
*Standing Barbell Curls (for better form, do standing against a wall)
*Hammer Curls
*Reverse Curls
*Seated Dumbbell Curls (do on an incline bench)
*Concentration Curls
*Chinups
*High Pulley Cable Curls
*Preacher Curls

Triceps

*Dips
*Skull Crushers
*Close-Grip Bench Press
*Overhead Dumbbell Extensions
*Rope Pushdowns
*Cable Overhead Rope Extensions
*Tricep Kickbacks
*Cross Shoulder Extensions

Forearms

*Reverse Curls
*Wrist Curls
*Reverse Wrist Curls

Example Workout

Skull Crusher/Preacher Curls Superset

Skull Crushers: 60x12. Continue immediately to:
Preacher Curls: 80x12. Rest 1 minute and continue to:
Skull Crushers: 70x10. Continue immediately to:
Preacher Curls: 90x10. Rest 2 mins and repeat the same skull crusher and preacher curl sets. Rest 2 mins and move on to next exercise.

Tricep Kickback/ Concentration Curls Superset

Tricep Kickbacks: 40x10. Continue immediately to:
Concentration Curls: 40x10. Rest 1 min and continue to:
Tricep Kickbacks: 40x8. Continue immediately to:
Concentration Curls: 40x8. Rest 2 mins and continue to:
Tricep Kickbacks: 35x8. Continue immediately to:
Concentration Curls: 35x8. Rest 2 mins and move on to next exercise.

Cross Shoulder Extension/Wrist Curl/High Pulley Cable Curls Superset

Cross Shoulder Extensions: 25x20. Continue immediately to:
Wrist Curls: 60x12. Rest 1 min and continue to:
High Pulley Cable Curls: 50x20. Continue immediately to:
Cross Shoulder Extensions: 25x20. Continue immediately to:
Wrist Curls: 60x12. Rest 1 mins and continue to:
High Pulley Cable Curls: 50x20. Rest 1 min and continue to:
Wrist Curls: 55x12. Your Workout is over.

This is just a suggestion for a workout. I realize that doing multiple supersets can become very tiring, but with conditioning, it can be a breeze.

What Kinds of Supplements Should a Bodybuilder Take?

Once again, here we're going for size. Proper supplementation for size includes:

*Creatine
Creatine encourages gains in size because it helps "inflate" the muscle by bringing water into muscle cells. Creatine Ethyl Ester products, such as Cellmass by BSN are preferable because they are more potent and are absorbed more rapidly by your body than creatine monohydrate.

*Nitric Oxide
Nothing makes huge arms look even bigger like nitric oxide. Nitric oxide encourages blood vessels to expand, making muscles feel harder and look bigger and more defined. Try NO-Xplode or Nitrix, both made by BSN for a superior pump.

*Whey Protein
This one's a given for any serious bodybuilder. Whey protein is very rapidly absorbed by the body, encouraging anabolism and discouraging catabolism. Use whey protein 2-3 times per day: Before and immediately after lifting, and any other time you'd like (a whey protein shake makes a great meal.) For a great whey protein product, try Optimum Nutrition's 100% Whey.

*Multi-vitamin
As simple and easy as it sounds, multivitamins are an often-neglected necessity. Multi-vitamins provide you with the proper nutrients that your body needs to keep going hard throughout your workout. Universal's Animal Pak or GNC's Mega Men are both great.

Bonus: What Are the Most impressive gains you've made on your arms in a short period of time? How long did it take?

Following my workout strategy listed above, I gained 2 inches on my arms in a month. Although that may not sound like much, I consider myself to be a hard-gainer. Before starting my arms workout, I measured 14 inches. After one month of proper supplementation, diet, and training, my arms measured 16 inches. To me, my success was encouraging and helped me impress the ladies, too!

Squat_lt

02-08-2006, 08:01 PM

Best way to build arms quickly

Let me get this clear. All bodybuilders have always considered arms as the most impressive and visible body part. Big arms have always been a symbol of power and strength. But some guys have great difficulties with arm training. Nothing seems to work for some. Some people are always looking for a secret workout or exercises to build arms and that is biggest mistake. Arms are same muscles as all others so keep it simple! On this article I will debunk all myths about arm training.

I guarantee that there is no better way to build your arms apart heavy and consistent training. Lately I saw many workouts that promise few inches to your arms in a few workouts. However all these ridiculous claims are not true and all these super high set programs won’t do anything good, you will just exhaust your muscles. I will explain all best ways to reach your maximum potential, to get “guns” of your dreams in shortest amount of time possible.

First of all we need to understand how arms work. There are three major muscle groups in arms:

Biceps – The main functions off biceps are to lift and curl the arm.

Triceps – Triceps works opposite way than biceps. Their function is to straighten the arm.

Forearms – Relatively small muscle group which curl the palm up and down.

Key elements for growth of arms:

Training Frequency and Timing

It’s getting common thing to see when bodybuilders train arms two or even more times a week. And it’s another huge mistake if you want to build big arms. Biceps and forearms are relatively small muscle groups and it’s easy to overtrain them. Biceps and forearms are involved in many back exercises (pulling) while triceps are involved in chest and shoulder movements (pushing). I suggest training triceps and biceps once a week. If building big arms is your priority – you should do all arms training before any other muscle groups. It’s always best to hit arms hard when you are fresh and concentrated. I would also suggest to train biceps and triceps on separate days to maximize growth of both parts of arms.

You should train arms in very intense way. You may need to get a few minutes rest after heavy exercises such as squats, deadlifts or bench press, but bicep is one of fastest recuperating muscle group in your body. You should keep rest time between your arm sets to a minimum. Your arms workout should not last more than 30 or 45 minutes.

Number of Exercises, Sets, Repetitions

As I’ve said before – it’s easy to overtrain arms. Every day I see guys doing endless sets on bicep curls and tricep extensions. That’s certainly not the best way to gain as much mass as you can. Your workout should be short and intense. I suggest doing not more than 3-4 exercises and 3 sets for biceps and triceps. This number should be even lower for forearms because they are heavily involved in most power exercises. You should do 2 exercises and 2-3 sets for forearms. You shouldn’t train forearms right after your bicep workout, because they are involved in most bicep exercises. Building big arms is your priority so I suggest doing forearms workout on end of the week, while you do biceps on beginning.

"How many repetitions should bodybuilder do?", was always very discussible topic. Many people prefer training arms with high reps, but I propose opposite. We want to have huge arms right? If we do that means we need to train heavy. Arms respond to training in same manner as all other muscle groups and if you want size – I suggest training them heavy. You just can’t pick weight heavy enough for best muscle grow if you are doing over 12 repetitions. In my opinion 6-8 reps range is best for building size. You can pick heavy weight and do it in controlled way. Repetition range for forearms should be slightly higher. I suggest doing 8-10 reps for forearms.

Technique and Execution

Technique and proper execution of exercises always goes before amount of weight used. In our way of training heavy weight is very important, but you shouldn’t sacrifice full range of motion for a few pounds. Remember – you will include most muscle fibers and induce biggest muscle growth when you perform all exercises in full range of motion.

Negative phase of the movement is also very important. I see many people just raising barbell or dumbbell to the top and dropping it all the way down. You will never build great arms with this execution! You should lower the weight twice slowly as you raise it.

But don’t get me wrong. You should not do exercises in super strict form. You shouldn’t take lighter weight to just perform exercise in very strict way. Be loose, just control the weight as you lift and lower weight. Cheating is also not that evil until it’s fully controlled.

Best Exercises

Biceps

Barbell Curls – It’s a king of all biceps exercises. You can be sure that no workout is complete without them. It’s probably best mass and strength builder of all exercises for biceps. You can also use very heavy weight to stimulate muscle growth maximally.

Best way to perform barbell curls is in standing position, without any factors that can limit amount of weight you take. Your form should be loose, but all movement should be controlled. You should take barbell in shoulder width. Try to perform all movement slowly and avoid any swinging or jerking through the movement. As I said before – you should lower the weight twice slowly as you raise it.

Barbell curls is probably best exercise which suits for cheating the most. Cheat curls shouldn’t be a part of your everyday routine, but I recommend trying them from time to time. It helps to add extra power and mass in biceps. It’s very beneficial when you reach a plateau. Remember to control weight and keep your bicep working all the time.

I recommend including barbell curls in every biceps workout. You should do this exercise at the very beginning of your workout to generate maximum power and really hit bicep. You should always do a good warm-up before this exercise. I suggest doing 3 or 4 light sets to get bicep pumped. Then you can hit the bicep really hard with 3 heavy sets. I suggest doing no more than 6 repetitions for barbell curls.

Another variation of this exercise can be done with EZ bar. It reduces some stress from the wrist and works outer part of bicep a bit more. It’s not a substitute for straight barbell curls, but you should include this exercise in your workout from time to time.

Alternate Dumbbell Curls – It’s another great exercise for overall shape and mass of bicep. It includes biceps ability to rotate your arm and gives additional shape and size to it. I prefer to do one hand at a time because it minimizes cheating and allows more concentration to a single arm. This exercise should be performed in standing position because you can handle heavier weight. Sitting and incline variations of this exercise are good for isolating but not building the muscle.

Alternate dumbbell curls should be your number two exercise after barbell curls. You can include them in every biceps workout. I suggest doing 3 sets of 6-8 repetitions. Remember to lower the weight slowly, don’t drop it.

Hammer Curls – They are done in a same way as regular dumbbell curls except the palms are turned inward. It also involves forearms and brachialis (muscle underneath the bicep). It’s a good exercise for overall biceps development and mass, you should sometimes include them in your training.

Cable Curls – It’s another effective exercise for shape, mass and height of the biceps peak. I’ve found it as a good finishing movement and as a substitute for concentration curls. It’s quite different exercise from typical barbell curls. The difference is that cables put constant tension on your arms and you experience totally different feeling of movement.

It’s good exercise and I suggest placing it in the end of your workout. It’s great finishing exercise and you should feel totally pumped when you finish doing it. I suggest doing 3 sets and 6-8 reps. You can also stretch bicep at the top of the movement for extra peak.

Conclusion – Forget all isolation exercises if you want to build big biceps in a short amount of time. All fancy machines, concentration curls, preacher curls are only good for isolation of a muscle. They are not so good for mass and power building. Don’t think about them until you will have 20 inch guns. So stick to basics – heavy barbell and dumbbell movements are best for size.

Squat_lt

02-08-2006, 08:11 PM

Triceps

Close Grip Bench Press – Probably it’s most underrated exercise for triceps. It’s great mass and strength builder. You can use very heavy weight and full range of motion. The grip should be narrow – about 8 inches. You should perform it slowly and controlled, like any other exercise listed in this article. Don’t think about bouncing the bar of your chest, you can seriously damage your ribcage.

It’s very first tricep exercise in my workout. You could include it in every workout too. Don’t forget to do full warm-up before taking heavy weight. You may do 3-4 sets and 6-8 reps. Concentrate on your movement, try to push from the triceps.

Triceps Extensions – It’s another great exercise for mass of triceps. It develops full sweep of the triceps and hits all three tricep heads. There are many variations of this exercise. You can do it in seated, incline, lying or standing positions. Every of them have some unique differences. You can use barbell, cables or dumbbells. I prefer doing lying triceps extensions with barbell. You can get a tremendous stretch when you lower barbell below your head. I would recommend doing it this way. You can use straight or EZ bar. I prefer EZ because I feel more comfortable throughout the movement and I can handle heavier weight.

You can place this good exercise in beginning or the middle of your workout. You should do 3 sets each of 6-8 repetitions. You may also try standing barbell extensions from time to time. It allows to do cheating movement and you can take even more weight to recruit more muscle fibers.

Cable Pushdowns – It’s another great arm builder. This exercise works triceps through a full range of motion. When done correctly it’s very good exercise for strength and full tricep development.

It could be done in beginning or in the end of the workout. You should do 3 sets of 6-8 repetitions. Try to move naturally throughout the movement. This will generate more force and create bigger overload and muscle stimulation.

Dumbbell Kickbacks – Some people don’t consider dumbbell kickbacks as a very good mass builder for triceps. But if you do them correctly, you can achieve some decent overload on all tricep heads, especially the upper part of the tricep.

I like to include kickbacks in very end of my workout. It’s very good exercise to pump tricep to a limit. I suggest doing a bit more repetitions for this exercise. Don’t pick too heavy weight, all movement should be strictly controlled. You should do 8 to 10 repetitions of this movement.

Conclusion

The tricep is larger muscle group than bicep and it should be trained from more angles. Use same training way like you train biceps, train intense and heavy, however be careful about overtraining because you involve triceps in most pushing exercises.

Forearms

Barbell Wrist Curls – This exercise develops inside of the forearms. It helps to fully isolate these muscles. I suggest doing 3 sets of 8-10 reps. Don’t be afraid to go heavy, forearms responds to training same way like all other muscles. You can also do dumbbell variation of this exercise.

Reverse Barbell Wrist Curls – This exercise develops outside of the forearms. It helps to fully isolate these muscles. I suggest doing 3 sets of 8-10 reps. Don’t be afraid to go heavy, forearms responds to training same way like all other muscles. I like to do this exercise with EZ bar. You can also do dumbbell variation of this exercise.

Conclusion

You should train forearms as seriously as you train all other body parts. Your arms will look very unproportional if you have week forearm development. You may also try various grippers for more advanced training. However be careful, forearms are involved in nearly every exercise for the upper body, so it’s easy to overtrain this small muscle group.

Workout

Day 1 - Biceps

1. Barbell Curls – 12*, 10*, 8*, 3x6
2. Alternate Dumbbell Curls – 3x6-8
3. Cable Curls – 3x6-8

Day 2 - Triceps

1. Close Grip Bench Press – 15*, 12*, 10*, 3x6-8
2. Cable Pushdown – 3x6-8
3. Dumbbell Kickback – 3x8-10

Day 3 - Forearms

1. Barbell Wrist Curls – 3x8-10
2. Reverse Barbell Wrist Curls – 3x8-10

* - warm-up sets

Remember – forget all supersets, intensity, low reps and adequate weight is the key.

Nutrition

Proper nutrition is another very important aspect. You simply won’t grow if you will not consume adequate amounts of calories. Good nutrition is vital when you try to add inches to your “guns”. You should try to consume 500 or 1000 more calories than you need. For average bodybuilder it might be somewhere around 3500 – 4500 calories.

When you try to build as much muscle as you can in shortest amount of time, you should aim at your protein intake. You need to consume at least 1.5gr of protein for 1Lbs. You should get remaining calories from complex carbohydrates with low GI. Don’t forget about fat as well. You should get about 20% of your daily calories from good sources of fat.

You can find many great nutrition articles here: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/bbmainnut.htm

Supplements

Good supplementation can greatly enhance training and progress. Bodybuilding supplements are getting more and more popular every day. And there is a reason why. Good choice and proper use of supplements can greatly boost your strength and improve your lean mass gains. Arms are quite specific body part and I will divide best supplements for arms training into two categories:

Cell Volumizing Supplements

Creatine – Creatine is one of the best supplements ever. It increases strength and it has been shown effective in increasing muscle mass and performance. It’s one of most effective supplements on a market today and I would recommend it to everybody, especially if you are trying to build massive “guns”. Creatine Ethyl Ester is new generation creatine. Its absorption was improved dramatically from its predecessor Creatine Monohydrate. One of the best creatine products on the market today are Omega Sports Cre-Ethyl Thunder and Controlled Labs Green Bulge. You can also save some money and try CEE in bulk form. Higher Power Creatine Ethyl Ester is good choice.

Nitric Oxide (NO2) – Nitric Oxide is a free form gas that is produced in the body and is used by the body to communicate with other cells in the body. To produce this gas, enzymes in the body break down the amino acid Arginine. When you use Arginine as a supplement, your body produces more Nitric Oxide and it helps to get crazy pump. It also increases lean mass. You should definitely try to enhance your arms workouts with Nitric Oxide. One of most popular and effective forms of Nitric Oxide are Arginine Ethyl Ester and DiArginine Malate. One of best NO2 supplements are Controlled Labs White Blood and Syntrax Nitrous.

Glycerol Monostearate – Glycerol is quite new product in a market, but it’s already gaining big popularity. Glycerol increases cell volume, aid the osmotic effects of creatine, and enhance the natural anabolic responses of weightlifting. When combined with a high protein/moderate carbohydrate diet, and a solid workout protocol, this product helps give the user increased gains in size, strength and vascularity. You can buy bulk glycerol, but I would highly recommend Controlled Labs GlycerGrow.

Recovery Supplements

Whey Protein - Bodybuilders needs really high dosages of protein and it gets hard to get all protein from raw food. Then protein shake comes into play. Whey is probably most popular protein today. It digested very quickly, that’s very good for post workout nutrition. Bioavailability is also very high, so everything makes whey as best source of protein. My favorite whey protein is Optimum 100% Whey Protein.

BCAA – BCAA are group of three essential amino acids – Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine. In my opinion it’s best supplement after creatine. When taken before and after a workout they prevents protein breakdown, prevents muscle damage, loss of glutamine. You can greatly improve your recovery with BCAA supplementation. SciVation Xtend is great BCAA product.

Glutamine – Glutamine is most abundant acid in a body. Glutamine has many positive effects for athlete. It increases growth hormone, stimulates muscle protein synthesis, decreases catabolism, increases endurance, decreases muscle recovery time and has many other benefits. You should consider taking it every day. One of best glutamine supplements is Higher Power Glutamine.

Bonus Question: What were the most impressive gains you've made on your arms in a short period of time? How long did it take?

I’ve never been gifted in arms department. As I remember myself – arms always were my weakest body part. Whatever I did, I didn’t progress. I was following a typical program. High sets, high reps and no progress…

I was struggling with my biceps and triceps training until I’ve tried intense low rep training and good nutrition + some basic supplements. I’ve experienced my most impressive gains of my life. My strength went through the roof and I’ve added over 1 inch to my arms in less than 2 months time. And it was not a temporary gain. I was surprised how quickly I was progressing and I didn’t stop to do that now. From that time my approach to arm training has changed radically. I hope yours will change too!

Good Luck!

N10CT

02-08-2006, 10:51 PM

Weapons of Mass Destruction: Building Massive Guns

Whenever somebody is asked by another person to “show me your muscles” , they rarely pull up their shorts and show their hamstrings, nor do they flex their lats. Almost without fail, when asked to show their muscles people will inevitably flex their arms. Why? Because the arms are the ‘money’ muscles to almost everybody, bodybuilders, athletes and the general population. I’m sure a large percentage of bodybuilders started simply to improve their arm size. And once you have built a nice pair of arms it is never enough. Who wouldn’t love to have another 2 inches on their arms? People with 14 inch arms want 16, those with 16 want 18, those with 18 want 20 and so on. There is an old rule of thumb, to put 1 inch on your arms you need to gain at least 10lbs of lean mass. So for two inches that is a least 20lbs. But don’t fret, you aren’t destined to be chasing that goal that could actually take years. With smart and specialised training, nutrition and supplementation you can increase the size of your arms in record time.

A temporary arm size increase is simple to achieve. Measure your arms, go to the gym, pump out some sets for biceps and triceps and re-measure. Your arms will be bigger. This was the whole premise behind that old ‘one day arm cure’. Lots of sets all day to keep the arms pumped. The next day when you measured them they would still be pumped and magically bigger, however a few days later all gains would be lost. You see one of the biggest problems with increasing arm size is judging against measurements. Most people measure their arms when they are pumped. Arm measurements MUST be taken when the arm is cold and un-flexed. That way you can be certain any increase in arm size is quality muscle and permanent.

Arm Anatomy and Function

The arms are essentially made up of two recognised muscle groups; the triceps and the biceps. Although the biceps get the most press, the triceps make up the majority of arm size. Therefore, if you want to add 2 inches to your arms as quickly as possible you will need to address both the triceps and biceps.

I’m not going to go into too much anatomy talk here. Bodybuilding.com has some great pages that give much more detailed anatomy than I could describe. I will however discuss the function of the triceps and biceps so that you can understand how to train them.

The triceps has two functions. Firstly, the most well known function is its role in straightening the arm. The second lesser function is that of adduction. The long head of the triceps shares this function with the lats. Basically, it involves bringing the arm down towards the body.

Surprisingly, the biceps have four functions, double that of the triceps. They are flexion of the elbow (curling), supination of the forearm (turning palm ‘up’) and two shoulder movements: flexion (basically a front raise for delts) and transverse flexion (flyes of chest). This shows just how used the biceps really are.

Nutrition

Before I discuss the nitty gritty of training to improve arm size, it would be remiss of me not to at least mention the nutritional aspects of increasing arm size. Nutrition is just as important, if not more important than training for increasing muscle size. Essentially, you could simply eat a hyper caloric diet and you arms would get bigger without training. The size would not be quality muscle, but they would still be larger.

When trying to increase the size of you arms, or any muscle part for that matter, you must be eating more calories than you expend. Eating maintenance or less will not provide the energy required to build new muscle. Think of this just like any other bulking diet. Lots of protein and lots of carbohydrates. Simply by increasing the amount of carbs in you diet, especially if they have been restricted, your arms will appear bigger as more glycogen is available to be stored in the muscle. Remember not to skimp on the diet side of things.

Which exercises are best?

There are literally dozens of exercises available for the arms, not to mention all the little variations of them as well. Also, the tricep muscles are worked in all pressing movements including most chest and delt work, while the biceps are used in all pulling movements mainly for the back. Therefore I will discuss here only the movements that are involve din the routine I will be suggesting.

Triceps

Dips

Dips, along with close grip benches, are the premium exercise of the triceps. To perform dips successfully you must use narrow dipping bars and remain as upright as possible during the movement. Wide bars and leaning forward take the focus off the triceps and place more emphasis on the chest muscles.

Close Grip Bench Press

Right up with dips, CGBP are an excellent exercise for the triceps. These are performed almost exactly the same as a bench press but with a much closer grip (around 18 inches). Using a decline bench is a much more effective variation as well.

Pushdowns

Without a doubt pushdowns are the most used tricep exercise in the universe. it is not hard to see why. They are simple to perform, almost every gym has the right equipment and they are very effective. Simply grab a hold of a straight bar attached to a cable stack and push down. Be careful to ensure the triceps are doing all the work, not your entire body.

One arm pushdowns

Performed exactly the same as the pushdowns above with two slight variations. Instead of a straight bar, use a D handle and perform one arm at a time, really isolating the triceps.

Biceps

Undergrip chins/ pull ups

Barbell curls are usually considered the best biceps exercise available, however they are flawed. Since the maximum force point occurs when the arm is at 90 degrees, the rest of the stroke is relatively easy on the biceps. In much the way Vince Gironda used drag curls, underhand chins eliminate this problem. Chins keep the tension on the biceps throughout the entire movement. Simply use and underhand grip set at shoulder width and pull yourself up, lower and repeat.

Barbell curls

Despite their previously mentioned flaw, barbell curls are still are excellent exercise for the biceps. To perform simple grip a barbell and curl until it is at shoulder level. Make sure your biceps do all the work, not the delts or lower back.

*BONUS TIP- Here is a tip I got from Pavel Tsatsouline. To minimise cheating while doing barbell curls pull you stomach in towards you spine and contract you glutes as hard as possible. It will provide a great core to work from and make it very hard to cheat.

Cable curls

Cable curls can be performed one arm to two arms at a time. Simply hook a bar or D handle up to a low pulley on a cable stack and curl like another movement. personally, I like cable exercises because they place continuous tension on the muscle group you are working.

ho_124

02-08-2006, 10:52 PM

Heres my article

N10CT

02-08-2006, 10:53 PM

Putting it all together: the program

One aspect of training that still amazes me is how infrequently people train each muscle group. I would say a majority of bodybuilders still hit each muscle group once a week, even though there has been a big swing away from this in recent years to hitting each muscle 2-4 times per week. This once a week trend is only a recent “innovation” in bodybuilding, all the old time greats hit each muscle several times a week, while Vince Gironda said once a week only works for steroid users.

In case you haven’t figured it out by now, this routine is going to hit your arms several times per week; three to be exact. This program is going to use undulated periodization for it’s basis. While I feel conjugated periodization is best for increasing strength, I feel undulated is best for hypertrophy.

The three qualities we are going to address each week are:
- Maximal strength with hypertrophy
- Hypertrophy
- Endurance strength/ hypertrophy

Perform the following routine on three non-consecutive days per week. For example Mon/Wed/Fri or Tues/Thurs/Sat.

Day 1: Maximal Strength with Hypertrophy

A1. Dips or Decline Close Grip Bench Presses- 10x3 with 5RM
A2. Underhand Grip Chins- 10x3 with 5RM

For each exercise select a weight you can do for a 5 rep maximum. Now perform 10 sets of 3 reps with that weight. Alternate between triceps and biceps with a 90 second rest between each set. Don’t worry if you cannot make all 30 reps and you last few sets are two’s and ones’. Once you can manage 10 sets of 3 however, try to get 10 sets of 4, then 10 sets of 5.

Don’t underestimate 10x3 as a muscle building principle. It has been around for a very long time and has recently been re-emerging as a top notch method for hypertrophy. The best gains I have ever made in my life were while using 10x3 as the basis for the program.

Day 2: Endurance Strength/ Hypertrophy

A1. One Arm Cable Pushdowns 2x15
A2. One Arm Cable Curls 2x15

Perform 2 sets for each arm and leave a rep or two in the tank on each set. Rest 60 seconds between sets so the routine works like this: 15 rep right hand push down, 60 seconds rest, 15 rep right hand curl, 60 seconds rest, 15 rep left hand push down, 60 seconds rest, 15 rep left hand curl, 60 seconds rest, repeat.

Day 3: Hypertrophy

A1. Pushdowns 5x10 @70-80% 1RM
A2. Barbell Curls 5x10 @70-80% 1RM

Again alternate between sets, resting for 75 seconds.

There it is. A complete program to super size your arms. By hitting each muscle group more frequently you are getting more growth cycles per week and by varying the parameters trained avoiding overtraining and actually improving recovery. This program isn’t necessarily a specialisation program, however most trainees will want to put their other training on the back burner while using this program. If that is the case train each other muscle once or twice per week maximum. I would not add anything else to the days mentioned here, maybe legs to day 2 but that is it. Try this routine for at least 4 weeks and I guarantee you will see excellent gains on your arms that are permanent, not just a temporary pump.

Supplements

Supplements are going to not only be required, but also play a vital role in adding mass to your guns a quickly as possible. While the list of useful supplements could be endless (for example ZMA helps sleep and recovery if nothing else), I will keep it to those that will have a direct impact on adding size to your guns. All supplements mentioned here can be bought at great prices in the bodybuilding.com store.

The Basics

1. Multi-vitamins/minerals

If you still need to be convinced to the benefits of a multi-vitamin/mineral I think you are on the wrong site. By taking a broad spectrum multi everyday you decrease the chances of becoming deficient in a vital vitamin or mineral. For as little as 10 cents per day it is an insurance policy for not only your general health but also your performance in the gym.

Popular Brands of Multi’s include: Higher Power, AST and Universal.

2. Protein Powders/ MRP

Protein is vital for muscle growth. Muscle growth is vital for long term gains in arm size. See the connection? Most recommend 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight per day. When I am specialising a body part I like to bump that number up closer to 1.5g/ lb. Protein powders and MRPs make achieving that amount much easier. Take a minimum of 1 serve of a WPI protein before and after training. Stick to blends or MRPs the rest of the day.

Popular WPI: PrimaForce Substance, ErgoPharm GF Pro.

Popular Blends: Optimum 100% Whey, Dymatize Elite.

Popular MRPs: EAS Myoplex range, AST Ny-Tro Pro-40

The Cell Volumisers

These supplements should immediately add size to you guns without intense training.

3. Creatine

Creatine is the mother of all sports supplements. It makes you bigger and stronger and also helps you recovery within and between sessions. Creatine comes in many forms, but the most popular two are the tried and tested creatine monohydrate and the new boy creatine ethyl ester (CEE). Personally, when I use creatine monohydrate I gain about 3kgs after a loading week including 0.5-1 inch on my arms. Now this weight and size is purely weight being held in the volumised muscle, but it is still a good size gain. CEE is supposedly a better form of creatine, not requiring a loading period and eliminating any extracellular water retention.

All top brands make a creatine monohydrate product with many producing CEE as well.

The most popular creatine products include:
- Higher Power CEE and monohydrate
- PrimaForce CEE and monohydrate
- Controlled Labs Green Bulge
- BSN CellMass

All of which are quality products.

4. Nitric Oxide Products

The verdict is still out regarding whether NO products actually work to help muscle growth. Although this is uncertain, they certainly help to increase muscle size. NO products have been reported to engorge the muscles with blood all day long as a result of mind blowing pumps in the gym. Although these size gains may not be permanent, the will still be size gains and after all isn’t that what we are after. NO products come in many forms from straight arginine to various formulas and newer Arginine Ethyl Ester based products. Like all supplements some people will have excellent results while others will be disappointed. Try a few until you find one that works best for you.

Popular NO products include:
-BSN NO-Xplode (which was recently awarded both the Muscle builder and NO product of the year by bodybuilding.com)
-BSN Nitrix
-ALRI N’Gorge
-Dymatize Xpand
-Controlled Labs White Blood

While both creatine and NO are worthy additions by themselves, combined they take things to a whole new level. The combination of Controlled Labs Green Bulge and White Blood has been very popular and worth trying for some very satisfying results.

The Fancy Extras

5. Stimulants

When trying to improve a bodypart it takes complete 100% dedication and focus. Some days it is hard to manage that focus in the gym. You might be tired or simply have a lot on your mind. This is when stimulants can come in handy. It is important not to overuse them of course, but two or three times per week would be fine.

There is currently a lot of debat on the forums regarding which is the best stimulant. It certainly seems to be between ErgoPharm’s AMP and Anabolic Xtreme’s Stimulant X. Both are completely different products in the way the work and have been receiving rave reviews. Since they are different it may be best to experiment with each and find out which one works best for you.

6. BCAA

These certainly fall under the fancy extra category, especially when on a hyper caloric diet. Due to the excess protein and calories there is no real great need for extra bcaa’s. That said, if you can afford they might be worth investing in. Many experts recommend sipping bcaa’s before, during and after a workout to stimulate growth. Charles Poliquin recommends a minimum of 20g but preferably 0.44g/kg of bodyweight. Scivation’s Xtend product has received much publicity for its results when mega-dosed. More about this can be found on the bodybuilding forums. I personally gained the most muscle, in the shortest time, in my life while sipping 3 serves of Xtend while training.

While not all essential, smart supplementation can help you gain those extra inches on your arms.

Bonus Question: What were the most impressive gains you've made on your arms in a short period of time? How long did it take?

I recently followed a whole body program based on the 10x3 philosophy. In 4 weeks I gained 10 lbs and 1.25 inches on my arms. This was without the use of any creatine or NO products. About 2 weeks after I finished I began to use the Green Bulge and White Blood combo. My weight increased a further 5 lbs, ass it always does when I introduce creatine, and added almost an inch to my arms. So basically after 7 weeks my arms were 2 inches larger than before without specialising them in the gym.

As I said at the start of this article, everyone wants bigger arms. Hopefully you can put the info in these pages to good use and be well on your way to that extra 2 inches.

Best of luck with all your efforts,
N10CT