Doing Extra Arm Work

[Powerlifter]

I have been doing the big three Squats, Deadlifts, Bench and even Powercleans now going on my 3rd year and have build up some good size but seem to lack size in my arms.

I don't compete only with myself but I want to do some extra arm work to add some size and wonder would it hurt if I did the arm work on the days I normally would rest if I was a 3 day workout say on a Tuesday if I worked out on Monday?

I would go strong on tricep work and of coarse bicep work.

Or how would you do it so I don't strink and burn out.

Thanks

 

[CarlitosWay]

look into this upper/lower body split

go to washed up meathead template

http://www.defrancostraining.com/articles.html

monday max effort upper body
Wednesday max effort lowerbody
friday max reppetition upperboday
saturday vanity work

add in some extra arm work on saturday

Tris build up the bulk of your arm so we'll start with them

pick one main pressing movement for tris, lets say close grip bench press off pins in a power rack/squat rack. bar should be 3-4 inches of chest. set up like this guy in the vid http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhpzrRGgAyI Yet drop the pins on each side some, so you get a better range of motion, whatever feels more comfortable and has you really nailing the triceps hard.

You can also do these in the smith machine and they work great.

Ramp/warm up to 1-2 all out sets on these let's say 6-10 rep range

after these do one extension movement that doesn't irritate the elbows. floor tri extensions are great (bar going behind the head and resting momentarily on every rep), pjrs, power pressdowns, larry scott extensions...

ramp up to 1-2 working sets all out 12-15 reps.

now for the bis.

Pick 2 bicep exercises
preacher curls, ez bar drag curls or something you feel works best for you.

first exercise go light and hammer your biceps real good 10-15 rep range

Than the second exercise you choose go heavy say 6-8 rep range.

Now after those 2 bi movements

do forearm work.

pick one movement out of the following

pinwheel curls, hammer curls or reverse grip cable curls.

1-2 working sets 10-15 reps.

on most of these movements you can throw a rest pause in here or there. just after finishing a set to failure, rest for 10-12 secs and pick up that same weight and go for some more. Only do these on your last working set.

EDIT: hit post limit.......CaptainJ, I'm sure you wouldn't mind putting up a pic of those "huge biceps" people comment on .

You seem to make them sound impressive by bodybuilding standards or something.....*waits patiently for either a picture or some excuse*

Yeah pullups chins up can hit arms good for some people and for some not so good, but you cannot refute those who do lots of isolation work + big compound movements that work for them. Are usually the biggest guys aesthetically. Dare to argue this. I have many pictures of natural bodybuilders who do the big 3 or variations + lots of isolation work and some not even doing all of the big 3 ! Who are big all over.

 

[cuzza]

I have been doing the big three Squats, Deadlifts, Bench and even Powercleans now going on my 3rd year and have build up some good size but seem to lack size in my arms.

Please tell this to half the people on here. Getting good on the big lifts is all well and good, but they are not enough for optimal arm growth - you need to be hitting them direct.

As for when to include the work... if you're doing a day for each big lift, then you could easily add biceps to the end of the deadlift day and triceps to the bench day... if not, go with what was said previous. So long as you're getting it in, I don't think it'll make a huge difference.

 

[Powerlifter]

Thanks, I appreciate the info men.

Powerlifter

 

[CaptainJ]

Please tell this to half the people on here. Getting good on the big lifts is all well and good, but they are not enough for optimal arm growth - you need to be hitting them direct.

As for when to include the work... if you're doing a day for each big lift, then you could easily add biceps to the end of the deadlift day and triceps to the bench day... if not, go with what was said previous. So long as you're getting it in, I don't think it'll make a huge difference.

I have to disagree. The compound movements will add proportional bulk to your arms. The only exercise i do that can be considered close to arm isolation, are 6 sets of chin ups every 2 weeks, I focus on the big lifts. Yet people only seem to comment on my "huge biceps", which just goes to show that someone who trains for strength can build a proportional physique, opposing what a lot of "bodybuilders" here say about strength training.

 

[cuzza]

I understand what you're saying, however I'm talking about OPTIMAL arm growth - as in, the most possible. Indirect training will of course affect them, but if you want arm size, why would you possibly not train your arms directly? It's a no brainer.

 

[Oxide]

You need to be doing pullups

 

[Powerlifter]

I use to have a chart on proportional body measurements and can't find the link which is for bodybuilding but my arms cold unflexed are 14 1/2 and flexed 15 and I am 6-3 235.

My chest is 47 calves 17 neck 17 1/2 and thighs 25 so to me that's not a big arm in proportion to my other measurements but I could be wrong since I have been in powerlifting only but to me they should be at least 17 to gain respect so to speak. My forearms are 12.

Powerlifter

 

[CarlitosWay]

I use to have a chart on proportional body measurements and can't find the link which is for bodybuilding but my arms cold unflexed are 14 1/2 and flexed 15 and I am 6-3 235.

My chest is 47 calves 17 neck 17 1/2 and thighs 25 so to me that's not a big arm in proportion to my other measurements but I could be wrong since I have been in powerlifting only but to me they should be at least 17 to gain respect so to speak. My forearms are 12.

Powerlifter

Nothing wrong with that and don't listen to the yuppies telling you that pullups/chin up are enough. For christs sake Matt Kroc for the past 2 years or so has been hitting his arms real hard as he and any other knowledgeable lifter knows they need lots of volume and variation at times. They're playing catch up to the rest of his physique right now

 

[Drum&Bass]

True, pull ups and chin ups only develop a good foundation of strength (for the arms), but if you don't do intense direct arm work you won't have proportional arms and your bench press / over head press will plateau.


I dont care what any of the strength nerds say...ALL MEN CARE ABOUT HAVING BIG STRONG ARMS !! squat and deadlift all you want just dont complan when you start looking like russian dolls.

 

[CarlitosWay]

True, pull ups and chin ups only develop a good foundation of strength (for the arms), but if you don't do intense direct arm work you won't have proportional arms and your bench press / over head press will plateau.


I dont care what any of the strength nerds say...ALL MEN CARE ABOUT HAVING BIG STRONG ARMS !! squat and deadlift all you want just dont complan when you start looking like russian dolls.

/Thread Have a good day gentlemen.

 

[Fuglydude]

I lift mostly for strength, and the majority of my workouts are comprised of heavy compound movements, but I'll usually do a lighter "isolation" day once a week or so where I'll focus on isolation movements.

I'm 5'8" - 180. Arms are around 15" flexed. I think they should be 16-17" for me to look proportional as I have a fairly wide shoulder girdle. Quads are 24-25", calves are 14", chest is 42", and waist is around 31-32".

I think heavy weighted pull-up/dip work as well as the standard big compound movements will give you a good base for arms, but various bicep curls, tricep extension movements can help to get bigger arms.

I personally do seated bicep curls, hammer curls and cable tricep extension work. Occasionally will do tri kickbacks as well.

 

[Powerlifter]

Thanks again for the added info.

Powerlifter