Arm Training

The other day Roy told me that I never talk about my arm training. I do train my arms but I don't have a specific arm day, they get trained quite a bit when I train back and I will add a few other arm specific exercises in too.


Arms will also get a workout when training shoulders. I am not aiming for 22 inch biceps, so my training seems sufficient for me!

What exactly am I doing? Well I train back twice a week, and each workout is slightly different. The grip I use will affect which muscle is trained.

At each back workout I start with chins ups and pull ups. I do 5 sets of 5 to 8 depending on my energy level that day and the grip (some are a lot harder than others). Starting with pull ups gets my whole body primed and energized. They are one of the best exercises you can do. Chin ups and pull ups will target the biceps and the triceps, believe me! I will go to the dual cable where there is a 3 way grip in the center, I can do wide grip pull ups, narrow grip, chin ups and neutral grip. I will do all four each time. Often I will do isometric holds and concentrate on the eccentric, holding myself at the top position then lowering as painfully slowly as humanly possible.

The low cable row will target the biceps too, along with the rear delts. Dips hit the triceps. Don't use the assisted dip, learn to do it on your own.

Barbell bent over rows will really work the biceps if you use an underhand grip.

T-bar rows will also target the arms along with the back.

I will do some e-z bar curls with heavy weight (48 pounds for 10 reps is heavy for me) and an offset grip curl at the end.

I think I am successful at it because I train my back heavy, so the arms really get a workout too at the same time. Many women shy away from training back, they are afraid of it becoming too wide and broad. Bad mistake, a wide back is an impressive back!

Sunday on my next back day I will write down the reps and sets and update you with the details.


You want big arms? Work your back!

Back and Biceps with Alicia

I went to spend some time with my father in law, but that didn't stop me from hitting the gym!

There is a woman who lives across the street from him, Alicia. We met at Christmas when I was there. Alicia started reading my blog, we became friends and I gave her some diet and training help, all over email and face book.

She has lost 6 pounds since January, all on her own! That's great!

When Alicia heard I was coming she got a day pass at her gym, we would meet Friday at 5:00 a.m and it was back and biceps day for me, so that's what we planned to attack.

The parking lot at the gym was surprisingly full so early. Alicia explained she usually goes to the women's section. I told her I had never heard of a gym that had a separate men's and women's section.

She explained that they don't really have separate sections, but that the men train in one area and the women in another. She then looked at me and said "I think we are probably going to the men's section though today?" "Yes! you bet we are!" I replied.

She smiled, she was up for the challenge.

Turns out the "men's section" is the free weights, and she was right, we were the only women there.  Actually at one point I think a woman came in for a couple minutes, but she wasn't there long, maybe it was the novelty of me, the half naked woman training in the gym.

A couple times men offered to move elsewhere, so we could do what we want, I think Alicia was a bit surprised. So many women are intimidated in the free weight section, not only because they may not feel they know how to perform the exercises, but because of the men. I have only ever had good experiences and have become friends with the men in my gym, in fact I think I intimidate most of them!

I had a great time, It was fun to help someone else and try to explain the reasons for doing things a certain way, what muscle to feel being worked, how to avoid engaging those traps....

So what did we do? All exercises were performed at a maximum weight allowable to continue through 10 reps with good form.

Lat pull down, wide grip 3x10
Lat pull down triangle or narrow grip 2x10
Barbell bent over row 3x10 superset with
chins 3x5 (assisted if necessary, work to unassisted and then up to 10)
Low cable row wide grip 3x10
Low cable row triangle grip 2x10
EZ bar biceps curl 3x10
1 arm dumbbell row 3x10
Incline dumbbell biceps curls
Face Pulls 3x10
Iso Back Row (hammer strength) 3x10 each
Back Extensions 3x10


This evening a little birdie told me that Alicia was going back to the gym the next day - and to the men's section!  You go girl!

Tomorrow? I meet Maria and it is leg day!