Arm training

I probably receive the most comments about my arms. Now, I realize that my arms are also the most visible part of my body, but when you walk around the gym like this, just about everything is showing anyway right?


I was recently attending a class for work- I have to maintain a certification that requires constant training. There was a woman working there who came up to me and asked how I get my arms to look the way they do. She explained she has been doing lots of bicep curls and doesn't feel anything and doesn't see any results.


After talking with her a bit I realize that I don't really do a lot of bicep specific training, I feel that my biceps and triceps get trained quite a bit with my back training. I do throw some bicep and tricep moves in, but not as much as people seem to think. 


When people ask about my arms, I automatically think my shoulders, but my biceps have gotten so big that I realize now they are talking about the whole arm, shoulders, biceps, triceps.


I think that most people think that the training comes all together, "the arm' but it doesn't, not at all. The shoulders require a lot of detail and love, a lot goes into big, broad shoulders. The biceps and triceps are easier, they get trained when other body parts get trained, if you do it right that is.


It is a rare day you will find me doing a bicep concentration curl, it just isn't necessary. let me put it this way, you can develop beautiful arms while working other body parts at the same time, how's that?


So what exactly is my training? It varies, as it should. I have always been known for having great, broad shoulders (at least in the last few years competing), but they really have popped since training with Roy.


An example of what I do for shoulders:


Dumbbell Lateral Raises
Dumbbell Front Raises
Dumbbell Rear Delt Raises
Barbell Press
Behind the Neck Barbell Press
Dumbbell Press
Arnold Press


But they get trained when I work back too. I always incorporate pull ups and chin ups, these are probably one of the best overall exercises you can do. They hit the back, triceps, biceps, lats, traps, abs, neck...need I say more? If you are not doing several sets of chin ups a week, you should.


Cables...


What do I do for my biceps and triceps? 


Most of it is my back training. It hits the biceps too!


The Cable Lat Pull Down, we all use that right? It hits your biceps too.
The Low Cable Row? That hits the biceps and rear delts also.
Again, the chin ups and pull ups.
Dips, they hit biceps, triceps and back.
Barbell Bent Over Row: Use a supinated grip (the palms towards your face), this targets the biceps, if you change the grip to a pronated grip, you target the triceps (I almost always use supinated).
Single Arm Bent Over Dumbbell Row, it hits the biceps too.
T-Bar Row, hits triceps, back, rear delts, biceps


There are two "arm" specific exercises I do, that is the E-Z bar curl and skullcrushers.


The other consideration is the weight- everyone wants to know "how much is the right weight?"


Well that all depends on your goal- is it strength or hypertrophy or weight loss? I am assuming it is hypertrophy. So the weight would be as heavy as you can go anywhere between 8 to 12 reps.  That means you can do 10 reps with good form, but are struggling, that's a good weight. If it is easy to knock out 10, then it is way to light. It should be difficult.


I do change it up and sometimes I will use heavy weights with low reps then lighter weight with higher reps. It must always change.


So you can see why my shoulders and arms look so good- I devote two days a week solely to shoulders, then one day to Back, so the arms are getting hit three times a week, and close to competition I add one more Back day so they get hit four times a week!


So my advice to anyone who is trying to have killer arms (but not look like Jay Cutler), concentrate on your back and shoulders, the rest will follow.

Back and Arm Training

Thursday- back and arms, here's how the morning went:

Chin ups and Pull ups: 5 wide grip pull ups, 5 neutral grip, 6 chins ups, 5 slow eccentric lowering chin ups.

Barbell bent Over Row 115 pounds 4 sets of 10 reps , 90 second rest in between sets, tempo:

40/41/42/35

Low Row (cable) 85 pounds 5 sets of 10 reps (first 3 wide handle grip, last 2 triangle handle), 60 second rest in between sets, tempo: 46/49/45/48/47

Lat Pull Down 85 pounds 5 sets of 10 reps (first 3 wide handle grip, last 2 triangle handle), 60 second rest in between sets, tempo: 50/47/46/44/44

E-z Bar Curl 48 pounds 3 sets of 10, 60 second rest in between sets, tempo: 51/47/48

Skull Crushers 38 pounds 3 sets of 10, 60 second rest in between sets, tempo: 33/40/39

Single Arm Dumbbell Row 45 pounds 4 sets of 10, 60 second rest in between sets, tempo: 48/47; 40/39; 34/36

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!

Chin Ups and Pull Ups

My 16 year old son wants to get big and ripped- so who does he turn to?

Mom!  

First step? I bought this and I love it!  The very first "as seen on TV" product I have ever purchased, although I do not watch TV so I have never seen it, I only saw it in the stores.

It's called an Iron Gym and the website has them two for one! buy two and split the cost with a friend. I just bought this at Bed, Bath and Beyond for more...rats!

Pull ups and chin ups are one of the best exercises you can do for the entire body! For muscle growth (Hypertrophy), don't "kip" them (AKA Crossfitters), but concentrate on a slow eccentric move, that's the lowering portion. The eccentric move is what counts, the concentric (pulling up) really doesn't mean much to you.

Pull ups are more difficult, they work the back more; chin ups are easier, they work the biceps more. Whats the difference? Chin ups are done with a supinated hand. That means your hand (the open part) is facing up at you, like if you were to try to eat soup with your hand!

I have a hard time doing many pull ups, but I am very good at chin ups, I do them quite a bit, with body weight and with weight around my waist.

If you are just starting, and cannot do one yet, don't fret!  I had to learn, when I first started training with SC I couldn't do any (I may be slightly exaggerating to make you feel better- I think I could do 2 or 3), and he would help me up (hands around waist) and then I had to lower myself as slowly as possible, about the count of 10. 

You can use a resistance band, I have a short video here where I demonstrate one. (Email readers will need to navigate to the blog to view the video).

If you don't have an SC, or a resistance band, use a chair to stand on -It won't be as buff or good looking as SC, but it will do what is needed. Stand on the chair, then pull your knees up kind of hop up and off the chair and the slowly lower. Do this as many times as possible.

Once you no longer need a chair, or band the goal is to bring your chin up and past the bar, then lower yourself all the way down. straight arms, those half way down arms are not complete reps!

Maintain a tight core, feel your back and lats pulling you up and controlling the movement down. Some find it best to bend at the knees, bringing the heels up towards the glutes, keep those abs tight, tight, tight!

Soon, you can strap a kettlebell around your waist and pull yourself up, then lower yourself.

Pull ups will develop your back, your lats, biceps, triceps, abs (yes, keep the core tight and it will). This is one of the basics, everyone should have these in their repertoire!

The 16 year old - got his driver license today...eeek! At least I am still needed to cook and train him! We are doing chin ups every night before bed now too.