ARM TRAINING

[Luv2Hurt]

Nothing wrong with that from time to time! 
It's always a good idea to get a feel for heavier weight, practice with it...that's the way you get stronger.  Eventually, the weight you do cheats with will become the weight you use for regular curls.   

I do a few good set of heavy cheats every couple of weeks or so when I am bulking.

Thats sounds reasonable.  Arms have always been hard for me, my genetics there are OK at best.  I have tried all kinds of different methods over the years with moderate success.  Heavy, high volume, low volume, supersets, drop sets, separate day for each bis and tris, light high rep just about anything I can think of!!  I know they will never be exactly like I would like them to be, but I still feel I can improve them.

Lately i have been using a little less weight and just trying to keep the form tight and tension on my bis and tris.  On both bodyparts it is important to try and keep your shoulders out of it and avoid too much swinging.  I have always been a believer in trying to move heavy weights in my training and I will go as heavy as I can now while still feeling the muscle working.  I have been making sure to get a good squeeze and contraction on each rep.  Also I have been focusing on making each arm work equally in the set, cause my left lags behind my right side. 

Here is something else, being so right sided I always start my sets with the right arm.....duhhh!  probally would be smarter for me to start with the weaker left side.....note to self.... get your head out of your ass, start sets with weaker side first.     

[ripitupbaby]

Here is something else, being so right sided I always start my sets with the right arm.....duhhh!  probally would be smarter for me to start with the weaker left side.....note to self.... get your head out of your ass, start sets with weaker side first.     

This is a really good idea, and it's something that I should start doing too! 
My right bicep is very noticably larger and more defined than my left.   
This is something that I HAVE to fix during this off-season.  I should start with the left arm when I do dumbell work and maybe do one extra rep on the left every set.

[Luv2Hurt]

This is a really good idea, and it's something that I should start doing too! 
My right bicep is very noticably larger and more defined than my left.   
This is something that I HAVE to fix during this off-season.  I should start with the left arm when I do dumbell work and maybe do one extra rep on the left every set.

Yeah Im thinking a little extra work for the lagging arm might not be a bad idea.

[Luv2Hurt]

As of late I have come up with 2 new arm exercises that I like to work in to my routine.  They are both done on the seated cable row machine, alright I copied the triceps one from a PT who was doing them with a client    Really they are just variations of stuff you guys may already do but I thought they seemed a little unique.

First is the cable concentration curl:  Attach a single hand handle to seated cable row machine.  Choose a light weight to get the feel.  Sit in normal position and grab handle.  The row machines at our gym have like a small platform where you put your feet on the rowing movements, I take the same leg as the arm I training and put it up on the platform.  Then I will rest the elbow of the arm I am working on my leg/knee area and will begin curling the weight, its a cool pull kind of right towards you and these will pump those babies up!

Second is overhead triceps extension:  Uses the same machine, attach a rope handle.  Sit upright facing backwards on the foot platform, your ass should be right in front of the low pulley.  Grab the rope, this is kind of awkward by yourself but with a spotter they can hand you the rope from behind, otherwise you sort of have to twist/pull into position.  Then begin doing overhead extensions when finished just let go of the rope it will not drop far. I have found these to be great.

[ripitupbaby]

As of late I have come up with 2 new arm exercises that I like to work in to my routine.  They are both done on the seated cable row machine, alright I copied the triceps one from a PT who was doing them with a client    Really they are just variations of stuff you guys may already do but I thought they seemed a little unique.

First is the cable concentration curl:  Attach a single hand handle to seated cable row machine.  Choose a light weight to get the feel.  Sit in normal position and grab handle.  The row machines at our gym have like a small platform where you put your feet on the rowing movements, I take the same leg as the arm I training and put it up on the platform.  Then I will rest the elbow of the arm I am working on my leg/knee area and will begin curling the weight, its a cool pull kind of right towards you and these will pump those babies up!

Second is overhead triceps extension:  Uses the same machine, attach a rope handle.  Sit upright facing backwards on the foot platform, your ass should be right in front of the low pulley.  Grab the rope, this is kind of awkward by yourself but with a spotter they can hand you the rope from behind, otherwise you sort of have to twist/pull into position.  Then begin doing overhead extensions when finished just let go of the rope it will not drop far. I have found these to be great.

Is the tricep excercise sort of like a french press using the rope and cable row?

[Luv2Hurt]

Is the tricep excercise sort of like a french press using the rope and cable row?

Oui, Oui  Thanks it was kind of hard to explain it but yep, its really a pretty cool variation.  Give those babies a try to pack on new arm size!

[ripitupbaby]

Oui, Oui  Thanks it was kind of hard to explain it but yep, its really a pretty cool variation.  Give those babies a try to pack on new arm size!

Will do!  I am getting my lazy ass back into the gym this week after a full week OFF training.  I haven't taken a full week off in so long, I can't remember.   I'll be thinking of you while I am beating myself up, Luv Baby!   

[Luv2Hurt]

Will do!  I am getting my lazy ass back into the gym this week after a full week OFF training.  I haven't taken a full week off in so long, I can't remember.   I'll be thinking of you while I am beating myself up, Luv Baby!   

A week off is good, Im gonna do it after this upcomming show and I cant remember the last time I did it either.

Thinking of me? Well you sure do know how to make my day sweetie  little secret, when I think of you while training, its good for at least a couple more reps.  thanks!

[ripitupbaby]

I saw a guy in the gym today doing standing bicep curls...the kind where you bring the weight in towards your ribs as you curl.  Kind of like a twisted hammer curl. 

Any benefit to these? 

[The Squadfather]

I saw a guy in the gym today doing standing bicep curls...the kind where you bring the weight in towards your ribs as you curl.  Kind of like a twisted hammer curl. 

Any benefit to these? 

you mean drag curls?

[trab]

I saw a guy in the gym today doing standing bicep curls...the kind where you bring the weight in towards your ribs as you curl.  Kind of like a twisted hammer curl. 

Any benefit to these? 

Tendinitis?

Supinating curls is a invite for that to me. I'm better off just curling.
Try a fat Barbell if you can get hold of one... use for curls and bench press for a time.
It will show on arms and forarms.
When you go back to the Olympic bar, it then feels like a toothpick. It will crank up your benchpress.
Great for the grip, will come in handy for dealing w/ rude guys for you.    a Couple broken fingers for you Mr....

[ripitupbaby]

I'll have to look for a fat barbell, I don't think that my gym has them.

These are not drag curls....I wish I knew what they were called (other than "pointless"   ).  It's a standing curl, but the motion is kind of inbetween a hammer curl and a concentration curl keeping the weight close to your body.  Kind of like the way you would move your arms if you were marching.  I see people doing them in the gym all the time with way too much weight and alot of swinging.

[trab]

I'll have to look for a fat barbell, I don't think that my gym has them.

These are not drag curls....I wish I knew what they were called (other than "pointless"   ).  It's a standing curl, but the motion is kind of inbetween a hammer curl and a concentration curl keeping the weight close to your body.  Kind of like the way you would move your arms if you were marching.  I see people doing them in the gym all the time with way too much weight and alot of swinging.

Are you try'n 2 put more size on your arms?

Triceps- Dips. Not even full ROM. Work the lock-out.  4 & 5 boards on the chest benchpress, and/ or pin press lock-outs in the PL cage, top range of motion in these is the most iron  many can press w/  mainly Tris.
 These all good for adding triceps.

Biceps? I'm like'n seated DB curls lately, slight incline sometimes.
Cheat curls w/ BB also.
Jumpstretch bands give a searing finish pump for Bi's & Tris (Band Pressdowns)

[ripitupbaby]

Are you try'n 2 put more size on your arms?

Triceps- Dips. Not even full ROM. Work the lock-out.  4 & 5 boards on the chest benchpress, and/ or pin press lock-outs in the PL cage, top range of motion in these is the most iron  many can press w/  mainly Tris.
 These all good for adding triceps.

Biceps? I'm like'n seated DB curls lately, slight incline sometimes.
Cheat curls w/ BB also.
Jumpstretch bands give a searing finish pump for Bi's & Tris (Band Pressdowns)

Cool.  It's always a good thing to try different stuff out.   

Personally, I think I'm switching things up for a few months and focusing on powerlifting...which means little to no additional arm work for a while.

[Luv2Hurt]

Tendinitis?

Supinating curls is a invite for that to me. I'm better off just curling.
Try a fat Barbell if you can get hold of one... use for curls and bench press for a time.
It will show on arms and forarms.
When you go back to the Olympic bar, it then feels like a toothpick. It will crank up your benchpress.
Great for the grip, will come in handy for dealing w/ rude guys for you.    a Couple broken fingers for you Mr....

Yeah not too many gyms have those fat bars, wish they did cause it is true what you say.  A hardcore PL gym would probally be the place to find one, first you gotta FIND a hardcore PL gym    There was one I trained at while in Lacrosse Wisc. once called The Gym, that place was very cool man they had all the PL stuff big time!  Metal music Blarring, tons of old school stuff like chains, monolifts (2) chalk bins out in the open for the members, that cool lever to jack the bar up on the ground for loading plates on the DL. huge platform in the middle of the gym like an alter or something.  was a cool place. 5 bucks a day to train and the guy gave me free pass for the next day.  I bet they had those big ass bars in there.

[trab]

FAT BAR? - I took a piece of 2 1/2" heavy metal conduit (The pipe the Elect wires run down into the house).

Then, One of the econo Barrbells w/ spin on end locks slides right inside that pipe.
Next, Screw down the ends in a vise real tight w/ pipe wrench & check each work out
  (Dont want it to losten and bar drop 1" inside that fat pipe).

Presto - Fat bar for almost $0.oo.  Ive put like 220lb + a couple 35lb chain sets  on each side.
It seem plenty solid for that, but getting close to as much as I'd trust on it.

I'll have to break down and buy a real one if I stay injury free and healthy for a few months...

[Luv2Hurt]

FAT BAR? - I took a piece of 2 1/2" heavy metal conduit (The pipe the Elect wires run down into the house).

Then, One of the econo Barrbells w/ spin on end locks slides right inside that pipe.
Next, Screw down the ends in a vise real tight w/ pipe wrench & check each work out
  (Dont want it to losten and bar drop 1" inside that fat pipe).

Presto - Fat bar for almost $0.oo.  Ive put like 220lb + a couple 35lb chain sets  on each side.
It seem plenty solid for that, but getting close to as much as I'd trust on it.

I'll have to break down and buy a real one if I stay injury free and healthy for a few months...

Your a regular Mcguyver bro    I wonder if even just some PCV pipe the same OD as the bar with a slit along the length could slip over the bar and work?  or something like that or maybe even some rubber hose, like radiator hose.

[trab]

Your a regular Mcguyver bro    I wonder if even just some PCV pipe the same OD as the bar with a slit along the length could slip over the bar and work?  or something like that or maybe even some rubber hose, like radiator hose.

I think it best to clamp it real tight, esp when benching. Curls for arms would be fine W/ strong PVC, but when I got that bar over me, I want it solid.

You can find that metal conduit in Home Depot & Menards, Lowes...

I think about 220lbs + chain is all I'd go on a cheap barrbell. Im running out of room at taht point anyway.
The chain is not 100% load except when it up, it deloads on the chest..

Fat bar will increase your grip fast. Good if you deadlift. Squeeze it like yur tryin' to kill it. That will also up yur bench.
Squeeze and "stretch" it like its rubber and yur tryin' to pull it apart.

[ripitupbaby]

FAT BAR? - I took a piece of 2 1/2" heavy metal conduit (The pipe the Elect wires run down into the house).

Then, One of the econo Barrbells w/ spin on end locks slides right inside that pipe.
Next, Screw down the ends in a vise real tight w/ pipe wrench & check each work out
  (Dont want it to losten and bar drop 1" inside that fat pipe).

Presto - Fat bar for almost $0.oo.  Ive put like 220lb + a couple 35lb chain sets  on each side.
It seem plenty solid for that, but getting close to as much as I'd trust on it.

I'll have to break down and buy a real one if I stay injury free and healthy for a few months...

This is classic.  Good shit right there.   

[Butterbean]

I did the alternating bi-tri workout last week and it definitely kicked my ass.  I did supersets (one bi exercise and one tri exercise), so I was able to cover alot of ground in one workout.  My arms got painfully pumped, and my biceps were sore at the insertions, which is unusual for me (my biceps hardly ever get sore).

THREE SUPERSETS EACH:
---Dumbell bicep curls, straight bar tricep cable push downs
---EZ Bar bicep curls with close grip, rope tricep push downs
---Seated incline dumbell curls with arms turned outward (for inner head), weight-assisted tricep dips
---Preacher curl bicep machine, tricep machine
---2 sets each of dumbell hammer curl drop sets, and reverse grip one handed tricep cable pushdowns


OUCH!   

We did this today  Thanks  ...I think

[ripitupbaby]

We did this today  Thanks  ...I think

THAT is still one of the best arm workouts I have done, as per Luv's advice to alternate between bis and tris.   

I still owe you a track workout stella, I have not forgotten!  I will be inspired to put a good one together once I get my new sneakers, which I have said I would do for about a month now. 

[Luv2Hurt]

Hit arms yesterday and it was feeling good.  For some reason the biceps were feeling strong.  Love the vascularity I get at this point and shows up nice on arm day.

I did straight bar culs with the olympic bar 5 sets trying to stay strict and keep tension on the bis.  pretty sure a while ago I did something to my left bi cause it hurts on this movement at full contraction in the elbow area when I go a bit heavier.  So my training has been DBs mostly and overall lighter.  But did 5 sets the last 2 with 105lbs for 12 strict reps.

Triceps push downs with a straight bar:  These pumped up my tris good, i try to really keep my shoulders out the my tri work as I see so many people using lots of shoulders for this muscle.  I really need to think about the excersise to get connected on these.  4x10-12 not sure of the weights I used but did a drop set at the end.

Hammer strength peacher curls supersetted with hammer seated push down  4X12  was liking this!

Standing DB curls supersetted with standing french press, which I did in the smith machine.  Was going to do close grip benches with the curls but all the benches were being used  so I tryed something new and they felt cool.  Have not done the standing FP in a long time and was a nice change of pace 

Was very happy with the work out and was one of the better arm workouts I had in a while.

Then it was calves, cardio, tanning, cooking food, taking care of dog, showering, taking suplements, getting lunches ready for tommorow, fielding phone calls.......aahhgggg!! never ends!!

[davidpaul]

not long now bro keep doing your thing man.

[ripitupbaby]

Stay strong Luv baby....

Do you find french presses tough on the elbows?

[Luv2Hurt]

Stay strong Luv baby....

Do you find french presses tough on the elbows?

Thanks DP and Rip    Iam hanging in there pretty well, 2 weeks!!

You know sometimes my elbows hurt for periods of time and others Im fine.  Right now they are feeling pretty good, but my left shoulder is hurting some.  Did DB presses today and shoulder hurt some and is sore right now, I should ice it duhh! I think its the bicipital tendon, which is a common source of shoulder pain. 

The lying french press AKA skull chrushers does at times cause discomfort in my left elbow.  My poor little left side trying to keep pace with my dominate right 

The standing french press in the smith was a cool variation.  someone much taller than me could not do them in there.  I just did it in there cause I had a nice space to superset the DB curls also.  But it was pretty cool and I think I might do them like that from time to time.  But no real elbow pain on them.....that time