Build Your Arms To Get Looks and Stretch Your Sleeves.

We all want bigger arms and the attention they yield. We’ve spent years curling big weights hoping that we will wake up gaining inches.  In this article we take some time-tested muscle building strategies and create a simple workout with one defined goal… BUILD YOUR ARMS!!!

Sure, Lifting heavy builds mass.  But when we hit that sticking point we need to change things up to spark new growth.  Shock the system and instead of the standard heavy lifts we will focus on eccentric (lowering), isometric holds(holding at the hardest point in the range of motion) and high volume (Lots of sets and reps to exhaustion or failure).

THE WORKOUT

This “Build Your Arms” workout consists of Supersets, Drop Sets and high volume lifts. Follow the rest time as suggested and allow 3-5 minutes rest between each number group.

1. Supersets – 1
   • 1.1 – Dumbbell Crush-Grip Preacher
     Sets: 4
     Reps: 10–12
     Rest: 0 sec
     Using the preacher bench (pad should come up to your armpits), with a dumbbell in each hand (pinky fingers facing each other), push the ends of the dumbbells together hard so you feel tension in your arms, chest and shoulders.Maintain this tension while curling in a slow controlled manor making sure to get a full range of motion.
   • 1.2 – Close-Grip Bench Press
     Sets: 4
     Reps:10-12
     Rest: 1 min
     Using the flat bench, grasp a straight bar with hands shoulder-width apart. Lower the straight bar to your chest keeping tension in your triceps and press it back up keeping your elbows close to the body throughout.
2. Supersets – 2
   • 2.1 – Incline Dumbbell Hold-Curl
     Sets: 4
     Reps: 6 reps/6-second hold
     Rest: 0 sec
     Adjust the bench to a 45 degree incline.Let your arms hang. Stabilize your upper arms and curl upward while rotating the weight outward. Slowly, lower the weights until your arms are at 90 degrees. Hold this position for six seconds and slowly return to the hanging position.
   • 2.2 – Lying dumbbell Skull Crushers 
     Sets: 4
     Reps: 8-12
     Rest: 1 min
     Using a single dumbbell place the weight on your chest with your hands in a diamond pattern (thumb to thumb, palms facing upward and thumbs facing your feet)Press the dumbbell upwards keeping your arms perpendicular to the floor. Bend slowly at the elbow (taking 3-5 seconds to descend) until you break 90 degrees and then press back up to perpendicular. Remember your upper arm should remain perpendicular throughout.

3. Bicep Drop Set
   • 3.1 – Dumbbell curl
     Sets: 3
     Reps: 6-10
     Rest: 0 min
     Using heavy dumbbells (a weight you can do no more than 10 reps with) Curl both weights simultaneously until you cannot complete another rep. Then,immediately alternate curling the individual dumbbells until failure.
   • 3.2 – Alternating grip Chrash curls
     Sets: 3
     Reps: Until failure
     Rest: 1-2 min
     Using a curl bar weighing roughly the same as one of the dumbbells used in exercise 3.1 Rapidly curl for as many reps as possible. Every 5 reps alternate your grip between close, shoulder width and wide grip until failure.
4. Triceps Drop Set
   • 4.1 – Floor Press
     Sets: 3
     Reps: 6-10
     Rest: 0 min
     Lie on the floor or mat with heavy dumbbells (a weight you can do no more than 10 reps with) using a neutral grip (thumbs facing your face).With elbow tucked into the body press both weights simultaneously upward until you cannot complete another rep. Then, immediately alternate pressing the individual dumbbells until failure.
   • 4.2 – ChrashTri-press
     Sets: 3
     Reps: Until failure
     Rest: 1-2 min
     Using a single dumbbell  which was used in exercise 4.1 grasp the bottom of the right and left plates palms up and using your pointer finger to prevent the weight from rolling onto you. Rapidly press the dumbbell for as many reps as possible until failure.
5. Straight Bar terminal Curls
   Sets: 1
   Reps: 100
   Rest: Limited if any
   Using an empty bar or light barbell and keeping your hands shoulder-width apart. Perform 10 reps of negative concentration curls, taking three seconds to lower each rep. Immediately after, perform 10 more reps at a consistent pace as fast as possible while maintaining correct form. Alternate this pattern (slow negatives and fast constants) until you reach 100 reps.
6. Triceps Push-down
   Sets: 1
   Reps: 120
   Rest: Limited if any
   Attach an angled bar or rope to the high cable machine. Stabilize your upper arms at your sides and with straight posture push down fast and controlled squeezing 2-3 seconds at full extension. Take three seconds to raise each rep until just past parallel.Perform 10 reps of negative tension push-downs.  Immediately after, perform 10 more reps at a consistent pace as fast as possible while maintaining correct form. Alternate this pattern (slow negatives and fast constants) until you reach 120 reps.