Increase your Arm Size Shortest Time Possible

Bodybuilding - Increase your Arm Size Shortest Time Possible

To increase your arm size in the shortest time possible it is important that you stick to the basics. By basics, I mean the lifts that will give you the most return on your investment. Don't waste your time on non-productive movements like 90 percent of the other people in the gym. 

These are the same people who have little or no gains to show for the time that they spend there. Then, when they see how well you are doing they will accuse you of being on steroids. Just accept it as a complement and keep lifting. 

The first basic lift that you will need to focus on is the standing barbell curl. This can be preformed with either an easy-curl bar or a straight bar. While the easy-curl bar has angled grips to emphasize bicep peak, either bar is fine. 

Standing with your feet shoulder width apart, grab the bar with a grip that is slightly less than shoulder width. Begin with a weight that you can comfortably move for 12 to 15 repetitions. Start with the weight lowered nearly to your legs but do not let your arms hang straight down. To fully lock out the arms will create too much stress on your joints. 

Now, with a steady and controlled motion, bring the weight up until your biceps are in a fully contracted position. Do not swing the weight or arch your back. While swinging the weight is a form of cheating that will allow you to lift heavier weights, it will only increase the size of your ego, not your arms. Therefore, use proper form at all times. 

Now, lower the weight in a controlled motion until your arms are nearly down to your hips but not fully locked out. Repeat this movement for the required 12 to 15 repetitions. If this is too difficult to do, reduce the amount of weight so that you can complete the entire number of reps. If it is too easy, don't cheat yourself, increase the weight. While this is a warm up set, the last few reps should still be challenging. 

After you have completed this set, rack the weight and get a drink of water. Actually, you should have a bottle of water with you. You need to take about a minute to a minute and a half to rest before beginning your next set. This allows time for your muscles to replenish their glycogen reserves in order to have energy for the next set. Use this time to load more weights on the bar. 

For this next set, you want an amount of weight that you can perform for 8 to 12 repetitions. Once again, form is critical. You will build muscle faster and have fewer injuries while using proper form. This is true for any exercise. Get to know your limits. For this set you will use a closer grip on the bar with your hands approximately 6 inches apart. 

As above, adjust the amount of weight as necessary to make this a truly challenging set. After you have completed your 8 to 12 reps, rack the weight, take a sip of water if desired and begin to set the bar up for your third set. 

This next set will be heavier than the last using an amount of weight that you can lift for only 5 to 8 repetitions. For this set, you will return to the shoulder width grip. Are you serious about getting massive arms? Then be sure that you are reaching positive failure before you rack the weight. Positive failure means that you simply cannot perform another repetition of the exercise with good form without assistance.

Many people give up on a set long before they have reached failure and wonder why they cannot make gains. Read this carefully and understand it. Few things of value come without effort. 

You have to work for this. The important thing is that when you do this correctly, you will be making gains while others around you are simply going through the motions. Now, after you have completed the third set, rack the weight and reduce the amount of weight on the bar by approximately 40%. 

On this last set, return to the close grip with your hands about 6" apart. With this new, lighter weight, perform one last set to absolute failure. Move the weight somewhat faster than before while deliberately flexing the bicep as much as possible during every rep. 

The number of repetitions preformed here is not as important as reaching absolute positive failure. When you are done, rack the weight. By now you should have a serious burn starting in you biceps. Your vascularity should be somewhat enhanced and your muscles should be full and pumped.

Grow your Arms in 3 Workouts

Bodybuilding - Grow your Arms in 3 Workouts

Biceps - Seated Biceps Curl: Sit on a bench and rest a barbell in your lap. Take a shoulder-width underhand grip on the bar and curl it upward toward your chin. Use a weight that is so heavy you can only perform eight reps. This exercise allows you to use more weight than you normally would because the seated position limits the range of motion. Try to curl 150% of your normal biceps curl weight. Perform one set of eight reps, rest 30 seconds then increase the weight 10% and perform as many reps as you can.

Triceps - Close-Grip Bench Press: Do yourself a big favor and perform this exercise in a power rack or on a smith machine. Limit the range of motion to the top third of your range. By limiting the range of motion you will be able to hoist a much heavier weight and it's that big weight - not the range of motion - that triggers new muscle growth. Grip the bar with your hands spaced about six inches apart and contract your triceps to lift the bar off the support and to full extension. Use a weight that is so heavy you can only perform eight reps. Again, with this restricted range you should be able to use at least 50% more weight than normal. Perform one set of eight reps, rest 30 seconds then increase the weight 10% and perform as many reps as you can.

Forearms - Forearms tend to be neglected in most workouts but these two exercises are fabulous at generating an awesome intensity of overload to these highly visible and impressive muscles.

Seated Wrist Curls: These are performed from the same position as the biceps exercise, above. With an underhand grip on a barbell, rest your wrists on your knees so your hands extend beyond your knees. Allow the weight of the bar to force your wrist toward the floor. Use your forearm muscles to power the weight back up. Perform one set of eight reps, rest 30 seconds then increase the weight 10% and perform as many reps as you can.

Wrist Curls Behind the Back: These are performed by holding a barbell behind your back with your palms facing backward. It helps to have the bar on a rack to start or to have a training partner place the bar in your hands. The heavy bar will naturally hang down and your wrists will be in a relaxed position. Use your forearm muscles to power the weight up by bending your wrists. You can use a lot more weight on this exercise than you think you can. Go heavy. Don't worry about getting a full range of motion. Perform one set of eight reps, rest 30 seconds then increase the weight 10% and perform as many reps as you can.

Effective Arm Training

Bodybuilding - Effective Arm Training

In order to effectively recruit muscle fiber from the biceps and triceps, one must make sure to completely isolate them when using the above exercises. In any variation of barbell or dumbbell curls or extensions, make sure you use strict and proper form. With the biceps, in the starting position of an exercise keep your hands shoulder width, hanging at your sides.

Begin to curl the weight upward towards your chest in an arc at a medium pace, and slowly extend in the opposite fashion. Make sure to avoid a swinging motion, keep your back straight and upper arms motionless, only moving the forearms through the given range of motion.

Come to a complete stop before beginning each half of a rep. Maintain an effective range of motion by keeping your reps just out of full contraction and extension.

This keep the tension on the biceps, don't lock out on the top or bottom of the movement. Same goes for the triceps, with extensions make sure you perform each rep as strict as possible.

In the starting position of an extension, keep your hands generally 4 - 8 inches away. Begin to extend the weight upward in a smooth fashion, following the same guidelines. Keep your upper arms motionless.

Utilize the same concept of full effective range of motion, just as with the biceps. With close grip bench presses and dips, make sure you press in a straight line and again, don't fully lock out or extend.

 6 Weeks To Sick Arms

Grow like a pro with the ultimate science-based program for insane gains!

by Jim Stoppani, Ph.D.Apr 09, 2012

When I used to train at Gibson's Gym in Manchester, Connecticut, one of the slogans on the back of the gym T-shirts read, "It doesn't matter what kind of car you drive. What matters is the size of the arms hanging out of the window."
Big arms not only symbolize masculinity, but they're also the most visible body part you have. So it's no surprise that big arms seem to be what every guy, and even many women, want.
Regardless of where you're starting from, this 6-week program will heap a noticeable amount of size onto your arms. Some of you can expect to put on an inch or more on your arms by the end.
This 6-week program is a progression that ramps up the training frequency (how often you train arms each week) starting at once per week in week one; twice per week in week two; and three times per week in weeks three through five. Then you back way off in the final week, number six, to just once per week again.
Trust me, there's a method to this madness.
Week one is designed to annihilate your biceps and triceps. You'll pull out all the stops, using negative rep training to really destroy every single muscle fiber you can in your arms.
You'll need a good week to recover from this onslaught. The next week pops your guns with lighter weight and higher reps. Volume will be low in these workouts, by design. You'll still be recovering from the previous week.

These workouts will help you to better recover from the previous week and will get you ready for the crazy three weeks that are to come.
In weeks three, four, and five, you will be hitting arms three times per week. If you think that sounds like overtraining, you're precisely right. But overtraining does not happen immediately. It takes several weeks to actually become overtrained. The technical term for training that can lead to overtraining is called overreaching.
And what's interesting about overreaching is that research shows that if your diet is adequate in calories, protein and carbs, as well as the right supplements, then you can actually capitalize on overreaching and turn it into a way to grow bigger and stronger.
Several studies from the university of Connecticut have shown that when subjects overreach for several weeks, during the two weeks following, they grow significantly bigger and stronger while taking it easy. The key is to stop the overreaching just before it turns into overtraining.
That's why you'll be training arms three times per week in weeks three through five and then switch it up to just once per week in week six. I also suggest that the week after week six you take it fairly easy on your arms and train them just once that week before getting back into any serious training programs.

The 3-day a week arm training not only is designed to shock your muscles into growing with frequent and intense workouts that cause overreaching, but it also takes advantage of the staircase effect for building muscle.
This refers to the fact that training activates genes in muscle fibers that are responsible for the many of the adaptations that take place, such as muscle growth and strength increases.
For example, consistent training activates certain genes that result in building more muscle fiber protein, which means more muscle size and strength. These genes are typically activated over hours, with some remaining activated for days.
Repeated workouts, if timed appropriately, can build upon the activation of the genes to reach an even higher activity level and greater muscle growth. This is referred to as the staircase effect.
In other words, let's say a certain gene involved in muscle growth is activated by a workout to the point that its activity is boosted by 100% following the workout, then slowly declines in activity over the next few days so that the day after the workout it is still up by 75%, and the second day after the workout it is up by 50%, then the third day it is up by just 25%, and finally on the fourth day after the workout it is back to the original level.
If you performed the workout on the fourth day after the first workout or later, then that gene would be bumped back up to 100% of its originally activity.
However, if you worked out on the second day after the first workout, when the gene was still up by 50%, then you could potentially bump up its activity to 150%. This could lead to even greater muscle growth and strength gains than if you waited to train again after the fourth day or later, like one week later.
This is one reason why training a muscle group every 48 hours could lead to even greater muscle growth and strength gains than training every seven days.
Of course, this program is not all about training frequency. While moving to more frequent workouts can help you to build extra size on your arms, to really get them up there in size will require pulling out all the stops. So intensity techniques, like drop sets, forced reps, rest pause, negative reps and supersets will be key in forcing them to grow.
These techniques will not only put more stress on the muscle, but they are also known to boost growth hormone levels. In fact, one study from Finland reported that subjects doing forced reps increased GH levels 3 times higher than when they just stopped after reaching muscle failure.

That extra growth hormone will be put to good use initiating muscle recovery and growth that will get that tape measure stretching. Another study reported in the Journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise that subjects using negative rep training led to high GH levels.
Another key element to this program is the constant switching up of weight amd rep ranges every workout to keep your arms growing. This is known as periodization, and research confirms that using periodization, which is the continual cycling of weight and rep ranges, produces the greatest gains in muscle size and strength.
One form of periodization that appears to be superior to other forms is called undulating periodizaion, which is simply the constant switching up of weight and rep ranges every workout. Research studies from both Brazil and the University of Connecticut have supported this form of training for making continued gains.
Since you'll be training arms pretty much every other day during weeks three, four and five, you may be worried about your arms still being sore when you train them. Don't be.
Research from Japan shows that when subjects workout intensely to cause muscle pain and train that muscle again just two days later and again four days later when the muscle is still sore, it does not impede recovery. Plus this can actually help them grow.
One study found that when subjects trained the same muscle group just two days, the catabolic hormone cortisol was lower. Since cortisol competes with testosterone, having lower cortisol levels during and after workouts can make you more anabolic and allow your testosterone to better enhance muscle growth.

Training Splits

To properly hit your arms during these 6 weeks, you'll need to alternate your training split. Each week you will follow a four-day training split.
However, based on the week and number of times you are training arms, you will be training on four different days of the week and pairing up different muscle groups each week.
Use the following training splits for each week of the Six Weeks to Sick Arms program.

Week 1

Use this training split during week one.

Monday: Triceps/Biceps
Tuesday: Legs/Calves
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Back/Abs
Friday: Chest/Shoulders/Traps
Saturday: Off
Sunday: Off

Week 2

Use this training split during week two.

Monday: Triceps/Biceps
Tuesday: Back/Legs/Calves
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Biceps/Tricep
Friday: Chest/Shoulders/Traps/Abs
Saturday: Off
Sunday: Off

Weeks 3-5

Use this split during weeks three, four and five.

Monday: Triceps/Biceps
Tuesday: Chest/Shoulders/Traps/Abs
Wednesday: Back/Biceps/Triceps
Thursday: Off
Friday: Biceps/Triceps
Saturday: Back/Legs/Calves
Sunday: Off

Week 6

Use this training split during week six.

Monday: Chest, Abs
Tuesday: Back, Calves
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Shoulders/Traps/Legs
Friday: Triceps/Biceps

 Six Weeks to Sick Arms Workouts

• 

  Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press

  xxsetsrepsxx
• 

  Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press

  3 sets of 3-5 reps*
  2-3 min rest
• 

  Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press

  3 sets of 6-8 reps#
  2-3 min rest
• 

  Seated Triceps Press

  3 sets of 6-8 reps^
  2-3 min rest
• 

  Triceps Pushdown

  3 sets of 6-8 reps^
  2-3 min rest
• 

  Barbell Curl

  3 sets of 3-5 reps*
  2-3 min rest
• 

  Barbell Curl

  3 sets of 6-8 reps#
  2-3 min rest
• 

  Incline Dumbbell Curl

  3 sets of 6-8 reps^
  2-3 min rest
• 

  Preacher Curl

  3 sets of 6-8 reps^
  2-3 min rest

Printable Page PDF Document

*To perform negatives use a weight that is about 20% more than your one-rep max and have a spotter help you through the positive portion of the rep. You should be able to slowly lower the negative rep for 3-5 seconds.
#Perform two rest-pauses on the last set by resting for 15 seconds after reaching muscle failure and continuing the set, then resting another 15 seconds after reaching muscle failure again, then continuing.
^Do two drop sets on the last set by immediately reducing the weight by 20-30% and continuing the set.

Week 2:

Monday: Triceps/Biceps

• 

  Triceps Pushdown

  3 sets of 15-20 reps
  1 min rest
• 

  Lying Triceps Press

  3 sets of 15-20 reps
  1 min rest
• 

  Seated Triceps Press

  3 sets of 15-20 reps
  1 min rest
• 

  Incline Dumbbell Curl

  3 sets of 15-20 reps
  1 min rest
• 

  Two-Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curl

  3 sets of 15-20 reps
  1 min rest
• 

  Hammer Curls

  3 sets of 15-20 reps
  1 min rest

Printable Page PDF Document

Thursday: Biceps/Triceps

• 

  Close-Grip EZ Bar Curl

  3 sets of 20-25 reps
  1 min rest
• 

  High Cable Curls

  3 sets of 20-25 reps
  1 min rest
• 

  Standing Biceps Cable Curl(behind the back)
  3 sets of 20-25 reps
  1 min rest



• Dips - Triceps Version

  3 sets to failure
  1 min rest
• 

  Cable Rope Overhead Triceps Extension

  3 sets of 20-25 reps
  1 min rest
• 

  Triceps Pushdown

  3 sets of 20-25 reps
  1 min rest

Printable Page PDF Document

Week 3:

Monday: Triceps/Biceps

• 

  Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press

  3 sets of 3-5 reps*
  2-3 min rest
• 

  Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press

  3 sets of 4-6 reps#
  2-3 min rest
• 

  Seated Triceps Press

  3 sets of 4-6 reps^
  2-3 min rest
• 

  Triceps Pushdown

  3 sets of 4-6 reps^
  2-3 min rest
• 

  Barbell Curl

  3 sets of 3-5 reps*
  2-3 min rest
• 

  Barbell Curl

  3 sets of 4-6 reps#
  2-3 min rest
• 

  Incline Dumbbell Curl

  3 sets of 4-6 reps^
  2-3 min rest
• 

  Preacher Curl

  3 sets of 4-6 reps^
  2-3 min rest

Printable Page PDF Document

*To perform negatives use a weight that is about 20% more than your one-rep max and have a spotter help you through the positive portion of the rep. You should be able to slowly lower the negative rep for 3-5 seconds.
#Perform two rest-pauses on the last set by resting for 15 seconds after reaching muscle failure and continuing the set, then resting another 15 seconds after reaching muscle failure again, then continuing.
^Do a drop set on the last set by immediately reducing the weight by 20-30% and continuing the set.

Wednesday: Biceps/Triceps

• 

  Concentration Curls

  3 sets of 10-12 reps
  1-2 min rest
• 

  Standing Biceps Cable Curl(behind the back)
  3 sets of 20-25 reps*
  1 min rest



• Machine Preacher Curls

  3 sets of 10-12 reps
  1-2 min rest
• 

  Standing One-Arm Dumbbell Triceps Extension

  3 sets of 10-12 reps
  1-2 min rest
• 

  Triceps Pushdown

  3 sets of 10-12 reps
  1-2 min rest
• 

  Bench Dips

  3 sets of 10-12 reps
  1-2 min rest

Printable Page PDF Document

Friday: Triceps/Biceps

Superset

• 

  Lying Triceps Press

  4 sets of 8-10 reps
• 

  Barbell Curl

  4 sets of 8-10 reps
  1-2 min rest

Superset

• 

  Triceps Pushdown

  4 sets of 8-10 reps
• 

  High Cable Curls

  4 sets of 8-10 reps
  1-2 min rest

Printable Page PDF Document

Week 4:

Monday: Triceps/Biceps

• 

  Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press

  3 sets of 3-5 reps*
  2-3 min rest
• 

  Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press

  3 sets of 10-12 reps#
  2-3 min rest
• 

  Seated Triceps Press

  3 sets of 10-12 reps^
  2-3 min rest
• 

  Triceps Pushdown

  3 sets of 10-12 reps^
  2-3 min rest
• 

  Barbell Curl

  3 sets of 3-5 reps*
  2-3 min rest
• 

  Barbell Curl

  3 sets of 10-12 reps#
  2-3 min rest
• 

  Incline Dumbbell Curl

  3 sets of 10-12 reps^
  2-3 min rest
• 

  Preacher Curl

  3 sets of 10-12 reps^
  2-3 min rest

Printable Page PDF Document

*To perform negatives use a weight that is about 20% more than your one-rep max and have a spotter help you through the positive portion of the rep. You should be able to slowly lower the negative rep for 3-5 seconds.
#Perform two rest-pauses on the last set by resting for 15 seconds after reaching muscle failure and continuing the set, then resting another 15 seconds after reaching muscle failure again, then continuing.
^Do a drop set on the last set by immediately reducing the weight by 20-30% and continuing the set.

Wednesday: Biceps/Triceps

• 

  Standing Biceps Cable Curl (behind the back)
  3 sets of 15-20 reps
  1 min rest



• High Cable Curls

  3 sets of 15-20 reps
  1 min rest
• 

  Rope Cable Curls

  3 sets of 15-20 reps
  1 min rest
• 

  Triceps Pushdown

  3 sets of 15-20 reps
  1 min rest
• 

  Cable Overhead Triceps Extension

  3 sets of 15-20 reps
  1 min rest
• 

  Reverse-Grip Triceps Pressdowns

  3 sets of 15-20 reps
  1 min rest

Printable Page PDF Document

Friday: Triceps/Biceps

Superset

• 

  Lying Triceps Press

  3 sets of 25-30 reps
• 

  Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press

  3 sets of 25-30 reps
  1-2 min rest

Superset

• 

  Triceps Pushdown - Rope Attachment

  3 sets of 25-30 reps
• 

  Cable Rope Overhead Triceps Extension

  3 sets of 25-30 reps
  1-2 min rest

Superset

• 

  Incline Dumbbell Curl

  3 sets of 25-30 reps
• 

  Dumbbell Alternate Bicep Curl

  3 sets of 25-30 reps
  1-2 min rest

Superset

• 

  Cable Hammer Curls - Rope Attachment

  3 sets of 25-30 reps
• 

  Standing Biceps Cable Curl

  3 sets of 25-30 reps
  1-2 min rest

Superset

• 

  Lying Triceps Press

  4 sets of 8-10 reps
• 

  Barbell Curl

  4 sets of 8-10 reps
  1-2 min rest

Superset

• 

  Triceps Pushdown

  4 sets of 8-10 reps
• 

  High Cable Curls

  4 sets of 8-10 reps
  1-2 min rest

Printable Page PDF Document

Week 5:

Monday: Triceps/Biceps

• 

  Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press

  3 sets of 3-5 reps*
  2-3 min rest
• 

  Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press

  3 sets of 8-10 reps#
  2-3 min rest
• 

  Seated Triceps Press

  3 sets of 8-10^
  2-3 min rest
• 

  Triceps Pushdown

  3 sets of 8-10^
  2-3 min rest
• 

  Barbell Curl

  3 sets of 3-5 reps*
  2-3 min rest
• 

  Barbell Curl

  3 sets 8-10 reps#
  2-3 min rest
• 

  Incline Dumbbell Curl

  3 sets of 8-10 reps^
  2-3 min rest
• 

  Preacher Curl

  3 sets of 8-10 reps^
  2-3 min rest

Printable Page PDF Document

*To perform negatives use a weight that is about 20% more than your one-rep max and have a spotter help you through the positive portion of the rep. You should be able to slowly lower the negative rep for 3-5 seconds.
#Perform two rest-pauses on the last set by resting for 15 seconds after reaching muscle failure and continuing the set, then resting another 15 seconds after reaching muscle failure again, then continuing
^Do a drop set on the last set by immediately reducing the weight by 20-30% and continuing the set.

Wednesday: Biceps/Triceps

• 

  Preacher Curl

  3 sets of 20-25 reps
  1 min rest
• 

  Incline Dumbbell Curl

  3 sets of 20-25 reps
  1 min rest
• 

  Hammer Curls

  3 sets of 20-25 reps
  1 min rest
• 

  Triceps Pushdown

  3 sets of 20-25 reps
  1 min rest
• 

  Cable Lying Triceps Extension

  3 sets of 20-25 reps
  1 min rest
• 

  Standing Dumbbell Triceps Extension

  3 sets of 20-25 reps
  1 min rest

Printable Page PDF Document

Friday: Triceps/Biceps

Giant Set

• 

  Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press

  3 sets of 12-15 reps
  no rest
• 

  Lying Triceps Press

  3 sets of 12-15 reps
  no rest
• 

  Standing Dumbbell Triceps Extension

  3 sets of 12-15 reps
  no rest
• 

  Bench Dips

  3 sets of 12-15 reps
  2-3 min rest

Giant Set

• 

  Barbell Curls Lying Against An Incline

  3 sets of 12-15 reps
  no rest
• 

  Incline Dumbbell Curl

  3 sets of 12-15 reps
  no rest
• 

  EZ-Bar Curl

  3 sets of 12-15 reps
  no rest
• 

  Hammer Curls

  3 sets of 12-15 reps
  2-3 min rest

Printable Page PDF Document

Week 6:

Easy arm workout - higher reps or moderate reps

Friday: Triceps/Biceps

• 

  Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press

  3 sets of 8-10 reps
  1-2 min rest
• 

  Standing Dumbbell Triceps Extension

  3 sets of 8-10 reps
  1-2 min rest
• 

  Triceps Pushdown

  3 sets of 8-10 reps
  1-2 min rest
• 

  Barbell Curl

  3 sets of 8-10 reps
  1-2 min rest
• 

  Incline Dumbbell Curl

  3 sets of 8-10 reps
  1-2 min rest
• 

  Hammer Curls

  3 sets of 8-10 reps
  1-2 min rest

Printable Page PDF Document

Adapted from the ebook Six Weeks to Sick Arms (Bowleg Media LLC, 2011), by Jim Stoppani, PhD.
Discover the scientifically proven methods that will transform your arms, adding inches to your size in just 6 short weeks using "The Arm Annihilation Method" developed by Jim Stoppani Ph.D.
This ebook is jammed with the training, supplementation and nutrition plans needed for great results.