Guest post by- Erny Peibst
Let's face it, the
main focus for most men in the gym is to try and get
swole arms. It is universally accepted in gyms that more men are likely to
be doing bicep curls, compared to the lonely few vacated at the squat
rack. Sure, some guys may want big legs, ripped abs or a good chest; but
your arms are comfortably the most visible muscle in a t-shirt. Here are 5
unique ways to add size to your biceps and triceps in just a matter of
weeks.
1. Stretch during and after your workouts
Stretching sounds boring, but interestingly it can add size to your arms
by reducing the stiffness of your muscle fascia. Muscle fascia is a tough
tissue that surrounds each of your muscles. When you have provided enough
stimulus for your muscles to grow bigger, this fascia acts as friction and
resistance to your muscle wanting to grow larger in size. By stretching
during and after your workouts you will be exercising your fascia to
become more elastic and flexible; enabling greater potential for
accelerated arm growth.
swole arms. It is universally accepted in gyms that more men are likely to
be doing bicep curls, compared to the lonely few vacated at the squat
rack. Sure, some guys may want big legs, ripped abs or a good chest; but
your arms are comfortably the most visible muscle in a t-shirt. Here are 5
unique ways to add size to your biceps and triceps in just a matter of
weeks.
1. Stretch during and after your workouts
Stretching sounds boring, but interestingly it can add size to your arms
by reducing the stiffness of your muscle fascia. Muscle fascia is a tough
tissue that surrounds each of your muscles. When you have provided enough
stimulus for your muscles to grow bigger, this fascia acts as friction and
resistance to your muscle wanting to grow larger in size. By stretching
during and after your workouts you will be exercising your fascia to
become more elastic and flexible; enabling greater potential for
accelerated arm growth.
2.
Surf the rack
Surfing the rack is one of the best ways to ensure maximum muscle fatigue.
In short it involves moving over to the dumbbell rack section in your gym
and performing 4 sets of 2 or 3 different bicep exercises with no rest
inbetween. After the first exercise, you will perform a different bicep
movement and grab a lighter weight (approximately 20% lighter than your
last set). The lack of rest inbetween each exercise will overload your
arms, shocking them into growth. By fatiguing your arms in this way, the
body will elicit a need to adapt, thus causing your arms to grow bigger
during the rebuilding process to cope better with such sessions in the
future.
Here's an example of surfing the rack:
1 set of bicep curls on 20kg
1 set of hammer curls on 16kg
1 set of cross-hammer curls on 12kg
1 set of bicep curls on 9kg
Surfing the rack is one of the best ways to ensure maximum muscle fatigue.
In short it involves moving over to the dumbbell rack section in your gym
and performing 4 sets of 2 or 3 different bicep exercises with no rest
inbetween. After the first exercise, you will perform a different bicep
movement and grab a lighter weight (approximately 20% lighter than your
last set). The lack of rest inbetween each exercise will overload your
arms, shocking them into growth. By fatiguing your arms in this way, the
body will elicit a need to adapt, thus causing your arms to grow bigger
during the rebuilding process to cope better with such sessions in the
future.
Here's an example of surfing the rack:
1 set of bicep curls on 20kg
1 set of hammer curls on 16kg
1 set of cross-hammer curls on 12kg
1 set of bicep curls on 9kg
3.
Train your glutes
Your gluteus maximus is the biggest of all 639 muscles in the body. There
is a direct correlation between the hormone levels when training the
bigger muscle groups compared to smaller body parts. For example, when you
train your glutes via squats, you will release more testosterone from this
big compound movement compared to dumbbell shrugs, that work your
trapezius muscles.
Training your glutes for this reason will indirectly effect your arm
growth. Heavy squats, lunges, and leg presses, will send your muscle building
hormones surging; those being human growth hormone
and testosterone.
4.
Increase volume/frequency of arm workouts
Increase the frequency and volume of your arm workouts. Many will say
training arms once a week for 1 hour is suffice, but real life evidence
suggests longer and more frequent sessions could actually be more
beneficial. Professional gymnasts for example train their arms with great
intensity for hours each and every day. Check out their tricep engagement
when performing on the pommel horse. Plus the strength needed for their
biceps to stabilise their bodyweight when on the rings. This high
frequency, intensity and volume results in these naturally light and
ectomorph frames gaining immense arm mass.
C.T Fletcher, who has many impressive records for several lifts (one being a
650lbs bench press), is also an advocate for "overtraining" your arms in
this way. He states that he reached a stage where he was obsessed with
wanting huge arms. So, as an experiment he blasted his arms every day for
a year with no days off. With this unconventional training methodology his
arms grew to 22".
Increase the frequency and volume of your arm workouts. Many will say
training arms once a week for 1 hour is suffice, but real life evidence
suggests longer and more frequent sessions could actually be more
beneficial. Professional gymnasts for example train their arms with great
intensity for hours each and every day. Check out their tricep engagement
when performing on the pommel horse. Plus the strength needed for their
biceps to stabilise their bodyweight when on the rings. This high
frequency, intensity and volume results in these naturally light and
ectomorph frames gaining immense arm mass.
C.T Fletcher, who has many impressive records for several lifts (one being a
650lbs bench press), is also an advocate for "overtraining" your arms in
this way. He states that he reached a stage where he was obsessed with
wanting huge arms. So, as an experiment he blasted his arms every day for
a year with no days off. With this unconventional training methodology his
arms grew to 22".
5.
Train with a thick bar.
Training with a thicker bar can dramatically increase your grip strength.
Several brands online are selling rubber attachments which you can easily
place over the bar to add over 2.5 inches in diameter to the
dumbbell/barbell. This makes it increasingly difficult for you to grip
each exercise you use them on, resulting in greater grip and forearm
strength that you can apply to arm exercises. Increases in strength will
allow you to overload your muscles with heavier weights, allowing you to
add more mass to your arms and other body parts.
Barbell curls for example not only require good bicep strength, but also
forearm engagement. With stronger forearms you will be able to barbell
curl a heavier weight and decrease the chances of your forearms failing
before your biceps.
Training with a thicker bar can dramatically increase your grip strength.
Several brands online are selling rubber attachments which you can easily
place over the bar to add over 2.5 inches in diameter to the
dumbbell/barbell. This makes it increasingly difficult for you to grip
each exercise you use them on, resulting in greater grip and forearm
strength that you can apply to arm exercises. Increases in strength will
allow you to overload your muscles with heavier weights, allowing you to
add more mass to your arms and other body parts.
Barbell curls for example not only require good bicep strength, but also
forearm engagement. With stronger forearms you will be able to barbell
curl a heavier weight and decrease the chances of your forearms failing
before your biceps.
About the author
Erny Peibst is the owner of WorldsFittest.net, a website dedicated to
improving body composition. Browse through his build muscle and weight
loss articles to get innovative tips he has tried and tested. Or check out
his reviews section where he trials different supplements, including his
own TestoFuel review, a testosterone booster supplement.
Erny Peibst is the owner of WorldsFittest.net, a website dedicated to
improving body composition. Browse through his build muscle and weight
loss articles to get innovative tips he has tried and tested. Or check out
his reviews section where he trials different supplements, including his
own TestoFuel review, a testosterone booster supplement.
