Build your own arms: developing a plan of attack for bigger arms has never been easier

Flex, July, 2009 by David Sandler

STEP 1

DETERMINE YOUR WEAKNESS

It would be nice to give you a detailed method for analyzing your body and determining weakness, but truth be told, when it comes to the body and what you look like, the best tool you have is the mirror--or the judges, if you are a competitor. Take a good look and see what needs to be fixed. If it ain't broke, just make it bigger. And if it is broke, determine what needs to be fixed and work that part first in your routine. Minimize cheating and make sure every rep goes the full distance. Cheat reps are fine when they're done at the very end of a set for the last one or two reps, but if you form is bad from the start, it's likely that you are short-changing yourself and your muscles will not fully develop.

STEP 2

EXERCISE ORDER

Choose the mass-builder exercises first, then move on to the shaping exercises. And if you have a specific weakness, such as the medial head of your triceps, be sure to hit it with at least one specific target movement, such as the reverse-grip pushdown. Since it is the bigger muscle group--taking up two-thirds of the upper arm--it's generally a good idea to start with triceps exercises first. But if it's your biceps that need the most help, switch up the order.

STEP 3

CHOOSE YOUR WEAPON

We've broken up our exercises into three categories--mass builders, muscle shapers and specific weakness. Your weapon of choice should be based on your goals.

BICEPS

MASS BUILDERS

Increase the overall thickness of your arms and are generally performed heavier weight for eight to 12 reps. They work the entire muscle and play no favorites on specific muscle muscle heads.

MUSCLE SHAPERS

Designed to help carve out that perfect look. They generally call for slightly higher repetitions: 10-15.

MASS BUILDERS

EXERCISE                    SETS               REPS   REST *

Barbell curls               Beginner: 3                 90
                            Intermediate: 3-4  8-12     90
                            Advanced:3                90-120

Seated barbell curls        Beginner:3                  90
                            Intermediate: 3-4  8-12     90
                            Advanced:3                90-120

Dumbell curls               Beginner:3                  90
                            Intermediate: 3-4  8-12     90
                            Advanced:3                90-120

Alternating dumbbell curls  Beginner: 3        8-12     90
                            Intermediate: 3-4           90
                            Advanced:3                90-120

MUSCLE SHAPERS

Cable curls                 Beginner: 3                 90
                            Intermedite: 3-4   10-15  60-90
                            Advanced: 3               60-90

Cable single-arm curls      Beginner: 3                 90
                            Intermediate: 3-4  10-15  60-90
                            Advanced:3                60-90

Preacher curls              Beginner:3                  90
                            Intermediate: 3-4  10-15  60-90
                            Advanced:3                60-90

Scott curls                 Beginner:3                  90
                            Intermediate: 3-4  10-15  60-90
                            Advanced:3                60-90

Concentration curls         Beginner:3                  90
                            Intermediate: 3-4  10-15  60-90
                            Advanced:3                60-90

High-Cable curls            Beginner:3                  90
                            Intermediate: 3-4  10-15  60-90
                            Advanced:3                60-90

Machine curls               Beginner:3                  90
                            Intermediate: 3-4  10-15  60-90
                            Advanced:3                60-90

Rope cable hammer curls     Beginner:3                  90
                            Intermediate: 3-4  10-15  60-90
                            Advanced:3                60-90

NOTES: Beginner = up to six months of consistent training experience,
Intermediate = six to 12 months of consistent training experience;
advanced = more then 12 months of consistent training experience

* in Seconds.

BICEPS TIPS

"My workouts alternate between heavy, explosive movements one day and controlled isolation movements the next. Explosive workouts build overall mas and isolation workouts shape the mucle."

--Darrem Charles

TRICEPS

MASS BUILDERS

EXERCISE                        SETS               REPS   REST *

Close-grip bench presses        Beginner: 3        8-12     90
                                Intermediate:3-4            90
                                Advanced:3                90-120

Reverse-grip bench presses      Beginners: 3       8-12     90
                                Intermediate: 3-4           90
                                Advanced:3                90-120

Triceps dips                    Beginners: 3       8-12     90
                                Intermediate:3-4            90
                                Advanced:3                90-120

Lying triceps extensions        Beginners: 3       8-12     90
                                Intermediate:3-4            90
                                Advanced:3                90-120

Dumbbell overhead triceps       Beginners: 3       8-12   90 90
extensions                      Intermediate:3-4          90-120
                                Advanced:3

MUSCLE SHARPERS

EXERCISE                        SETS               REPS   REST *

Triceps pushdowns               Beginners: 3       12-15    90
                                Intermediate:3-4   10-12  60-90
                                Advanced:3         10-12  60-90

Dumbbell kickbacks              Beginners: 3       12-15    90
                                Intermediate: 3-4  10-12  60-90
                                Advanced:3         10-12  60-90

Cable overhead extensions       Beginners: 3       12-15    90
                                Intermediate:3-4   10-12  60-90
                                Advanced:3         10-12  60-90

Cable lying triceps extensions  Beginner: 3        12-15    90
                                Intermediate:3-4   10-12  60-90
                                Advanced:3         10-12  60-90

NOTES: Beginner = up to six months of consistent training experience;
intermediate = six to 12 months of consistent training experience;
advanced = more than 12 months of consistent training experience

* in seconds