Quote (CJE @ Mar 9 2011 01:09am)
Hey raynor, I have stubborn arms, I find it VERY hard to make them grow
Should I train them twice a week?
What's a good routine to really build them?
Also it seems up the arm, right past my bicep but lower than my shoulder is VERY skinny
Is that just genetics?
I appreciate it!
Hey there. Some people have genetically stubborn arms. To combat this, you will train then 2x per week, but in the fashion below:
(this is a modified hypertrophy plan for extended arms)
Workout plan for hypertrophy:
[Perform all exercises as follows: 1. Warmup set (15ish reps light weight), 2. First set (wait about 30 seconds after warmup, then do 10-12 reps medium weight), 3. Second set (wait about 30-45 seconds after second set then do 8-10 reps medium/heavy weight), 4. Third Set (wait about 1 minute after second set then do 85% of max weight for as many reps as possible until failure, rack the weight, wait 5-10 seconds and get it again for as many reps as possible until failure), 5. Fourth Set ( wait 1 minute after third set then do the Same as third set), 6. Fifth Set (WITHOUT RESTING after the fourth set, cut the weight in half and immediately go until failure again).
The only exception to these exercises are supersets which will be performed with medium/heavy weight and both exercises done until failure, wait 60 seconds, then repeat the process with a MILD weight increase (5-10% max increase). The key with supersets is just to keep going and fight the burn and get as many reps as possible with medium/heavy weight.
Mon (chest/bis) - Incline Bench Press, Flat Bench Press, Incline DB Flies SUPERSET with Flat DB Flies, Wide-grip Dips (weighted if possible), lying DB pullovers, Low cable crossovers SUPERSET w/ high cable crossovers. Standing olympic bar curls, seated E-Z Bar preacher curls, Standing DB curls SUPERSET w/ seated DB hammer curls, Concentration DB curls, High cable curls (looks like a standing double-bicep pose) SUPERSET w/ low cable bicep curls.
Tues (Back/Tris) - Straight-Leg Deadlifts, Seated Cable Rows, Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns, T-Bar Rows, Bent over DB Rows SUPERSET w/ Lawnmower DB Rows, Good Mornings Superset w/ Lower Back Hyperextensions, Bent Over Barbell Rows. Cable Tricep Pulldowns (Rope or V-Bar), One-Arm tricep cable pulldowns SUPERSET w/ One-Arm tricep cable kickbacks, DB Kickbacks, Seated DB Skullcrushers SUPERSET w/ laying EZ-bar skullcrushers, Close-Grip machine dips.
Weds (Legs/Shoulders) - Barbell Squats (ATG), Plate loaded Leg Press, Leg Extension SUPERSET w/ Leg Curls (laying or seated), DB Lunges, Hip Abductor SUPERSET w/ Hip Adductor, Standing Calf Raise Machine, Donkey Calf Raises SUPERSET w/ Seated Calf-Raises. Seated Military Press, DB Shoulder Press, DB Arnold Press SUPERSET w/ DB Front raises, DB Lat raises (normal 2 arm method) SUPERSET w/ one arm slow-decline lat raises, DB Shrugs, Barbell Shrugs.
Thurs - (Arms) - Seated EZ Bar preacher curls, One arm DB concentration curls (WITH GOOD FORM), Standing EZ-bar curl 21's, Tricep cable pulldowns (v-bar or rope), Tricep cable kickbacks, Seated or laying tricep skullcrushers, Standing cable straight bar curls (hold at the peak and lower it for a 3 count), Seated close-grip DIPS (on machine), seated one arm DB hammer curls, DB tricep kickbacks
Fri - (Odd Muscle Groups) - Spend this day to focus on muscle groups that need additional attention...example, chest and shoulders or calves/abs/hamstrings/etc. Just make this day your time to work on what needs additional training (DO NOT TRAIN ARMS THIS DAY)
Sat - OFF
Sun - OFF
Mon - Repeat Monday - etc.
Now the only part I didn't mention was abs and cardio. For Abs, you can train them 3-4 times per week (although you only really need 2x per week) on whatever days suit you. Consider ab training on your easier days. So whichever 2 of the 3 days are the easier days, throw ab training on those days. If you can't get abs more than 1-2 days per week, that is fine and shouldn't really matter all that much.
Abs - 30 minutes ab instinct training (yep, just like arnold) - basically you jump from a plethora of ab exercises without stopping in between. You are going to jump from exercise to exercise and perform them all until failure (weighted exercises until failure - for bodyweight ab exercises, just do 20-25 reps). After 30 minutes of ab instinct training is over, hang from a pullup bar for 30-60 seconds to stretch out the abs sufficiently.
For cardio, this is totally optional. If you start detecting fat gains, you can throw in 20 mins of HIIT cardio every morning and 15-20 mins post-workout every day. If you aren't gaining fat, forget cardio all together.