We have a saying at my gym, and it goes like this: "If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always got." In most cases, when it comes to arms, "what you've always got" are a pair of underdeveloped limbs that cower like sissies.

What you want are arms that literally tear at the seams to see the light of day. The arms workout below is the most effective one ever devised, combining several old standby movements with newer, more unconventional arm exercises.



If Arnold and Einstein collaborated on a workout, it might look like this. Designing such creative, brawn-and-brains workouts is what we do best here at Performance U in Baltimore, Maryland. We combine the old with the new to create can't-fail hybrid programs. To us, arm training IS rocket science.

You ready? Let's go step-by-step through a battle-tested workout that I've used with athletes and bodybuilders to pump up their arms otherworldly proportions.

The "Code of Arms" Workout

Prepare to leave the gym with a major swoll on. And in weeks, those pumps will have produced permanent growth. Descriptions, photos and videos for how to properly perform each exercise follow below:

The "Code of Arms" Workout
1
Superset
Chin-Up
4 sets, to failure
+ 5 more exercises

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  • Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.

Coaching Tips

  • This is a superset workout. Perform exercise 1 followed by exercise 2. Repeat 1 and 2 for the number of sets indicated.
  • Rest no more than 30 seconds between exercises in a given superset. Example: Perform exercise 1, rest 0-30 seconds, perform 2, rest 0-30 seconds and repeat.
  • After completing all the sets of a given superset, rest 1-2 minutes before beginning the next superset.

Sample "Code of Arms" Weekly Splits

Here's how you can integrate the "Code of Arms" workout into your current 3, 4 or 5-day training split. Depending on how often you train, use any of the above training splits for 4-6 weeks to maximize gains in arm size and strength.

3-Day Split (with an arm emphasis)

  • Monday: Upper-Body Push (Chest/Triceps) and Pull (Back/Biceps)
  • Wednesday: Legs/Calves/Abs
  • Friday: Arms (use the "Code of Arms" workout above)

4-Day Split (with an arm emphasis)

  • Monday: Upper-Body Push (Chest/Triceps) and Pull (Back/Biceps)
  • Tuesday: Legs/Calves
  • Thursday: Arms (use the "Code of Arms" workout above)
  • Friday: Legs/Abs

5-Day Split (with an arm emphasis)

  • Monday: Upper-Body Push (Chest/Triceps)
  • Tuesday: Upper-Body Pull (Back/Biceps)
  • Wednesday: Legs/Calves
  • Friday: Arms (use the "Code of Arms" workout above)
  • Saturday: Legs/Abs

Bonus!

Let's say you're short on time, or stuck in a hotel room and can't get to the gym. No worries! Here's what you can do to build huge arms in less time than it takes to shave!

Coach Nick's 1-Minute Arm Solution

  • Perform the 60/30 triceps extensions. Then immediately superset by performing the 60/30 biceps curls. Rest 1-2 minutes between complete supersets. Repeat for 3-5 sets.

Of course, you'll need a band for this one.

Ready For Launch

I've now handed over the codes for building bigger, stronger and impressive-looking arms. You've got the workout, the training split and the exercises. Time for lift-off!



About the Author

Nick Tumminello

Nick Tumminello

Nick Tumminello is a Baltimore-based personal trainer and owner of Performance University who works with physique competitors, elite athletes...

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