For arm training, you will need some basic mass building core movements as well as some variations to keep the arms fresh and responding. I have had the best results training tris after chest and bis after back. I do know that many of you like to hit them fresh which is a good thing to do. For me however, I have to have the thorough warm-up for my elbows my method provides. Either way is good and my advice is to do whatever seems to be best for you personally. Just make sure you warm the elbows up VERY well! Here are a few of my favorite arm shockers...

For Triceps:

Weighted Dip Negatives

The way you perform this exercise is extremely important. To target the triceps more than the chest, keep your torso erect, not leaned, and push only from your elbows and concentrate on using you tris exclusively. The tris are mostly fast twitch fibers which means they respond well to really heavy training much more than reps. This one hits 'em REAL heavy. In fact, I recommend using weights around you waist on this even if you have to have a spotter help you get your reps done-just don't let them help on the slow negative part of the exercise. On the negative, resist with all your might and you will feel Satan's hellfire burning in your triceps. These can help your bench out a lot too by strengthening your tris. Try a superset of rope pushdowns directly into these if you really want to turn up the heat on the burner!

Drop Sets With Decline Skullcrushers

This angle recruits every section of the tris making it an ideal mass movement as well as something different to use. Set out a weight you can get 5-6 good clean(elbows still) reps with. Also have two other bars loaded with weights that are a little lighter and do all three sets in a row without rest and a few forced reps on the end of every set. You'll feel this one!

Skullcrushers With A Dumbell And Wide, Reverse Grip Skullcrushers

These variations will attack different areas of the tris than what they are used to. The dumbbells make it a more narrow grip which hits a different area than normal skulls done with a bar. Also alternate between a straight and crooked bar as this changes hand angles a bit. Remember, variety breaks plateaus as well as boredom so keep it fresh and be creative with supersets.

Overhead Dumbell Tricep Extentions

These are a favorite of Lee Priest who has some of the most impressive tris ever developed. Get into a bench that offers some support for your back. My favorite is the preacher bench turned around backwards where you lean against the back. Lift the dumbbell over your head and lower only to the point where your hand disappears behind your head. These are more effective on the muscle and less stressful to the joints if you use only the middle portion of the exercise. They are awesome if you advance the poundage and use them as a core power movement for mass.

For Biceps:

Preacher Curl Negatives

With these, you can be your own spotter because this is a single arm movement. Select a dumbbell that is considerably heavier than what you could normally use for this exercise. Lower the weight very slowly and keep your other hand close by to help you get the bell back up. Also, do not lower the weight too far down cause you could tear something. After you can lower it no more, keep holding it as long as you can until everything gives out. This will certainly wake your bis up!

Laying Down Curls

Grab a barbell and lay down on a flat bench. Let your arms all the way down till you feel a good comfy stretch in your bis. Curl the weight up, contract hard and slowly lower. This one will get you sore and do a good job of stretching out and recruiting new fibers in the bis.

Wide, Medium, And Close-Grip Curl Drop Sets

Load up a straight bar with a bunch of plates that can be stripped off easily. Load it up real heavy for your first set which will be the heaviest in the wide grip position. After exhaustion on that set, strip a few plates off and immediately do another set in the medium grip style. After that one, strip off more and do them with a very close grip. Wait a little, and do it all over again. This technique will hit all fibers in the bis nonstop because it stimulates the muscle with different angles without rest.

Hammer Curls On Preacher Bench

This on really emphasizes the lower bis and forearms. It can help add that knot sticking out of the side of the arm you see on the pros. NEVER neglect your forearms, if you do, it can stop you from progressing on you biceps exercises because they can become a weak link if not worked hard. Train hard!

zeb1@dcr.net

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