BIG CLASSIC ARMS
TRAINING PRINCIPLES
PLEASE LOG BOOK EVERY SESSION – This is imperative to
your progression within the gym. Ensure you note down
all your reps and weights and each time you hit that
exercise again, aim to beat that with either a little more
weight (can be as small as adding a 0.125kg) or by
another rep. This is one of the most important aspects
of progressive overload.
MAINTAIN FORM – Although the point is progressive
overload, there is also no point in progressing if you
cannot maintain form. This means if you need to get 10
reps as you got 9 reps last time, it is better to go for
the 10th rep and only get half, rather than getting the
10th rep but using additional momentum and other
muscles to make the movement ‘easier’. Keeping strict
form will mean we are challenging the target muscle
more and also preventing injury.
STALLING – It is ok to stall! You can’t progress forever.
So when this does happen, and you find some exercises
stall much sooner than others, we will swap exercises
for similar movements to ensure progression, and then
eventually we will take a deload/rest week.
REP RANGES – You will notice that there are different
rep ranges within the plan. Please stick to these, they
are important..
REP RANGES EXPLAINED – All work sets are to absolute
failure. If on the day you are feeling strong and feel like
you can push for more reps, then please do continue to
true failure. Then next session you can just adjust the
weight. So don’t limit yourself and stop at 10. You select
a weight to fail within that rep range. The second set is
likely to be the same weight or a lighter weight. IE for
barbell press, you may do 1st set on 80kgs and fail on 9
reps. If you hit the upper end of the range then try
80kg again and you will likely get 6-7 reps. If you only
got 6-7 reps on the first set then go down to 70kg for
set 2. When the rep range is higher, again these are to
failure. Choose an appropriate weight to hit the rep
range, and then on the second set, alter accordingly
either remaining the same or reducing the weight a little.
TRAINING INTENSITY – With a low volume, high frequency
approach, you must train 100 percent every single
session. There is no point in giving any set less than
your all when wanting your body to adapt and change.
WARM UPS
It is important to warm up before each session. The point
with the warm up is to prepare the muscles not fatigue
them. So in each session spend 5 minutes using light
weights on the first few exercises to just increase heart
rate and blood flow. For the first exercise of the session
do a longer warm up. Ie if smith squat is the first exercise,
do something similar to the following:
· Get in the gym, do a few reps on a light leg extension, a
few on hack, and few hamstring curls
· Get under the smith and do 6 reps empty bar (lets say
work set is with 40kgs each of the smith) add 10kgs
each side, do 4-5 reps
· Increase to 15kgs each side, do 3-4 reps
· Increase to 20kgs each side for 3 reps
· Increase to 30kgs each side for 2 reps
· Increase to 35kgs each side for 1 rep
· WORK SET…and the session begins
TEMPO/FORM/TENSION
On ALL exercises I want you to maintain tension, form and
full control on both the eccentric and concentric phase.
Do not just move the weight for the sake of it. On the
higher rep sets especially, really focus on reaching failure
by contraction and squeezing the target muscle. Use a
tempo pf 3010 on all exercises (3 second eccentric, 0
pause, 1 second concentric, 0 pause).
During the session, keep intensity high. We do want this
to be challenging! In terms of rest between sets, give
yourself a few minutes and enough time to fully recover
and go at the next set with full power. You are looking to
grow and gain strength so don’t rush, better to
recuperate for a minute longer and get those reps then
rush.
REST PERIODS
Unless stated, wait 2 between work sets. For the heavier
compound lifts if you feel you need longer, then take an
extra minute or so. Remember the aim is intensity and
pace, but not at the detriment of strength and form.
VOLUME AND RECOVERY
The amount of working sets stated in this programme
are to be used as a guideline. You may require more or
less depending on your training accuracy and intensity.
If you are not recovering between sessions and all
variables such as sleep, nutrition, hydration etc, are being
managed. Then this is a sign that you are training with
high intensity and accuracy. You may need to lower sets
if this is the case.
If you don’t feel like you’re doing enough work per muscle
group, then we first recommend working on accuracy
and intensity before adding additional working sets.
YOUR TRAINING PLAN!
Everything must be executed with PERFECT CONTINUOUS
REPS… use the correct muscle to move the weight,
instigating the contraction with the muscle and not
momentum or power. Ensure you hit a nice peak
contraction on all exercises… ie DB curl… really connect
with a hard 1 sec squeeze at the top before a slow
eccentric.
Adjust the weights accordingly to hit the rep range
THE PLAN IS TO BE RUN AS PER BELOW.
These arm sessions can be run as their own arm days,
but persoanlly I do this at the end of my Upper sessions.
I hit all three workouts over the week and have seen
great progress in my arms. But do keep in mind that while
these sessions are wel thought out. Without following the
training principels and managing recovery you will not see
desired results.
These sessions are done as a series of supesets
A1 and A2 will be one superset and are to do done back
to back or with around 30 seconds between sets.
ARMS 1
A1: Incline DB curl or cable curls facing away
1 x 6-12 / 1 x 12-17
A2: Overhead triceps extension (Cable or DB)
1 x 6-12 / 1 x 12-17
B1: Preacher curl (Cable, DB or machine)
1 x 6-12 / 1 x 12-17
B2: X cable triceps extension
1 x 6-12 / 1 x 12-17
C1: Hammer curl (Cable or DB)
2 x 6-8
C2: Wrist curl (Cable or DB)
2 x 15-20
C3: Wrist extension (Cable or DB)
2 x 15-20
ARMS 2
A1: SIngle arm cable curl
1 x 6-12 / 1 x 12-17
A2: Single arm triceps extesions
1 x 6-12 / 1 x 12-17
B1: Reverse grip curls (Cable or DB)
1 x 8-10
B2: Wrist curl (Cable or DB)
2 x 15-20
B3: Wrist extension (Cable or DB)
2 x 15-20
ARMS 3
A1: DB curls
1 x 6-12 / 1 x 12-17
A2: Dips
1 x 6-12 / 1 x 12-17
B1: Spider curls (Cable or DB)
1 x 6-12 / 1 x 12-17
B2: Long rope triceps extension
1 x 6-12 / 1 x 12-17
C1: Hammer curl (Cable or DB)
2 x 10-12
C2: Wrist curl (Cable or DB)
2 x 15-20
C3: Wrist extension (Cable or DB)
2 x 15-20