Quick Arm Gains Routine

Next to abs, arm questions seem to be the second most frequently asked ones. In this Q&A, I hope to answer the most commonly asked inquiries on how to get guns for arms.

QUESTION: How can I get big arms quickly?
ANSWER: Getting big arms quickly is a combination of factors such as how well periodized your routines are, how good is your form, how good is your nutrition program, etc. To answer your question, there are a few pointers that I can recommend for fast muscle growth: 
1. Concentrate on basic movements. When training the biceps use exercises like E–Z Curls, Preacher Curls, Incline Curls, Lying Cable Curls (use overhead pulley and lie down on a bench), Reverse E–Z Curls (standing and on preacher bench), Hammer Curls and even Biceps Chins, which are performed by using a narrow underhand grip on the chin–up bar. For the Triceps, concentrate on Parallel Bar Dips, Close Grip Bench Presses, Lying E–Z Triceps Extensions (preferably on a decline bench for better effect), Overhead Extensions and Triceps Pushdowns with a bar or rope. These are all great exercises.
2. Follow a periodized routine and change your exercise selection often. In my training experience, the biggest mistake I see most people do is following the same routine all of the time. In all of my publications, I always talk about the importance of training variety in order to continually challenge the body and continue to induce gains. The more advanced you become as a bodybuilder, the more crucial this is. Since I’ve been at this for 15 years now, I change my routines every time I hit the gym! Just so that I don’t feel like I left you hanging, the program below will work well for gaining more arm size:

  -: QUICK ARM GAINS ROUTINE -1 :-

 NOTES: If you are a naturally skinny person (a hardgainer who always has abs regardless of diet), then perform only once a week for 5 weeks before moving to routine #2. Otherwise, use a training frequency of twice a week leaving 2 or 3 days of rest in between and perform for 3 weeks before moving to routine #2).
SUPERSET:
Preacher Curls 10 sets of 10 reps (no rest).
Triceps Dips 10 sets of 10 reps (1 minute rest).
SUPERSET:
Hammer Curls 2 sets of 12–15 reps (no rest).
Triceps Pushdowns 2 sets of 12–15 reps (1 minute rest).

-: QUICK ARM GAINS ROUTINE - 2 :-
 
NOTES: If you are a naturally skinny person (a hardgainer who always has abs regardless of diet), then perform only once a week
for 5 weeks. Otherwise, use a training frequency of twice a week leaving 2 or 3 days of rest in between and perform for 3 weeks before moving to another routine).
MODIFED COMPOUND SUPERSET:
Biceps Chin–Ups 8 sets of 6–8 reps (90 second rest).
Close Grip Bench Press 8 sets of 6–8 reps (90 second rest).
MODIFED COMPOUND SUPERSET:
Incline Curls followed by Incline Hammers with the same weight once you hit failure 3 sets of 10–12 reps (90 second rest).
Lying Triceps Extensions 3 sets of 10–12 reps (90 second rest).
NOTES: In a Modified Compound Superset, you first perform one
exercise, rest the recommended amount of seconds and then perform the second exercise (i.e.: For instance, first do Biceps, then do Triceps). Then rest the prescribed amount of time again and go back to the first exercise. A modified superset for Incline Curls and Lying Triceps Extensions i which you perform 3 sets of each exercise will look like the following:
Incline Curls 1 set of 10–12 reps (Rest 90 seconds).
Lying Triceps Extensions 1 set of 10–12 reps (Rest 90 seconds).
Incline Curls 1 set of 10–12 reps (Rest 90 seconds).
Lying Triceps Extensions 1 set of 10–12 reps (Rest 90 seconds).
Incline Curls 1 set of 10–12 reps (Rest 90 seconds).
Lying Triceps Extensions 1 set of 10–12 reps (Rest 90 seconds).
End of modified superset.

Advanced Ab Workout Plan For Figure

Train your abs three time a week or even every other day by alternating between Workouts (A) and (B):

WORKOUT (A)
Hanging Leg Raises with weight—4 sets of 15–25 reps.
Jackknife—4 sets of 15–25 per side.

Knee–In while holding up a medicine ball—4 sets of 15–25 reps.
Knee–Ins with side rotation while holding up a medicine ball—4 sets of 15–25 per side.
 
NOTES:
1. Limit weight on the hanging leg raises to 5–lbs. 
2. To perform the Jackknife you will need a swiss ball. Begin by getting into a push–up position with your feet and lower legs resting on a Swiss Ball and your hands on the floor at shoulder width. Pulling in your belly button towards your spine, bring your legs towards your chest as you exhale by bending your knees and lifting your hips into the air. Hold the top position for a second and then straighten your legs again thus bringing them to the starting position.
3. The Knee–In with the Medicine Ball is performed by  holding a medicine ball at arms length in front of you (a 90–degree angle is created by the arms and the torso). Note that this version of the exercise, does not allow for the hands to hold your torso up as in the usual knee– ins where you place your hands behind and hold to the bench or the floor, thus making the exercise easier. This version will require some practice, but the torso will get strong enough and you will be able to perform it in no time.
4. The Knee–Ins with Side Rotations are performed just as the exercise before it with the difference that in every 10 repetition you will twist the torso from one side to the next.

WORKOUT (B)
Decline Bench Leg Raise Superset:
4 sets of 10 reps regular leg raises.
4 sets of 10 reps scissor leg raises.
4 sets of 10–second static contraction.
Reverse Crunches on Decline Bench (Keep Feet off bench) —3 sets of 15–25 per side.
Rope Crunches with Double Impact Technique—3 sets of 15–25 reps.

NOTES:
The rope crunches with double impact technique are performed by achieving the contracted position of the rope crunch, pausing for half a second, letting the torso move up a bit and then achieving full contraction again. So in fact, each rep consists of the positive portion of the movement until you achieve full contraction, a slight negative movement, another contraction (so in reality you just did a partial move), and then the negative portion of the movement that takes you to the starting position. All of this counts as 1 double impact rep.
Conclusion:
After 6–8 weeks of the prescribed Advanced Routines you can start creating your own routines using the principles outlined in this booklet. Don’t be afraid to experiment! Also, if you are a bodybuilder who has enough thickness on the abs, you can then switch to the figure routines in this section for maintenance purposes and to enhance the quality of the muscle. Conversely, if you are a figure competitor who needs more thickness on the abdominal wall, then a 6–week cycle of a bodybuilding routine would not be a bad idea.
Hope that this clears up a lot of the confusion on abdominal training. Now remember that there can be no abdominal definition without a good diet.

Advanced Ab Workout Plan

The Advanced routines make use of the toughest exercises and also the best techniques for increasing intensity. The bodybuilding program uses a periodization approach where one workout session is done using mainly high reps to target the slow twitch oxidative muscle fibers of the abs, the second sessions targets an even split of fast and slow twitch fibers and the final session just concentrates on the fast twitch fibers. Again, remember that the goal of the bodybuilding program is to create thicker looking abs and deeper groves in between them.
The figure programs will use a slight amount of resistance in order to strengthen the abs but using high repetitions in order to keep the slender look. Some resistance is needed at the advanced level as there is still a need to create some depth in between the muscles of the abdominal wall.

NOTE on TVA Training: At this level you can train the TVA unconsciously by attempting to keep the waist line tucked in at all times at least whenever you stand. Believe it or not that works well. You can also continue to do the 5 sets of Vacuums but increase the time under tension to 60 seconds. Also, whenever you perform the exercises, make sure to bring your belly button in as far as possible. This also works the TVA.

    -: Advanced Ab Workout Plan For Bodybuilders :-

Train your abs three time a week or even every other day by alternating between Workouts (A), (B), and (C):

WORKOUT (A)
SUPERSET:
Bicycle Crunches—4 sets of 50–100 reps.
Crunches on Flat Bench—4 sets of 50–100 reps.
Leg Raises on Flat Bench—4 sets to failure.

NOTES:
1. All of these exercises will be performed in a sequence on a flat surface such as a bench.
2. For the leg raises, bring your legs up until you create a  90–degree angle between the legs and the torso. For this exercise, just concentrate on form and feel and do as many reps as you can.

WORKOUT (B)
SUPERSET:
Hanging Leg Raises—3 sets of 10–15 reps.
Hanging Knee–Ups—3 sets of 10–15 reps.

SUPERSET:
Swiss Ball Crunches with Side Rotation holding Medicine Ball in your hands—sets of 20–25 per side Weighted Swiss Ball Crunches—3 sets of 8–10 reps.

SINGLE SET:
Bicycle Crunches—3 sets of 25–45 reps per side.

NOTES:
For the swiss ball exercise with side rotations hold a medicine ball in front of you with your arms extended (arms will create a 90–degree angle with the torso). For the weighted crunches, you can hold the medicine ball with your arms extended over your head (in this case, both the arms and the torso create a straight line).

WORKOUT (C)
MODIFIED SUPERSET:
Weighted Knee–Ins—3 sets of 6–8 reps.
Weighted Swiss Ball Crunches—3 sets of 6–8 reps.

MODIFIED SUPERSET:
Weighted V–Ups—3 sets of 6–8 reps.
Rope Crunches—3 sets of 6–8 reps.

NOTES:
1. Weighted knee–ins and weighted v–ups will use a dumbbell in between your feet. Just be sure to start out light with the dumbbells as you do not want to incur an injury due to too much weight. Many times, a small 5–lb dumbbell will do the job. For the more advanced up to 25–lbs.
2. To make the weighted knee–ins even more challenging, try also holding a medicine ball in your hands in addition to a dumbbell in between your feet. This is a super advanced form of this exercise as when you perform it in this manner you won’t be able to use your arms behind you to stabilize your torso.
3. Remember that in a modified superset you perform the first exercise, rest 90 seconds, perform the second one, rest 90 seconds and then start over.

Intermediate Ab Workout Plan For Figure

Train your abs three time a week or even every other day by alternating between Workouts (A) and (B):
 
WORKOUT (A)
V–Ups—4 sets of 15–25 reps.
Reverse Crunches—4 sets of 15–25 per side.
Bicycle Crunches—4 sets of 15–25 reps.

WORKOUT (B)
Roman Chair Leg Raises—3 sets of 15–25 reps.
Leg Lifts on Decline Bench—3 sets of 15–25 per side.
Medicine Ball Crunches—3 sets of 15–25 reps.
Medicine Ball Crunches with Side Rotations—3 sets of 15–25 reps.

NOTES:
For all leg raises exercises, ensure that you bring your legs up till you hit the 90–degree angle between your torso and the legs.