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"Alright, the body isn't going to go ahead and say "Hey, my legs haven't gotten bigger yet, first I'll do that. Until then, the arms are staying this way."
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You wanna bet??
Read and Learn!: The follwong info from Don Alessi & Charles Poliquin will provide excellent insight in how to achieve great arm gains.
Its a compilation of 4 seperate articles that are well worth the time spent reading them.
How to unleash your core strength
to achieve explosive arm development
by Don Alessi
The size of your biceps depends on your squat strength. Do you agree? No? You don’t see the connection? Bear with me then because the above statement is true. Up to one-third of your upper extremity force is generated by your lower body, especially during multiple joint, mass building lifts. Golfers, throwers and powerlifters understand this connection.
Luckily, there are new ways to tap into this hidden strength potential. When properly tapped, athletes realize a prompt 30% boost in upper-body strength. Evidence from physical therapy suggests that your potential for upper-arm muscle mass may be squandered because of weak links in the pelvis and lower back.
In order of magnitude, the determinants of arm girth are:
• Your capacity for size (genetic contribution)
• Total body strength levels (transfer of energy through the core)
• The ability to stabilize the shoulders at progressively higher loads
• Biceps muscle imbalances
What I’m going to do is present a unique approach to arm development that blends biceps hypertrophy into the movement chain of the rest of the body. Warning: The path we’re going to take to bigger biceps may seem unconventional, but the results you’ll experience will speak for themselves.
Genetic Freaks and Arnold
In bodybuilding, as in life, there’s a distinct advantage to having the right parents. The most salient characteristics of muscle development are the tendon insertion points. Bodybuilders and strength athletes with biceps insertion points further from the center of the joint have a natural mechanical advantage. This is because a longer tendon is a longer lever arm.
The longer the lever arm, the greater the torque around the joint, and thus the more force that joint can produce. Historically, very few bodybuilders are blessed with low insertion points on all major muscles. Exceptions include Mike Matarazzo and Casey Viator.
The other genetic advantage is biceps fiber make-up. A fast-twitch guy, someone that can only do three reps at 80% of his maximum, has an advantage in that he utilizes a greater percentage of high-threshold fibers which are responsible for peak strength. These individuals are capable of muscle growth in just a few sets of single repetitions.
A recent discovery is a gene called myostatin. It’s a member of the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily and is a genetic determinant of skeletal-muscle growth. Recent studies support the hypothesis that myostatin is an attenuator of skeletal muscle growth in adult men and contributes to muscle wasting in HIV-infected men. It’s likely that certain people may produce a mutant form of this gene so that their bodies wouldn’t regulate muscle growth, thus giving rise to the term "genetic freak."
Although the all-mighty Arnold Schwarzenegger had enviously long muscle bellies in the elbow flexors, he got the short end of the tendon stick in the long muscles of the calf. This is probably why he took early photos from his thighs up, or standing in water! However, due in part to the Oak’s desire to be the best, he overcame this predisposition to achieve very respectable calf development. It goes without saying that desire and knowledge can make up the genetic gap.
Total Body Strength: The Missing Link
The sequence of muscle activation in a given exercise is termed a kinetic (movement) chain. All resistance exercises operate in a kinetic chain. The goal of the kinetic chain activation sequence is to transfer maximum velocity or force from the beginning (proximal) muscles to the end (distal) muscles. How much weight you can lift is highly dependant on every muscle in the chain.
For example, let’s look at one of the best mass building exercises for the biceps—the standing biceps curl. The distal load is the barbell, and the distal muscles are the elbow flexors, better known as the biceps. The proximal segments are the muscles of the legs, pelvis and lower back. Because of their large relative mass, the legs are responsible for the impulse that’s generated.
So once again, lower extremity strength production directly influences your arm strength by igniting the chain that transfers into upper-extremity force. In addition, arm cross sectional area (mass) is correlated to your squat strength and deadlift strength in resistance trained athletes.
Exercise scientists have even developed strength-prediction equations for the bench press, deadlift and squat that are based on biceps circumference. This is one reason that powerlifters turned bodybuilders place high in their first show. Even a correspondence-course fitness trainer understands that for maximum mass development you must rely on heavy barbell exercises. The more joints involved, the stronger your mechanical advantage, the more weight you’ll lift and the more tension you’ll place on the muscles. All of this results in greater muscle mass.
A Wrench in your Machinery?
Many bodybuilders have relied on isolated single-joint movements to develop bulk mass. After understanding the power of the entire chain, you’ll realize that this thinking is completely out of order.
Additionally, I find most novice bodybuilders have the core stability of a linguini noodle. It’s that ability for the leg impulse to travel through the core of the lower back and pelvic muscles that delivers more strength to the upper extremities. Priority must be placed on developing the muscles of the lower back and pelvis.
The snatch deadlift (a deadlift with a shoulder shrug) is one of the best lifts to rate total body strength. Being able to lift 1.5 times bodyweight is ideal. If you can’t at least snatch deadlift your body weight, then this is where you begin your arm program, not in front of the mirror doing shameless concentration curls with the pink dumbbells.
To figure this out, just look at your strength. The higher your strength on a given lift, the better the exercise is for mass development. It’s no coincidence that the standing lifts are your stronger lifts since they require tapping into the entire kinetic chain. Once your core is stabilized, priority is placed on the muscles further up the chain.
Pelvic control can be tested through a simple test developed by physical therapists called the Trendelenburg Glute Test. This procedure evaluates the strength of the gluteus muscle on the stance side and requires some assistance. Have someone stand behind you and observe the dimples overlying the buttocks. (Insert your own politically incorrect joke here.) These dimples are to the side of the spine just above the belt line. Normally, when you bear weight evenly on both legs, these dimples appear level.
Next stand on one leg. If you stand straight, the gluteus muscle on the stance side should contract as soon as the opposite leg leaves the ground and should elevate the pelvis on the unsupported side. This elevation indicates that the glute muscle on the supported side is functioning properly (negative Trendelenburg sign). If the pelvis on the unsupported side remains in position or actually drops, the gluteus on the stance side is either weak or non-functioning (positive Trendelenburg sign).
The Hollywood Microcycle
I call the following workout the Hollywood Microcycle. It’s designed to correct the previous weaknesses. If I’m training a showbiz hotshot and they only give me 12 weeks to produce, I’ll start with this cycle.
This microcycle is designed to quickly increase lower back strength and total-body muscle mass. In personal training circles, the snatch deadlift is a serious shortcut, so I’ll use it as my primary exercise. By the way, it’s best not to squat while you’re involved with this program due to the intense loading on the spine.
Here’s an outline of the program which is designed to be performed every fifth day for 30 days, a total of six workouts. I’ll explain the lifts below in more detail.
A) Snatch deadlift
Sets: 6
Reps: 6
Rep Speed: 505*
Rest Interval: 180 seconds
Each week decrease the reps by one, increase the sets by one, and increase the weight 5%. Then lay off five days and retest your 1 RM for the snatch deadlift. For an extra kick, hold the bar isometrically just below the knees on the last rep of each set. This will send your low back strength up to the next level.
Also note the "505" rep speed or tempo. Due in part to the maximum weight being used, the concentric speed of the bar will be slow and actually take approximately 5 seconds to lift, even though the trainee is lifting explosively. Also, a concentric rep will "shock" the nervous system much the same way that varied speed sports (such as gymnastics) produce the strongest athletes.
B1) Step-ups with hip flexion
Sets: 3
Reps: 10-12
Rep Speed: 501
Rest Interval: 15 seconds
B2) Leg Curls, prone
Sets: 3
Reps: 8-10
Rep Speed: 402
Rest Interval: 120 seconds
Note: The "B1-B2" designations just mean that you superset these two movements.
C) One leg calf raises
Sets: 3 each leg
Reps: 12-15
Rep Speed: 222
Rest Interval: 60 seconds
Don Alessi is the founder of Alessi Personal Fitness Inc. and the North American Training Certification Ltd. His clients include various professional athletes and a number of hot-shot Fortune 500 executives. His specialties are mass development and body transformation. For information on a telephone consultation, e-mail him at
[email protected].
References
W.Ben Kibler, MD,John McMullen,MSATC and Tim Uhl,PhD,PT,ATC Shoulder Rehabilitation Strategies, Guidelines, and Practice. Orthopedic Clinics of North America 32 (3); 527-538 July 2001Review.
J.L.Mayhew,Ph.D., F.C.Piper,Ph.D.,J.S.Ware,M.S. Anthopometric correlates with strength performance among resistance trained athletes. J Sports Med. Phys Fitness 1993;33:159-65.
Gonzalez-Cadavid NF, Taylor WE, Yarasheski K, Sinha-Hikim I, Ma K, Ezzat S, Shen R, Lalani R, Asa S, Mamita M, Nair G, Arver S, Bhasin S.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1998 Dec 8;95(25):14938-14943 Organization of the human myostatin gene and expression in healthy men and HIV-infected men with muscle wasting.
Booming Biceps — Part II
Balance and Stability
by Don Alessi
In part I, we took a comprehensive look at the genetic and absolute strength requirements for building impressive biceps. And, rather than just spouting my own dogma, I gave you a useful method to identify and stabilize the core for additional upper-extremity growth.
Now that you’re on your way to shoring up your core so that it’s the human equivalent of a suit of a titanium girdle, let’s continue our investigation on how to identify and fix some other things that might be hampering your development.
Part 2 will tell you how to effectively…
1. Determine shoulder-blade position
2. Determine upper-extremity support strength
3. Determine biceps balance and potential
4. Determine your total potential
Jellyfish Like Stability
Several years ago, I ran into an athlete that had contracted a strange neurological virus. This virus preferentially deteriorated the left axillary nerve that supplies the shoulder stabilizers with sensation.
The disease impaired his ability to fire his left trap and levator scapula in most planes of motion. Consequently, the left trap was as flat as a pancake. It wasn’t so strange that his trap was flat. That was to be expected. What was really unexpected was that his left biceps muscle was also atrophied. It looked like it belonged on one of those Olsen twins from TV.
In fact, his left arm was 5" smaller than his right! This was my first lesson in the shoulder-arm connection. What I learned was that you can’t build "mountainous" biceps peaks with "flat" traps. Apparently, your nervous system senses the lack of strength in the shoulder stabilizers (e.g. trapezius) and shuts down all primary movers (e.g. biceps).
Bottom line: optimal function and stability around the scapula improves strength production and reduces wear and tear on the rotator cuff during arm training. Because functional loss of these muscles makes the scapula unable to counterbalance the weight of the arm during weight training, weakness and scapular "winging" result (a condition where the scapula flares out). An easy way to detect this imbalance is to simply look at the scapula.
The Right Winger
We’re not talking about hockey here, but shoulder problems! The test for scapular winging is this: if you can see or feel the medial angle of the shoulder blade (inside edge of the spine — between 5 and 11 o’clock), you’ve got winging. Alternately, your scapula is also probably winging if you get stuck in the bottom position on the bench press, in which case you need to fix the winging and get additional serratus work. (The latter can be accomplished with additional military press work and incline front raises.)
Here’s a routine to correct scapular winging:
Push press, barbell: The push press is a shoulder press that utilizes the entire body. Start by standing, with a shoulder-width grip and the barbell resting on anterior delts. Squat one-fourth of the way down to initiate the momentum. Next, press the bar straight over the head to a soft lockout while exploding up on to the toes. Finish by lowering the weight to your shoulders.
L-lateral raise, dumbbell: Same as a traditional lateral raise, except the elbows are bent at 90 degrees during the lift. Additionally, there’s an external rotation motion of the lower arm that follows the 90- degree abduction. In other words, as you complete the "lateral raise" portion of the movement, rotate the lower arm up and outward (while maintaining the 90-degree angle throughout the exercise and keeping the wrists neutral).
Incline front raise, dumbbell, semi-supinated: This is pretty much the same as a conventional front raise, except that you’ll use a semi-supinated grip and you’ll be doing the front raises at an angle. Grab a pair of dumbbells with your palms facing each other. Lie on an incline bench set to 45 degrees. With the elbows slightly bent, raise the dumbbells from the bottom position (at your side) to a perpendicular angle to the bench. Lower the weight under control to a dead stop before proceeding.
If indeed you do have scapular winging, you need to do the following routine 2 times a week for 4 weeks. It should also replace your current back routine:
Exercise Sets Reps Rep speed Rest Interval
A. Push press* 5 3-5 30X 180 sec.
B1** L-lateral raise 3 10-12 501 0 sec.
B2 Incline front raise,DB 3 10-12 301 60 sec.
* Stretch the traps and neck in between sets.
**B1 and B2 means to do the L-lateral raises, and then, without resting, proceed to the incline front raises. You’d do that 3 times.
Best Supporting Role
Many T-mag readers will find that they’ve got the correct shoulder blade balance (no winging). For you non-wingers, it’ll then be a question of your shoulders being strong enough to support your arm mass. If you suffer from stiff necks or stressfully tight traps, it’s likely that you need to stop pounding the prime movers (the biceps) and re-focus on the stabilizing muscles.
The lower trapezius, levator scapula and serratus anterior make up the sub shoulder-blade muscles. Because these are the primary support muscles for the arms and are often neglected by using the basic "Joe Weider" approach, they represent a natural weak link for the average iron freak to target. A secret weapon I use to save months of wasted training is to figure out whether the traps are strong enough to support additional arm mass.
Here’s how you can test yourself:
First, test your ACTUAL 1RM standing biceps curl using a barbell with a 303 tempo and your back flat against a wall. Your buttocks and shoulders must contact the wall at all times. Warm up with several sets progressively. Please don’t cheat! As your first-grade teacher used to say, "You’ll only be cheating yourself!"
Carve this number into your forehead or, better yet, write it down somewhere.
Now we’ll use some math to figure out what your predicted 1RM should be.
Predicted 1RM Based on Muscle Size
Since maximal force is proportional to the cross-sectional area or volume of the biceps the following equation will — based on your biceps size — estimate your biceps strength.
Example case — a lifter with a 16.5" circumference (42cm) arm
Note: To convert to centimeters, multiply your arm measurement by 2.545
Step 1: Subtract your contracted arm circumference in cm by 2.4:
(42cm. - 2.4) = 39.6
Step 2: Square it (Multiply it by itself):
(39.6 x 39.6) = 1568.2
Step 3: Divide that by 12.56:
(1568.2 / 12.56) = 124.9
Step 4: Multiply that by 4.7:
(4.7 x 124.9) = 568.8
Step 5: Divide that by 9.8:
(558.8 / 9.8) = 61.1
Step 6: This your 1RM strength in kg. To convert to pounds, multiply by 2.2:
(61.1 x 2.2) = 134.4
So our example person should have a 122 lb.(give or take 10 lb.) standing biceps curl based on their cross sectional area. If the actual 1RM is greater then predicted, I’d delay additional strength training and develop more arm cross sectional area (work on hypertrophy). The best routine I’ve discovered for this is wave-like loading using sets of 5, 7, 3, 5, 7, 3 where you increase the weight 5% on each wave (each set of 5, 7, and 3 is one wave).
If, however, your 1RM is at or below the predicted value, then your traps can’t even support a caffeine habit, let alone larger arms. The following 3-week specialization progression will produce Herculean upper back, shoulder and arm development by re-balancing the muscles and strengthening the scapula.
Seated rope row to neck: Sit down in front of a low-row pulley system with the kind of rope often used in triceps pushdowns. Bend the knees slightly. Grasp both ends of the rope with your hands spaced 8" apart, palms facing down. Pull the rope until the center of the rope touches your collarbone. Your elbows will flare out during the exercise. Do not, however, poke your head forward during the exercise.
Bent over EZ-bar rows: Use an "under" handgrip. Grasp an EZ-curl bar with a shoulder-width grip. Keep your back slightly arched and your knees flexed at 15 degrees . Keep your chin in and your head in line with your back. On the contraction, squeeze the bar to the upper abdomen. Emphasize the rhomboids and middle trapezius.
Prone position trap raises: Lie prone (belly down) on an incline bench set at 45Õ . Grip two dumbbells with the thumbs up (like in a hammer curl). Keeping the arms straight, elbows slightly bent, raise the dumbbells toward the ceiling, finishing at a 45-degree angle from your head. Retract your shoulder blades (squeeze them together) at the top position. This targets the middle and lower trapezius.
Shoulder scaption: Holding a pair of dumbbells, the athlete stands with the arms in the scapular plane (same position as a lateral raise) with the thumbs down. As the arms are raised, they begin to rotate externally (thumbs begin to rotate outward). By the time the arms are at shoulder level, the thumbs should be facing up. The elbows stay straight throughout the exercise.
Here’s a simple routine incorporating all four movements (you’ll need to do this program twice a week for 3 weeks, and it should take the place of your regular back routine):
Exercise Sets Reps Rep speed Rest Interval
A1 Seated rope row to the neck 3 10-12 131 0 sec.
A2 Bent over EZ-bar rows 3 10-12 501 0 sec.
A3 Prone § trap raises 3 12-15 301 120 sec.
B. Scaption 3 15 404 60 sec.
Note: By the way, I can also use the previous prediction formula to figure out how much strength I need to support future growth. For instance a contracted 18" (46 cm.) gun would need to be able to do at least a 160 lb. strict, single.
The need to unwind
After establishing or ensuring upper-extremity strength, the next link in our relay is the rotator cuff. Rotator cuff activation follows scapular muscle activation. With that in mind, shoulder joint stability and strength will increase by:
• Increasing trapezius and pectoralis minor flexibility.
• Improving external-rotation strength.
There are various massage and stretching techniques that will handle the first point. Active Release Techniques and PNF stretching work well.
The second point is more problematic. Let me put it to you this way, what bodybuilding lifts are overdone more than an Italian wedding? Presses and chins or pull downs, which involve the chest (pectoralis major and minor, the middle-back lattissimus dorsi) and to a lesser degree, the lower neck muscles (upper-trapezius).
Undoubtedly, these are important, visually satisfying muscles that look great in a skintight tank. However, focusing primarily on these muscles leads to rounded, sloped shoulders, and a turtle-like neck reflex. The reason for this is simple. Their function is in internal rotation. There is little priority placed on the opposing muscles, the external rotators.
This is likely due to the faulty belief that the pull-up or chin is the opposite motion of a bench press. Not so. Related to the rotator cuff, the flat bench press and chin-up develop the internal rotators — the lats and pecs. Therefore, it’s easy to see that most trainees quickly develop a lack of external rotation strength.
In order to properly decelerate and stabilize arm movements required to pack on size, you’ll need a ratio of (3:2) internal to external rotational torque. In other words, your external strength should be 66% of your internal strength.
To test your internal/external strength ratio, simply test your 10-rep max on the internal cable rotation (description below) using a 303 tempo. Multiply it by 66% and test that weight for 10 reps of external cable rotation (description below) at a 303 tempo.
Please don’t actually perform a 1RM as this is potentially dangerous.
Note: Functional exercises that activate the entire kinetic chain are the best choices. Isolation exercises, i.e., single movement exercises (eg. external dumbbell rotations) can be used after the functional exercises.
Did you have trouble doing 10 strict reps of external rotation? Then the following 3-week, external rotator microcycle will be effective. Perform it 2 times per week for three weeks. If your external strength is really poor and your posture is affected (slumped over), then you should perform this routine and stretch your chest in place of your current chest routine. Don’t worry about your bench. I guarantee it’ll go up after 3 weeks.
Muscle snatch: Start by holding a barbell with a wider than shoulder-width grip. Upright row the bar until it reaches the lower portion of your sternum. Rotate the arms outward until the forearms are perpendicular to the ground, then finish the exercise by pressing the bar overhead. Reverse the movement. (Editor’s note: in some circles, this movement is also known as the Cuban press.)
Internal cable rotation: This exercise starts with legs staggered and feet parallel to one another. Grab the high cable with an overhand (pronated) grip. The starting position is with the elbow at a right angle. Initiate the movement by rotating the hips. Then follow through diagonally with the arm ending at the front leg.
External cable rotation: This exercise starts with legs straddled and feet perpendicular to one another (in other words, the rear foot should be pointing at a 90-degree angle from your body). Grab the low cable using an overhand (pronated) grip. Initiate the movement by standing and rotating the hips. Then follow diagonally with the active arm forming a right angle in the elbow at the top position.
Side Lying abduction: Lie on your side on an incline bench. The start position is the arm (and dumbbell) in a neutral (adducted) position. Abduct the arm (move it away from the body) until the arm is fully raised. Repeat.
Here’s a simple routine incorporating all three movments. You’ll need to do it 2 times a week for 3 weeks, and it should substitute for your regular shoulder routine. Feel free to add it to the preceding scapular strength routine:
Exercise Sets Reps Rep speed Rest Interval
A *Muscle snatch 5 6-8 301 120 sec.
B1 External cable rotation 3 10-12 301 0 sec.
B2 Side Lying abduction 3 10-12 301 60 sec.
*Stretch the lats and chest in between sets to facilitate external rotator activation.
Big Bi and Little Bi
We’re finally at the distal target muscle of our chain — the biceps.
Proper biceps muscle strength consists of balance between the arm flexors and extensors (biceps and triceps) as well as the two primary biceps muscles, the biceps brachii and the brachialis. Since this article deals with biceps development and quite frankly, most bodybuilders have optimal tri to bi’s ratio 1.6 to 1, I’ll just focus on the elbow flexor dynamic.
Both elbow flexors function to bend the elbow and help stabilize the shoulder. I, along with other coaches, have discovered that most trainees have very weak bracialis muscles compared to the biceps brachii. The brachalis should be roughly 70% of your biceps strength.
To test this, simply multiply your actual standing curl max. (from the previous exercise) by 70% or 0.7. Then, try to reverse curl that weight with strict form. If you fall short, you need to do the following 3-week cycle to restore brachalis balance.
Do it just once a week, replacing your current biceps routine. Feel free to add your current triceps routine, but make sure not to exceed 18-22 total sets for arms.
Exercise Sets Reps Rep speed Rest Interval
A1. E/Z Bar reverse curl, standing 5 6-8 503 120 sec.
B1. Hammer curls, incline, DB 3 10-12 201 15 sec.
B2. Cable palms-up wrist curls 3 12-15 201 15 sec.
B3. Cable palms-down wrist curls 3 12-15 201 120 sec.
Get the girl
I’ve exposed key links in the performance chain that, unfortunately, are weak for most bodybuilders and strength athletes. The next move is to step up and customize this to your own needs. Take one training day and perform the entire battery of tests. Learn where in the chain you’re the weakest and strongest. For instance, one of my trainees just discovered that his stabilizer strength was 25% more than predicted!
Since he has average tendon insertions and average fiber make-up, I know that this is no genetic fluke. In fact, this is the ideal set-up for massive gains! Better yet, up until now he was training for relative strength, so this test not only answers his size wet dreams, it tells him that it’s time to switch modes by training differently.
All he needs is more time under this heightened level of tension. A workout based on volume, for instance, work capacity progression incorporating sets of 12,10,8,8,10,25 with lower rest intervals, will easily lay down another 1 1/2" of Bike growth in no time flat.
It’s clear that I’m expecting a certain amount of mathematic ability and work on your part, but biceps development requires effort. Just think, though, how good they’ll look when draped around another guy’s girlfriend.
*********Don't stop after ref's - 2 great Poliquin Bi articles****** Read on !
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References
Essentials of strength training and conditioning / National Strength and Conditioning Association; Thomas R. Baechle, Rodger Earle, editors.-2nd.ed.
W.Ben Kibler, MD,John McMullen,MSATC and Tim Uhl,PhD,PT,ATC Shoulder Rehabilitation Strategies, Guidelines, and Practice. Orthopedic Clinics of North America 32 (3); 527-538 July 2001Review.
J.L.Mayhew,Ph.D., F.C.Piper,Ph.D.,J.S.Ware,M.S. Anthopometric correlates with strength performance among resistance trained athletes. J Sports Med. Phys Fitness 1993;33:159-65.
J.L. Mayhew, T.E. Ball, T. E. Ward, C.L. Hart, M.D. Anthopometric Relationships of structural dimensions to bench press strength in college males (J sports Med Phys Fitness 1991: 31:135-41).
Andreas M. Halder ,MD, PhD, Eijii Itoi, MD, PhD, and Kai-Nan An, Phd Anatomy and Biomechanics of the Scholder Orthopedic Clinics of North America Volume 31 Number 2 April 2000.
Atasoy E, Majd M Scapulothoracic stabilization for winging of the scapula using strips of autogenous fascia lata; J Bone Joint Surg (Br) 2000; 82-B (5) 813-817 case study.
Joseph M. Horrigan, Frank G. Shellock, Jerrold H. Mink and Andrew L. Deutsch Magnetic resonance imaging evaluation of muscle usage associated with three exercises for rotator cuff rehabilitation Horrigan Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 1991.
Davvid @. Altchek, MD, Michael Levinson, PT The Painful Shoulder in the throwing Athlete Orthopedic Clinics of North America Volume 31 Number 2 April 2000.
Marilyn M. Pink, PhD, PT, and James E. Tibone, MD The Painful Shoulder in the swimming athlete Orthopedic Clinics of North America Volume 31 Number 3 April 2000.
G. David, M. E. Magarey, M.A. Jones, Z. Dvir, K.S. Turker, M. Sharpe EMG and strength correlates of selected shoulder muscles during rotations of the glenohumeral joint Clinical Biomechanics 15 (2000) 95-102.
ML Bull, M. Vitti, V. Freitas, GJ Rosa Electromyographic validation of the trapezius and serratus ant muscles in military press exercises with open and middle grip PMID: 11441637.
Mel C. Siff, Yuri V Verkhoshansky Supertraining The Use of Testing section 8.7 444-447 1999.
Charles Poliquin The Poliquin Priciples The science of reps, sets and workout design 1997 The Dayton Writers Group and Charles Poliquin.
Can't Add Size to Your Biceps?
Try Working the Forearms!
By Charles Poliquin
When a bodybuilder complains that he or she can't add mass or strength to his elbow flexors, I often suggest they add some direct grip and forearm work. Offhand, it doesn't seem to make sense. But when you add direct forearm and grip work to your workout regimen, your curling poundages go up. How come? We need to go back to the anatomy textbooks to answer that one. If you were to investigate the anatomy of the biceps and lower arm, you'd find that there are a few forearm muscles, such as the flexor carpi radialis, that contribute to elbow flexion. Consequently, if you build them up, it'll lead to enhanced biceps and brachialis development.
Elite bodybuilders of the '60s, like Chuck Sipes and Larry Scott—known for handling Herculean weights in curling exercises—were strong proponents of this training principle.
But there's another benefit to working on your forearms and grip strength. If you perform regular grip work, it'll permit you to use greater loads in key back exercises, such as pull-ups and the various forms of rowing movements. As you know by now, using heavier weights means a greater overload on the muscular structure, and a greater overload on the muscular structure means greater hypertrophy. And lastly, nothing gives you a psychological edge in a business meeting like a bone-crushing handshake.
The regular performance of direct grip work will help pack size on the forearms to make them look like Indian Clubs or, for you cultural xenophobes, a bowling-pin look. This will enhance the overall symmetry of the arm. Now, you may be convinced that you're going to have a hell of a time building up your forearms, but contrary to popular bodybuilding mythology, the forearms can grow! Packing a full inch on the forearms within 12 weeks of specialized work is well within the realm of reality for one who's committed to the task.
Now, you may be concerned about how you're going to fit in all of this forearm and grip work without neglecting your arms. Well, for the duration of this program, I want you to cut down drastically on your biceps and triceps work. You'll only need to do two exercises (two sets each) for both the triceps and the elbow flexors. Don't panic, though. You won't lose any size, and you may, in fact, gain some size from the aforementioned forearm/elbow flexor tie-in.
Likewise, remember that forearms recover quickly from one set to another, so you don't need much of a rest period.
The Truth About Bodybuilding Arm Measurements
by Charles Poliquin
When Johnny Weismuller—the first screen Tarzan—first swung across movie theater screens, he was considered to be very muscular. Kids all over the country beat their chests, bellowed their Tarzan cries, and dreamed of building up their arms to look like the apeman's. Too bad his upper arm measurement was a paltry 15 inches in circumference.
Personally, I remember as a kid watching Charles Bronson in a movie called "Cold Sweat." He wore a T-shirt that would've even been tight on Woody Allen, and I remember being awestruck by his muscularity. Now, when I think about that movie, I realize that his arms were probably about 11 or 12 inches around. Nowadays, even six-year-old kids know that a big arm has to be at least 20 inches.
Bodybuilders have always been obsessed with arm size, but even the general public seems to recognize an impressive pair of guns when they see them, and maybe it has something to do with those old movies that we used to watch. I mean, most people wouldn't recognize a well-developed chest or pair of legs if they were on anyone else other than Marilyn Monroe, Raquel Welch, or the girl next-door who tanned in that little bikini that we could just barely see if we crawled under the hedges and peeked through the little knothole in the fence.
Somehow, arm measurement commands respect. I remember meeting with the Mighty Ducks hockey team and, although some of the players were attentive to what I had to say, others obviously weren't impressed. It wasn't until one of them asked me to show my biceps that they all started listening. After that, I attained immediate status among them, and many of them practically asked me to move in with them and/or date their sisters.
Maybe it's because of the obsession with arm measurement that so many bodybuilders flat-out lie about them. Most arm measurements in the bodybuilding world are so exaggerated, they make Wilt Chamberlain's claims about his sexual conquests seem kind of tame.
If you look at most Weider publications, 20-inch arms are within the grasp of just about anybody who can afford his supplements, and 22-inch arms are about a dime a dozen in the IFBB pro circuit. However, take it from me—this is far from the truth. As the old saying goes, don't piss on my leg and tell me that it's raining.
One of the first authors to tell the truth about bodybuilding measurements was Nautilus inventor Arthur Jones. He published the real arm measurements of elite bodybuilders like Casey Viator, Mike Mentzer, Sergio Oliva, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
In "The Nautilus Book, Volume II," Jones recounts that the most muscular arm he ever measured was that of Sergio Oliva. At 20-1/8 inches, Sergio's arms literally dwarfed his head, making him appear the target of some weird, voodoo curse. However, the book was published in the early '70s. Since then, the average bodybuilder has "evolved" considerably, mostly thanks to improvements in nutrition, training methodologies, and—how shall I put it?—"recuperative" methods which come in little bottles that are sold by guys in trench coats and named Guido.
In general, improvements in arm measurement are related to gains in lean body mass. A good rule of thumb is that for every inch you want to gain on your arms, you need to gain roughly 15 pounds of equally distributed body mass. In other words, to make significant improvements in your arms, you have to gain mass all over your entire body.
The human body is a finely-tuned machine that will only allow for a certain amount of asymmetry. Therefore, if you devote your training energies solely to building big arms, you'd eventually reach a point of total stagnation because you weren't training your legs. In other words, no wheels, no wings! Furthermore, if arms grew without some sort of concurrent development in the legs, most bodybuilders would have to walk on their hands.
There are some interesting correlations and relationships when you compare bodybuilders' heights, weights, and arm measurements. For instance, a 5'7" tall bodybuilder who weighs 214 pounds and has a bodyfat percentage of 8% should have arm development between 19-1/4 and 19-5/8 inches. Yet many of these same individuals will claim to have arms that are over 21 inches, a measurement that's quite rare, regardless of height and bodyweight.
Edited - I assume I backed up my post satisfactorily
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