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Muscle Intelligence - BP - Arms Training Guide PDF
Muscle Intelligence - BP - Arms Training Guide PDF
T h e C o m p l e t e t r a i n i n g G u i d e t o A r m s
BIG BICEPS, & HORSESHOE TRICEPS
T h e C o m p l e t e t r a i n i n g G u i d e t o A r m s
BIG BICEPS, & HORSESHOE TRICEPS
My arms grew a little bit, but more than anything I got sore joints and
a lot of frustration. Many people are sold on the idea that the key is to
manipulate the programming variables like reps, sets, volume, load,
frequency, and density. More weight, more reps, more frequency,
compound movements, etc.
While I don’t think that is incorrect, it’s missing the most important piece
of the puzzle. The thing that absolutely must happen before any of
these variables can matter. The fact that not all reps are created equal,
and not all people are created equal. I know this sounds obvious, but
yet no one has taken the time to explain individual differences, and how
to train to make the most of your training for your body.
It simply has to do with how you fit into certain exercises, machines,
and how your body decides it wants to distribute the load from the
weight you just picked up based on a few easy to understand variables.
T h e C o m p l e t e t r a i n i n g G u i d e t o A r m s
BIG BICEPS, & HORSESHOE TRICEPS
Our job is to get as close to this ideal scenario of allowing the pecs to
do as much work as possible by manipulating the position of our body
(or SETUP) to advantage the muscle were trying to work, and
disadvantage the other muscles.
Someone may be able to get the pecs to do 70% of the work over the
entire length of a set and never lose that amount of tension in the pec.
For example 70lbs x 30 seconds. Their training partner may only get
the pec to do 30% while other muscles work way more, and that
may only be over a very small percentage of the rep in the mid
range. 30lbs x 10 seconds. ASK YOURSELF THIS QUESTION:
When you pick up a weight, what
muscles are actually doing the
EVEN THOUGH THE WEIGHT ON work?
THE BAR (100LBS) IS THE SAME. Is the muscle you’re attempting
With me? to challenge taking the tension
through every inch of every rep?
If you’re not with me, go back and read that again. It’s vital to your At the bottom: What is working
understanding of all training, and what needs to happen to grow. most? Can I make it harder for this
muscle? Am I resting?
In the middle: What is working
Here it is again in application:
most? Can I make it harder for this
muscle? Am I resting?
One person can do a biceps curl, and their arms take a large
percentage of the tension, over a maximum amount of every rep At the top: What is working most?
and grow. Another person can do the same exercise, with what Can I make it harder for this
may seem like “good form”, other muscles take over, they get muscle? Am I resting?
sore joints, and no muscle growth.
If you can’t say with 100% certainty
This DOESN’T mean that you can’t build muscle. that the muscle you’re training is in
All this means, is that when you pick up that weight, you must fact taking the majority of the
first learn the skill of placing the tension from the weight directly tension, you’re wasting time, not
into the working muscle and sustaining it there over every inch getting maximum results, creating
of every rep. bad habits that are harder to break
the longer you do them, and
contributing to injuries and sore joints.
T h e C o m p l e t e t r a i n i n g G u i d e t o A r m s
BIG BICEPS, & HORSESHOE TRICEPS
MORE, IS NOT
THE GOAL.
Some people love to get on the
“hard work” bandwagon, and I
completely agree.
T h e C o m p l e t e t r a i n i n g G u i d e t o A r m s
BIG BICEPS, & HORSESHOE TRICEPS
T h e C o m p l e t e t r a i n i n g G u i d e t o A r m s
BIG BICEPS, & HORSESHOE TRICEPS
T h e C o m p l e t e t r a i n i n g G u i d e t o A r m s
BIG BICEPS, & HORSESHOE TRICEPS
The key points will overlap. What holds for one, will also hold for the other.
(*The only exception to that rule is with supination (turning the palm up) of the biceps. It will shorten the
biceps, but will not affect the triceps. NOTE: supination is an action of the forearm and no movement
should happen at the shoulder or upper arm).
• Perfect form FIRST. Heavy weights second. • Train at multiple degrees of shoulder flexion/
• Choose exercises that allow for maximum stability extension. This impacts the long head of the
and maximum load within the realm of perfect form. biceps most (shoulder flexion-elbow high,
• Control is key. Can you stop at any point of the shoulder extension- shoulder extended behind
exercise and change directions on command? you, and everywhere in between).
• Lock your entire body in stone. Stability is the key • Muscles are weakest in the shortest position.
to strength and hard contractions. Strongest in the lengthened and the mid-range
positions. Choose resistance that matches this as
• Learn to set your body up correctly so that the often as possible.
arm (biceps/triceps) is in a straight line relative to
the resistance (no internal/external rotation at the • Spend time where you’re weak.
shoulder happens during a movement). • Heavy loads will not always be limited by your
• Stabilize the shoulder joint. An unstable shoulder muscle strength, but often by your shoulder stability.
will be the most common reason you fail on a set. • Progress from internally stabilized to externally
• If it moves, it’s failing. stabilized exercises within a workout. (Ex.
Standing DB curl requires you to stabilize. DB
• Overload supination of the biceps by supination preacher curl uses the bench to stabilize).
and pronation during sets of DB curls, and with
offset grip DB curls. • A “full range of motion” does not have to happen
in every set or exercise, as long as its happening
within every workout.
T h e C o m p l e t e t r a i n i n g G u i d e t o A r m s
BIG BICEPS, & HORSESHOE TRICEPS
REMEMBER THIS:
S.S.I.
SETUP
Setup is the key to ensure the muscle you’re
trying to work is in fact the prime mover.
STABILIZE
You body will turn down contractions if it senses
any instability. Stability is the key to hard
contractions. Lock your body in stone.
INITIATE
Make sure the muscle you’re working is the
muscle that initiates the movement from the
stretched position on every rep.
T h e C o m p l e t e t r a i n i n g G u i d e t o A r m s
BIG BICEPS, & HORSESHOE TRICEPS
BIGGEST MISTAKES
IN ARM TRAINING:
• Bad exercise selection.
• Unnecessarily moving the shoulder during an exercise
(HINT: do not move the shoulder at all).
• Not understanding how to set up your body relative to the
resistance to maximize work to the muscle and not destroy your
joints. (This is key! The body, and forces applied on it during
exercise work in straight lines).
• The elbow is a hinge joint. The bicep flexes the hinge, the triceps
extends the hinge. Think about that and see previous point.
• Poor shoulder stability/allowing the shoulder to come up (inability
to adequately depress shoulder).
• Poor posture (rounded mid back will kill stability and gains).
• Lack of trunk/core stability.
• Poor shoulder mobility (lacking external rotation- often due to
slouched shoulders and rounded back)
• Not challenging every inch of the range of motion.
TRICEPS [5]
• Two-Arm Triceps Pushdown
(facing cable machine/facing away from machine)
• Single Arm Cable Pushdown
(facing machine/facing away from machine cross body) Videos for these
• Single Arm Overhead Cable Extension exercises, and all
• Single Arm Dumbbell Floor Extensions the Core 40 exercises
• Dip. (Machine or free weight).
are in MI40 Nation.
Head there now and
watch them.
T h e C o m p l e t e t r a i n i n g G u i d e t o A r m s
BIG BICEPS, & HORSESHOE TRICEPS
HOW MUCH,
HOW OFTEN?
How much, and how often is a question
that is dependent on a number of different
individual variables:
SKILL RECOVERABILITY
How well do you execute this exercise? Your ability to recover from your training is dependent
The better you train with a Muscle IntelligenceTM on: nutrition, sleep, stress, environment, perception of
approach and without extraneous movement effort, history, aerobic fitness, mitochondrial health.
(swinging), the more direct tension you send If any of these are not optimized, your recovery will vary.
through a muscle. More tension means the muscle Make a list, assess yourself subjectively.
will receive more damage and direct fatigue, and
therefore need more time to recover.
TYPE OF TRAINING STIMULUS.
The muscular system doesn’t need as long as the Neurological, hypertrophy and metabolic style training
nervous system does to recover, so when training will all impact your recovery time differently and therefore
with intelligence, you can really expect to feel better how often you should train.
physically and mentally even when training more In general, the nervous system will take 48-72 hours,
often and with higher volume. the muscular system will 24-72 hours*, and the
metabolic system can take much less time.
Neurologically taxing workouts (heavy workouts or
mindless lifting) tend to cause more overall fatigue *NOTE: the more time spent eccentrically in training,
to the body and mind. Doing this strategically, or the more time you need for recovery of the muscular
when the goal is to get strong, is a necessary part system.
of the training adaptation. However, this type of
neurologically taxing training is not the best way to
build muscle.
VOLUME & FREQUENCY
Volume and Frequency is inversely proportional. As one
Think of training like this: goes up the other goes down.
You can only ever have one “choke point”. One Training a body part more often (every 1-3 day), means
system that is challenged most. If your goal is to the volume in each session must go down.
build muscle, this has to be the muscular system
This is a great place to begin for someone looking to
more often than not.
improve the skill and contractile ability within a muscle.
If your choke point is the nervous system, or In general, the faster you want to learn a skill, the more
metabolic system (your ability to produce energy), often you should do it.
those systems will be taxed the most and therefore Training with a lot of volume in a workout, and the
they will be the one to adapt. muscle needs longer to recover. Typically 48-72 hours
Ensure the muscular system is most often the one between workouts, or more for the muscular system
being taxed by not training to complete failure every to recover.
set (let your perfect execution be your guide), and
by measuring rest periods to allow enough time for
the body to replenish energy substrates.
T h e C o m p l e t e t r a i n i n g G u i d e t o A r m s
BIG BICEPS, & HORSESHOE TRICEPS
MINDSET
• You must walk into the gym with absolute confidence.
• Prepare your mind. Create an anchor of the person you
are in the gym.
• Become a Jedi. Laser focused effort.
• Skill mastery must precede hard work.
• You must know your plan, and execute with relentless
effort.
• Focused savagery during sets.
• Equanimity (Calm, undisturbed mind ) between sets.
• No anger, no anxiety, no fear.
• Absolute certainty that you will accomplish every rep
with perfection and aggression.
• Always do more than is expected of you.
• You can do so much more than you believe. Your mind
will always limit you.
•N
ever let anyone beat you. Find their weakness, and
exploit it.
• Every single workout is an opportunity to create your
greatest self, or retreat into weakness and defeat. AND THE BIGGEST
• You must feel the fear, and smile, knowing you’re
becoming a better version of yourself.
LESSON OF ALL:
• Seek to challenge your muscles, not to pad your ego.
• Challenge your weaknesses, don’t simply pursue your
Don’t EVER be a victim.
strengths.
• Seek to challenge all properties of the muscle. Choose your words.
Strength, Endurance, Volume. No weaknesses.
Choose your company.
• Skill of exercise is the foundation of all growth.
• Your mind is your greatest ally, or your biggest enemy.
Choose your body.
Train it. Choose your mindset.
• Never quit.
Create your life.
• Never quit.
T h e C o m p l e t e t r a i n i n g G u i d e t o A r m s
BIG BICEPS, & HORSESHOE TRICEPS
CONCLUSION:
Now that you’re well versed at the
keys to develop this and any body
part, the next step is implementation
and progression.
T h e C o m p l e t e t r a i n i n g G u i d e t o A r m s