Tips to Build Bigger Arms
Do more heavy squats and deadlifts!
Yes, I know this sounds crazy since squats and deadlifts don't directly work your arms (except for the grip and forearm strength needed to deadlift heavy weights)... but it's true that regularly performing heavy squats and deadlifts can indirectly help to make your arms bigger and stronger.
The reason is that heavy squatting and/or deadlifting forces the body to release muscle building hormones such as testosterone and growth hormone depending on the resistance level, rep range, rest period, etc.
Generally, heavy weights, lower reps, and longer rest periods stimulate testosterone release, whereas moderate weights, higher rep ranges, and shorter rest periods help to stimulate Growth Hormone release. Therefore, combining both styles of training into your routines on either different days of the week or different cycles, can help to maximize both of these important muscle building hormones.
2. Try my arm-blasting, hormone-maximizing combo sets!
In theory, I think this style of combo I'm going to show you can work well to stimulate some new growth in your arms if you've been stuck at a plateau. In practice, I've actually SEEN it produce results!
My technique involves combining a heavy squat or deadlift (in a very heavy weight and low rep range) with a single-joint exercise for the biceps or triceps (in a higher-rep "pump" style fashion).
So here are 2 ways this could work in separate workouts for example:
Alternating sets (exercise 1a, rest 30-60 seconds, exercise 1b, rest 30-60 seconds, repeat for all sets)
1a. Barbell back squats -- heavy challenging weight - 5 sets of 3-4 reps/set
1b. Barbell or dumbbell curls (or any bicep single-joint exercise) -- 5 sets of 12-15 reps/set; going for "pump"
So you can see how this unusual style of supersetting (or rather, alternating sets), actually combines a testosterone stimulating full body exercise done at a heavy weight with a single joint (isolation) exercise that has the intention of creating more of a bodybuilding "pump".
The other reason this style of alternating sets works is that the single-joint exercise is almost like an "active rest" while your entire body and CNS recovers from the demands of doing heavy, heavy squats.
The same style can work with deadlifts combined with a triceps exercise... for example:
1a. Barbell deadlifts -- heavy challenging weight - 5 sets of 3-4 reps/set
1b. Triceps single-joint exercise (lying dumbbell extensions, cable pressdowns, etc) -- 5 sets of 12-15 reps/set; going for "pump"
Again, this seems like an unusual combo for alternating sets, but actually works out quite well, because after deadlifting very heavy weights, performing a high rep "pump" exercise for the triceps is a welcome relief for your body and your mind to help recover and get ready for the next set of heavy deads.
3. Food, food, food!
Remember that the title of this article meant that your goal was to add more muscle SIZE to your arms, and in order to add muscle to your body, you need to be in a slight caloric surplus.
Ok... so the first 2 tips might have been a little unusual, but this one should be obvious.
Although it IS possible for some people (especially beginners) to add muscle mass while reducing calories below their maintenance levels, it is extremely hard for any type of hardgainer to build any muscle at all if your calories aren't high enough. Remember, we weren't talking about a fat loss routine here... we were talking about gaining muscle and getting bigger arms... so that is going to require some extra calories above your maintenance.
Don't go crazy and think this means eating tons of junk food... you should still stick to clean healthy foods.
I wouldn't obsess over exact ratios of carbs, protein, or fats either... your body needs all 3 for different reasons... protein as the building blocks of muscle; carbs for muscle glycogen, energy during the workouts, and insulin response post-workout; and healthy fats to help maximize your muscle building hormones.
This is more than just about arms and pecs though... if you're dedicated to building a ripped, strong, powerful body from head to toe, I HIGHLY recommend my good friend and colleague Vinny D's program here:
Hope you enjoyed the article and have fun with the training!
Five major bodybuilding mistakes that you may be making
1. Bodybuilding supplements are almost a complete waste of your hard-earned money!
First of all, many supplement companies are dishonest and have extremely over-hyped "muscle building" products that claim you'll gain insane amounts of muscle in just a matter of weeks... almost all of these claims are unfounded and unproven.
I'll show you in a minute how there are some hidden natural foods that will help you gain muscle much better and safer than any of these hyped up bodybuilding supplements.
2. Most bodybuilding workouts that you read about in magazines and on online forums are a complete waste of your time.
They make you think that getting a "muscle burn", a "muscle pump", or doing dozens of sets of single-joint exercises are going to give you massive muscles like you see in the pictures. Not true! This only works for genetic freaks or muscleheads using steriods... not for average "hardgainers" like you.
If you want to gain muscle in the smartest method possible, you need a more effective training style suited to your body and your metabolism. I'll show you the best techniques to achieve faster muscle gain in a minute.
3. Most "Muscle Magazines" are owned by supplement companies... their main goal in these magazines is to sell you expensive and bogus supplements that won't help you gain muscle any faster (but they will drain your wallet fast!).
With the info on my muscle building website below, you get no biased information, since I don't sell supplements.
4. Stop training like a professional bodybuilder! Routines that are typically done by professional bodybuilders do NOT help the average guy (a hardgainer like yourself) to build muscle.
The fact is that professional bodybuilders many times are using steroids and other drugs to enhance their physique and are also genetically gifted for building muscle on almost any type of routine. But their methods will NOT work for ahardgainer like you!
5. True muscle mass is NOT built on typical gym "machines". The truth is that most exercise machines are far inferior to free weight exercises, bodyweight exercises, and some other unique workout methods that I'll explain more in a minute.
How To Build Muscle Fast: 41 Ways to Gain 41 Pounds Of Rock-Solid Lean Muscle Mass in 6 Months
This article will give you at least 41 tips and ideas for gaining more muscle and getting more ripped than you can imagine.
Muscle building expert Vince DelMonte has helped over 20,000 skinny guys and consults with fitness experts all around the world on the most critical and supporting elements to build muscle mass and to experience consistent muscle growth.
In this article, Vince unmasks his own secrets that he used for building 41 pounds of steel-solid muscle in only six months – without any drugs or steroids, without bogus supplements, and while training less total hours than before.
In just weeks, you can make the same life-changing transformation. Find out his advanced
muscle building strategies on how to build muscle, fast!
Whether you approach your physique as a hobby or a job, you should not leave any element to chance and hope it works. In order to defeat plateaus and forge a ripped and muscular body you need all the tips and tricks you can get. None of these techniques will work alone but by combining as many together as possible you’ll see a huge difference in your muscle growth – faster than before.
1. Begin with 3 full body weight training workouts every 48-hours.
2. Take your body weight in pounds and multiply it by 15 to determine your daily caloric intake if you want to gain weight.
3. Perform only 1 exercise per body part each full-body workout but perform a different exercise for each body part every workout. By the end of the week you’ll have hit each muscle group three times from three different angles.
4. Consume carbohydrates in a 2:1 ratio to protein after your workout in liquid form (a good
post workout shake).
5. Perform each set to muscular failure.
6. Use a training journal and track your progress.
7. Drink at least 4-6 liters of water each day.
8. Vary your rep and set schemes more frequently than any other training variable.
9. Focus on exploding up on the concentric portion of your movement and taking 3-4 seconds for the eccentric portion of your program.
10. Aim to build at least 5-6 pounds of lean muscle mass each month. Anything more will be fat gain.
12. Focus on compound movements for 80% of your workouts.
13. Alternate between dumbbells and barbells every 2 weeks.
14. Only change an exercise when you plateau on two workouts in a row.
15. Enter a fitness model or bodybuilding show or transformation contest to keep you motivated.
16. Follow a program for at least 12-16 weeks before trying your next one.
17. Pyramiding your sets to consistently increase your strength 5% each week.
18. Consume a variety of whole eggs, chicken, lean beef, fish and whole-milk throughout the day for high quality (bioavailable) muscle building protein.
19. Use a training partner for motivation and an extra push to experience faster muscular growth.
20. Never train hungry if you want to build muscle fast.
21. Concentrate your carbohydrates when your body needs them most – breakfast, pre workout and post workout.
22. Ensure you do the squat and the deadlift each week to increase the release of growth hormone and testosterone.
23. Hire a personal trainer if you have never received professional coaching on technique and form.
24. Stretch at least half the amount of time that you lift. If you lift 3 hours a week, schedule at least 1.5 hours of yoga or static stretching.
25. Train a muscle group through it’s entire range of motion to stimulate muscle size.
26. Use a 3-day a week 20-minute interval cardio plan, post-workout, to maximize the muscle to fat ratio while bulking.
27. Train your most underdeveloped muscle group first in each workout.
28. Avoid processed food, packaged food and fast food.
29. Avoid
protein bars and any muscle building supplement that has sucrulose, aspartame, or other artificial or natural sweeteners.
30. Get at least 8-hours of uninterrupted sleep each night.
31. Don’t be afraid to overload your muscles with maximal resistance and miss your goal reps.
32. Consume a combination of olive oil, fish oil (or the more
powerful Krill Oil), coconut oil, mixed nuts and natural peanut butter or almond butter each day to make sure you get ample healthy fats for testosterone and other muscle building hormone production.
33. Take a complete week off after 12-16 weeks of training.
34. Get a spotter to help you with your heaviest set.
35. Have a training program. Never go to the gym without a plan.
36. Perform 5-10 minutes of dynamic stretching before each weight training workout.
37. Schedule regular ART-therapy or massage therapy to avoid injuries.
38. Cold shower after every intense weight training workout. It sucks, but it works. Some studies show increased muscle recovery from this technique.
39. Eat at least 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass each day.
40. The core of your workout should revolve around the major multi-joint lifts: squats, deadlifts, rows, presses, pull ups, dips and weighted core work.
41. Train with someone bigger and stronger than you. You'll be challenged and motivated to work out harder.
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