One of the most motivating pics we ever saw when it comes to arms is Arnold’s biceps shot on the cover of his best-selling book Education of a Bodybuilder. Holy sky-high bi’s! It doesn’t look real—but it is (no PhotoShop back then).
[Read more…]Eye-Popping Biceps Peak—and More Muscle on Your Physique
Q: I have X-traordinary Arms and really appreciate the “in-for-out, out-for-in” rule. My question
A: Yes, switching the order of the exercises in Positions-of-Flexion protocol can positively affect a target-muscle’s development. Biceps is a perfect example.
[Read more…]Change the Shape of Your Biceps
Q: I keep reading that the shape of your biceps is genetic and you can’t change it, but in the X-traordinary Arms e-book that came in my Anabolic After 40 package (which I love, by the way!) you say you can change the shape of your biceps. I’ve even seen respected scientists say that changing the shape of a muscle can’t be done. How do you respond?
A: What those scientists are referring to is the length of a muscle. For example, if you have a short biceps, with a gap between the lower part of the muscle and the elbow joint when it’s flexed, you can’t fill in that gap. You’ve simply been born with a high biceps insertion point (like a high calf muscle). To fill in the gap would require muscle reattachment surgery, which we obviously don’t recommend.
[Read more…]The Muscles Women Notice
Q: I’m not a competitive bodybuilder or physique athlete, but I want to look muscular for more sex appeal. I train all my major muscles, but I want to specialize on the muscles women notice. Any ideas on which ones those are and the best way to make those attention-grabber muscles pop?
A: Several years ago IRON MAN did a survey, an anonymous poll of a number of women about their likes and dislikes concerning the male physique. The results were very interesting… [Read more…]
Max Contraction for Peaked Biceps Action
Q: I love Positions of Flexion. I’ve gained about 10 pounds since I started using it, but one problem I have is biceps. I just don’t feel the last exercise for contraction, concentration curls. I’ve tried them Arnold style, with my arm hanging free, and I’ve also tried them seated with my arm against my inner thigh. Is there another exercise I can use?
A: We usually suggest spider curls, which are basically preacher curls on the vertical side of the bench… [Read more…]
Build Freaky Forearms
Q: I read the Size Surge Workout e-book in one sitting. It’s the best muscle-building information I’ve ever read. Very complete, and I am more excited and motivated than ever to start. After comparing the basic workouts in phase 1 with the Positions-of-Flexion workouts in phase 2, I’d like to know why you have forearm work only in phase 1? You have wrist curls and hammer curls, but no direct forearm work in phase 2. Why?
A: Sounds like you want freaky vein-streaked forearms hanging out of your shirt sleeves! We can fix that—but first, let us answer your question…
There is no forearm work in phase 2 because you do more gripping work from multiple angles. POF is multi-angular training for every major muscle group, so that makes sense. For example, you use three different biceps exercises…
But in the phase 1 Size Surge routine (pages 17-19), you only train arms once a week, on Wednesday, and barbell curls provide the only taxing grip work on that day…
On Monday and Friday when you train most of the big bodyparts, the heavy exercises that have grip-building potential require straps—such as upright rows, bent-over rows, and pulldowns. It makes sense to include some direct forearm work on Wednesday, when all you train are deadlifts (using straps), calves, biceps, triceps, and abs. One set each of wrist curls and hammer curls does the job, and the hammers also hit the brachialis muscles for enhanced biceps peak…
If you have weak forearms and want direct work in phase 2, the most efficient exercise for both the flexors (underside) and extensors (top) is rockers…
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With the dumbbells at arm’s length at your outer thighs, curl your hands up and in to work the flexors, then lower them and curl them up and out to train the extensors. Do that for about 15 reps—up in and up out counts as one rep. Do one set of rockers to forearm-frying exhaustion after your full-range POF biceps workout in the phase 2 Size Surge Workout, and you’ll forge some fierce forearms, adding some extra freak to your physique!
Till next time, train hard—and smart—for BIG results.
—Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson
www.X-Rep.com
NEWEST RELEASE: The Anabolic After-40 Muscle-Size Manual contains new mass-building XRX workouts featuring Pure Positions of Flexion mass training with moderate-weight 3X density sequences plus rest/pause X-Reps. In addition, you’ll get 3 FREE bonuses—“20 Pounds in 10 Weeks Blueprint,” “Anabolic After-40 Bodyweight Edition,” and “X-traordinary Arms.” Add them all to your mass-building library for a limited-time price ($100 value) of ONLY $15 HERE.
