Perhaps you’ve heard the expression: It’s not what you do, but how you do it, that matters. Nowhere is this more true than in the gym. There are endless ways you can manipulate a single exercise to build muscle.. Isometric holds, cluster sets, partial reps, sets to failure and beyond.. slow eccentrics, etc etc ad infinitum.
However, if there’s one variable you can control that will have the biggest impact on building slabs of muscle, it would have to be Tempo. In particular, the tempo of the eccentric part of the lift (the “way down” in a bench press or curl, or the “way up” in a Lat Pulldown.)
Let’s take a look at how slow eccentrics can speed up muscle growth (hypertrophy), and give some specific examples you can implement into your training to harness their power.
Simply stated.. Slowing down the eccentric portion of a lift will result in a much longer set.. often upwards of 60 seconds or longer of suffering.
Time Under Tension is often touted as the primary driver of muscle hypertrophy. This is not necessarily true, and it is simply ONE factor that can influence protein synthesis. I want to be clear that slow eccentrics are a tool, not some supreme method of training..
If you’re performing 3 sets of 15 Biceps curls at the end of your training session, performing them with a slow, 4-5 second eccentric will feel a LOT different and will have a stronger training effect in regards to hypertrophy.
All science aside, it’s simply a more challenging set. The muscle fibers are under stress/tension for much longer and having to work much harder. Given the soreness people often have after performing reps this way, there’s clearly an added stimulus being presented to the body.
One study by Pope Et al (2015) observed that 4 weeks of using nothing but eccentric reps resulted in significant gains in muscle cross sectional area.
I can also personally attest that adding this element into my (and my clients’) training for a 6 week training cycle gave me noticeable hypertrophy in the Shoulders and Triceps, where I used slow eccentric reps.
The Law of Accomodation
The Law of Accomodation is an important training principle. It states that: “Constantly repeating the same type of training will eventually lead to diminishing returns.”
With this in mind, you can see that adding in a new method like slow eccentric reps can be a way to avoid the law of accomodation and keep your body in a state of adaptation and growth.
Sometimes things don’t have to be complicated. At the end of the day, it can actually be pretty simple.
If you currently perform all of your reps with no regard to tempo at all, and simply blast through your sets.. introducing slowed down eccentric reps will be a new stimulus to the body.
Thus, you will likely get a strong response from the training method, until your body becomes well adapted and “used to” the eccentric reps. You will probably be very sore from performing reps this way, which is another indication that something different and “new” is being presented to the body.
Examples
Below are some example of how you can implement slow eccentrics into your training routine. I’ll give some of my favorite movements that have worked for me and my athletes/clients.
Eccentric Lateral Raises:
These are tough. Perform DB lateral raises, with a 4-5 second eccentric on every rep. Keep a slight bend in the arms. To get in additional reps, you can “cheat” the weight up a bit in order to get a few extra eccentric reps.
Start with 3 sets of 8-12 reps and aim lighter than you’d normally go. From there you can work on hitting more sets/reps and bumping the weight up.
Fat Bar Reverse Curl w/Slow Eccentric
Using a fat bar or Fat-Gripz makes these especially challenging. With a reverse grip, curl the bar up, then slowly lower back down, looking for a 4-5 second eccentric. An empty barbell will probably be plenty here to start out with. Shoot for sets of 10-12 reps paired with another Biceps movement like hammer curls or incline curls done at regular tempo.
DB Triceps Extensions With Slow Eccentric
Keeping the upper arms vertical or angled slightly back, lower the DB’s down towards your head, looking to feel a stretch in the Triceps at the bottom. Looking for about a 4-5 second eccentric on every rep. Shoot for 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps and go from there.
Single Arm Barbell Curl With Slow Eccentric
The added challenge of having to balance the barbell in one hand makes these even more challenging. Looking for a long, slow eccentric of 6-8 seconds. I like these as a finisher or as a way to sneak in some volume for the Biceps on a different training day during the week.
As with all training methods, this is a tool you can carry to maximize your time spent training.
It’s important to note that this method is likely not very good for strength purposes (although it can have some positive impacts on strength, such as increased tendon strength and better movement efficiency and mind-muscle connection).
You’re primarily stimulating Type 1 Fibers with the longer, slower sets and increased TUT. To maximize results, this should be combined with some heavier, more explosive work.
The gyms will be open soon, and you better believe that first day is going to be national chest day. But that’s okay. You’ll be prepared. This chest and arm workout will mark your glorious return to the gym, and you’ll walk out with a massive pump. Let the hypertrophy begin.
Note: This training is taken from my Swole Town program, available through TrainHeroic; the world’s best training app. If you like this workout, come train with the team and get swole af.
Chest and Arms Go Together Like…
Peas and carrots, coffee and cream, alcohol and bad decisions.. You get the idea.
Chest and arms are a natural combination. All pressing movements, like the bench press, dumbell bench press and push ups already work the triceps pretty hard. So, it’s both efficient and productive to work the triceps alongside your chest exercises.
We’re going to work the biceps as well for this workout. And no, it won’t screw up tomorrow’s back day. I’ll show you how, just stay with me.
Chest and Tricep Anatomy
A little anatomy never hurt anyone. If your goal is to build muscle, then your chest and arm workout (and all your workouts) would benefit from having a deeper understanding of how to target specific muscles to get the most out of your training.
Chest Muscles
The Chest is actually made up of 4 separate muscles. The Pectoralis Major and Pectoralis Minor make up the vast majority of your chest muscle.
To work the Pectoralis minor, we can use dips and decline presses. Any movement where the body is leaning forward with the arms pressing at a downward angle.
Incline bench presses work the Pectoralis major, focusing on the Clavicular head of the muscle (the upper chest).
The pectoralis major is by far the largest and most dominant muscle in the chest. It spans across your chest from your shoulder to your sternum. It is responsible for moving the humerus (arm), and is worked during just about every chest exercise you’ll do.
With just a little variety we can easily hit all the muscles of the chest.
The Triceps
The triceps muscle is a little more interesting. It’s made up of 3 separate muscles. The lateral head, medial head and the long head.
To get the “horseshoe,” we need to specifically focus on the long head of the triceps. The long head can be isolated using movements like skull crushers, lying dumbell extensions, overhead triceps extensions and my favorite.. dips.
Well hit them all in our chest and arm workout, so don’t worry.
BFR Bands and Resistance Bands for Explosive Hypertrophy
For this workout, we’re going to use Blood Flow Restriction Bands (BFR) and Resistance Bands. These tools can take your workouts to the next level. You can take it from me, or read the research for yourself.
Blood flow restriction training, also known as “occlusion training” has been around for a long time. Bodybuilders have used it for years.
BFR bands are kind of like a tourniquet placed on your arms. Blood flow is restricted, limiting oxygen and blood to the working muscle.
They are meant to be used for high reps (15-30) with lighter loads (50% of your max or less). Normally, the slow twitch muscle fibers would be handling that type of work.
However, with restricted blood and oxygen, the slow twitch fibers cannot keep up. As a result, the fast twitch muscle fibers have to take over.
Finishing your workout with 10 minutes of fast paced BFR lifting will give you the biggest pump you’ve ever had in your arms. That pump is caused by cellular swelling, and is a precursor to increased testosterone and growth hormone release, and increased hypertrophy.
You can get a set of BFR Bands for around $30 on Amazon. I use these, and they’ve lasted me almost two years already. You’ll thank me later.
I like to use them primarily because I can get a ton of volume in with them without the joint stress I’d get from using dumbells, barbells or cables.
Resistance bands offer ascending resistance, meaning the resistance increases as the band stretches, towards the end of the movement.
Since people tend to be weak at the end range of motion, this can be very beneficial. (Think about that last few inches of the bench press when you can’t lock out your arms.)
With bands, we can safely throw in a ton of volume for arm training that we otherwise probably wouldn’t have been able to get in.
School’s over, and it’s time to get down to business. This chest and arm workout is probably different from what you’ve done before.
I don’t like copy and paste workouts or workout programs. There have been a lot of advancements in our understanding of how to build muscle and get stronger. This workout uses concepts that might be new to you, but if you want to grow, you’ve got to…. grow!
Here’s the workout. Scroll down for videos and explanations for each exercise and for specifics.
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Rest
A1 – Floor Flyes
3
10-12
A2 – Single Arm Bench Press
3
10
90 sec
B1 – Depth Push ups
4-5
3
B2 – Close Grip Bench Press
4-5
5
2 mins
C – Dips
4
10-12
90 sec
D – Incline Dmbl Bench Press
3
8-10
90 sec
E – BFR CIRCUIT
10 mins
30-15
minimal
E1 – Dmbl Hex Press
/
/
/
E2 – Plate Curls
/
/
/
E3 – Banded Triceps Ext
/
/
/
E4 – Reverse Curls
/
/
/
A and B performed as Supersets
1. Warm Up: Floor Flyes/Single Arm Press
Get a good warm up in by doing 3 sets of 10 reps for each. Perform these as a superset, resting 90 seconds between sets. Go light, it’s a warm up.
2. Depth Push ups to Close Grip Bench Press
Research shows that barbell work hits the triceps much harder than dumbells or cables. So I want to make the most of that.
Studies also show that performing explosive push-ups before a heavy bench press can improve your performance. I want to fully activate and stimulate the explosive fast twitch muscle fibers.
Perform 3 explosive depth push ups, then go immediately to the bench and hit 5 reps of close grip bench presses. Work up to the heaviest set of 5 you can get. Try to get there within 5 sets.
3. Dips
Dips are one of my favorite upper body exercises. I’d argue you can build more muscle with dips than with the bench press.
You’re looking for 10-12 reps. If you can get more than that, add weight with a Dip Belt or a dumbell between your legs. . Hit 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps.
To protect your shoulders, you can come down until your arms form a 90 degree angle, then push back up.
4. Incline Dumbell Bench Press
Nothing fancy here. We want to hit the upper portion of the chest. 3-4 sets of 8 reps. Be explosive when you press the weight up.
Peform the circuit for 10 minutes. Rest as little as possible. Get in as many reps as you can. Go from one exercise to the next.
On the first set, aim for 20-30 reps. Each set after that, your goal is 15 reps. Remember, with BFR Bands, you want to use lighter weight and get in a ton of reps.
All that volume will lead to big gains, and a massive pump. Crush it.
1. Hex Press:
Squeeze the dumbells together the whole set.
2. Plate Curls:
Grab a plate and curl it until your arms feel like they’re going to fall off. Get a good squeeze at the top.
3. Banded Triceps Extensions:
Keep tension on the triceps by trying not to pause or allow the band to come up too high. Constant movement. If you don’t have them, Invest in some Strength bands!
4. Reverse Curls
Grab an empty barbell, palms facing down and bang out some reverse curls. These really make for an insane forearm pump.
Remove the BFR Bands and marvel at the pump.
Maximize Your Gains
If you’re going to be putting in this kind of work, you might as well reap as much benefit from it as possible. Here’s a few things you should definitely be doing to make sure you maximize hypertrophy and recovery.
You don’t need to go crazy on the supplements. There are a few that can give you an edge that I’d recommend.
Creatine – increased power output, strength, recovery
L-Citrulline – Found in many pre-workouts, it is converted to nitric oxide in the body and improves blood flow. i.e, gives you a massive pump. Which of course, leads to more hypertrophy
Protein – If you aren’t getting at least 0.7 grams of protein per pound of body weight from food, then use a supplement.
L-Carnitine – Improved fat burning and increased androgen receptors (better use of testosterone = more muscle).
I recommend getting supplements from Bulk Supplements. It’s cheaper, you get way more, and it’s high quality, pure ingredients vs. the mixtures you get in pre-made supplement formulas. Your results will be better when you know exactly what you’re taking and how much.
Eating before your workout has been shown by research to have just as much impact on muscle building and protein synthesis as eating after.
During a workout like this chest and arm workout, you want to make sure you’ve got plenty of amino acids and carbohydrate in your body. This tells your body not to burn up muscle, and sends a stronger signal for muscle growth.
It also leads to better recovery after your workout. So, try to get in 20-30 grams of protein and some complex carbs 1-2 hours before your workout.
3. Take Rest Days Seriously
More is not always better. 4-5 workouts a week like this chest and arm workout is more than enough to stimulate massive hypertrophy. If you’re new to working out, 3 days might even be enough.
Prioritize rest and recovery. That’s when you actually build muscle, when you’re resting. Watch a movie, take a nap. Relax. You’ll come back feeling stronger and will build muscle faster.
4. Eat Enough to Build Muscle
You have to eat a surplus of calories to build muscle. There’s no way around it, unless you’re pumping yourself full of anabolic steroids.
Eat more. Get enough protein. Studies show 0.7 grams per pound of body weight of protein is adequate for most people.
Don’t lift like a beast then eat like a squirrel. Your body won’t build muscle that way, and you’ll be wasting a lot of effort.
Conclusion
I hope you actually put this workout to the test. I’d be excited to hear how it went. Let me know in the comments, or by email at Contact@supastrong.net
Here are a couple other articles you might find helpful:
As always, I hope this article helped you get a little closer to that best version of YOU!
Mike (Supastrong)
Bioforce Certified Conditioning Coach and personal trainer. I’ve run boot camps and served as the wellness coordinator for a fortune 500 company. Currently a Federal Agent in San Diego, CA, and an Infantryman in the Army Reserve.
Who doesn’t want bigger arms? The feeling of stretching your sleeves out is worth every rep (and no it doesn’t count if you’re wearing t-shirts from the kid’s section). If you want to know how to get bigger arms fast, this article and program are definitely for you. So let’s let the gains begin!
Feel free to skip to the part you want, although I highly recommend just reading the whole thing. That is, of course, if having bigger arms is a priority for you. And it is, right?
Note: This article contains affiliate links to products I believe in. They come at no additional cost to you.
Principles of Building Bigger Arms
There are 5 main principles that thou must understand if thou seeketh to obtain big, powerful looking arms. Ignore them, and thy arms shall remain small and weak. The program is built on these principles.
There is no way around principle number one. If you ignore your foundation, your arms will never get big. Your body just isn’t designed that way, and besides… huge arms with a small back, chest and shoulders looks weird, and I don’t want you to look weird. I want you to look like a beast.
Big movements like Rows, Deadlifts, Chin ups, Bench and Overhead Presses will still be the staple of a big arms program. These movements alone can build your arms significantly.
This is because the big compound movements allow you to move heavier weight and use more total muscle mass, which will always result in a much bigger physiological response from your body. This means: more testosterone, more growth hormone, and greater protein synthesis. In short, these movements lead to bigger gains in lean muscle mass.
Bigger arms belong on a bigger, stronger body. Build the whole body, and your arms will naturally follow along.
Supastrong
2. The Pump is Real
Getting a massive pump is crucial for muscle growth. Cellular swelling sends a strong signal to the body that can lead to hypertrophy.
The best way to get a pump is by creating metabolic stress in the muscle. Think about how it feels to do multiple sets of 20 rep bicep curls on 30 seconds of rest.
It burns, it hurts, your heart rate goes up. Lactate and other metabolic byproducts accumulate in the muscle. Blood and plasma flow into the muscle. That is metabolic stress, and it is one of the strongest stimulators of hypertrophy.
3. Blood Flow Restriction Bands Work, Use Them
Numerous studies have shown that Occlusion training with blood flow restriction bands (BFR Bands) leads to bigger (and faster) gains in muscle mass.
With BFR Bands, you can:
Use lighter weight and higher reps
Stimulate additional fast twitch muscle fibers
Add volume without the stress of using heavy weight (with the same benefits)
Stimulate cellular swelling (you will get a massive pump)
Studies also show that using BFR bands leads to growth of nearby muscles as well. So, using them for your arms can also carry over to additional growth in the chest and shoulders as well.
There is no reason (unless you have a medical condition), that someone looking to get bigger arms would not be using BFR bands. Just get them, and thank me later.
Remember, you do not build muscle while you work out. You build muscle and get bigger arms while you rest. Prioritize rest and recovery the same way your prioritize your workouts.
Get adequate protein and calories on rest days, and try to get solid sleep. The faster and more completely you recover from your workouts, the bigger your gains will be. That is a scientifically researched and proven fact. Recovery = adaptation, and adaptation = GAINZ.
5. Thou Must Eat!
Please do not be that guy that wants huge arms but wants to eat salads all day and get “toned.” You can’t have it both ways. If you want to get bigger arms, you have to eat more. Your body simply will not build muscle without a surplus of calories and adequate protein.
For protein, shoot for around 0.7 grams/pound of body weight. Studies show this is adequate, and more does not result in additional gains, unless you’re on anabolic steroids.
This is split up into 4 training days per week. With the amount of volume you’ll be doing, that should be adequate. Remember Principle number 4: Rest is your friend. Don’t ignore your friend.
Note: Exercises are often paired in combinations or, “Supersets.” These should always be performed by doing the first exercise, then immediately performing the second exercise, before resting. For example, 1A and 1B would be a superset.
Workout A: Chest/Shoulders/Triceps
1. Warm Up: 3 Sets
*Start light, it’s the warm up.
1A – Floor Flyes x 12 Reps
1B -Single Arm Bench Press x 10 Reps (add weight each set)
Sets: 3 – Rest: 60 seconds
2. Superset: Chest/Triceps – 3 Sets
Hit 3 reps of explosive depth push ups, then go straight to the bench. Work up to the heaviest set of 7 reps you can on the close grip bench. Try to get there by your 4th set. Record your 7 rep max.
2A – Depth Push Ups x 3 reps
2B – Close Grip Bench Press x 7 reps
Sets: 3 Rest: 2 mins
3. Superset: Chest/Triceps/Shoulders – 3 Sets
3A – Dips: Max Reps (as many as you can get with good form)
3B – Plate Front Raise x 12-15 Reps (slow and controlled reps)
Sets: 3 – Rest: 60-90 Seconds
4. BFR Triceps: 10 Mins
Time to strap on your BFR bands. Your triceps will try to talk you out of it. Don’t let them. You must grow them by force. Go for 10 minutes, resting only when you have to.
4A – Banded Triceps Extensions x max reps (burn ’em out)
4B – Lateral Triceps Extensions x 15-25 Reps (burn ’em)
Sets: 10 Minutes, Keep Moving – Rest: As Little as Possible
Workout B: Back/Biceps
1. Warm Up: x 3 Sets
Reverse Shrugs x 10 Reps
Banded Good Mornings x 10 Reps
*Reverse Shrugs are a great movement for the middle and lower traps. Lower your body by bringing your shoulders up to your ears. Then, focus on using your upper back to pull your shoulders down, raising your body up.
Sets: 3 – Rest: 60 Seconds
2. Superset: Back/Biceps – 3 Sets
Hit a heavy set of 5 reps on the deadlift, then immediately bang out a max rep set of chin ups. Rest 2 minutes and repeat for 3 sets
2A – Deadlift x 5 Reps
2B – Chin Ups x Max Reps
Sets: 3 – Rest: 2 mins
3. Superset: Back – 3 Sets
3A – Dumbell Rows x 8-10 Reps (Go heavy or go home…)
3B – Seated Curls x 8-10 Reps
Sets: 3 – Rest: 90 Seconds
4. BFR: Biceps/Rear Delts – 10 Minutes
Strap your BFR bands on and get your mind right. Your biceps are going to be begging for mercy, but mercy is for the weak. Go for 10 Minutes, resting only when you have to. Then, take the bands off and marvel at the PUMP.
4A – Plate Curls x 15-25 Reps
4B – Rear Delt Raises x 15-20 Reps
4C – Reverse Curls w/empty barbell x 15-20 Reps
Workout C: Leg Day
I know you’re here for bigger arms, but it’s unholy to ignore your legs. Plus, I don’t want you to look ridiculous. Don’t be that guy, with a big upper body and pathetic looking legs. You’re better than that.
1. Warm Up
Get a good full body warm up. Do some light cardio, body squats, whatever you need to do to.
2. Squat: 3 x 5, + 1 x 20
Can squatting make your arms bigger? Yes. The big release of testosterone and growth hormone will affect the growth of all muscle tissue, not just your legs. Plus, your body’s smart. Bigger legs can support more upper body muscle.
Hit 3 heavy sets of 5 reps, then strip some weight off and hit a set 20. It will not be fun, but sets like this will have you needing new jeans in no time.
Sets: 3 x 5, 1 x 20 – Rest: 2 Mins
3. Hip Bridge: 4 x 10-12
Sets: 4 – Rest: 90 Seconds
BFR Legs: Walking Lunges; 3 x 30
Strap ’em on, and get ready for some suffering.
Sets: 3 – Rest: 90 Seconds
Workout D: Shoulders/Chest/Arms
1. Warm Up: 3 Sets
1A – Empty barbell overhead press x 10 reps
1B – Band Pull-aparts x 12-15 reps
Sets: 3 – Rest: 60 Sec
Standing Press: 3 sets, 5 reps
Hit 3 heavy sets of 5 on the Press. Reach the heaviest set of 5 that you can.
Sets: 3 – Rest: 2 mins
3. Superset: Shoulders/Chest x 3 sets
3A – Arnold Press x 12-15 Reps
3B – Deficit Push ups x max reps (if you have to stop to rest more than 1 second, end set)
Sets: 3 – Rest: 90 Seconds
4. Superset: Chest/Shoulders x 3 Sets
4A – Hex Press x 15 reps – squeeze the dumbells together the entire time
4B – Lateral Raise x 15
Sets: 3 – Rest: 90 Seconds
BFR Arms Circuit: 10 Minutes
Bring the pain. End your week by reminding your arms who they work for. This will be brutal, the pump will be real. You wanted to know how to get bigger arms… So get after it. Rest only when you have to.
5A – Plate Curls x 20 reps
5B – Overhead Triceps Ext. x 15-20
5C – Reverse Curls x 20
5D – Banded Triceps Ext. x 20-30
Time: 10 Mins – Rest: Only when you have to
Tips on How to Get Bigger Arms
1. Squeeze the antagonist muscle on each rep
The antagonist muscle is the opposing muscle to the one being worked. For example, when performing a bicep curl, squeeze the tricep at the bottom of the lift. This will fully extend the arm, and will create extra tension in both the biceps and triceps. Tension stimulates growth. See where I’m going with this?
2. Get Stronger
With regards to the big lifts (bench, squat, deadlift, etc..), aim to get stronger every week. Try to hit your sets of 5 with heavier weight. Getting stronger is going to lead to big gains in muscle mass.
3. Use Appropriate Resistance
When a program says “do 3 sets of 12,” that means you should be using a weight that is challenging for 12 reps. Not a weight you can easily knock out 12 reps with. If you can add weight and still get 12, then add weight. Force your body to grow.
4. Use BFR Bands
Don’t skip over this part of the program. BFR has been proven by research to work. During high rep sets, the slow twitch muscle fibers will not be able to keep up with limited blood supply. This will lead to the fast twitch fibers taking over. Normally this would only happen with heavy weight. You’ll also get a massive pump. There’s really no downside here.
5. Keep Rest Short
On everything but the big lifts/low rep sets, keep the rest short. Don’t spend 5 minutes on your phone between sets. Short rest between sets causes metabolic stress within the muscle. Metabolic stress (the burning you feel) is a huge precursor to muscle growth, and gives you a massive pump. Stick to the rest periods.
6. Use Resistance Bands
To really force your muscles to grow, you need a lot of volume. This can lead to a lot of wear and tear on your joints. Bands allow you to add a lot of additional volume, without that added stress.
Resistance bands also offer ascending resistance. This means that as your stretch the band, the resistance increases. Since a lot of people are weakest at the end range of motion of most movements, this can be really beneficial.
7. Eat More
Your body needs additional resources to build muscle. There is no way around it. Not only protein, but carbs as well. If your goal is bigger arms, don’t be the guy (or girl) hopping on the latest fad diet trying to lose weight. Just eat.. a lot. High quality, whole foods, complete proteins. Shoot for around 0.7 grams per pound of body weight in protein.
8. Take Recovery Seriously
Your muscles don’t grow when you work out. They grow when you rest. Treat your rest/recovery days with the same level of priority as your training days. Get some solid calories and protein in both before and after you work out. Get good sleep. Learn how to relax. When the body is relaxed, it will repair and build muscle tissue.
The big lifts: Deadlift, Squat, Press, Bench Press, Pull up; are the foundation of any lifting program. Doing endless curls is not going to grow your arms nearly as effectively as a solid program incorporating the big lifts.
I’ll say it again:
Bigger arms belong on a bigger, stronger body. Build the whole body, and your arms will naturally follow along.
10. Keep a Workout Journal
Keeping a log of your workouts is imperative. You need to be able to look back and see if you’re getting stronger. You need to be able to see how much volume you’ve been doing, so you can add more when growth starts to slow down.
Anyone who is serious about their training keeps some type of workout journal. It takes a few minutes per day and is very valuable. So, do it!
Conclusion
The path to bigger arms involves some suffering and sacrifice. If it didn’t, everyone would would walking around jacked. Who doesn’t want bigger, stronger looking arms?
I hope this article helped shed some light on how to get bigger arms, and a bigger stronger body overall.
Try this program out for 8 weeks, and let me know how it worked out!
As always, I hope this helps you get a little closer to that best version of you!
Mike (Supastrong)
Bioforce Certified Conditioning Coach and personal trainer. I’ve run boot camps and served as the wellness coordinator for a fortune 500 company. Currently a Federal Agent in San Diego, CA, and an Infantryman in the Army Reserve.
Using push up variations can allow you to work the upper body from many different angles.
With gyms closed and people looking for ways to stay strong and in shape, having some solid body-weight exercise variations in your arsenal can be invaluable.
The Push Up
The push up is a staple upper body exercise.
Dating back thousands of years, it’s been used to build upper body strength and endurance for warriors and athletes.
Today, it continues to be used by the military as a measure of upper body strength and endurance (and punishment).
There are countless ways to perform the push up, and variety is a good thing. While most variations work the chest, shoulders and triceps, we can do so in ways that challenge the whole body, including the core.
Disclaimers: 1. Talk to your doctor before doing any type of exercise program. 2. This article contains affiliate links.
Ok, glad that’s out of the way… let’s move on.
Using Push ups to keep your gym gains
In the absence of a gym, you may be left with nothing but your own body weight and whatever you have in your house. Use this time as an opportunity to work on new strengths.
If you’re trying to hold onto (or build) strength and muscle, here are a few tips to keep in mind:
Use explosive exercises like Depth push ups, plyometric pushups and jumping push ups. This will stimulate the fast twitch muscle fibers, which are the largest and most powerful.
Use deficit push ups to get a deep stretch of the chest and shoulders and work through a full range of motion.
The same principles would apply to lower body exercises. Use explosive movements like high jumps, bounding and box jumps.
20 Push up Variations
#1-5 Hand Placement
Simply changing your hand placement can have a dramatic effect on how the push up movement works the upper body. Here we’ll use the standard push up, close grip, wide grip, fingers out, and reverse.
Remember to try and keep your body in a straight line, from head to foot. Slouching or arching your back is a sign that there’s a break in the chain, usually indicating a weak core.
#6 Banded Push ups
Resistance Bands are cheap and extremely versatile. Get yourself a few of varying resistance and you’ll be able to do a lot more from home. Here’s a Solid Set of Bands at a pretty good price from Amazon. (updating this regularly as bands have been selling out recently because of the quarantine.)
You can vary your hand placement with bands as well. Do standard push ups, wide grip push ups and close grip. Use heavier bands for more resistance.
#7 Sphinx Push ups
Sphinx push ups force the triceps muscle to do most of the work. These can be tough if your triceps strength isn’t up to par.
One way I like to do these to challenge myself: Do sphinx push ups to failure, then remain in the plank position (you’re already there) for 30 seconds to a minute.
#8 Slide Board Push Ups
Slide board push ups are one of my favorite push up variations. They really force one arm to take on most of the pressing responsibility, while the other arm is outstretched, forcing the core to work hard to stabilize the body.
You can use a towel on any smooth surface, like the floor. In the video, I’m using Core Sliders, as the floor mats in my home gym are not smooth.
These just feel awesome to do. You have to focus on pressing back up and stabilizing your body all in one movement. It’s a challenging movement for sure.
#9 Deficit Push ups
Deficit push ups are another favorite of mine. They are a unique variation, as they allow you to go beyond the normal range of motion you’d use in a bench press or regular push up. You should feel a good, deep stretch of the chest and shoulders at the bottom portion of the movement.
#10 True Push ups
Number 10 is an extension of number 9. True push ups are the same as deficit push ups, except you also elevate your feet on a platform, usually at the same height as your hands. This will be harder, as you’ll be pushing more of your body weight back up. It’s basically a push up with a deeper range of motion.
I’m using 45lb plates in the videos, but you can use whatever you have around your home. Books, Dumbells… be creative!
#11 Depth Push ups
Depth push ups are an explosive push up variation. Starting with both hands elevated on a platform, you’ll drop down and control your descent briefly before exploding back up.
Depth push ups utilize the stretch-shortening cycle (plyometrics). The rapid generation of force stimulates the fast twitch muscle fibers, which are the largest and most capable of growth. This type of movement teaches the body to generate force quickly, increasing power.
Be careful with these. I’d recommend not trying to go to failure to avoid injury, in particular of the wrists. In general, with explosive movements, you want to do as many reps as you can feel powerful for. When you slow down, end the set.
#12 Hindu Push ups
I learned these many years ago when I was at an MMA seminar. It was led by Matt Fury (author of Combat Conditioning.) These push ups hit the shoulders really good, and the triceps as well. They also give you a good lower back and hamstring stretch (notice the yoga-like positions).
#13 Med Ball Push ups
Here, you’ll have one hand on a med ball (or other platform), and the other on the ground. This elevates one side of the body, forcing the core to work harder to stabilize the body.
#14 Superman Push ups
These are deceivingly challenging. Superman Push ups really force the core to work hard to stabilize your body. The position is similar to the extended position using an ab wheel, with your arms outstretched in front of you.
#15 Explosive Push ups
Also known as clapping push ups, although you really don’t need to clap. Simply push up as explosively as possible. I prefer to keep my hands ready to land vs clapping or touching my chest. This is to avoid landing wrong and injuring a wrist. When you’re fatigued, you may not come up as fast as you anticipate.
Similar to other explosive movements, these will work the fast twitch muscle fibers and are excellent at improving rate of force production (power).
#16 Jumping Push ups
These are an extension of number 15. However, now you’ll explode your entire body off of the ground on each rep. This can take a little coordination, but is a fun one once you get the hang of it.
#17 Fingertip push ups
Ok, if you’re feeling brave.. here’s a challenging one for you. Perform the standard push up on your fingers. Doing them on your fingers actually puts less stress on the wrist, as it is not in flexion. Martial artists have been using these for a long time. Be careful, you may have to build up to doing several reps of these.
#18 Prison Push ups
I spent a lot of years working in a prison, and I used to watch the inmates work out on the yard all the time. As I’m sure you know, they stay in pretty good shape. This is one variation they use a lot. After each set (4 push ups), try standing up and jogging in place for 10 seconds. Then repeat for a set period of time. (Inmates do it for hours).
#19 Shoulder Taps
Shoulder taps start with a standard push up. At the top of the movement, put one hand on the opposite shoulder for a second, then return to the push up. The brief time at the top with one arm extended forces the core to keep the body in position. This can be tougher than it looks.
#20 Chest Elevated Push ups
I saved these for last because they’re best done as a finisher (or a warm-up). They look easy, and they are… for a while. Try doing 100 reps unbroken (without pausing). It’s a good way to get some low impact volume in at the end, and to get a good upper body pump going.
If you have a barbell, put it at knee level and actively squeeze the bar inwards throughout the entire movement. It’s actually a rarely utilized but really beneficial finisher to use.
Workout Ideas
There are endless ways to make up body weight workouts at home. In general though, keep a few principles in mind:
Start with a good warm up, including some regular push ups
Use explosive exercises first. You want to have your full energy for the most demanding movements.
Don’t go to failure on explosive movements. Save that for the other exercises.
Make it interesting. Pick 4 or 5 variations and see how many you can do in 10 minutes, for example.
Incorporate push up variations with other exercises, like pull ups, squats, abs or even sprints.
BFR Bands
BFR (blood flow restriction) bands are a well researched, inexpensive implement you can use along with body weight exercises to increase muscle. I highly recommend getting a pair to get the most out of your higher-rep training. Look them up yourself if you like. I also have a whole article on them.
German 50 Push up workout
This is just one example of many of a push up workout, but it’s one I like, and it uses some of the variations we learned about in this article. It’s 10 reps of 5 push up variations using different hand placements, and Supermans. Pretty tough to do multiple unbroken sets of this.
If you want to see all the push up variations in one video, I’ll leave that here too.
Conclusion
I hope this article was helpful. These are just 20 of probably hundreds of variations of the push up. If you’re stuck at home, or traveling in a hotel room.. these can be a great way to get an effective workout in.
If you don’t have access to the gym for a while, use the time as an opportunity. Work on some weaknesses, learn some new exercises.. Improve yourself. Work with what you’ve got.
As always, I hope this article helps you get a little closer to that best version of you!
Mike (Supastrong)
Bioforce Certified Conditioning Coach and personal trainer. I’ve run boot camps and served as the wellness coordinator for a fortune 500 company. Currently a Federal Agent in San Diego, CA, and an Infantryman in the Army Reserve.
Want to know how to get bigger arms, faster? Don’t worry.. I got you!
In this article I’m going to show you that research on Blood Flow Restriction Training (BFR) clearly shows that it works for building bigger arms and overall muscle.
By the end of this article, you’ll know exactly where to get them and how to use them for big muscle growth and bigger arms. Time for some new t-shirts. The hypertrophy is about to start flowing.
Note: This article contains affiliate links to products I use and believe in. They come at no additional cost to you.
What are BFR Bands?
Originally used in a physical rehabilitation setting, BFR Bands are “Blood Flow Restriction” Bands. BFR Bands are used to perform a type of training known as “Occlusion Training.” Bodybuilders have been using occlusion training for a long time.
How do BFR Bands Work?
BFR Bands work by restricting blood and oxygen to the working muscles. When performing high reps with lighter loads, the slow twitch muscle fibers cannot continue to contract without that additional blood and oxygen.
As a result, the fast twitch muscle fibers must take over. BFR Bands work by essentially “tricking” the muscle. You get to stimulate the powerful fast twitch muscle fibers using lighter loads.
BFR bands can help get you bigger arms and bigger muscle gains overall by allowing you to get a ton of quality volume in where you would otherwise not be able to with heavier weight.
The bands create an environment within the muscle conducive to hypertrophy, while using lighter loads and higher reps.
Does BFR Really Work?
Yes, Blood flow restriction training really works. Studies have shown occlusion training with BFR Bands enhances muscle hypertrophy and strength in athletes.
Another study showed that BFR Training can also increase the size of nearby muscles as well. So, placing the bands on your arms and doing high rep dumbell presses, lateral raises or other upper body exercises can result in additional muscle growth in the chest and shoulders as well.
To get bigger arms using BFR Bands, you should strap them on at the end of your workout for a final 10-12 minute circuit. The bands should feel like a 7/10 tightness.
You’ll want to use lighter weight (50% of your max or even less) and high reps (15-30).
After the 10-12 minutes of punishing high rep lifting, remove the bands. You’ll have a massive pump that’s impossible to replicate without BFR.
Here’s a workout you can use at the end of an upper body lifting day like chest, back or shoulders.
Put the bands on and perform these exercises for 10-12 minutes in a circuit, resting as little as possible. Shoot for 30 reps on your first set, then 15-20 reps on each set after.
BFR Workout 1: ARM-ageddon
Performed as a circuit. Hit 3-4 rounds, or set a timer for 10:00 and go hard until it’s over.
Reps for each exercise: 30, then 15-20 each set after
Plate Curls
Deficit Push ups:
Make two platforms with plates, dumbells or whatever you have. Go nice and low to get a deep stretch of the chest and shoulders. When you have to pause for longer than a second or two, the set is over.
Reverse Curls: Use an empty barbell
Banded Triceps Extensions
Get a good squeeze at the bottom of each rep by pulling the band apart. Resistance Bands are great here because you can get a ton of volume in without the stress of dumbells or cables on your joints.
Now remove the bands and marvel at the massive pump. Eat a big meal and prepare for massive growth and huge arms.
Make Your Own BFR Circuits for Increased Muscle Growth
You can make up your own circuits as well very easily. Simply choose exercises where you can get high reps and that aren’t going to put too much stress on your body. (I wouldn’t deadlift or do heavy squats with them, for example.)
Resistance bands are great for BFR, and lighter dumbells are as well. Here’s a list of some great options for a BFR circuit for bigger arms, chest and shoulders.
Hex presses, arnold presses, lateral raises, front raises, rear delt raises.
Be creative. Anywhere you want additional muscle growth, you can focus on. Just remember to go lighter, shoot for 30 reps on the first set then 15 reps each set after.
How to Get The Best Use of BFR and Maximize Your Gains
Research has shown that BFR is most effective when combined with higher intensity lifting. The combination of higher intensity lifting and low intensity BFR training leads to significantly more muscle growth than either style would on it’s own.
Studies show that mixing heavier lifting along with lighter BFR lifting produces optimal muscle growth and strength. Knowledge is power.. put this into practice right away and make the most out of your time in the gym!
BFR in rehabilitation and Recovery
Occlusion Training was originally developed for use in a physical therapy/rehabilitation setting. Research shows that training with BFR can improve muscular strength and size when recovering from an injury without the added joint stress of heavy lifting.
So, BFR is great for getting bigger arms, but is also a great way to speed up injury recovery.
BFR Training is a scientifically sound method you can use to get bigger arms and to speed up muscle building overall.
This can be accomplished without having to rely on more intense/heavy lifting all the time. Knowledge really is power, and your time is valuable.. If you can spend $28 or so and get bigger gains at the gym, I’d say it’s a no- brainer.
Word of advice, put the band over your sleeve instead of skin. Pinching the skin hurts like hell and is hard not to do.
Hope this article was helpful for you.. Let me know what you think in the comments, or email me at Contact@supastrong.net
Mike (Supastrong)
Bioforce Certified Conditioning Coach and personal trainer. I’ve run boot camps and served as the wellness coordinator for a fortune 500 company. Currently a Federal Agent in San Diego, CA, and an Infantryman in the Army Reserve.
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