Bust Through Your Sleeves With This Big Arms Workout Plan
Do you want badass arms?
Since you're reading this, I'm going to guess that the answer is a resounding yes. There are multiple paths to strength and size, but I've developed methods over two decades of training and coaching experience that I believe will be able to give you the pump-up you're hoping for and deliver both-if you're willing to put in the work, that is.
I distilled my experience into a 12-week training guide called Badass Arms from Men’s Health. The program uses my proven techniques to get you the fastest, most noticeable gains. You can read even more about that here.
In the program, I combine techniques typically used to develop either strength or size by alternating a month of high-rep muscle-building work with a month of low-rep strength work. I also work in months of “hybrid training,” where I hit on both styles in the same workout.
What It Will Take to Make You a Badass
You'll train three to four times per week. You can schedule your workouts in any way that works for you, but follow these general guidelines:
Try to avoid doing heavy workouts on consecutive days.
If you ever feel that you need an extra day of rest, you should take it. A little more recovery time can work in your favor, even if it takes 13 weeks to complete the 12-week program.
Just try to avoid larger breaks in your schedule-three or more days with no training at all. You won’t benefit without consistency.
The workouts require basic equipment you’ll find in most commercial gyms. For this program to work, it has to be your major focus for all 12 weeks.
It’s absolutely crucial to be in a caloric surplus throughout this program.Your body needs fuel to perform these workouts. It needs nutrients to build muscle tissue while you recover. You may assume that means more protein, and while that’s true, for a lot of guys the biggest challenge is simply getting enough food, including carbohydrates and fat along with protein. That’s especially true for guys who’re younger and leaner.
You may have to train on days when you’re still sore from a previous workout. That’s exactly the way it’s supposed to work when the goal is muscle growth. If you never feel as if you’re pushing yourself into uncharted territory, you probably aren’t training hard enough to maximize your potential. That said, you have to be smart about how hard you push yourself. If you feel pain in our shoulder or elbow joints, or in your lower back, back off a bit until you know for sure it isn’t an injury.
One last thing: Good form is critical to your success and your health. Don’t sacrifice technique to add more plates to the bar. Your arms aren’t going to get any more diesel if you’re sitting on the couch nursing an injury.
The Badass Arms Warmup
You can do this warmup, or anything else that works for you. If that’s a few minutes of cardio, or some calisthenics, or an elaborate routine with each movement owing gracefully into the next, have at it. The only rules:
Be ready to lift by the end of your warmup.
Don’t waste any of the energy you’ll need in your workout.
Experienced lifters tailor their warmup to their own needs, and I encourage you to experiment. For example, if you work out early in the morning, or in a chilly basement or garage, you probably want to spend more time getting your body warm and your mind focused.
Here are a few mobility exercises you may want to include in your warmups, along with whatever movements or drills you typically do before lifting.
Kneeling Shoulder Rotation
Do 1 set of 8 reps per side
Start in the half-kneeling position, right knee down and left foot forward. Bend forward from the hips so your torso is parallel to the floor, and place your right hand on the floor directly beneath your right shoulder and in line with your left foot. Rotate your upper torso to the left as you reach up and back with your left hand. Follow your hand with your eyes.
Both arms are now perpendicular to the floor. Reverse the movement, pulling your left arm down. Reach behind your right arm and past your torso. That’s 1 rep.
Hip Flexor Mobilization
Do 1 set of 6 reps per side
Start again in the half-kneeling position-right knee down and left foot on the floor. This time, keep your torso upright, with your hands on your hips. Squeeze your right glute muscle, and shift your hips forward. Feel the stretch down the right side of your pelvis and the top of your right thigh. Relax and return to the starting position. That’s 1 rep.
Glute Bridge
Do 1 set of 10 to 15 reps
Lie face-up on the floor, with your knees bent, feet on the floor, and arms out to your sides. Push down through your heels to lift your hips o the floor until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees. Hold for 2 seconds, feeling the contraction primarily in your glutes and secondarily in your hamstrings; you shouldn’t feel any discomfort in your lower back. Lower your hips toward the floor, stopping just before they touch. That’s 1 rep.
Bodyweight Squat
Do 1 set of 10 to 15 reps
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointed forward, and arms straight out in front of you. Push your hips straight back, as if you were aiming them toward a chair. Descend until your upper thighs are parallel to the floor. Return to the starting position, with your knees and hips following the exact same path they used on the way down. That’s 1 rep.
The Badass Arms Phase 2 Strength Workout
You'll train four times a week in this phase, with just three exercises per workout (except on Bro Day). This is heavy, old-school training, using a barbell for presses, rows, front squats, and deadlifts, along with weighted chinups and dips. You’ll do more sets for low reps with as much weight as you can handle, taking long rest periods in between. On Bro Day, you'll do six exercises as a circuit (completing one set of each exercise before you take a short break and then repeat the circuit), hammering the arms and abs-so you can look extra swole, bro. Miss out on the first phase? Check it out here.
Day 1
1A. Deadlift
5 sets of 3 to 5 reps; 2 to 3 minutes rest
2A. Barbell Narrow-Grip Bench Press
4 sets of 3 to 5 reps; 2 minutes rest
2B. Weighted Chinup
4 sets of of 3 to 5 reps; 2 minutes rest*
*Add weight by using a dipping belt, a weight vest, or a backpack.
Day 2
1A. Barbell Incline Bench Press
5 sets of 3 to 5 reps; rest 2 to 3 minutes
2A. Barbell Bent-Over Row
4 sets of 3 to 5 reps; 2 minutes rest
2B. Weighted Dip
4 sets of 3 to 5 reps; rest for 2 minutes
Day 3
1A. Barbell Front Squat
5 sets of 3 to 5 reps; rest 2 to 3 minutes
2A. Barbell Strict Press
4 sets of 3 to 5 reps; 2 minutes rest
2B. Rack Pull
4 sets of 3 to 5 reps; 2 minutes rest
Day 4 - Bro Day Circuit
1A. EZ-Bar Preacher Curl
5 sets of 15 to 20 reps; rest 30 seconds
1B. Single-Arm Pressdown
5 sets of 15 to 20 reps per side; rest 30 seconds
1C. Dumbbell Incline Curl
5 sets of 15 to 20 reps; rest 30 seconds
1D. EZ-Bar Decline Skullcrusher
5 sets of 15 to 20 reps; rest 30 seconds
1E. Abs of your choice
5 sets of 15 to 20 reps; rest 120 seconds
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