Hail to the Dumbbell, Part 2 - Meat Sticks Edition

Hope you enjoyed the first workout in our dumbbell-only PPL series, covered in last week’s post. Today we’re going to dive right into part two, legs. Most folks just getting started in fitness will ignore legs and focus only on vanity muscles like chest & arms. Short list why you shouldn’t do this:

• You put yourself at risk of lower body injury
• You’ll look physically imbalanced
• Huge legs are the sign of a true man
• Your core will be weak

And one more thing before we dive in...

CARDIO

IS

NOT

A

REPLACEMENT

FOR

WEIGHT

TRAINING

LEGS

Would you go to the gym and do 1000 reps of curls with a 2lb pink dumbbell?

No. Thus, running = awesome for endurance, cardiovascular health, a hobby… bad for strength.

Now that we got that out of the way. Let’s build some wheels, dumbbell-only style.

Rest periods 60-90 seconds, strict.

Exercise 1 - Squat

2 high-rep warmup sets (15-20 reps)

5 sets 8-12 reps

1 AMRAP (As Many Reps As Possible) Aim for 20-30

To kick things off we are going to do the granddaddy of all leg movements, the squat. Out of all 4 of my readers, precisely 0 will sit through this entire 23 minute video but I HIGHLY suggest checking out Mark Rippetoe’s squat primer:

Again, it’s barbell-focused but many of the cues & guidance will apply over to dumbbell squats.

Here’s a good, short video guide for how to modify the movement to be done with dumbbells.

Your focus should be placed on getting the form right. Getting a full range of motion or “ass to grass” as it’s called. At this point your ROM is going to be far more important than the poundage. If you’re trying to figure out a good ROM, start by doing what’s called a “third world squat” like this chump:

 It’ll help you stretch and figure out how deep you can really go before loading up the weight.

Exercise 2 - Goblet Squat

5 Sets 8-12

Here’s a good video. Similar to a regular squat but by putting the weight in front of you and high up on your body, you will activate your core (abs and lower back) and put a bit more focus on your quads. My tips are:

• Keep your weight on your heels, just like Rippetoe said in the video
• Don’t let the weight pull you forward
• Actively think about bracing your abs and lumbar when doing the movement. Like this: Up, big breath inhale, flex abs, down & exhale, Up, repeat.

Exercise 3 - Dumbbell Glute Bridge

4 Sets 8-10

These are kind of the red headed stepchild of leg workouts because no one wants to be the guy air-humping in the gym. Here’s the deal. I avoided these for years and finally sucked it up and started doing them early in 2017.  Since then, my squat is up, my deadlift is up, my glutes are firmer & stronger, my hams are bigger.

TL;DR - Don’t be a pussy. Air-fuck the shit out of these.

Put the dumbbell across your pelvis where the Scott puts the bar in the video. If it’s uncomfortable for you, no shame in using a yoga mat or a pillow underneath. Make sure you really give yourself a SOLID 1 second squeeze at the top of these, I usually squeeze the last one of each set until failure (10 seconds or more).

Exercise 4 - Romanian Deadlifts (RDL)

4 Sets 8-10

In my last post I talked about “regular” deadlifts which put more focus on the lower back. RDL’s are a slight variation which will shift the tension to your hams & glutes. These are also called “stiff leg” or “straight leg” deadlifts. But let me be clear: DO NOT LOCK YOUR KNEES!

You can put the dumbbells in front of you to mimic the barbell in the video. I like a narrow grip for this, probably to the point where the dumbbells are touching one another. Keep in mind that when you deadlift with a barbell, it’s typically at your shoelaces. So I recommend putting the dumbbells at your sides, lifting up, and then doing the exercise keeping the weights close to your body (vs. starting with the dumbbells in front of your toes which is a weird angle).

I like to do these with a slightly larger ROM than the guy in the video- going all the way down until the weights on the barbell are ALMOST touching the floor (in the case of dumbbells, ALMOST crushing your feet), and then popping back up.

Exercise 5 - Lunges

4 Sets of 10 for each leg (20 “steps”)

Do you have a driveway or other area where you can safely walk 10 steps up and back? If so, I highly recommend doing lunges that way vs. walking in place. The movement is pretty self explanatory, here's a video if you aren't familiar.

One thing I like to do is experiment with HOW far I step out in front of myself. Sometimes I will start with doing huge steps, opening my hips way up and really feeling that stretch everywhere (watch out for putting a big shock on that front knee). Other times I’ll go heavier and do pretty normal sized steps. These are an absolute killer.

Exercise 6 - Step Ups

2-4 sets of 10 for each leg  

At this point, if you’ve been doing things right, your legs are going to be GASSED. This is an excellent way to finish up your workout. Note that in the form video, Scott is only using 30 lb weights as a highly trained athlete. So start with bodyweight for these and maybe add in some light weights.

I have 2-4 sets listed because I’ve been known to almost fall off the stool and leave the gym after 2 of these because my legs are so dead.

Exercise 7 - Calf Raises

5 Sets of 20-25

This is kind of a bonus exercise because even if your legs are dead, you should still be able to bang this out. It’s shorts season, boys! Calves can’t be ignored. Here's a video:

I would recommend something higher than a single 2x4, probably double that to allow greater ROM. The way I like to program these is to do 10 with absolutely perfect form, all the way down until my heels almost touch the floor and then back up on the balls of my feet with a 1-2 second squeeze. Then when my calves are about to explode, I do 10-15 more really fast.

Congrats! You made it through a GRUELING leg workout. Go have a big shake and eat some carbs. Flex your quads in a mirror when no one is looking. Do you have quad vascularity yet? Better hit 'em again next week.

Catch you next week for part 3 - PUSH!

Welcome Back & Hail to the Dumbbell, Part 1

In my quest to one day become the world's first personal trainer who isn't creepy or broke or both, I've decided to take all of the mediocre advice, stolen workouts, and unenthusiastic supplement/diet guidance I provide friends piecemeal and put it in one place for reference. So, Iron is my Girlfriend is back. Bitches.

In my re-inaugural post I'm going to address an open request from a friend who has recently gotten (back) into fitness. He's got a lot of shit going on between a kid, wife, work etc. so he decided the best way he would reliably be able to toss some steel around would be to purchase a set of those adjustable dumbbells for his basement and a bench. Not my ideal setup, but I've gotten good training sessions in with less. My challenge is to put together a dumbbell-only program that will help him pack on a little muscle and offer him a secondary option to cardio as he continues to embrace a fit lifestyle.

Given he's still doing a ton of cardio to drop some fat, I am going to suggest a 3 day a week classic PPL (Pull-Push-Legs), but I'm going to mix it up by making it superset-only. This will allow him to get far more work in a 60 minute period AND get his heart rate up more, simultaneously working towards his fat loss goals.

As he's just getting back into the swing of things, you'll see I'm not getting too fancy with the rep ranges. He can ease into heavier stuff later, but forming that foundation of good form is critical.

If I analyzed every exercise choice you'd be reading this blog long into the night- so I'm going to drop the workout, and do some commentary on various exercises in separate posts. Without further ado...

DUMBBELL ONLY PPL, 1 OF 3 - PULL

60-90s rest between sets
5 Supersets with strict 60-90s rest in between

Superset 1

• Dumbbell Deadlift - Form video 
• Dumbbell Pullover - Form video & Relevant article

This is a good way to get started. The adjustable dumbbells don't go up too high so we aren't talking about max effort singles and doubles here- just a great all around lift for your entire back. Combined with the lat stretch & pump from pullover, you have a great way to get blood into your back and get into your workout.

I highly suggest reviewing Mark Rippetoe's Deadlift How-To Video. Even though you're using DBs a lot of the cues and tips still apply. He's the king for a reason.

Superset 2

• Bent Over 2-Arm Dumbbell Row - Overhand, pulled to where the bottom of your pecs meet your abs 
• Bent Over 2-Arm Dumbbell Row - Underhand, pulled to your belly button

Here is the best row video I've found, which can be easily translated to dumbbells. Only difference is that I would NOT suggest the method of letting the weight rest on the ground for a second between reps. There's merit to this, but something to be added in later and something I'd only do with a barbell. Instead I'd use the method he suggests at 3:15.

This one gets your entire back. You want to remain bent over 90 degrees with the top half of your body parallel to the floor, and really keep cheating/momentum to a minimum. I don't mind a little cheating to squeeze out a few extra and go beyond failure, but you have to be able to do at least 8 good ones for the set to count.

On the first exercise you really want to focus on pulling with your mid-back, squeezing your shoulder blades together hard. You'll want your elbows mostly flared out to the side. See 1:20 in the video for more detail.

On the second, it's all about lats. Keep your elbows pinned to your sides and get your hands out to the sides of your abdomen at belly button height. 

Superset 3

• Mock T-Bar Row
• Single Arm Dumbbell Row

T-Bar rows are one of my favorite back exercises. While not particularly relevant to the strict dumbbell version I'm including here, I suggest watching this video of prime Ronnie Coleman doing them just for pump up purposes.

I do this myself with dumbbells all the time but couldn't find a good video of it  (it's no longer a "T-Bar row" at this and more of a "Neutral Grip Mid-Back Row" but I digress). Basically what I want you to do here is:

• Bend a little bit past 45 degrees at the waist.
• Let your arms hang with two dumbbells in front of you with a neutral grip (palms facing one another)
• With the two dumbbells touching each other  in front of your sternum, row them up to your pecs. The heel of your hand should be at about nipple level and your elbows should be about 45 degrees (in the middle of pointing towards the wall behind you and the walls on your sides).
• Pull the dumbbells towards your body (should be physically touching your chest) and squeeze that shit for a 1 count.
• Repeat.

With the Single Arm Row, there are literally thousands of videos and guides to this exercise. Using momentum vs. not using momentum. Full stop at the bottom vs. continuous tension, bending over 90 degrees, 60, 45, 30, etc. All of these variations have their merits at the right time and place. But for this program, aimed at a beginner with limited poundage available, we're going to go for a very strict, lat focused option.

Here's a solid video for a foundation.

I suggest going even lighter with a 1sec pause at the back, and resisting the urge to rotate your shoulders, instead opting for keeping them squared up towards the floor. Basically, minimize this:

This superset is hitting two areas of your back. You're crushing your mid back in the first exercise, then your lats in the second. My mid-back has always lagged so I'm partial to hitting it first in the superset, but if you find yourself wanting a bigger wingspan feel free to change up the order.

Superset 4 - Note: Higher Rep Range, 5 Sets of 12-20 reps

• Dumbbell Face Pulls - Form Video
• Rear Delt Flye

Now we're getting into the shoulder portion of the Pull workout. You're just going to do 1 superset as you'll be hitting your shoulders again this week during the Push portion. This is going to focus on your rear delts, which are SUPER important for getting that 3-D cannonball shoulder look.

With the face pulls, don't be a hero. Go light, and focus on pulling your shoulder blades together hard. This is a really healthy movement for your shoulder and will help to strengthen your rotator cuff, protecting you from injury. Start borderline "why am I doing this" levels of light weight, and work your way up a little bit as you go down in reps. Typically for these my scheme will look something like 20 20 15 12 12.

For the rear delt flyes, while I kind of want to punch this guy in the face, here is a good video to give you an idea of what I'm looking for. The difference is that instead of crossing your arms like he does, I want you to line up the dumbbells on the same plane- stop when they are about a foot away from one another at the bottom and raise them back up using your rear delts and even giving it a little squeeze in your rhomboids. Hold it at the top for 1 second. I never am able to do 20 with the hold so usually I'll do 10 really strict, then when my delts give out I'll do 10 more without the pause, even getting a tiny bit of momentum (the very end would be the time you want to cross your arms, to get a few extra).

Last point, is that you don't need to be raising up 90 degrees like a T. Everyone's put together just a little different, so you may feel it better if you're arms are slightly lower than that, all the way to 45 degrees. Up to you and what you feel.

Superset 5

• Dumbbell Bicep Curl
• Reverse Grip Dumbbell Curl

Your biceps will be toast from all the rowing, so I'm going to start off with 5 (super)sets of dedicated bicep work and we can reassess later. It seems like a tiny amount, but keep in mind biceps are a small muscle that responds well to a small amount of sets.

For the first exercise, I'm going back to my boy Scott Herman. Follow his form exactly (video below). It might not give you the most insane pump, but since I have changed my curl form to match this, I have seen significant improvement in both size and strength. Don't be a hero! Stick to your rep ranges with clean form.

Video here, skip to 2:30.

For the second exercise, Scott's doing them at 6:22 with a barbell. Do the same motion with your dumbbells, using reverse grip and using a FULL range of motion. This will hit your biceps from a different angle AND crush your forearms. Win-win.

That's it for me today, hope this was informative, look out for the second part in the series next week.... LEGS!

Gently down the stream...

Switched it up a bit last week with a big volume, row-heavy back workout that led to some INSANE pump and serious soreness the next day.  Make sure to eat your carbs before this 39 set MONSTER training session. “Overtraining” is a made up fairy tale.

Probably nothing you haven’t seen before, however a few twists that made all the difference. Changing up my form on barbell rows a bit was night & day. Pre-exhausting my lats is something I have never done before but, by the time I was done with my weighted pull-ups, I could have sworn I was able to fly away…

6 Sets 10-15 Seated Cable Rows (pre-exhaustion)

Using straight bar and a shoulder-width palms-down grip. Aim directly below the belly button and sit up straight 90 degrees or with a SLIGHT recline. I suggest using straps, pull with your elbows- keep them tight, shoulders rolled back.

The idea here is that during pull-ups, even with using good form and straps, the tertiary muscles (forearms, biceps) will exhaust before your lats do. By pre-exhausting the lats beforehand, you can bring them to hypertrophy more effectively.

5 Sets of Weighted Pull-ups.

See last week’s article.

Deadlifts 15 12 8 5 5

I don’t do these every week now that bodybuilding is my main focus (rather than powerlifting). I could write a whole article about them. I still like to get down to low reps with as heavy a weight as possible. There’s a reason this movement used to be called the “health-lift” in the early 1900s.

If you’re curious about form, obviously there is no better man than Mark Rippetoe. I do these with no shoes because I don’t own lifting shoes or Chuck Taylors.

(Kind of) Pendlay Rows 15 15 12 8 6 - Form Video

I would do that form but not come to a dead stop each time (thus “kinda” Pendlay Rows). And keep in mind you are rowing towards your lowest rib- little higher.

Dug up an article that explains the form that I like better than I ever could:

Once everything is nice and tight, your back is flat and neutral, and your lats are good to go, pull the bar to your xiphoid process, or lower part of your sternum. When you pull, you want your elbows close to your body. They don’t have to be rubbing against your sides on the way up, but you also don’t want them winging out away from the bar.

Visualize gripping the bar and using your elbows to throw it back, as though you’re trying to elbow someone behind you. The barbell row can turn into more of a grip exercise, where you’re desperately trying to hang on until you reach your belly button. Feel your way through your Pendlay rows by leading with your elbows instead.

When you’re working with heavy weight, the temptation will be to cheat, by using your legs and lower back and trying to stand up. Pendlay rows should be brutally hard, and you want to struggle with those last three inches of your range of motion, instead of turning this into a lower back extension move.

In order to get the most out of those last three inches—the part where you’re going to want to cheat—try to force your shoulder blades together, and really squeeze your lats. Most people, when they’re doing any type of back exercise, never really flex their lats. Instead, the mistake everyone makes is to shove their belly down, shove their chest up, and straighten their legs. Stay in position.

 Underhand Yates Rows 15 15 12 10 8 - Form Video 

This guy is doing them real heavy- I would utilize this form but do not move your back midrow- this engages your lower back more and is cheating. However, stand up at 45 degrees and pull to your belly button like him.

I feel these in a totally different area of my back compared with the previous barbell row. Obviously the grip is different, but the difference in stance coupled with difference in where the bar is hitting (ribcage vs. belly button) really affects the lift as well. Between the two barbell rows you’ll be putting slabs on your back in no time.

T-Bar Rows in the corner 15 15 12 8 6 - Form Video

A classic mass builder. Towards the heavier sets its okay to use a little body English but don’t make a habit of it. I also like to really like to get a good lat stretch at the bottom of these. Here’s Ronnie Coleman doing about 12 plates if you need something to make you feel weak and/or motivate you.

Kroc Rows 3x20+

This article goes over Kroc Rows top to bottom. Why you should be doing them, how to program them, form, etc. The idea is to pick a weight you think you can do about 20 of, and run your back to exhaustion. I use no straps on this exercise to help my grip out a bit while I’m at it. This exercise should be enough of a staple in your back day that it’s worth reading the entire piece…written by Matt Kroczaleski himself.

Straight pulldown 5x15-20 - Form Infographic

A lat isolation exercise to put the final touches on your back day. Hopefully you’re still alive.

Pull up or shut up.

There is an exercise that I see far too many folks not giving the proper attention it deserves, or even disregarding it completely. The pull-up.

Pull-ups are the classic back builder, and have been for decades (centuries?). In such a simple movement, you activate almost every muscle in your upper body:  grip strength (hands), forearms, biceps/brachialis, traps, lats, lower back, and abdominals. You get so much bang for your buck I would be tempted to call this “the bench press of the back.” As in- this is a movement you should be putting real focus on and performing early on in your training that day- before any isolation movements or direct arm work.

Step 1 – Okay, so I know I bring my chin above the bar. But… How do I actually do a pull-up?

Use an overhand grip- palms facing out. The area for pull-ups will vary from gym to gym obviously. My gym has these thick bars on top of the set of tables with loose rubber on them for “grip.” I hate these. I really prefer doing pull-ups on a simple knurled, straight bar. Believe it or not, I put the bar on the Smith machine all the way up, lock it, and use that for my pull-ups. It’s just comfortable.

It’s okay to use straps. I don’t think any of us are doing powerlifting competitions anytime soon. We’re in the gym to work our back, not our grip strength. Your grip on your tiny fingers will obviously fail before your massive lats do, so, why not? I recommend doing some grip work later in the lift to keep yourself balanced (Kroc rows), but, for pull-ups I prefer to use the straps.

Grip the bar about shoulder width. Too wide can put excess pressure on your shoulders. Too narrow and you’re limiting the muscles you recruit to do the movement.

 

Focus on using your lats, NOT your biceps or forearms. A good mental cue here is to pull with your elbows. Think about driving your elbows downward, almost like you’re trying to hit a guy in the head that’s trying to grab you from below.

Scapular retraction. I’ve talked about this in a previous article, pull your shoulder blades together- back and down.

Pull your chest up towards the bar, get your chin over the bar, and control yourself on the way down.

Step 2 – How do you program them?

For a long time, I understood the value of pull-ups, but I just couldn't get over sets of 10. I even got up to 5 sets of 10… but I just couldn't get over that hump. Maybe 12 on my first set, but that was IT. This is very, very common. Two months ago I decided I was going to attack this movement and started reading up, reaching out to trainers, and strategizing.

My first step was to lean out a little. 5’10 225 was not a good look when trying to pull my bodyweight up.

The real revelation came when I purchased a dip belt and started doing weighted pull-ups.  Honestly, if I wanted to get stronger (aka, do more), why was I training the exercise utilizing the same exact weight every week, every rep? It makes no sense. If I want to build a big bench, should I just pop on 135 and try to do more reps each week? No, I should load a few plates on and toss some heavier iron around, increasing each working set.

Lately I've been on a big 15-15-12-8-6 kick in terms of how I do my rep schemes for compound movements. So I figured I would do something similar. For the first two sets, I would do as many pull-ups as I possibly could with bodyweight and then cheat my way to a few extra using my legs for pumping power at the bottom.

Aside: doing an actual pull-up, and cheating using leg pump, resistance bands, or jump/negatives, is INFINITELY more effective at improving your pull-up than doing lat pulldowns or the assisted pull-up machine. With lat pulldowns, they do have their place. However, doing the movement sitting down completely removes the lower back, abs, and stabilizers from the movement. No bueno. The Assisted pull-up machine keeps helping you throughout the movement while realistically you probably only need a little kick in the ass at the bottom. You read last week about cheating- it’s OK to do it on this movement to bang out a few extras. Pumping legs or wrapping a resistance band are options.. another option to push past failure if you are completely spent is to simply JUMP to the pull-up position and do a slow, tight negative on the movement.

From there, I’d simply at a 10 pound plate on my belt, and try to get within 2-3 of my first two sets.

Then another 10 pound plate, dropping the reps another 3 or so.

For the last set, I’d really overload it and do 3-5 reps.

With this said, I was starting in a decent spot. Being able to do 10-12 bodyweight pull-ups is OK, but maybe you can only do 5. Well that’s okay too. I still recommend that you add some weight, cheat a little if you need to, and really struggle with it. Do 2 or 3 at a time if you need to, rest a little, then grind out a few more. Follow a rep scheme similar to the 15 15 12 8 6, and just break the sets up with mini-rest periods. There are a lot of ways to attack it, but step 1 is to add some damn weight. If your gym doesn't have a  dip belt, or you don’t want to spring for one, you can even just hold a weight in between your sneakers or thighs.

For me, it seemed futile at first. Struggling to do a set of 5 pull-ups with a 35 lb plate around my waist. However, 8 weeks later, today my scheme was…

15 Bodyweight

12 (+3 cheating) 25lb

10 (+2 cheating) 25lb

6 (+2 cheating) 35lb

4 (+1 cheating) 45lb… then I took the belt off and banged out 12 bodyweight right after. So, on my fifth set, AFTER 4 pull-ups with 45 lb, I was able to do better than my first set from 8 weeks ago.

This doesn’t make me the best pull-up artist in the world but I was damn proud of my progress in such a short time. For cheating, that means a little leg pump at the bottom to help get me out of the hole.

In addition to all of this, aesthetically, I am seeing my back get wider and thicker, and I feel I’m getting better back days overall.

In short… take pull-ups seriously. Use good form. Add weight. Grow wings.

If you'd like to read further on the subject, here's a great T-Nation article: Take your Pull-ups to the Next Level.

Week's worth of chicken... recipe post coming soon

I fell in love with the girl at the GUN SHOW

There’s a guy in the gym, seems like every god damn time you see him he’s doing curls. Well, either rocky, legs/back/shoulders curls, or sloppy, leaning-forward rope pushdowns. The Arms Guy.

I hate this guy. I am the opposite of this guy. For the first few years of my training, I actually didn’t train my arms directly at all. I figured, if you go to the gym, do heavy back and heavy chest, those movements will incorporate the tertiary arm muscles enough to keep your arms big and strong. This is true to some extent. Big compound movements like chins and presses will certainly activate your bis and tris, and depending on form, genetics, and nutrition, you can get away without doing any arm isolation work at all. The compound movements should make up the majority of your time in the gym, really.

Eventually I discovered that I needed to do a few arm isolation exercises, not only to aid my strength for the bigger movements, but also to pack on a little size (don’t judge me, beach season is coming up). I usually train with a pretty classic split, adding 3-4 sets of tris after chest day, same thing with bis on back day.

Every once in awhile, it can be a nice shock to your body and give your tree trunks their own day- a “gun run” if you will. I probably do this once every 6 weeks, on am “extra” gym day- a lazy Sunday where I end up going to the gym out of boredom or something like that.

Given that I’ve been doing all types of weird shit with my workout splits lately (back/chest, legs/shoulders, splitting upper back and back width, etc.). Today I figured I’d do an arm day, stealing a move from Arnie again and supersetting Tris/Bis. Doing supersets like this left me with INCREDIBLE pump- like, “hard to do skullcrushers with my biceps in the way” pump. To the point where some random guy actually commented on my vascularity… score.

One thing that I did for this workout that is different from the average gymgoer is…  strict form. I cannot stress this enough.  Here is a GREAT video with my bodybuilding hero, Kai Greene, discussing his philosophy around executing arm movements, specifically curls. Using legs, moving your elbows around, and cheating is only going to sabotage your workout and potentially get you hurt. Drop the weight. Use the proper form.

With this said, I will cautiously offer a technique that I use to train past my natural limitations and increase intensity. Cheating, when used properly, can be an effective way to fully tax the muscles when arm training. Arnold said it best…

Say you are doing a heavy barbell curl. You curl the weight up five or six times, and then find you are too tired to continue to do strict reps. At this point you begin to use your shoulders and back to help you in the lift slightly so that you can do another four or five reps. But you cheat just enough so you can continue the set, and your biceps continue to work as hard as they can. By cheating you have forced the biceps to do more work than they could have done without help from the other muscles, so you have to put more stress on them, not less.

In short, during the last few sets, after failure with proper form, if you can break past that by cheating for an extra few reps, do it. You don’t want to do this every time. But it can help get to a higher level.

Finally, to the workout.

Warmup Superset – LIGHT, 2 Sets, 20 reps

V-Bar Pushdowns

Rope Hammercurls

For all working exercises, we are doing 5 sets, with the first 4 being in the 10-12 rep range, last one a little heavier for a 6-8. Ideally, going up in weight at least 3 times over the course of the exercise, but not sacrificing form.

First Superset

V-Bar Pushdowns – Don’t lean into these! Stand up straight, bring the V-Bar up as far as you can without losing tension on your tri. Definitely past your elbow being 90 degrees at least.

Barbell Curl – Hands shoulder width

Second Superset

Skullcrushers – Keep your elbows tucked in. Imagine there are two pieces of wood jutting out of the bottom of your chin and the top of your head as you’re laying down. When doing the skullcrusher movement, keep the bar within that “box.” (Does this make sense?)

Seated Dumbbell Hammer Curl – Remember the Kai video!

Third Superset

 High Pulley Triceps Extensions (with the rope) - It's important to keep the ends of the rope apart about as wide as your head- don't go narrower as you do the movement, this is cheating. Keep your elbows stationary and not flared out. Go as far back as you can to get a very deep triceps stretch and extend to lockout.  This video shows the basic movement but keep your hands farther apart, palms facing each other, and don’t change what your hands do throughout the movement.

Seated Preacher Curl – I actually used the Hammer Strength machine where you can load plates on the bottom, you can do this with a  EZ bar if you want as well.

Fourth Superset

Single arm reverse grip pulldowns - Here is a good form video, although I’m not sure why that guy is recording bodybuilding videos in the first place.

Narrow, reverse grip curls from the low pulley - Here's a simple form video.  At the top, crank your wrists to hit the forearms even harder. Don’t lean back.

To finish off, I did 4 sets of wrist curls, about 15-20 reps each. At this point my arms were absolutely TOASTED.

Overall, the workout was very fast because of the supersets, and I got a lot of work in, only spending about an hour and a half at the gym total. If you can squeeze an arm day into your routine, try it out!

Supplement Spotlight: Beta-Alanine

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I made a decision to begin crafting my own pre-workout supplements, comprised of individual amino acids. This not only gives me flexibility to dose at the levels appropriate for my bodyweight and goals, but also gives me the ultimate control over what I am ingesting.

I spoke about the power of Citrulline Malate- one of the main building blocks of my everyday preworkout cocktail. Another building block is Beta-Alanine.

Beta-Alanine is a precursor of the amino acid Carnosine. Supplementation with Beta-Alanine has been shown to increase the concentration of Carnosine in muscles which leads to decreased fatigue in athletes and increased total muscular work done.

To put this in layman’s terms, Beta-Alanine is going to make your workouts better by increasing your endurance- you won’t tire out as quickly. You will eek out a few extra reps during your exercises, and maintain higher energy levels deeper into your workout, compared to not using BA. This is incredibly important as these few reps often make the difference between exhausting the muscle and truly achieving hypertrophy, leading to more significant growth. To really break this down, being able to do more reps than usual, while maintaining the same poundages, means you are STRONGER. In addition to augmenting performance, there is more than one study that suggests Beta-Alanine can stimulate lean mass accrual, leading to a more favorable body composition.

You can see how Beta-Alanine complements Citrulline Malate nicely. Citrulline is going to increase blood flow and help you recover faster, while Beta-Alanine aids in amount of work your muscles can effectively do before exhaustion. All of this is going to lead to increased hypertrophy, increased growth, increased strength.

The recommended dose for Beta-Alanine is between 2-5g. I take 4g preworkout. One thing to take note of is that BA will cause paraesthesia-  essentially, a tingly feeling right on the last layer of your skin. This is harmless but does bother some people- I’d say start small and asses your tolerance.

The best bang for your BA buck is going to be NOW Foods Beta Alanine Powder. For $23 you get 500g. If you take 4g on training days like me, this will last you almost eight months. See what I was saying about making your own preworkouts being cheaper?

As always, I’d encourage you to do your own research. One of the best sites in the industry is Examine.com, here’s a link to the Beta-Alanine page.

So far, our preworkout looks like this:

8g Citrulline Malate

4g Beta Alanine

Stay tuned for articles on the other four components!