jimpaul

This is not DC's program and this is not DC approved..........Please take note.


I posted this over at IM because I think it helps towards understanding what someone needs to learn when it comes to getting larger arms, back, chest, calves, etc., etc. Whatever the bodypart might be that you want to get larger...you need to understand a couple of simple points. One is that you need to get your diet/nutrition down right and that you need to concentrate on larger movements (compound) where the real size and strengths are at.


If someone "gets" that then they should be on the right path towards accomplishing their goals.


Here's an excerpt from Stuart McRobert (I believe) that helps people in understanding overall gains as well as arm gains. I don't necessarily agree with every viewpoint but thought it might help some less advanced members and maybe remind us all what we need to understand towards how gains may work and how to achieve them.......



"how to squat for HUGE ARMS
By Stuart McRobert

Adapted from his best-selling book BRAWN

To build muscle mass, you must increase strength. It’s that simple. You will never get huge arms, a monstrous back, a thick chest, or massive legs without lifting heavy weights. I know that probably doesn’t come as a revelation to anyone. But despite how obvious it seems, far too many people (and not just beginners) neglect power training and rarely make increasing the weights lifted in each successive workout a priority. You must get strong in the basic mass building exercises to bring about a significant increase in muscle size. One of the biggest mistakes typical bodybuilders make is when they implement specialization routines before they have the right to use them.

It constantly amazes me just how many neophytes (beginners), near neophytes, and other insufficiently developed bodybuilders plunge into single-body part specialization programs in the desperate attempt to build big arms. I don’t fault them for wanting big arms, but their approach to getting them is flawed. For the typical bodybuilder who is miles away from squatting 1 ½ times their bodyweight for 20 reps (if you weigh 180 lbs., that means 20 reps with 270 lbs.), an arm specialization program is utterly inappropriate and useless.

The strength and development needed to squat well over 1 ½ times bodyweight for 20 reps will build bigger arms faster then focusing on biceps and triceps training with isolation exercises. Even though squats are primarily a leg exercise, they stress and stimulate the entire body. But more importantly, if you are able to handle heavy weights in the squat, it logically follows that the rest of your body will undoubtedly be proportionally developed. It’s a rare case that you would be able to squat 1 ½ times your bodyweight and not have a substantial amount of upper body muscle mass.

This is not to say that you don’t need to train arms, and squats alone will cause massive upper body growth. You will still work every body part, but you must focus on squats, deadlifts, and rows—the exercises that develop the legs, hips, and back. Once you master the power movements and are able to handle impressive poundages on those lifts, the strength and muscle you gain will translate into greater weights used in arm, shoulder and chest exercises.

In every gym I’ve ever visited or trained in, there were countless teenage boys blasting away on routines, dominated by arm exercises, in the attempt to build arms like their idols. In the ‘70s, they wanted arms like Arnold Schwarzenegger, in the ‘80s Robby Robinson was a favorite and currently Mr. Olympia, Ronnie Coleman, has set the standard everyone wants to achieve. Unfortunately the 3 aforementioned men as well as most other top bodybuilders have arm development far beyond the reach of the average (or even above average) weight trainer. But arm size can be increased. However, not in the way young trainers, with physiques that don’t even have the faintest resemblance to those of bodybuilders are attempting to make progress. Thin arms, connected to narrow shoulders, fixed to shallow chest, joined to frail backs and skinny legs, don’t need body part specialization programs. Let’s not have skewed priorities. Let’s not try to put icing on the cake before the cake has been baked.


Priorities
Trying to stimulate a substantial increase in size in a single body part, without first having the main structures of the body in pretty impressive condition, is to have turned bodybuilding upside-down, inside-out and back to front.

The typical bodybuilder simply isn’t going to get much meat on his arms, calves, shoulders, pectorals and neck unless he first builds a considerable amount of muscle around the thighs, hips and back. It simply isn’t possible—for the typical drug-free bodybuilder, that is—to add much if any size to the small areas unless the big areas are already becoming substantial.
There’s a knock-on (additive) effect from the efforts to add substantial size to the thigh, hip and back structure (closely followed by upper body pushing structure-pecs and delts). The smaller muscle groups, like the biceps, and triceps will progress in size (so long as you don’t totally neglect them) pretty much in proportion to the increase in size of the big areas. It’s not a case of getting big and strong thighs, hips, back and upper-body pushing structure with everything else staying put. Far from it. As the thigh, hip, back and upper-body pushing structure grows, so does everything else. Work hard on squats and deadlifts, in addition to bench presses, overhead presses and some type of row or pulldown. Then you can add a little isolation work—curls, calf raises and neck work (but not all of this at every workout).


The “Driver”
The key point is that the “engine” that drives the gains in the small areas is the progress being made in the big areas. If you take it easy on the thigh and back you will, generally speaking, have trouble making gains in the other exercises, no matter how hard you work the latter.

All this isn’t to say just do squats, deadlifts and upper back work, quite closely followed by some upper-body pressing work. While such a limited program will deliver good gains on these few exercises, with some knock-on effect throughout the body, it’s not a year after year program. Very abbreviated routines are great for getting gains moving, and for building a foundation for moderately expanded routines. They are fine to keep returning to on a regular basis. The other training isn’t necessary all in the same workout but spread over the week. This will maintain balance throughout the body and capitalize upon the progress made in the thigh, hip and back structure.

Just remember that the thigh, hip and back structure comes first and is the “driver” (closely followed by the upper-body pushing structure) for the other exercises. These other exercises, though important in their own right, are passengers relative to the driving team.


Big Arms
To get big arms, get yourself on a basic program that focuses on the leg, hip and back structure without neglecting the arms themselves. As you improve your squatting ability, for reps and by say 100 pounds, your curling poundage should readily come up by 30 pounds or so if you work hard enough on your curls. This will add size to your biceps. While adding 100 pounds to your squat, you should be able to add 50-70 pounds to your bench press, for reps. This assumes you’ve put together a sound program and have worked hard on the bench. That will add size to your triceps.

If you’re desperate to add a couple of inches to your upper arms you’ll need to add 30 pounds or more over your body, unless your arms are way behind the rest of you. Don’t start thinking about 17” arms, or even 16” arms so long as your bodyweight is 130, 140, 150, 160, or even 170 pounds. Few people can get big arms without having a big body. You’re unlikely to be one of the exceptions.

15 sets of arm flexor exercises, and 15 sets of isolation tricep exercises—with a few squats, deadlifts and bench presses thrown in as an afterthought—will give you a great pump and attack the arms from “all angles”. However, it won’t make your arms grow much, if at all, unless you’re already squatting and benching big poundages, or are drug-assisted or genetically gifted.

As your main structures come along in size and strength (thigh, hip and back structure, and the pressing structure), the directly involved smaller body parts are brought along in size too. How can you bench press or dip impressive poundages without adding a lot of size to your triceps? How can you deadlift the house and row big weights without having the arm flexors—not to mention the shoulders and upper back—to go with those lifts? How can you squat close to 2 times bodyweight, for plenty of reps, without having a lot of muscle all over your body?

The greater the development and strength of the main muscular structures of the body, the greater the size and strength potential of the small areas of the body. Think it through. Suppose you can only squat and deadlift with 200 pounds, and your arms measure about 13”. You’re unlikely to add any more than half an inch or so on them, no matter how much arm specialization you put in.

However, put some real effort into the squat and deadlift, together with the bench press and a few other major basic movements. Build up the poundages by 50% or more, to the point where you can squat 300 pounds for over 10 reps, and pack on 30 pounds of muscle. Then, unless you have an unusual arm structure, you should be able to get your arms to around 16”. If you want 17” arms, plan on having to squat more than a few reps with around 2 times bodyweight, and on adding many more pounds of muscle throughout your body (unless you have a better-than-average growth potential in your upper arms).

All of this arm development would have been achieved without a single concentration curl, without a single pushdown and without a single preacher curl. This lesson in priorities proves that the shortest distance between you and big arms is not a straight line to a curl bar."



good luck
jim

jimpaul

I think that the less experienced people would be better off trying to use some of these great principles.(IMO):

(First two years to lifting=2 straight sets, Third year=1 straight set)
1. Make up a routine with mainly compound movements. Always concentrate on getting stronger and better with all your exercises. Form and safety are a number one priority!
That means warmup properly as well.
2. Use a 3 exercise rotation.
3. Keep all rep ranges in the safety zone of 10 reps and more.
4. Learn all you can about nutrition. I can't stress this one enough.
5. Honestly you should do well as the main factors of any successful program are nutrition and constant weight progression. That's the bottom line.
6. Don't overdo anything. Give yourself a break when you need rest.



jim

antihero

great decision...

__________________
********************
Disclaimer: Information given by me is my personal opinion.
It cannot be considered medical advice and does not represent the official opinion of a company that is not a sponsor here.
********************

warriors

Hey i'm not that young. I'm 23

__________________
Not Around...

craig57

great post

hopefully this will help the early beginners so they dont think that 15 sets a bodypart will make you grow 15x as much as 1 or 2 sets

and yes im still a beginner lol

__________________
to help the puny little kid from hawaii with protein and save some money for yourself use CRS706 as a discount code on trueprotein

"..a time to break down, and a time to build up.."
Ecclesiastes 3:3

Actual Size

Great post wow That is something all newbies need to hear.

__________________
Everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this? John 11:26

God Loves You, but do you Love HIM???????

SomberMice

great post jp
cant stress enough how compound movements should not be neglected

jimpaul

Here's an "example" of something I'd suggest to someone to start with.

You can tell what program this guy wants to do but since there really is no alternative to that, (I'm not saying it) I was hoping some of us experienced people could come together and get people headed in the right direction in any case.





"Jim: *** the program you want to do is a highly advanced program. I'm going to suggest that whatever "program" you decide to use continue sticking with as many compound movements as you can and work on developing strength. Instead of one working set you would be better off with at least two working sets. It takes many years to develop the intensity required to make value of one working set (In my opinion).
Also, I'd suggest that if you want to use these exercises below that you make them 2 straight sets with higher rep ranges, upwards of 10 at the least, make them 12-15 for most bodyparts and say 15-20 for legs and arms.

I'm only giving you an example though.

I need to correct you on somethings below though.



Chest
Incline barbell press: 2 straight sets 12-15
Decline barbell press: 2 straight sets 12-15
Hammer strength wide chest press: 2 straight sets 12-15

Shoulders
Rear Smith press: 2 straight sets 12-15
Front barbell press: 2 straight sets 12-15
Hammer strength shoulder press: 2 straight sets 12-15

Triceps
Reverse grip smith bench: 2 straight sets of 15-20
Overhead dumbbell press: 2 straight sets of 15-20
Ezbar Skullcrushers: 2 straight sets of 15-20

Back width
Pullups (pronated): 2 straight sets 12-15
Pulldown to rear: 2 straight sets 12-15
Hammer Strength underhand pulldown: 2 straight sets 12-15

Back thickness
Rack Deadlift: 2 straight sets 12-15
Barbell rows: 2 straight sets 12-15
T-Bar rows: 2 straight sets 12-15


Abs
Machine crunch: 2 straight sets of 20-25
Hanging leg raise: 2 straight sets of 20-25
Decline weighted crunch: 2 straight sets of 20-25

--------------------

Biceps
Preacher curl (ez-bar): 2 straight sets of 15-20
Dumbbell curl: 2 straight sets of 15-20
Standing Ez bar curl: 2 straight sets of 15-20

Forearms
Reverse cable curl: 2 straight sets of 15
Pinwheel curl: 2 straight sets of 15
Hammer curl: 2 straight sets of 15

Hamstrings
Lying Leg curl (weight stack): 2 straight sets of 15-20
Stiff-legged deadlift: 2 straight sets of 15-20
Standing leg curl: 2 straight sets of 15-20

Quads
Front squat: 2 straight sets of 15-20
Hack squat: 2 straight sets of 15-20
Back squat: 2 straight sets of 15-20

Calves
Standing calf raise: 2 straight sets of 15-20
Hack calf raise: 2 straight sets of 15-20
Seated calf raise or Calf Legpress: 2 straight sets of 15-20



If you try the volume of 5 bodyparts/exercises 3 days a week and find that you are not able to recover well or that your strength isn't going up too well or it's too much just go ahead and make it the 3 way body split.


At 19, 5'8" 155 @ 9%, training for 2+ years I'm assuming you want to get bigger and stronger so the best advice someone can give you is to learn how to eat properly for gains. That is the single best advice I can give you. Two more would be concentrate on getting stronger all the time. Another is be patient. Be patient with gains and be patient with yourself if you find that you are not ready to hit the gym. We all have those days. Do the best you can and get someone experienced to watch you on "possibly dangerous" movements.


Learn form too.

Good luck
jim"





What I say is NOT approved by ANYONE. Okay, I just wanted to be clear about that. There are no shortcuts in this endeavor. Just trying to save some of you guys some hassles about fretting about how do we get size, etc.

Strength and size go hand in hand (imo). One of the best posts I've read recently were from our friend who said that some people with great genetics can do most any program and still gain.

The rest of us have to work for it, lol.

I'm not one of those people and I've only seen a very small handfull in my life who were. And they were amazing.

I used to go to this one gym back home and I found out about this one guy who only came in once every two weeks, lifted the exact same weights, same exercises and was one of the best built human's I've ever seen. Pro material and his name was Gio, I believe.

Being younger and not experienced enough, I wrote down what exercises and weights he used and you know what happened......absolutely nothing.

I don't know whatever happened if anything with him, but he was just a brick shithouse. Awesome.

Maybe you can be one of them but until you get to that high goal, just concentrate on eating enough of the proper foods and getting stronger every chance you can.


thanks for letting me rant
jim

__________________
USE ***********.COM FOR ALL YOUR
SUPPLEMENTAL NEEDS!!
TO GET MY DISCOUNT USE Jat338

Contact Dante at DC@cyber-rights.net
for the proper methods of Doggcrapp Training

If Dante's unavailable contact Inhuman
at In-Human@myway.com

Click on the button to feed a hungry person, it takes a second at the most:

http://www.stopthehunger.com/hunger/

jimpaul

Btw, if I ever use someone as an example please forgive me. I only do it to help others. It's for the greater good, lol.



thanks
jim

__________________
USE ***********.COM FOR ALL YOUR
SUPPLEMENTAL NEEDS!!
TO GET MY DISCOUNT USE Jat338

Contact Dante at DC@cyber-rights.net
for the proper methods of Doggcrapp Training

If Dante's unavailable contact Inhuman
at In-Human@myway.com

Click on the button to feed a hungry person, it takes a second at the most:

http://www.stopthehunger.com/hunger/