Every bodybuilder wants bigger arms and that’s why the biceps and triceps get so much love in most workout routines. While we all want to emphasise those bicep peaks though, actually getting them to grow can sometimes be a challenge. The arms in particular are a problem spot for many guys and if you’re someone who has stubborn arms, or has plateaued, then you’ll know just how frustrating this can be.
In such situations a good strategy is to turn to the best and find inspiration. James Grage is co-founder of BPI sports and is well known for regaining lost muscle and strength after a devastating car accident. He’s shown that it’s possible to overcome insane adversity to build a body you can be proud of, so what’s your excuse?
Here’s an arms workout that the great athlete himself has followed. If it can work for him, then it can provide explosive gains for you!
Concepts
This workout consists of numerous supersets, which most bodybuilders should know means swapping quickly between two exercises instead of resting between repetitions. This way you can increase the intensity of your workouts in a shorter time, while really focussing on one muscle group or two opposing ones. Avoiding rest allows you to maintain your momentum and avoid getting tired or demotivated.
The other interesting feature of James’ workout, is that he has designed it to try as far as possible to isolate or at least focus on specific areas of each muscle to ensure a well-rounded and complete development. These exercises might help you to stimulate growth by targeting areas of your biceps and triceps that were getting missed. The workout also emphasises the importance of balancing each muscle group.
James Grage Arms Workout
Superset 1: Wide-Grip Standing Barbell Curl With Overhead Triceps Extension (3 sets of 15, 12 and 10 Reps)
This first superset targets the biceps and triceps, and James’ believes the wide grip barbell curls will help to target the inside of the biceps slightly more. Make sure to keep your elbow pointing directly towards the ceiling during the tricep extensions. By dropping the repetitions you’ll also be able to jump up slightly in weight which is a great way to create the microtears you need.
Superset 2: Incline Dumbbell Curl With Single-Arm Cable Pushdown (3 sets of 15, 12, 10 Reps)
These incline dumbbell curls (using a bench) should help to emphasise the long head of the bicep on the outside of the arm. Let your arms hang straight down as you bring the weights back. The cable push down is a unilateral movement. James prefers not to use a handle but rather grips the cable itself. Increase in weight for both exercises as long as you can maintain the right form.
Superset 3: Reverse EZ-Bar Curl With Skull Crushers and Standing Tricep Kickbacks (3 sets of 15, 12, 10 Reps)
This is actually a ‘tri-set’, which is essentially a mini circuit and a great way to keep that momentum going.
Using a pronated grip on the EZ-bar will emphasise the brachialis which is one of the flexors in the upper arm. It will also again improve your grip which can enhance performance on all other bicep and tricep exercises.
When performing skull crushers, keep your arms leaning slightly back (even at the bottom) and you will increase your time under tension. For the kickbacks, keep that range of motion small and you’ll be able to grab a slightly heavier weight.
And there you have it, a quick and powerful bicep and tricep workout that will reach your arms from every possible angle in an effective way. Give it a go and watch those arms swell!
