Abs, arms, & details

Bodybuilding 105 – abs/arms/details

The major muscles have been addressed in Bodybuilding 102-104. We will look at the accessory work one should do now. The biceps, triceps, and calves are worked hard doing back, chest, shoulders, and legs. A competitive bodybuilder should do more arm work than this program details. Off season training of these body parts falls within the scope of this program.

Do the arms in the evening after the back, chest, or shoulder workouts.

Practice midsection work, every other day, separate from the big workouts. I gained tremendous strength in the abs using it as a morning wake-up routine and my CORE is tremendously strong.

Abs

A.   Easy workout

a.     Sit ups – 5 sets x 10 reps

b.    Oblique side plank heal touches 3 sets x 10 reps (each side)

Rest 1 day before B

B.    Moderate workout

a.     Plank – 5 sets x 30 seconds-2 minutes

b.    Crunch – 5 sets x 10 reps

c.     Oblique crunches -  5 sets x 10 reps (each side)

Rest 1 day before C

C.    Hard workout

a.     one giant set 5 sets x #reps

                                                                         i.      crunch – 5 sets x 10 reps

                                                                       ii.      mountain climbers – 5 sets x 25 reps (each side)

                                                                    iii.      dragonfly – 5 sets x 10 reps

                                                                     iv.      plank – 5 sets x 10 reps

                                                                       v.      sit-ups – 5 sets x 10 reps

Rest 1 day before C

Biceps

A.   easy workout

a.     barbell curls – 5 sets x 10 reps

  Rest 1 day before B

B.    moderate workout

a.     db hammer curls – 3  sets x 6-8 reps

b.    barbell curls – 3 sets x 10 reps

c.     reverse grip barbell curls - 3 sets x 15 reps

  Rest 1 day before C

C.    hard workout

a.     one giant set

                                                                         i.      cable curls – 3 sets x 10 reps

                                                                       ii.      db hammer curls – 3 sets x 6-8 reps

                                                                    iii.      barbell curls – 3 sets x 6-8 reps

                                                                     iv.      reverse grip barbell curls – 3 sets x 15 reps

      Rest 1-2 days before A

Triceps

A.   Easy workout  

a.     Overhead extensions (db or cable) – 5 sets x 10 reps

b.    Dips - 3 sets x 10 reps (BW)

         Rest 1 day before B

B.    Moderate workout

a.     Dips – 5 sets x 10 reps

b.    Close grip bench press (1/2 reps at the top) – 3 sets x 5-10 reps

c.     Cable pushdowns – 3 sets x 10-15 reps

          Rest 1 days before C

C.    Hard workout

a.     One giant set

                                                                         i.      Cable pushdowns – 3 sets x 10 reps

                                                                       ii.      Db overhead extensions – 3 sets x 6-8 reps

                                                                    iii.      Bench dips – 3 sets x 15 reps

                                                                     iv.      Rope kickbacks – 3 sets x 15 reps

                                                                       v.      Close grip pushups – 3 sets x max reps

 Rest 3 days before A

These body parts get a lot of work on major workouts. Practicing the “easy” parts like abs, bi’s, and tri’s will add muscle to them and supplement your recovery and strength on bigger workouts.

Take more time off if sore. Soreness should never be our goal. It does not indicate muscle growth unless you are “juicing” (taking anabolic steroids). It is an injury. There is no natural situation where tearing a muscle results in healthy muscular growth. Case in point, do you cut your skin to make it beautiful? Scar tissue is the result after tearing tissues like muscles and skin.  Never tear a muscle on purpose unless you want to move like an eighty year old when you are fifty.

Get stronger doing YOUR workouts!