Download 3 Dimensional Arms

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3 Dimensional Arms
By John Izzo
John Izzo, NASM-CPT, PES is a certified personal trainer in the Hartford, CT area. He specializes in performance
enhancement by addressing specific compensatory patterns within the musculature and designing exercise program to
improve overall function and athletic ability. John is the founder of www.standAPARTfitness.com and can be reached
through his website.
What do large arms do for you? When you see an individual with 18 inch or 20 arms, what do you
automatically assume? Do you assume that they train in a gym? Or maybe they are an athlete?
Maybe you assume that are really strong? Society typically assumes all the aforementioned, while
more specifically; women tend to find big arms as a feeling of added security, masculine, and
downright sexy. Females with muscular arms tend to be looked at as strong-willed, health
conscientious, and athletic.
Arms have always defined our character to a degree simply because they are allowed to be visible
in public, and the size of our arms ultimately showcase our efforts in the gym. How do they
display our efforts in the gym? Visuals play a big role in society—especially in America. Therefore,
it is important that if you want your efforts to be noticed, it is paramount that you learn how to
maximize those efforts. Want big arms? Well, begin by forgetting curls and kickbacks for the
moment.
Function of the Biceps and
Triceps (Science)
The flexors of the elbow are
the biceps brachii, brachialis,
and
brachioradialis.
The
muscles that act at the elbow
joint produce the motion of
flexion in the forearm. The
ulnohumeral (elbow) joint is a
hinge joint, which allows
motion to only occur in the
sagital (median) plane. The
biceps brachii is comprised of
two heads, the long (outer
head) and the short (inner
head). The biceps brachii is
involved in flexion of the
elbow as well as supination of
the forearm. The long head
originates on the supraglenoid tuberosity of the scapulae. The short head originates on the
coracoid process of the scapulae. Both heads insert on the radial tuberosity and bicipital
aponeurosis. The brachialis is also involved in flexion at the elbow. It originates on the anterior
humerus and inserts at the ulna tuberosity and coronoid process of the ulna. The brachioradialis
is also involved in flexion of the elbow. It originates on the lateral condyle of the humerus and
inserts at the styloid process of the radius. Now that we have the basic functions of the muscles
involved in elbow flexion we will discuss exercises that will optimize your biceps size.
The muscles that act at the elbow joint produce motion of the forearm. The ulnohumeral joint is a
hinge joint that is a third class lever and permits movement in the sagital plane (also known as
the medial plane). The triceps are responsible for the movement of extension at the elbow. The
triceps have three heads: the long head, which originates at the lower edge of the scapula, the
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lateral head, which originates on the posterior humerus, and the medial head, which originates on
the distal 2/3 of the posterior humerus. All three insert into the olecranon process of the ulna.
The higher the degree of flexion, the more the muscle fibers of the triceps long head will be
recruited and the less the triceps lateral head will assist.
Conventional Exercises for the Arms
History shows us that basic elbow flexion and extension exercises like the curl, concentration curl,
hammer curl, and press-downs are great for isolating the biceps and triceps for hypertrophy
needs. These exercises have long been staples in exercise programs since the early days of
weight-training. However, we tend to overlook a couple of factors when training the biceps.
Isolated elbow flexion is not the only means of developing massive arms—especially 3D arms.
From what we understand, the long and short head of the biceps begin at the scapula. And the
triceps’ longer head originates at the scapula also. This is important because it enables to think
out side of the box when training arms. We have a gracious amount of liberty when
understanding arm function and its relation to the scapula. The scapula is an irregular boney
structure that houses many proximal tendonious structures--tendons that control many muscles
including the back, shoulders, and arms. For programming purposes, we need to look at two key
aspects in arm training:
1.) amount of elbow flexion and extension we perform relative to the goal and recovery time and
2.) involvement of the elbow flexors and extensors in other key exercises that include scapula
movement.
Table 1: Most novice lifters begin with original elbow flexion exercises like the ones listed in the
left column.
Through time, they begin to use variations as depicted in the right column.
Conventional Exercise for Biceps
•
•
•
•
Curl
Hammer Curls
Reverse Curl
Concentration Curl
Variations of Elbow Flexion Exercises
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Barbell Curl
Dumbbell Curl
Cable Curl
Reverse Cable Curl
Zottman Curls
Standing Double Biceps Curl
Rope Curls
EZ Curls
Preacher Curls
1-Arm Preacher Curls
Cable Concentration Curls
Variations aside, the movement is still the same – Elbow flexion!
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Table 2: Most novice lifters begin with original elbow extension exercises like the ones listed in
the left column.
Through time, they begin to use variations as depicted in the right column.
Conventional Exercises for Triceps:
Variations of Elbow Extension Exercises
•
•
•
•
Pressdowns
Skull-crushers
Kickbacks
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Straight Bar Pressdowns (also known as
Pushdown)
EZ Bar Pressdowns
1-Arm s Cable Pressdowns
Dips
Machine Dips
Cable Kickbacks
Straight Bar French Press
EZ Bar French Press
Overhead Rope Pushdowns
Overhead bar Pushdowns
Cable Kickbacks
1-Arm Overhead DB Extensions
Again, Variations aside, the movement is still the same – Elbow extension!
Many enthusiastic lifters usually become over-zealous in their arm training compared to other
body parts simply for the mere belief that if some curls are good for size, than more must be
better. However, in order to really put on size to the arms—a three dimensional look—we need to
uncover the role of the brachialis and lateral head of the triceps specifically.
Brachialis & the Cubital Fossa
Three dimensional arms have a common characteristic. They are thick and massive. This is due to
a very well developed brachialis. The brachialis (brachialis anticus) is a muscle in the upper arm
that flexes the elbow joint. It lies just deep to biceps brachii, and is a more powerful flexor of
the elbow. It makes up part of the “floor” of the region known as the cubital fossa.
The cubital fossa is the triangular area on the anterior view of the
elbow joint of the arm. This area, if the surrounding musculature
is developed fully, gives an incredible “3D-effect” to the arms.
Surrounding muscles involve the forearms (brachioradialis and
flexor carpi ulnaris) and most notably the brachialis.
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At first, you are probably saying you that “hit biceps curls”, but
the biceps alone do not provide mass to the upper arm.
Remember, when we speak of 3D arms, we are expecting to
see development from all views: anterior, posterior, lateral,
(and superior, and inferior angles).
However, because the brachialis is a powerful elbow flexor, we will examine other exercises that
will focus on muscular development in a region that is dominated by a 2-dimensional muscle (biceps: 2 heads-short & long).
The Coracobrachialis
The coracobrachialis is a forgotten muscle. It is a small muscle that
originates from the scapula and is responsible for drawing the humerus
forward (shoulder flexion) and towards the torso (shoulder adduction).
Although it is not an elbow flexor, it adds much mass to the upper arm once
developed. Again, we are stressing circumference of the arm in order to bust
out of our sleeve shirts, so a well-developed coracobrachialis is key in
achieving this—not only for aesthetic purposes, but for pure mass and
strength. Chins and pull-ups become superb exercises to help develop this
muscle.
Table 3: Auxiliary exercises that help develop the brachialis
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Pull-ups
Chins
Neutral Grip Rows
High Pulls
Cable Rows
Crossover DB Snatches
Inverted Body Rows
Lateral Head of Triceps & Anconeus
The triceps accounts for approximately 70 percent of the upper arm's muscle
mass. The triceps can be worked through either isolation elbow extension
movements, contract statically to keep the arm straightened against resistance,
or compound pressing movements. The lateral head, when developed, can
increase arm size simply because the cubital fossa is located below it. Keep in
mind the cubital fossa here…the lateral triceps head provides substantial mass to
the upper arm when developed. The anconeus muscle, when developed, also
adds mass to a usually hard-to-develop area of the arm. The anconeus muscle is
a small muscle on the posterior aspect of the elbow joint. Some consider the
anconeus to be a continuation of the triceps brachii muscle, while others consider it part of the
posterior compartment of the forearm.
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The anconeus is located at a crucial area of the arm because the
boney structures (radial tuberosity) do not support large
musculature attachments. Therefore, it is a small muscle.
However, it assists the triceps in extending the arm and stabilizes
the elbow joint—two critical factors when weightlifting for size
and strength. The joint action should not be limited to simply
elbow extension when seeking three dimension arm development;
but we should include secondary movements as our tools to
develop these key areas.
Table 4: Auxiliary exercises that help develop the triceps
•
•
•
•
•
•
Close Grip Bench Press
Dips
Snatch
Standing Push Press
Bodyweight Extensions Against Bar
Sandow Lifts (Windmills)
The Forearm
Remember the cubittal fossa? The area that really gives your arms the “Popeye” look? Well, this
area is further enhanced with the addition of well-developed brachioradialis and flexor carpi
ulnaris/ radialis muscles of the forearm. These muscles are typically developed through the lack
of using wrist straps and specific grip training. For the Average Joes out there, we will focus our
efforts on negating from the use of wrist straps for upper body work.
Wrist straps
The invention of wrist straps (also known as lifting straps) became a god-send for
those in the weight-lifting realms because it enabled big lifters to use big weight.
It enables one to have a secure grip on the barbell during heavy sets of trap
shrugs, deadlifts, and/ or farmer walks. Unfortunately, many lifters tend to
use the wrist straps excessively for most exercises that particularly don’t
need them. Exercises such as lat pulldowns, upright rows, barbell rows, and
heck, I’ve even seen them during biceps curls! Ever wonder how the wrist straps
work? According to Wikipedia, “The centripetal force is the external force required to make a body
follow a circular path at constant speed (speed being the magnitude of velocity). Hence
centripetal force is a force requirement, not a particular kind of force. Any force (gravitational,
electromagnetic, etc.) can act as a centripetal force. The force is directed inward, toward the
center of the circle or "oriented toward the axis of rotation. The centripetal force always acts
perpendicular to the direction of motion of the body. In the case of an object that moves along a
circular arc with a changing speed, the net force on the body may be decomposed into a
perpendicular component that changes the direction of motion (the centripetal force), and a
parallel, or tangential component, that changes the speed.” So the heavier the load on the bar
becomes, the more force will be needed to hold it in place (in the hands). Internal tensile stress is
the centripetal force that prevents the barbell from falling from your grasp.
Putting it Together
So what type of program can be put together to achieve well developed arms? As previously
mentioned, forgetting about isolated curls and pressdowns as the chunk of your arm training.
Unlearn these isolated movements and split routines for the time being and let’s focus our efforts
on overall mass development. Remember, most young lifters perform too much isolated elbow
flexion and extension leaving the arms with insufficient time to recover fully between workout
sessions. This same population also begins to suffer from elbow problems and wrist pain within 6-
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8 months of beginning an unsupervised exercise program. Remember, it is important to note that
integrating the arms with mass-developing exercises is key to developing 3 dimensional arms.
So the objective of this article is to use isolated arm work as secondary exercises and
not primary, within the 3D Arm Program.
Table 5: The following exercises in the right column can substitute any of the isolated arm
exercises listed. The key to a 3D Arm Program is to reduce isolated arm work to just (1) one for
biceps and (1) one for triceps in each training session.
Isolated Elbow Flexion
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Barbell Curl
Dumbbell Curl
Cable Curl
Reverse Cable Curl
Zottman Curls
Standing Double Biceps Curl
Rope Curls
EZ Curls
Preacher Curls
1-Arm Preacher Curls
Cable Concentration Curls
Replace with…
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Deadlifts
Chin or Pulls
Inverted Rows
High Pulls
Farmer Walks
Crossover Snatches
Lo to Hi Woodchops
Lat Pulldown
Table 6: The following exercises in the right column can substitute any of the isolated arm
exercises listed. The key to a 3D Arm Program is to reduce isolated arm work to just (1) one for
biceps and (1) one for triceps in each training session.
Isolated Arm Extension
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Straight Bar Pressdowns (also known as
Pushdown)
EZ Bar Pressdowns
1-Arm s Cable Pressdowns
Dips
Machine Dips
Cable Kickbacks
Straight Bar French Press
EZ Bar French Press
Overhead Rope Pushdowns
Overhead bar Pushdowns
Cable Kickbacks
1-Arm Overhead DB Extensions
Replace with…
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Close Grip Bench Press
Dips
Snatch
Standing Push Press
Bodyweight Extensions Against Bar
Windmill
Overhead Squat
Landmines
AB Wheel Roll-outs
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An example of a Total Body Workout that includes a 3D Arm Routine would be as follows:
Example of a Total Body Workout #1
Example of a Total Body Workout #2
Deadlift
5 x 6, 5, 4, 4, 2
Pull ups
4 x 10, 8, 6, 6
Backwards Lunge
3 x 10, 10, 8
Crossover DB Snatch
3 x10, 8, 6
Lo to Hi Woodchop
3 x 10, 10, 8
Ab Wheel Roll-outs
3 x 12, 10, 8
Calf Raises
3 x15, 12, 10
Standing Push Press
3 x10, 8, 6
Standing Chest Press on Cable
3 x 10, 10, 8
Landmines
3 x12, 10, 10
Barbell Curl
3 x10, 8, 8
Rope Curls
3 x 10, 10, 8
Overhead Squat
2 x 10, 10
DB Shrugs
3 x 10, 10, 10
Overhead Rope Pressdowns
3 x 10, 8, 8
Dips
3 x10, 10, 8
Exercises should stay in order as detailed, however,
may be moved around to suit your needs.
Exercises should stay in order as detailed, however,
may be moved around to suit your needs.
Factors that May Affect Building 3D Arms
Lastly, building overall muscle mass, regardless of what area you would like to enhance depends
on various factors. When training towards 3D arms, be sure to keep these factors in check:
Muscle maturation – giving muscles time to respond to training stress positively takes
time…meaning years. Tendons and fasica become accustomed to regular training and as the body
ages and matures, so does the ability to develop mass…pending number #2.
Nutrition – Following an optimal diet of complex carbs, protein, and healthy fats at tactful times
of the day are important. Overall calorie consumption will make or break your mass expedition.
Rest/Recovery – the first step of this program is to recognize that arm work never “shuts off”
when you are not performing isolated work. Evaluate the number of flexion and extension you
perform in a given workout session and take into consideration rest between sets and load used.
Pronated/Supinated/Neutral Grip Exchange – Vary your grip from time to time on pulling
exercises in order to stimulate growth throughout the upper arm.
Be good to your shoulders – Arm training is made possible by having healthy shoulders. This
means that keep your shoulders happy and healthy. Scapula training should consist of mobility,
stabilization, and strengthening.