Saturday, January 9, 2016

8 Tips On Building Guns

1. Biomechanics 

When you do curls for biceps or pushdowns for triceps the only joint which should be moving is your elbow. Unfortunately, many people involve their shoulder joint a lot to generate more force, allowing them to use more weight. DO NOT do this, moving more weight in the wrong way won't equate to more growth. You want to focus on keeping the target muscle under as much tension as possible! Remember this. 

2. Disadvantage to advantage 

When you train biceps or triceps, by altering the angle of attack you can move from a mechanically weak point to a stronger point as the muscle fatigues. For instance, if you are doing triceps pushdowns you can start off by standing close to the machine with your hands closely gripped together. Then reach failure, step back slightly and take a neutral grip. Then potentially do another drop set, stepping back further. Each time you move in this instance the angle makes it easier, so you've changed the point of attack to allow for continued tension on the muscle.

3. Unilateral work 

Using exercises which work one side at a time is great because you are able to pay more attention to that specific muscle mentally, and you're weaker side (which we all have to differing levels) will also get the attention it needs. With arms training, I feel concentration curls, single arm preacher curls, high pulley cable curls, single arm overhead cable extensions and single overhead dumbbell extensions are all great examples. 

4. Range of motion 

It won't take you long in a gym to realize a lot of people focus too much on the weight they are moving when training arms. When you curl you should do so with a full range of motion to put the biceps under as much stress and tension, across a longer plane of motion. Extend your arm so it's almost fully extended, don't only go half way down!! This is the same for triceps, your forearm should come up to at least a 90-degree angle when doing pushdowns and you should extend your arms fully (this will help you not to hyperextend your elbows!). 

5. More reps 

Challenge yourself with more reps to build muscle. But, regardless of whether you do that or not make sure you use a wide variety of rep ranges in a properly periodized plan. Usually, you will find arms respond particularly well to moderate and high reps due to the common placement of slow twitch fibers within this area. 

6. Cables 

Cables are a fantastic training tool, but I feel on arm day they are VERY good. They allow you to create an environment where there is constant tension on the muscle, and both biceps and triceps have MANY exercises where this can be very effective. 

7. Pause 

When you curl, pause at the top. When you do pushdowns, pause at the bottom. In both instances, I want you to really tense the bicep/triceps with real focus. You will instantly find this more challenging, painful (burning sensation within the belly of the muscle) and you will have to reduce the weight. This does NOT matter, though, tension is key like I keep saying. 

8. Flex

I know this may make you look very conceited, but flex in between sets. You're forcing blood into the muscle which will help you get the pump and and the muscle to grow.

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