- How to plan my arm-muscle exercises??

[Iceman]

I have a few questions regarding my arm-muscle exercises...

At this moment I'm doing 2 series of exercises every day (both in the evening, at 6:30 & 8:30... I do some weight-training and push-ups, and use springs)

- I've read about Training Cycles & Periodization a few times... but I don't know how to maximize my exercises.

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Can some1 here try to tell me how I should plan a weekly cycle, to maximize my muscle-grow??
(my biggest issue is that I don't know how to plan the resting moments)



Thanks in advance...

[dragon]

If you mean you are working your arm muscles twice per day,every day that's far too much.
Your arm muscles are relatively small compared to other muscles in the body and can be easily over trained.
If you are doing an all over body routine(which is recommended),your triceps will already be getting worked from any pressing movement(bench press,military press,etc).If you perform chin ups with palms facing you,that works your biceps as well as your lats.

This is a routine i posted elsewhere here for mass:-

http://stadion.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=363


Dragon

[mmeloon]

Can some1 here try to tell me how I should plan a weekly cycle, to maximize my muscle-grow??
(my biggest issue is that I don't know how to plan the resting moments)

Iceman, it's not what your goals are. If "maximize my muscle-grow" means you are most interested in hypertrophy (increase in size), then there are other forums that would provide you with much more detailed information than this one. The forum at hardgainer.com would be a good site for bodybuilding-type information. Most of the people at this forum are athletes and are concerned with function over looks. If you are referring to strength, then we need to know more about what type of strength you are trying to develop (e.g., speed-strength, strength-endurance, etc.).

What exactly is your goal regarding weight training?
-Mark

[Iceman]

What exactly is your goal regarding weight training?
-Mark

To become stronger, but also a tiny bit more muscled...
(strength is nr.1 though)

[mmeloon]

Okay, a few helpful guidelines:

- You grow when you are resting. You don't grow when you're in the gym. Obviously gym work stimulates the growth but don't neglect rest. I would recommend lifting weights 3 times a week and using the other 4 days as off-days. Maybe do some light-to-moderate aerobic work on some of those off-days. Aerobic work can help get blood flowing to speed recovery and also allow you to work harder in the gym so it's a very useful adjunct to weight training.

- I agree with Dragon that you're best off focusing on compound exercises like bench press, military press, rows, and chinups. Like he said, those are going to work your arms pretty hard so there's no need to throw in a couple sets of multi-angular-blitz-curls after your rows and chinups. I think specialized arm exercises are mostly for bodybuilders and athletes who have specific needs. You said you're main interest is building strength. Big compound exercises are the best way to do that.

- If you are trying to build strength, push-ups are probably a waste of time for you. You want to use resistance that will require signficant effort to do for 6-8 reps per set. You're probably doing many more push-ups than that in a set. Note, push-ups have their uses but, again, this is primarily for athletes who need strength-endurance.

- As far as training cycles and periodization, since you don't have a externally-determined off-seasons you should probably let your body decide when to cycle intensity. When you get to a point where you aren't making any more progress in the gym -- and you are certain that it isn't due to neglecting your diet or sleep -- then it might be time to end that cycle and start a new one, perhaps with different exercises.

Hope that helps. Hopefully others can provide some more tips.
-Mark