Supersize Your Biceps - Without a Single Curl

This is another point of view to supersize your biceps, posted on www.askmen.com by Lee Boyce.

Endless curls won't get you the bulging, sculpted arms you want—but this plan will

By Lee Boyce, Posted Date: February 18, 2013

If you want bigger guns, you’re probably already doing plenty of curls. Biceps curls, dumbbell curls, Zottman curls, concentration curls—the list goes on. Why aren’t your sleeves digging marks into your bulging arms yet?

As a personal trainer and sports coach based in Toronto, Canada, plenty of my clients have asked me the same question.

Here’s where curls come up short: The biceps have two heads, and strict curls hit the long head more effectively than the short head. What many may think are indirect methods to hit the guns—like pullups—can actually have much more effect than meets the eye. The following moves recruit tons of muscle fibers and allow you to lift more weight—the keys to seeing your arms swell.

Secret Bicep Strategy #1: Pull from Above

The secret to that coveted “peak” every guy (and woman) loves is the brachialis, a large muscle that lies deep underneath the biceps. A well-developed brachialis pops up the middle of the arm. Overhead pulling exercises—like pullups, chinups, and V-grip pulldowns—are some of the best ways to build your brachialis, says Jon-Erik Kawamoto, C.S.C.S., a personal trainer from St. John’s, Canada. When your hands are pulling down from above your head, your brachialis takes most of the load.

Plus, you’re able to lift much more weight with a chinup than you would with a curl. “Even my MLB and NBA athletes curl 40 pounds for 10 reps, but can do the same amount of pullups with a 35-pound weight strapped to their waist,” says Todd Durkin, C.S.C.S., trainer to Drew Brees and author of the IMPACT! Body Plan.

That added weight is key: “You can’t do a weighted chinup with 90 pounds hanging off your waist with little arms,” Kawamoto says. And there’s a reason for that: Lifting heavy loads for many sets increases the size of muscle fibers to better handle the load the next time. You’ll never get that if you keep curling the same 20-pound weights. You’re ready for weighted chinups if you can perform 12 with your body weight.

Secret Bicep Strategy #2: Row—A Lot

Many people consider the seated row an exercise for the back and shoulders, but the neutral grip (where your palms face each other) is a great way to trigger growth in the biceps and brachialis. “Which is more likely to make your biceps grow, a few sets of isolation dumbbell curls that limits you to 30 or 40 pounds, or a seated row which allows you to use upwards of 100 pounds?” says Tony Gentilcore, strength and conditioning coach from Boston, Massachusetts, and co-owner of Cressey Performance. “With row variations, the biceps are in the direct line of pull, and you'll build a massive backside, which never hurts.”

The Curl-Free Biceps Workout

This workout combines pulling movements with grip variety and a bit of directional change to hit every area of your arms. Do each exercise back-to-back, rest for 2 to 3 minutes, and complete four total rounds.

1) Weighted Chinups, 6 reps

Take 3 seconds to lower your body and 1 second to pull yourself up. To add weight, secure a plate to a weight belt, or use a weighted vest.

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2) V-Grip Pulldowns, 12 reps 

Hook up a V-grip attachment to the lat pulldown station. Sit at the station with your torso nearly upright and your arms straight. Grasp the handles with your palms facing each other. Without moving your torso, pull the bar to your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body. Take 1 second to pull the weight and 3 seconds to return it to the starting position.

3) Seated Rows, 25 reps
Sit at a seated cable row station with your feet on the platform and your knees slightly bent. Grasp a V-bar with your palms facing each other. Keep your back flat and pull your shoulders back as you pull the bar toward your torso.


Lee Boyce is a trainer and fitness writer based in Toronto, Canada. He works with clients for strength, size, conditioning, and sport performance and is regularly featured on TV media as a fitness expert. Contact him on his website (www.leeboycetraining.com) and follow him on Twitter @coachleeboyce and Facebook.

Source: www.askmen.com

070713 WOD

This brutal WOD was posted on Instagram by @gogreenfit

A)
Strength
5 Sets of
2 Hang Power Cleans + 5 front Squats (AHAP)

B)
3×5 Weighted Chin Ups

C)
Metcon
For Time
50 Double Unders
30 Alternating KB Snatch (55/35)
50 Double Unders
30 Alternating KB Power Cleans (55/35)
50 Double Unders
30 KB Swings
50 Double Unders
 * For the snatches and cleans, always go back to the floor always alternate and it's a total of 30 reps.

D)
Gymcon
Superset
3 × max effort pushups (toes on box while using parallettes) super set with 15 V-Ups

Enjoy ;)

28.6.2013 WOD

Yesterday, my wife did this WOD with me. It was a killer.

A) Hang squat cleans
3-3-3-3-3

B) 20 minutes AMRAP
5 Deadlifts
5 Power cleans
5 Front squats
5 Push press
5 Back squats

This WOD was posted on Instagram by Orange Coast Crossfit : @occf
Follow this page for more WODs.

Thank you
IR

No gym, no problem

Spending few days at North coast with family means no gym, but yet I can do some work outs.
I took the ab wheel, the jumping rope and a 10 Kgs DB with me in the back of my car.

North Coast WOD #1
Part1: 2 minutes Jumping Jacks
Part2: Ladder training
1,2,3,........10 reps HSPU
10,9,8m......1 reps Ab Wheel Roll Outs

North Coast WOD #2
For time
500 Push Ups
500 Crunches
2 minutes Jump Ropes

North Coast WOD #3
30 minutes AMRAP
10 HSPU
10 DB/KB Swings
10 Jump Squats
10 DB Renegade Rows
10 V Sit Ups
10 Ab Wheel Roll Outs
100 Jump Ropes

North Coast WOD #4 on the beach
1500 m Run
100 Burpees

Ramadan and working out

The holly month is coming up and you are probably wondering what to eat between dusk and dawn and when to train to maintain your physique.

First of all; Ramadan is mainly about fasting, praying, reading Qur’an, du’a and charity. So, we are just trying to fit in our training sessions and schedule our meals in a way that doesn’t affect our Ebada (acts of worship) in the holly month.

Training in Ramadan

There are two opinions about when to train in Ramadan?

1-      Train after Taraweeh, thus you have eaten two meals, drank lots of water and have the ability to take your intra-workout supplements and shakes.

2-      Train fasted 2 hours before Iftar, thus you can eat your main meal after working out and you can eat many times in the feed time (from dusk to dawn)

Last year I used to work out right before Iftar, the dehydration was really hard and I got a kidney stone by the end of the month. But I used to do HIIT sessions after weight training routines and I used to sweat too much.

I think this year I will train mainly after Taraweeh. If I had to train before Iftar any day, I’ll prevent any high intensity training and I’ll drink lots of water after Iftar.

Anyhow, don’t stop training in Ramadan; you don’t want to lose muscle and strength or gain fat. If you are not going to gain muscle in Ramadan, then at least don’t lose what you have.

In Ramadan, you may have only 30-60 minutes to do your workout, so your best thing is to do the major movements. Do squats, deadlifts, bench press, overhead press, bent over rows, inverted rows and you may add biceps curls and triceps extensions.  Don’t do assistance exercises that may make you over exhausted and dehydrated that may cause muscle loss.

And you know what?  KEEP IT HEAVY!!

Yes, do heavy weights and low reps. 3X5 to 5X5 would be great for training in Ramadan.

For gains during Ramadan eat several times after Maghrib, drink lots of milk and water and don’t do cardio or HIIT.

If you train to lose weight, do your cardio after a light Iftar or after Taraweeh and drink a lot of water.

Nutrition in Ramadan

-          Avoid junk food, I know it’s not an only Ramadan tip but the temptations are high during Ramadan, don’t get week.

-          High protein, high carbs meals are what you should be eating during the feed time if you are aiming to gain or maintain.
If you are aiming to lose weight you have to eat carbs as well. You can eat carbs before and after your cardio session, for energy and recovery.

-          Eat light protein meal before bed, like cottage cheese, berries, ground flax seeds.

-         An advantage of working out after Iftar is that you can take your intra-workout supplements and post workout shake.

-          Sohour meal may contain eggs, oatmeal, broad bean, peanut butter, banana, veggies, meat, chicken breast, nuts, honey, dates, flax seed oil, olive oil and a lot of water.

-          Dates on Iftar are Sunna. Dates are very healthy, they contain unique blend of glucose and fructose and have very high potassium content and are very good for energy.

-          Don’t eat excessive desserts that are hard to fight specially during outings and gatherings. I know it’s hard to fight Kunafah, Qatayef and Phyllo (Baqlawah) but don’t eat much.

Sleeping in Ramdan

The holly month is a month of acts of worship so it's not easy to find time to sleep and you know that sleeping is important for muscle growth and recovery.
Sleep the available hours at night and try to take a nap or two during the day, 30-60 minutes each.


A final tip; plan your day before the month begins and don’t over think of your training and nutrition during the month. Make a plan previously to clear your mind during the month for praying, reading Qur’an and doing all acts of worship. Enjoy the greatness of holly Ramadan and make your training and nutrition just as simple act as breathing, don’t give them larger attention and forget what really Ramadan is about.



Thank you

IR.

Posterior Deltoid Exercises

 Posterior Deltoid (A.K.A reae deltoid or rear shoulder) is a muscle that most people (including myself) train with only one exercise in the shoulder routine, although the shoulder routine should contain 2-3 rear shoulder exercise, typical to the number of exercises of anteriot deltoid (ie. front shoulder).

This muscle is not trained often enough because:

1- Some people usually neglect the whole rear parts of their bodies except the latissimus dorsi muscle, ehich is totally wrong. Some members at my gym don't train their rear deltoid muscles or the hamstring muscles at all. They have to recinsider this.

2- Posterior deltoid exercises are relatively difficult and the muscle itself is relativley weak compared to the anterior deltoid muscle that you can press a quit impressive weight training it.

3- Not everyone really knows the importance of strength and muscle balance, the same reason whay some models or amateurs don't train legs.

Here are some posterior deltoid exercises that are not difficult yet effective

1- Bent Over Lateral Raise

2- Seated Bent Over Lateral Raise

3- Lateral Raise on an Incline Bench

 









4- Lateral Raise on a Flat Bench

5- Reverse Flyes

6- Cable Rear Delt Rows

Finally, posterior deltoids not only they are impressive when they pop off the back of your arm, but they are important to provide the shoulder with stability on all other exercises.

Don't ever skip the rear delts exercise.

 

3.6.2013 WOD

Today I couldn't make it to the gym, so I did a crossfit workout at home with the weights I have there.
This WOD was posted a couple of weeks ago by Jonathan Coyle.

Here we go :
2 rounds for time
12 Burpees
12 Thrusters #115/75
12 Burpees
12 Power Snatches
12 Burpees
12 Push Jerks
12 Burpees
12 Hang Squat Cleans
12 Burpees
12 Overhead Squats

Crossfitters, this wod is a killer.
I could do only one round this time, but I'm willing to kill the two rounds the next time.
So, go follow this beast and do your workout.