# best arm workout? also peoples views on dips :)



## ducky699 (Jul 23, 2012)

Firstly guys, i have always done dips on a pull-up bar with a dipping belt around me as i thought that this was the best for gainzzzz. But im starting to see more and more 'big people' doing dips on a bench with plates on there laps sometimes. I was always led to believe that you start on bench dips until you can do proper dips as they are easier but now im not too sure. What are peoples views on this?

Also ive kind of hit a plateu with my arm training, its got a bit boring so im wondering if people could throw some of there arm routines my way so i can try one tomorrow? i usually change reps and sets depending on how im feeling but usually it goes like this

CGB 4 sets 15,10,8,4

Dips 10,8,6,6

Bar Pushdowns s/s with rope pushdowns 12,10,8

Skull crushers 12,12,8,8

Hammer Curls 10,10

Barbell Curls 12,12,8,8 (alternating grip)

Alternating curels 12,12

thanks guys


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## Mingster (Mar 25, 2011)

Bench dips are primarily for triceps. Conventional dips work the chest, front delts, and finally the triceps.

Personally I find 3/4 sets of bench dips and a similar amount of a single curling exercise more than enough to build my tri's and bi's when added to all the chest, shoulder and back work which indirectly targets the arms.


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## nWo (Mar 25, 2014)

Instead of hitting your arms from every conceivable angle, maybe try something like German Volume Training on them? Arms and legs tend to respond well to pump-training methods like 10x10. Either incline curls or hammer curls for biceps, and overhead extensions or bench dips for triceps to mainly hit the long head since the outer part gets plenty of work from pressing movements.


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## sgtsniff (Feb 4, 2012)

I said:


> Instead of hitting your arms from every conceivable angle' date=' maybe try something like German Volume Training on them? Arms and legs tend to respond well to pump-training methods like 10x10. Either incline curls or hammer curls for biceps, and overhead extensions or bench dips for triceps to mainly hit the long head since the outer part gets plenty of work from pressing movements.[/quote']
> 
> Pyramid sets are must for arms. They are now my best body part and have transformed my physique.


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## 1manarmy (Apr 22, 2012)

sgtsniff said:


> Pyramid sets are must for arms. They are now my best body part and have transformed my physique.
> 
> View attachment 157355


Good going man! Explain a pyramid set? I've not heard the term before and I need to work on my arms


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## sgtsniff (Feb 4, 2012)

I said:


> Instead of hitting your arms from every conceivable angle' date=' maybe try something like German Volume Training on them? Arms and legs tend to respond well to pump-training methods like 10x10. Either incline curls or hammer curls for biceps, and overhead extensions or bench dips for triceps to mainly hit the long head since the outer part gets plenty of work from pressing movements.[/quote']
> 
> Pyramid sets are must for arms. They are now my best body part and have transformed my physique.
> 
> ...


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## 1manarmy (Apr 22, 2012)

sgtsniff said:


> Pyramid sets are must for arms. They are now my best body part and have transformed my physique.
> 
> View attachment 157355
> 
> ...


shall be trying that this evening cheers pal


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## sgtsniff (Feb 4, 2012)

1manarmy said:


> shall be trying that this evening cheers pal


No worries mate, Mike Rashid (i think that's his name) has some good videos on this on youtube.


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## Chelsea (Sep 19, 2009)

sgtsniff said:


> Pyramid sets are must for arms. They are now my best body part and have transformed my physique.
> 
> View attachment 157355
> 
> ...


Looks horrendous but good at the same time, might try it and see, what would you usually aim to get with the 18kg set (3rd set)


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## sgtsniff (Feb 4, 2012)

Chelsea said:


> Looks horrendous but good at the same time, might try it and see, what would you usually aim to get with the 18kg set (3rd set)


Erm perhaps 8-12 mate.

I don't count them really i just work to failure whilst increasing it up to the 3 then 1 rep max then work back down again.

Give them a try. It's worked wonders for my arms. I'll pick 3 or 4 different exercises for my bi's and same again for my tri's, one hell of a pump.


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## sgtsniff (Feb 4, 2012)

Chelsea said:


> Looks horrendous but good at the same time, might try it and see, what would you usually aim to get with the 18kg set (3rd set)


Erm perhaps 8-12 mate.

I don't count them really i just work to failure whilst increasing it up to to 3 then 1 rep max then work back down again.

Give them a try. It's worked wonders for my arms.


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## gaz90 (Jun 19, 2014)

tried close grip benching and high board presses for my triceps for ages, despite them been coined 'serious mass builders' but i couldnt feel a thing in my triceps after doing them.

lately ive been having good results (size and strength) since i started doing only isolations, drop sets, rest pause sets are a must for me, its the only way i can feel the muscle and get a good contraction. for arms i dont seem to get enough out of regular sets.

i still do board presses, pressing into bands, using the slingshot for my main strength exercise. my lockout has been improving since i added mass to the triceps


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## theBEAST2002 (Oct 16, 2011)

Don't do "arm w/o"


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## dtlv (Jul 24, 2009)

If you are not one of those lucky people whose arms grow like crazy just from benching and back work is a really good idea to try either of the volume methods above - pyramids or GVT type stuff, or any other highish volume method.

For me to make my arms grow at an acceptable rate I have to hit them direct with volume. The exact method and specific exercise selection is secondary to the general approach.


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## xpower (Jul 28, 2009)

Mine were @ the best when doing higher volume stuff .

I'd do seated dumbbell curls for 5-5 sets of 6-10

Then preacher(machine) for7-10 sets of 10-15


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## graham58 (Apr 7, 2013)

i think too many people do too many isolation movements,heavy compounds always worked for me.at my best i had 19 inch arms at 5,8,,


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## gaz90 (Jun 19, 2014)

graham58 said:


> i think too many people do too many isolation movements,heavy compounds always worked for me.at my best i had 19 inch arms at 5,8,,


thats a serious arm mate. any pics?


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## nWo (Mar 25, 2014)

dtlv said:


> If you are not one of those lucky people whose arms grow like crazy just from benching and back work is a really good idea to try either of the volume methods above - pyramids or GVT type stuff, or any other highish volume method.
> 
> For me to make my arms grow at an acceptable rate I have to hit them direct with volume. The exact method and specific exercise selection is secondary to the general approach.


Good points actually, I suggested in my post that the outer head of the tricep gets plenty of work from pressing on other movements but then there are plenty of people out there that might not find that it's enough. I'm one of those that gets away with minimal arm work, but that said I'll always work the back of the triceps directly because there aren't really any overhead shoulder exercises that also work the long head properly IME. I just leave the outer part to grow on its own though, and could probably get away with not training biceps directly but I love bicep pumps after dropsets on curls too much to stop it :laugh:


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## nWo (Mar 25, 2014)

theBEAST2002 said:


> Don't do "arm w/o"


I don't think arms should be given their own day either. If you're gonna train them full-on then do it when they're already fatigued IMO, get much more bang for your buck then.


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## 1manarmy (Apr 22, 2012)

sgtsniff said:


> Erm perhaps 8-12 mate.
> 
> I don't count them really i just work to failure whilst increasing it up to the 3 then 1 rep max then work back down again.
> 
> Give them a try. It's worked wonders for my arms. I'll pick 3 or 4 different exercises for my bi's and same again for my tri's, one hell of a pump.


I tried pyramid sets with tri's this evening. The pump is next level! Will be using every session mate


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## 39005 (Nov 25, 2013)

I like decline close grip push ups, you can do the things at home and they will wreck your triceps.

Keep you elbows in and slow negative


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## theBEAST2002 (Oct 16, 2011)

I said:


> I don't think arms should be given their own day either. If you're gonna train them full-on then do it when they're already fatigued IMO' date=' get much more bang for your buck then.[/quote']
> 
> I like mixing chest & bi's and delts & tri's. Double up on my triceps and bicep action. That and I'd rather double up on legs then have an arm day.
> 
> 30+ inch legs are fantastic. I should know, look at my pics.


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## sgtsniff (Feb 4, 2012)

1manarmy said:


> I tried pyramid sets with tri's this evening. The pump is next level! Will be using every session mate


Class mate! It's the only way i can get any DOMS into my arms, i know i've beasted myself then.

In any case It's good to mix it up once in a while to avoid boredom.


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## sgtsniff (Feb 4, 2012)

I said:


> I don't think arms should be given their own day either. If you're gonna train them full-on then do it when they're already fatigued IMO' date=' get much more bang for your buck then.[/quote']
> 
> I disagree. I have to keep myself interested, arms day is such a great pump with not a great deal of stress that its difficult not to enjoy. I need that sh1t and my arms have benefited because of it.


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## graham58 (Apr 7, 2013)

gaz90 said:


> thats a serious arm mate. any pics?


no pics sorry as i said it was at my best,i,m 56 now and only got a measly 17 inch arm.


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## nWo (Mar 25, 2014)

sgtsniff said:


> I disagree. I have to keep myself interested, arms day is such a great pump with not a great deal of stress that its difficult not to enjoy. I need that sh1t and my arms have benefited because of it.


Fair enough if that's what works for you mate. I never get bored of arm training as it is, but then my arms seem to grow like weeds no matter what I do for them, I'd imagine if I actually gave them their own day I'd feel like I was wasting my time. That's just me though, although unless your arms are really lagging behind everything else I reckon most could do well incorporating arms into their other workouts.


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## Slater8486 (Jul 14, 2010)

sgtsniff said:


> Erm perhaps 8-12 mate.
> 
> I don't count them really i just work to failure whilst increasing it up to to 3 then 1 rep max then work back down again.
> 
> Give them a try. It's worked wonders for my arms.


How long you been going at this sort of lifting on your arms..? Do you stagger it and go back to usual 8/10/12 reps like every 8 weeks...


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## sgtsniff (Feb 4, 2012)

Ive been doing it say 3 or 4 months and haven't thought about changing yet.

The BEST pump.


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## A B (Dec 16, 2012)

sgtsniff said:


> Ive been doing it say 3 or 4 months and haven't thought about changing yet.
> 
> The BEST pump.


So you use the pyramid approach for bis and tris

What exercises do you do on arm day and all pyrmiad style?


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## sgtsniff (Feb 4, 2012)

A B said:


> So you use the pyramid approach for bis and tris
> 
> @slater8486 @A B
> 
> What exercises do you do on arm day and all pyrmiad style?


Yes.

I vary the exercises but typically.

Bi's:

Preacher curls

Seated hammer curls

standing dumbell curls

standing straight bar curls

Tri's

rope pull downs

standing easy bar skull crushers (behind the head)

skull crushers (lay flat on the bench)

weighted dips

I'll alternate between a bicep exercise and a tricep exercise just so both are pumped at the same time. It's probably my favorite day.

Some recent shots


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## gaz90 (Jun 19, 2014)

graham58 said:


> no pics sorry as i said it was at my best,i,m 56 now and only got a measly 17 inch arm.


measly??

still breaking my heart to get to 16in here haha


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## Slater8486 (Jul 14, 2010)

sgtsniff said:


> Yes.
> 
> I vary the exercises but typically.
> 
> ...


Looking forward to giving this ago, starting Sunday, see how my progress is goes.

your bodyfat looks low for deff on arms and veins, you in a cut at the moment too..? OR just high on Tren


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## sgtsniff (Feb 4, 2012)

Slater8486 said:


> Looking forward to giving this ago, starting Sunday, see how my progress is goes.
> 
> your bodyfat looks low for deff on arms and veins, you in a cut at the moment too..? OR just high on Tren


I was on a cut, i stopped 3 weeks ago and have put about 10lbs on since. I wasn't taking tren i was taking 500mg Primo and 125mg Test E pw


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## Slater8486 (Jul 14, 2010)

@sgtsniff So gave your pyramid training ago on Sunday, Biceps an triceps.

Started with 5 bar's on bicep curls, up and down them 3 sets and the pump is incredible! My forearms the most though, struggled on triceps pull downs to do a a third set after you've hammed 200 plus reps lol. Definitely very good workout!

Will keep it up though as starting a cycle soon so hopefully add some more size definition!


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## sgtsniff (Feb 4, 2012)

Slater8486 said:


> @sgtsniff So gave your pyramid training ago on Sunday, Biceps an triceps.
> 
> Started with 5 bar's on bicep curls, up and down them 3 sets and the pump is incredible! My forearms the most though, struggled on triceps pull downs to do a a third set after you've hammed 200 plus reps lol. Definitely very good workout!
> 
> Will keep it up though as starting a cycle soon so hopefully add some more size definition!


Wicked mate. Yeah its definitely a heavy old session but IMO the combination of heavy weight and volume is best for arms. It certainly has been for me. I'm looking to implement it into my leg routine once recovered from knee surgery.


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