The pursuit of bigger biceps and triceps leads many guys to attack the curl rack in search of the heaviest barbell they can hoist for a few reps. In reality, chasing the heavier numbers on isolation exercises isn’t the best way to produce impressive arms. The biceps and triceps respond better to higher volume at a lighter weight than near-maximal lifts. That’s not to say that your arms won’t benefit from heavy compound exercises like weighted pull-ups and barbell overhead presses.

Building a bigger set of bi’s and tri’s requires both the combination of heavy lifts and lighter, higher volume exercises to increase blood flow to the area and target specific muscle fibers. To get the most growth out of your arm routine, follow up your workout with this finisher designed to exhaust your biceps and triceps post-workout.

The Finisher

Perform three sets of the following sequence moving from one exercise to the next without a rest. After completing all four exercises, rest for 30-45 seconds before repeating. For each exercise, choose a weight you can easily lift for 12-15 reps.

You will begin to fatigue during the set and the reps will begin to fall as a result. Use 3/1/0 tempo with all exercises, meaning lower the weight for three seconds each rep and take only one second to raise it with no rest during the set.

3 sets of 12-15 reps of each:

A) Barbell EZ Bar Curl
B) Barbell EZ Bar Skull Crushers
C) Cable Drag Curls
D) Triceps Rope Pushdowns