Name: Playbook - Rob Riches - Biceps & Forearms (Ep 6.3 - Endurance)
Uploaded: 2021-06-07T20:28:22.805Z
Duration: 45 min
Description: Biceps & Forearms (Ep 6.3 - Endurance)

Welcome to workout #8 of the Endurance part of my Lean Muscle Growth Program. Throughout this 2nd weeks section, you'll be performing a lot more supersets and drop sets, often with a higher rep range to help improve muscular endurance and efficiency.

Keep rest times short, and select a weight that will challenge you towards the total reps shown per set, aiming to increase the weight (or add a few reps) for following sets.

You'll notice that there is a superset exercise (highlighted within the description with '*'. This means perform that exercise and then immediately perform a set of the next exercise, resting only after the second exercise has been performed. 

You'll also see there is Cardio, which can be performed at a separate time,  ideally first thing in the morning before eating, so fat is used as the primary fuel source.

*Perform a superset of 10 body-weighted, or assisted, chin ups, after each sets ( 2, 3). On set 4 - Perform a drop set, lowering the weight by 33% - to failure.

Stand upright holding a barbell with an underhand shoulder-width grip. Shoulders back and chest lifted up.

Keeping the upper arms at the side of your body, curl up the bar stopping when it reaches the height of your upper chest (or just before the elbow starts to pull forwards). Flex the biceps hard, and lower the bar back to the start position, lengthening the arms but not straightening them out completely (as this relieves tension from the biceps).

Keep the movement smooth without any jerking. If you're unable to increase the weight for the next set, slow the negative portion of the rep as you lower the dumbbells.

Barbell Curl

Grip a Pull Up bar with an underhand grip a little narrower than shoulder width, and pull yourself up by driving the elbows down as you engage and contract the muscles in the back to lift you. 

Keep your shoulders pulled back, and chest lifted up so as to ensure the emphasis is on the back, not the arms to pull yourself up. Lower yourself back down until your arms are fully stretched and you feel a stretch in your back and shoulders. Start the rep to raise yourself back up by retracting your shoulders and keeping them pulled back while you focus on the back doing all the work.

Try varying your hand placement to a wider grip on the 2nd and 3rd working set, and use dip belt, or dumbbell between your knees for added resistance if needed.

This exercise targets the latissimus dorsi muscle, the broadest muscle in your back, which promotes good postures and spinal stability, and with this variation, focuses a little more on the inner region of the back.

Close Grip Chin Ups

The arm curl machine (aka Preacher Curl) isolates the biceps, and positions them in front of the body (as opposed to at the sides), which  works the short head of the bicep more.

Position your triceps (back of the arms) flush agains the arm pad (your arm pits should be at the very top of the bench), and rotate your elbows slightly inwards so you have a straight line from your wrists, through your elbows and to your shoulders. This will allow you to place the most stress on (and involve) the biceps the most.

Using an underhand grip, curl the handle up towards your shoulders, keeping the backs of the arm firmly pressed into the padding. Pause momentarily at the top and flex the biceps hard, before lowering back at a slower pace. Don't fully lengthen the arms at the bottom completely as this was relieve tension from the biceps.

On set 3 - Perform a drop set, lowering weight by 33% - to failure.

Arm Curl Machine

Stand upright holding an EZ barbell with an overhand shoulder-width grip (on the bar where your grip is angled slightly more inwards). Shoulders back and chest lifted up.

Keeping the upper arms at the side of your body, curl up the bar stopping when it reaches the height of your upper chest (or just before the elbow starts to pull forwards). Flex the biceps hard, and lower the bar back to the start position, lengthening the arms but not straightening them out completely.

If you're unable to increase the weight for the next set, slow the negative portion of the rep as you lower the dumbbells.

The primary muscles targeted here are the biceps (biceps brachii) and brachialis. The brachialis is not a readily visible muscle because it's hidden under the biceps. It provides a structural bridge between the upper arm bone and the forearm.

On set 3 - Perform a drop set, lowering weight by 33% - to failure.

Overhand Grip EZ Bar Curl

*Superset with next exercise*
Grip a barbell with an underhand grip that's shoulder-width apart and sit at the edge of a bench resting your forearms on the top of your legs with your wrists just off your knees so as to allow for a full range of motion.

Tilt forwards at the waist, keeping your back straight and shoulders pulled back. Your elbows should also be making contact on your legs.

Allow the wrists to fully open out with the barbell rolling down towards your fingers as you slightly loosen your grip. You'll feel a great stretch throughout your forearms. Close up your fingers to tighten your grip on the bar and start to flex at the wrist, pulling the bar back up until your forearm muscles are fully flexed. The key to this exercise is a full range of motion, actively engaging the muscles, and using a weight that isn't too heavy, so as to allow for higher volume and intensity.

This exercise works the forearm extensors, the brachioradialis, and the biceps muscle.

Seated Barbell Wrist Curls

Stand upright with a short pole/bar in your (left) hand. This could be a lat pulldown bar, or an aerobics bar. (Don't use an Olympic bar as this is too heavy).

Keeping your arm at the side of your body, use your wrist to raise the bar up in front of you, going as high as you're able to raise it, then lower it back under control. Depending on the length and weight of the bar, you may want to move your grip further up or down the bar to change the weight being lifted.

This exercise will work your forearm muscles without involving your biceps as much. Perform all reps on one side before switching over to the other arm.

Straight Arm Bar Raise

*Superset with next exercise*
Grab a pair of light dumbbells with an overhand grip and sit at the edge of a bench resting your forearms on the top of your legs and rotate your grip inwards so your knuckles point upwards with your wrists just off your knees so as to allow for a full range of motion.

Tilt forwards at the waist, keeping your back straight and shoulders pulled back. Your elbows should also be making contact on your legs.

Start by pulling your hands up towards you, flexing the wrist, and raising the dumbbells up without allowing your forearms to lift off from the top of your legs. You'll really feel this one in the top of your forearms, on the outer region of your elbows. Lower the weights back down, extending the wrist until you feel a deep stretch all throughout the forearms.

This exercise works the forearm extensors, the brachioradialis, and the biceps muscle.

Reverse Dumbbell Wrist Curls

Stand upright with a short pole/bar in your (left) hand. This could be a lat pulldown bar, or an aerobics bar. (Don't use an Olympic bar as this is too heavy).

Keeping your upper arm at the side of your body, raise your lower arm so the elbow forms a 90 degree angle.

With the bar held horizontal to the floor (grip facing downwards), rotate your wrist outwards (thumb facing upwards), as far as you can without moving your lower arm. You should be able to rotate the bar close to 180 degrees. The return the bar back to the starting position.

Depending on the length and weight of the bar, you may want to move your grip further up or down the bar to change the weight being lifted.

This exercise will work your forearm muscles without involving your biceps as much. Perform all reps on one side before switching over to the other arm.

Straight Bar Wrist Rotations

Ideally, cardio should be performed first thing in the morning before eating so your body burns more fat as fuel.

Choose an activity (or cardio machine) that will allow you to perform it at full effort for 30 seconds, followed by 30 seconds at a much slower pace (recovery)

HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), ramps up your metabolic rate (the rate at which your body burns calories for fuel), and keeps it elevated long after you've finished the activity (low intensity cardio does not do this). 

Gradually build up your intensity level after the first 2-4 intervals (4 minutes) so that you know how much effort your able to sustain for 30 seconds. Don't stop during the recovery phase. Even if this means lightly jogging on the spot for 30 seconds before repeating the all-out effort cardio movement.

Aim to perform this all-out effort/recovery cycle for a total of 15 minutes.

Cardio HIIT Rope

Biceps & Forearms (Ep 6.3 - Endurance)

Back & Forearms (Ep 1.1 - Strength)

Shoulders & Chest (Ep 1.3 - Strength)

Quads & Calves (Ep 1.2 - Strength)

Traps & Hamstrings (Ep 1.4 - Strength)

Biceps & Triceps (Ep 1.5 - Strength)

Cardio (Rest Day - Week 1)

Back & Forearms (Ep 2.1 Strength)

Quads & Calves (Ep 2.2 - Strength)

Shoulders & Chest (Ep 2.3 - Strength)

Traps & Hamstrings (Ep 2.4 - Strength)

Biceps & Triceps (Ep 2.5 - Strength)

Cardio (Rest Day - Week 2)

Back & Forearms (Ep 3.1 - Strength)

Quads & Calves (Ep 3.2 - Strength)

Shoulders & Chest (Ep 3.3 - Strength)

Traps & Hamstrings (Ep 3.4 - Strength)

Biceps & Triceps (Ep 3.5 - Strength)

Cardio (Rest Day - Week 3)

Back & Forearms (Ep 4.1 - Strength)

Quads & Calves (Ep 4.2 - Strength)

Shoulders & Chest (Ep 4.3 - Strength)

Traps & Hamstrings (Ep 4.4 - Strength)

Biceps & Triceps (Ep 4.5 - Strength)

Cardio  (Rest Day - Week 4)

Back & Triceps (Ep 5.1 - Endurance)

Quads & Calves (Ep 5.2 - Endurance)

Biceps & Forearms (Ep 5.3 - Endurance)

Shoulders & Chest (Ep 5.4 - Endurance)

Hamstrings & Calves (Ep 5.5 - Endurance)

Triceps & Forearms (Ep 5.6 - Endurance)

Back & Triceps (Ep 6.1 - Endurance)

Quads & Calves (Ep 6.2 - Endurance)

Shoulders & Chest (Ep 6.4 - Endurance)

Hamstrings & Calves (Ep 6.5 - Endurance)

Triceps & Forearms (Ep 6.6 - Endruance)

Back & Traps (Ep 7.1 - Endurance)

Quads & Calves (Ep 7.2 - Endurance)

Biceps & Forearms (Ep 7.3 - Endurance)

Shoulders & Chest (Ep 7.4 - Endurance)

Hamstrings & Calves (Ep 7.5 - Endurance)

Triceps & Forearms (Ep 7.6 - Endurance)

Back & Traps (Ep 8.1 - Endurance)

Quads & Calves (Ep 8.2 - Endurance)

Biceps & Forearms (Ep 8.3 - Endurance)

Shoulders & Chest (Ep 8.4 - Endurance)

Hamstring & Calves (Ep 8.5 - Endurance)

Triceps & Forearms (Ep 8.6 - Endurance)

Biceps, Forearms, & Triceps (Ep 9.1 - Conditioning)

Quads, Hamstring & Calves (Ep 9.2 - Conditioning)

Back, Chest, Traps, & Shoulders (Ep 9.3 - Conditioning)

Biceps, Forearms, & Triceps (Ep 9.4 - Conditioning)

Quads, Hamstrings, & Calves (Ep 9.5 - Conditioning)

Back, Chest, Traps & Shoulders (Ep 9.6 - Conditioning)

Legs & Shoulders (Ep 10.1 - Conditioning)

Biceps & Triceps (Ep 10.2 - Conditioning)

Back & Chest (Ep 10.3 - Conditioning)

Legs & Shoulders (Ep 10.4 - Conditioning)

Full Body Conditioning (Ep 10.5)

Biceps, Forearms, & Triceps (Ep 11.1 - Conditioning)

Quads, Hamstrings, & Calves (Ep 11.2 - Conditioning)

Back, Chest, Traps, & Shoulders (Ep 11.3 - Conditioning)

Biceps, Forearms, & Triceps (Ep 11.4 - Conditioning)

Quads, Hamstring, & Calves (Ep 11.5 - Conditioning)

Back, Chest, Traps & Shoulders (Ep 11.6 - Conditioning)

Legs & Shoulders (Ep 12.1 - Conditioning)

Biceps & Triceps (Ep 12.2 - Conditioning)

Back & Chest (Ep 12.3 - Conditioning)

Legs & Shoulders (Ep 12.4 - Conditioning)

Full Body Conditioning (Ep 12.5 - Conditioning)

Biceps & Forearms (Ep 6.3 - Endurance)

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