Name: Playbook - Rob Riches - Biceps & Forearms (Ep 8.3 - Endurance)
Uploaded: 2021-06-07T18:32:11.526Z
Duration: 45 min
Description: Biceps & Forearms (Ep 8.3 - Endurance)

Welcome to workout #21 of the Endurance part of my Lean Muscle Growth Program. Throughout this 4th 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.

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 curls are considered by many to be the king of bicep exercises, as they allow you to lift the heaviest weight, so challenge yourself to lift as much as you can without breaking away from good form and proper technique.

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

Set a bench to a 45-60 degree incline and stand behind it with your left arm stretched out down it with a dumbbell in your hand (ensure your tricep is flush against the pad, with your wrist and elbow pointing upwards).

Curl the dumbbell up towards your left shoulder, flexing the bicep hard at the top (If your elbow lifts off the bench, stop just short before it does). Lower the dumbbell back down under control, stopping just before your hand touches the bench again. Your wrist should be firm and straight throughout the exercise. 

This exercise provides a great isolation for the bicep, and targets more of the short head of the bicep given it's positioning. Keep all reps smooth and controlled. 

Perform all reps on one side before switching to the other arm. 

If you start to fail towards the end, you can use your other hand to under your forearm to gently help raise it up. on Set 3 perform, a rest-pause for 15 seconds after failure, and achieve a few more reps.

Incline Bench Single Arm Preacher Curl

Position a cable pulley on the lowest setting and attach a short bar. Then sit on the floor with your knees bent in front of you and feet on the floor. Hold the short bar with an underhand grip and position your elbows between the top of both of your knees (ensuring there is enough tension in the cable when the arms are opened towards the pulley).

Keeping your upper arms fixed in this position, lengthen the arms to stretch the biceps out, then curl the bar up towards your face as you squeeze the biceps, and flex them hard at the top of the rep.

Perform all reps in a smooth and controlled manner. This version of the cable curl, with arms in this front position, mimics that of a preacher curl, and focuses primarily on the short head of the biceps.

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

Seated Cable Preacher 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

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

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 18  minutes.

Cardio HIIT Rope

Biceps & Forearms (Ep 8.3 - Endurance)

It was very clear instructions and the video was very helpful

MilosLuffy

Donald Lozon

Back & Forearms (Ep 1.1 - Strength)

I felt like it had some repeating shoulder exercise, but overall good

Liked the Ab workout in the end 

Especially the hanging Ab- great for chest stretch

Thomas Anthony 

Richard

Shoulders & Chest (Ep 1.3 - Strength)

I enjoyed this workout I did not have access to dumbbells for my level so I swapped out the calf dumbbell lifts for the hip abduction. Did not have access to standing calf raises machine so swapped for seated calf raises machine. Over all good directions.

Sunil Deep

Adam

Quads & Calves (Ep 1.2 - Strength)

Very challenging and clear directions. The videos were helpful.

Andrés Giordano

Traps & Hamstrings (Ep 1.4 - Strength)

Matt

Biceps & Triceps (Ep 1.5 - Strength)

Francisco

Bünyamin

Cardio (Rest Day - Week 1)

Victor

Amadou Sow

Back & Forearms (Ep 2.1 Strength)

I could not get a smith machine so I opted for walking lunges instead if you run into the same problem I recommend walking lunges or in place lunges using dumbbells or weighted straight bar

Quads & Calves (Ep 2.2 - Strength)

The video was incorrect for the chest press first exercise

It was great. The workout video for the smith machine shoulder press is the wrong one though. It’s a leg press video. Other than that I love it

Ryan Baker

Shoulders & Chest (Ep 2.3 - Strength)

I felt like it did not include enough trap exercises.

Biceps & Forearms (Ep 8.3 - Endurance)

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