Basic Arm Exercises

This guide will demonstrate some basic exercises for arms. First, lets take a look of what the muscles in the arms are composed of so you know what you're working with:

The green section is what we call the biceps. There are two heads of the biceps muscle (hence the bi in biceps).


The blue section is what we call the triceps. This is a three-headed muscle that is on the back of the upper arm (hence the name tri in triceps).

The yellow section is what we call forearms. This muscle group has a lot to do with grip strength.
The arms are used as secondary muscles in almost all chest, back, and shoulder exercises. For example, the biceps are used when doing any type of rowing movement for the back. The triceps are used when doing any type of pressing movement for the chest and/or shoulders.

**TIP** I personally try not to train arms as they are used with every compound exercises. If you're lacking on arms then you should train them separately. Remember to stay proportional and not have huge arms with tiny legs.


BICEP EXERCISES

  Seated Dumbbell Curls
  This works the biceps and forearms.

Grab a pair of dumbbells. Sit upright. Let the dumbbells hang at arms length on each side of your body. Keep your elbows close to your torso at all times.

Moving only your forearms, use your bicep strength to curl the dumbbells up to shoulder level. Rotate your hands so that your palms are facing upwards at the top. Hold this position for a second to maximize the peak contraction in the biceps. Slowly lower the dumbbells to the starting position. Repeat.

**TIP** You can also do this standing up or alternating left/ right arms. Sitting down focuses more on biceps and your body isn't moving around as much. Using both arms at the same time will give less rest time on your biceps.

Alternating Dumbbell Hammer Curls
This exercise is similar to the dumbbell curl. It works the biceps, brachialis, and forearms.

Grab a pair of dumbbells. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Let the dumbbells hang at arms length on each side of your body. Keep your elbows close to your torso at all times and keep the palms of your hands facing each other.

Moving only your forearms, use your bicep and forearm strength to curl the dumbbells up to shoulder level. Do not rotate your hands as you curl the dumbbells. Hold the top position for a second to maximize the peak contraction in the biceps. Slowly lower the dumbbells to the starting position. Repeat.

**Note**You can also use both arms at the same time. You can also do these seated like the previous exercise to isolate the biceps more.


Preacher Curls
This exercise isolates the biceps. Secondary stress is applied to the forearms.

Sit on a preacher bench with your upper arms lying flat on the pad, palms of your hands facing up. Grip the barbell with an underhand grip. Lower the barbell until your elbows are almost straight and you feel a good stretch in the biceps.

Moving only your forearms, use your bicep strength to curl the barbell up. Slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position. Repeat.


Dumbbell Preacher Curls
This exercise isolates the biceps. Secondary stress is applied to the forearms.

Sit on a preacher bench with one arm lying flat on the pad, palms of your hands facing up. Grip the dumbbell with an underhand grip. Lower the barbell until your elbows are almost straight and you feel a good stretch in the biceps.

Moving only your forearms, use your bicep strength to curl the dumbbell up. Slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position. Repeat.

TRICEP EXERCISES
Lying Barbell Extensions
This exercise works the triceps, particularly the large inner head of the tricep muscle.

Grip the barbell and lie back on a flat bench. Feet shoulder width apart on each side of the bench.  Grip it with your hands place a bit narrower then shoulder width. Press the barbell up until it is at arms length above your shoulders.

Moving only your forearms lower the barbell in an arc motion until it is about an inch above your forehead. Using your triceps strength push the bar back up in an arc motion to the starting position. Repeat.

Tricep Rope Push Downs
This exercise targets the triceps.

Attach the rope to an overhead pulley. Grab the rope with an overhand grip. Bend your arms and try to tuck your elbows close to your sides at all times during the exercise.

Moving just your forearms push the bar down in an arc motion until your arms are straight. Hold this position and squeeze your triceps for a second to maximize the peak contraction. Slowly lower to the starting position. Repeat.

**note** You can also add various bars to this overhead pulley and it will focus on different parts of the triceps.


Dips
This exercise works the triceps as well as the chest and shoulders.
**TIP** If you're new and unable to do dips; there's sometimes an assisted dip machine that will get you started. If you're more advanced you can use a weighted dip belt and add on weights.

Grab a pair of parallel bars so the palms of your hands are facing each other. Straighten your arms and bend your knees. Support yourself between the bars.

Lean your torso forward as you do the exercise. Slowly bend your arms and lower your body between the bars until your elbows are at 90-degree angles. Hold this stretched position for a second. Steadily push yourself back up to the starting position. Repeat. Overhead Tricep Dumbbell Extensions
This exercise works the triceps, particularly the long inner head of the triceps.

You can use a preacher curl bench for this. Grab the dumbbell over your head as shown.

Lower the dumbbell and try to keep your elbows in. Steadily push it back up in the starting position. Repeat.





VIDEOS

Latest arms video

My first arms video.

Andrew hitting arms 9 weeks in his competition in 2011.


More training guides here:
http://hanhchampion.blogspot.com/p/training-guides.html

Basic Shoulder Exercises

This guide will demonstrate some basic exercises for the shoulders. First, lets take a look of what the shoulder muscles are composed of so you know what you're working with:

Shoulders are often referred to as delts which is deltoids for short. The front part of the shoulder is the Anterior. The middle is the Lateral. The rear part is called the Posterior.

Around the shoulder joint itself is a small bundle of muscles called the rotator cuff which help to rotate the arm in its shoulder socket.These muscles are small relatively weak so they can be injured easily if you don't warm up properly.

Seated Dumbbell Press

This exercise works the entire deltoid area and the triceps. Secondary stress is placed on the upper chest and upper back muscles.

**TIP** try sitting upright and not leaning back so much or it becomes more of an incline dumbbell press which will target more of your upper chest instead of overall shoulders.

Sit on an upright bench. Grab 2 dumbbells and place them on your lap.

**note** keep the dumbell closer to your knees. As you go heavier on weights it's easier to kick the weight up using your leg.

The palms of your hands should be facing forwards during the exercise. Keep your feet shoulder width apart.

Keeping your elbows directly under the dumbbells press them upwards until they are at arms length above your head. Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position. Repeat.

**TIP** You can also do this exercise standing up and it will keep your back straight up.

 

Seated Side Lateral Raises 
This exercise works the lateral deltoids. Secondary stress is applied to the front deltoids and the forearms.

Use two dumbbells. Sit down with your feet close together.  Hold the dumbbells just on the side body with the palms of your hands facing each other. Keep a slight bend in your elbows.

Using your deltoid strength, raise the dumbbells out to the sides and upwards in a semicircular arc until they are just above shoulder level. Hold this position for a second to maximize the peak contraction in the deltoids. Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position. Repeat.

**TIP** Try raising your elbow first and have the dumbbell follow the movement. You can also do this exercise standing up. However, sitting down will isolate the deltoids since your body won't be moving around.

Reverse Pec Dec Flys
This exercise works the rear deltoids. Secondary stress is applied to the upper back muscles and forearms.

Adjust the seat of the pec dec machine so that your upper arms are parallel with the floor when you are seated. Adjust the handles so they are all the way back. Sit down facing the backwards and grab the handles of the machine, keep a slight bend in the elbows.
Using your rear deltoids and upper back pull your arms apart in an arc motion until your arms are straight out to the sides. Hold this position for a couple of seconds to maximize the peak contraction in the upper back. Slowly move your arms back to the starting position. Repeat.


Front Lateral Raises
This exercise works the front deltoids. Secondary stress is applied to the side deltoids and the forearms.

Grab two dumbbells. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Hold the dumbbells at your sides with the palms of your hands facing each other. Keep a slight bend in your elbows.

Using your deltoid strength, raise the dumbbells to the front and upwards in a semicircular arc until the dumbbells are just above shoulder level. Hold this position for a second to maximize the peak contraction in the deltoid. Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position. Repeat.

**TIP** You can do also do this sitting down to isolate your shoulders. You can also raise both arms at the same time or alternate arms as shown on the picture above.

Cable Bent Over Lateral Raises
This exercise works the rear deltoids. Secondary stress is applied to the upper back muscles and forearms.

Set the cable low as shown here. Bend over at the waist. Keep a slight bend in the knees to prevent stain on the lower back. Keep a slight bend in your elbows.

 

Using your rear deltoid and upper back strength, raise the cable to the back and upwards in a semicircular arc as far as you can. Hold this position for a second to maximize the peak contraction in the rear deltoids. Lower the cable back to the starting position. Repeat.

Alternate to the other side and work the movement the same way.

**TIP** Try this for about 12 reps and alternate each side (left/ right).

Here's an old shoulder workout video I made 2 years ago.


More training guides here:
http://hanhchampion.blogspot.com/p/training-guides.html

10.10.12 Update

Hi everyone. I'm finally making some time to update this blog. I'm thinking of making a website to organize things a bit. It takes time to make these blogs and I guess I've been updating my facebook fanpage a lot more since it's easier to post things here and there. (http://www.facebook.com/hanhchampionz) add me if you haven't. 

So this summer I turned 26. The end of this year will start my 7th year working out consistently. I've gotten up the highest about 198lbs this summer. I've ate out a lot so it packed on some weight. Now I'm back maintaining 182lbs and trying to stay a bit leaner. Here's an update of some things that have been going on and also some of the toys I've bought and sold.

May:

I parted out and sold my M3 coupe back in May.

 June:  Jenny and I took a road trip for my birthday to Pensacola & Destin, Florida.

In Pensacola, Forida.

Jenny testing out the water. It's very clear here!

We rode around on the island and stopped here to tan.

Forgot my suglasses.

My truck I picked up after I sold my M3 coupe.

Part 1 of our trip. Mostly driving.

Part 2 of our trip. This one has better clips.

Sold my track bikes this summer as well. I think I'm done for now.

July was 2 years that Jenny has been with me. Also it's been 2 years with me making videos on youtube! Time sure does fly.

This summer a few people I met wanted to start an exotic car rental business.  Needless to say it was a failed business venture. So I really don't want to go into details as it's a long story. So please don't ask.

I visited JK films new office while I was in California. We got a few workouts in that you can checkout on Bart's youtube channel:

Frank, Bart, and I were thinking of opening a gym in California. This is one of the properties we were looking at. Unfortunately at the time we don't have the time to start this up. Hopefully in the future we can make it happen.

At Frank's house. He's definitely got some crazy size/ definition for not taking any type of supplements! Diet & intense workouts are the key.

I randomly met Jay Cutler at SD zoo!

I missed my M3 and wasn't using the truck to haul the bikes around so I traded it in for a supercharged M3 sedan. DCT transmission this time since the 6speed was too much work when I'm tired. It's almost like combining my red 325i and my M3 coupe. Best of both worlds.. besides the fact it eats up so much gas. I'm pretty happy with it so far and it fits me perfectly.

Sold my R1 I picked up earlier this year. So right now I only have an FZ1, my M3 and a bicycle. lol

I shot a video with Chris Jones. He's been messaging me for a while to get a video with me but I have so many message I didn't get to it til now.

Check out part 2 here. The actual workout

This is part 1. Pretty boring.

I was invited to a BBQ at a gym out in Red Oak, Texas. Big J's Extreme Fitness (Intensityville) This was my first time trying axle bar dead lifts. It's alot thicker than normal Olympic bars and requires more grip/forearm strength than overall body strength.

Big J and I. Probably one of the nicest big guy's I've ever met.

Check out the video here.

I filmed another arms workout video that I haven't edited. It's very difficult to film and workout at the same time. It took me almost an hour and a half just to do this when I can just workout for half the time. Also editing the videos take time for me as I'm not an expert at it. I'm slowly making some progress there from just learning on my own.