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'There is nothing more to peaking biceps than just curling.' - Arnold
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Ok so now I'm doing a 10-8-6-4 pyramid, which totally
sucks in a way because I don't get to use max weights
for anything, the first two sets can't be to failure
or my last two sets will suffer too much to get
anything out of them, and my last two sets aren't
really my six and four rep maxes because what I did
before makes them go down. But, it does hit more
muscle fibers at once and also gives my ligaments and
tendons a break. My elbows and forearms have been
hurting chronically from all my heavy benching. They
have really enjoyed the break, the pain is almost
gone. It also means I get to use a slower pace and
squeeze at the top, pause and stretch at the bottom.
Basically I am focusing on quality over quantity now,
until I hop into a straight set phase. Then I'll do
four set of 4-6 reps, trying to get 5 reps each set.
But, this 1st 10-8-6-4 I went light to get used to it.
Monday, March fourth
Bench: 225x10, 255x8, 275x6, 290x3 plus one forced
DB Press: 95sx12, 95sx10, 9
superset flyes and cable crossovers
skullcrushers: 105x10, 95x9
dips w 25# for 10, bodyweight for 10, 8
cable pressdowns with 70x10, 8, 60x10
push ups to failure
Tuesday
Bent over rows: 175x10, 185x8, 205x6, 225x3 plus 1 cheat
DB Rows: 95sx12, 12, 10r 9L
superset CRG pulldowns and close grip rows
Curls: 21's w/ 65 lbs. (failed three reps before I
was done, so I paused for a few seconds and pumped the
last 3 out)
DB curls for 3 sets to failure
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What Are 21's?
One
of Arnold's favorites. Using the curl as an example, you would do 7
full reps followed by 7 half reps from the starting position to half
way up followed by 7 half reps from half way up to the top of the
movement. All of this counts as one set. |
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 Click To Enlarge.
21's Using The Curl.
Wednedsay
Deep Squat (again): 385x3, 335x6
Leg Press: 14 plates plus 4 tens: 10, 10, 16 platesx6
Superset leg extensions and leg curls
Thursday
Incline Press: 225x4 plus 1 forced (the fourth rep was
much easier this time, didn't have to fight for it,
I'll try 230 next week), 205x7 (? not sure), 185x10
Incline DB Press: 85sx12, 9, 75sx10 (I did these in
especially impeccable form, brought them wide out to
the sides of my pecs in a nice arc and pressed them
slow and controlled to full contraction at the top).
Superset incline flyes with cable crosses
Rear lateral raises w/ 15s
Lateral raises, run the rack: 30sx6, 25sx5, 20sx8
DB Shoulder presses: 50x?, 45x?
Friday
Curls: 95x10, 105x8, 21's w/ 65 lbs.
Hammer Curls: 30sxfail, 25sxfail, 20sx15
Lat Pulldowns: 120x12, 10, 9
Close Grip Rows: 120 lbs. can't remember reps, 3 sets
to failure
Superset hyperextensions w/ 25# with db shrugs with
70s
Monday the eleventh of March
Bench: 235x10, 260x8, 275x6, 290x3 plus 1 forced
Considering I did my first two high rep sets with more
weight and thus fatigued my muscles more, I was quite
pleased when 275 and 290 felt a little lighter than
last week. Next week I believe 295 is in order.
DB Press: 115sx7 wow remarkable I do four sets of
bench now and I'm DB pressing what I was doing after
only two sets of bench before!
115sx6, 95sx9
Superset cable flyes with dumbbell flyes
*used the 40 pound dumbbells on all my sets today!
Also stayed with 30 pounds on the cables, both are way
better than I started out using*
Skullcrushers: 105x9, 95x9
Dips: w/ 25# for 10, bodyweight for 9, bodyweight for
8 plus 1 forced
Cable Pressdowns: 70x10, 65x9, 60x11
Push ups directly after last set of cable pressdowns:
15
Tuesday the twelfth
Barbell Rows: 175x10, 195x8 (10 lbs. up from last
week), 215x6 (another 10 pounds), 225x3 plus 1 forced
DB Rows: 115sx7, 95sx11, 95sx9
*Somebody broke the 100s by dropping them on the
ground like a moron, can't use 'em anymore*
Straight bar pulldowns: with a bar that has handles
on each other so you do a lat pulldown except with
handles and with palms facing each other
110xfail, 105xfail, 100xfail
Close grip seated rows: 105x10, 10, 9
Dumbbell curls w/ the 30s for three sets to failure
with one minute rest between
Wednesday the thirteenth
My partner couldn't be here again, so started with
what I did last week.
Deep Squat: 385x3 I was happy because last week when
I did it on the third rep I stopped and had to really
dig in to get it, but this week I kept the bar movin'.
I figure if I can get my deep squat to 405x3 like my
parallel squat is, I'll be parallel squattin' a
shitload!
335x6 (5 pounds up from last week and it was easier,
could have done 8 I think)
Leg Press: 16 platesx6, 14 plates plus a 25# on each
sidex8, 14 platesx10
Superset leg extension and leg curl
Thursday the fourteenth, incline chest and shoulders
Incline Press: 225x5 (yeah!!! one rep more than last
week), 205x8(another rep up), 195x8
Incline DB Press: 90sx6, 85sx7, 85sx6 (went a little
south here because I tried so hard on the incline
presses)
Superset incline flyes and cable crossovers
Bent lateral raises
Lateral raises run the rack from 30s to 20s, then a
set with the 20s to failure
Dumbbell shoulder Press w/ 50s for 3 sets to failure
Friday, iso back and heavy biceps
Curls: 105x8, 95x8, 65x21's
DB Curls: 30sx12, 11, 9
Hammer curls: 30sx8, 25sx9
Lat bar pulldowns: 120x10, 10, 115x9
Seated CG Rows: 105x10, 10, 10
Superset Hyperextensions and dumbbell shrugs (the 70s
got too light this week, time to move up next week).
That's it for the two weeks of 10-8-6-4, I didn't do it
on squats because I feel I'm still gaining from the
old two set scheme I had before, actually I'm gaining
a lot just my partner isn't there often enough so I
can test it. So, since my two set strength phase is
over, I'm going to max on Monday on bench and see
where I'm at! It's the moment of truth... I hope to
get at least 345 but 340 would make me happy, it's
higher than what I have gotten before. After I feel
I've finished with my phase on squats, I'll max on it
too. I soooo badly wanna get a 500 squat before the
school year's out. I know I can do it. Then I'll
"only" be 100 pounds away from tripling my bodyweight
lol. Just like I'm only about 60 pounds or so
(depending on what I get Monday0 from doubling it on
bench. I figure if I get to 2 x bodyweight benching and
3 x bodyweight squatting as a teen I can truly call
myself "strong" lol. Gotta get there in the next two
years though, before I'm 20! Wish me luck!
- Alton
beautifuldisaster420@yahoo.com
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