A Triceps/Biceps Blaster

[Bruce Tackett]

Tried this yesterday. I got ensconced onto my incline bench and did 10 reps of incline curls with a pair of 25 lb. dumbbells, and then without pausing, I raised them straight up and then lowered them to behind my head and did 10 reps of triceps extensions, and then at the top of the last rep, I lowered my arms straight down and did 9 incline curls, and again without pausing, straight up and into 9 triceps extension, and then repeated the process for 8 reps each, 7, and then barely got through 6 reps each, for a total of 40 reps each. My goal, of course, is to get all the way down to the last 1, for a total of 55 reps.

I had made my dumbbells as seen in this thread, sierraexercise.proboards.com/thread/1597/diy-permanent-dumbbell , specifically for this purpose so that there would be no ends sticking out. These are the only biceps/triceps exercises I will do in my upper body workout. I preceded this with pushups, pullups, shoulder raises, and Bullworker abs.

[Michael]

I like those kinds of descending rep workouts. I superset the same two exercises except once a week I do the incline cable curls I learned from You. I'm going to try this rep scheme the next time. Thanks for posting this.

[Bruce Tackett]

This exercise is great! You get a thorough arm workout in one exercise. And it's aerobic. By the time I've gotten as far as I can go, I am panting and my heart is racing.

[mr potatohead]

Nice!
I do something like that while I walk, but I use lighter DBs - usually 15#ers, but sometimes lighter or up to 20#ers.
I also hold them in various positions while walking and do partial lunges.
I don't think I have ever lifted weights in any way while seated (well, OK, I tried once) except for very light ones, like 2#. It just doesn't feel right to me.

[Bruce Tackett]

I am stronger with the triceps extensions than I am the curls, so for this morning's workout, after I had gotten through my last set of 6 curls, I raised the dumbbells and finished by going to failure with the triceps extensions.

BTW, Steve Reeves was a big advocate of incline curls. He once said you could easily add an inch to your biceps with this exercise.

[mr potatohead]

Nice! Big triceps are what make your arms look big, or so I've heard.

[Bruce Tackett]

Aug 21, 2019 17:47:15 GMT mr potatohead said:

Nice! Big triceps are what make your arms look big, or so I've heard.

Triceps are 2/3 of your arms.

Aug 21, 2019 17:47:15 GMT mr potatohead said:

I don't think I have ever lifted weights in any way while seated (well, OK, I tried once) except for very light ones, like 2#. It just doesn't feel right to me.

I'm not seated, per se, I'm on an incline bench, which enables incline curls. It also makes triceps extensions more effective, as I'm able to get my arms way back.

[Michael]

Ok Bruce some feedback for You. Did this arm workout today. I wasn't sure how strong I was on incline curls so today I used 20lb DBs. I did 10 to 1 rep which didn't take long at all, maybe 6-7 minutes.

It was a fun arm workout. I'm going to try it with 25 lbs next time. Question about when You do incline curls. Do You start with a neutral grip at the bottom? That's how I did mine.

[Bruce Tackett]

What do you mean by a neutral grip?

Did your arms feel pumped when you were done? Did you feel like your arms got a thorough workout?

[Michael]

Aug 23, 2019 1:16:38 GMT Bruce Tackett said:

What do you mean by a neutral grip?

Did your arms feel pumped when you were done? Did you feel like your arms got a thorough workout?

At the bottom are your hands the same way as in a hammer grip curl? My were pumped and it was a thorough workout. But I think 25 lb DBs would be a better weight to start with. Haven't done incline DB curls in a good while so I wasn't sure.

[Bruce Tackett]

I keep my palms facing forward throughout the incline curls.

I'm happy to hear that 25 lbs. will be a good starting point for you. If you get all the way down to 1 you can go ahead and embarrass me by letting us all know.

[Michael]

Keeping Your palms forward is harder so I'll be humbled.

[Bruce Tackett]

Oh, no need for humility. I keep my palms facing forward because it feels more effective on my biceps compared to screw curls. Without searching, because I just don't feel like searching, I suspect that palms forward is the proper way to do incline curls. Another thing - I don't alternate the curls or the triceps extensions.

[Michael]

Haven't done incline curls in years but I think You're right about the palms forward. I do standing DB curls exactly how You described with palms forward and both arms at the same time. This is definitely a harder way than alternating arms. This arm workout is definitely a keeper, so Thanks. I'm going to stay with the 20's and do it the way You described. My arms got sore which I like. I like stuff like this because it gives me arm endurance which helps when I'm using pole saws. Most people I have worked with say the pole saw effects their shoulders but for me, I feel it in my biceps. But when I keep my arm endurance up I don't feel it at all.

[Alan OldStudent]

I wonder if putting the Sierra door stop under the door and hooking the Sierra bands to it, standing facing away from the door, and doing curls from there is something close to the functional equivalent of incline dumbbell curls?