THIS MONTH'S ARTICLE

Adding some variation to an old triceps exercise

Arm work is by far the favorite pastime for the vast Majority of bodybuilders. If all the energy expanded In pumping those biceps and triceps could be harnessed, We could put the power companies out of business. Maybe you have noticed that all this effort you are Putting into your arm routine is not producing the Results you expect. Possibly boredom is setting in. The following advice might give your arms the "push" They need to grow.

High on the list of result producing upper arm movements is the triceps pushdown on the overhead cable machine. At most any given time of the day, in any gym, there is at elbowspointed least one person at the cable pushing and grunting out rep after rep of pushdowns to pump the triceps. They will probably be using the specially bent triceps bar found in most gyms. The downward bend in the bar takes some of the strain off the wrists when the pushdowns are done in the standard palms-down position. To jog those triceps into new growth, do the pushdowns palm-up with a bar bent in the opposite direction from the standard. For clarity we will call it a V-bar. Using a V-bar with a palms-up grip hits the triceps in a more direct and intense manner than a palms-down grip. All the twisting and strain is removed from the wrists and elbows thereby allowing a more strict, controlled movement. As with the palms-down pushdowns, the trainee should keep the elbows stationary and the upper arms tight against the sides of the body.

At the top of the movement the wrists should almost touch the chest. The pushdown should be done in one smooth, slow movement with no bending at the waist of jerking the weight. Bending over the bar is counter productive.

Although more weight can be used, part of the strain is being transferred to muscles other than the triceps, i.e. deltoids and lats. A slow, controlled movement is the way to obtain maximumsize and strength in the minimum time. At the bottom of the pushdown the trainee should fully straighten the arms and contract the triceps. The return to the starting position should be as slow or slower than the downward movement.

The V-bar can also be used for an excellent pump-out during biceps work. Leaving the bar on the overhead pulley, position a flat bench under the pulley in such a manner that the V-bar is hanging above the upper chest at arm's length. Grasping the bar in a palms-down grip with the V-bar to the neck. Keep the upper arms stationary and the elbows pointed at the ceiling. As with the triceps extensions, the movement should be sone in a slow, controlled manner with full contraction and extension. The V-bar curl hits the biceps in a unique way which will shock it into new growth. Incorporate V-bar work into your arm routine and blow up those stubborn triceps and biceps! As long as you have the V-bar on hand, experiment with it on other cable movements.