Memoirs of a reluctant Bulker

Work out like an ironworker!

 

If you’ve ever known an ironworker, you most likely know someone who is just absolutely a brick house. My Grandfather was an ironworker and I still remember how much of brick the man was, even well into his 80’s before he passed. Here was a man who helped build the World Trade towers and many more huge buildings all over this country.

 

After forty years of working with iron, this man was a monster. At the age of 70 he was still working biceps and triceps with his old iron-cast barbell of 135 lbs. I remember him telling me how the job was and that the key was to get warmed up in the morning and just not stop until eight hours later. Imagine moving heavy iron objects and swinging heavy tools without stopping for eight solid hours. Even people like me, may have a chance to put on some muscle after that type of routine.

 

Nowadays, I just sit behind a desk all day with the occasional field trip being a very welcome addition to the workday. However, when I go home at night, and when I hit that gym, I work it like an iron-worker.

 

In the same manner that ironworkers begin work and don’t stop, I get to the gym, begin moving the iron and don’t stop until I’m done and / or can’t move the selected body part. Rarely do I take a breather, in-between sets.

 

Welcome to my five part series:

 

Iron workers do it Heavier and Longer!

 

Some motivational one-liners from the Auditor, to assist you through the sticking points and the sluggish sets:

 

-Feel the Burn, Baby!

-C’Mon, let’s go!

-Push it!

-Keep it moving……keep it moving!

-There you go, its all you!

-Sweet Mother of all that is Holy! (not sure this one is appropriate to working out, but you can use it in most gyms either way)

 

Beginning NOTE: The quicker you are able to work through this routine utilizing strict form, the better your pump will be.

 

 

Part one: Arms

 

-Supersets for Triceps, Biceps and Forearms

 

Warm-up
Alternating supinated dumbbell curls X 25 reps

Overhead two handed dumbbell tricep extensions X 25

Seated Forearm dumbbell rolls on the leg X 25

 

Working superset number one
Barbell Curls 3 sets to failure

Lying Barbell Skull crushers 3 sets to failure then into close grip bench press to failure for each set

Seated Barbell Forearm rolls on the legs 3 sets to failure

 

Working superset number two
Hammer Strength Preacher Curls 3 sets to failure

Hammer Strength Triceps Dips 3 sets to failure

Behind the back barbell forearm rolls 3 sets to failure

 

NOTE: If your arms are not smoking by this point, up the intensity and cut down on the rest.

 

Working superset number three
Dumbbell hammer curls 3 sets to failure

Two handed pulley rope triceps extensions 3 sets to failure

Reverse grip barbell curls 3 sets to failure

 

Finishing superset
Standing pulley knurl bar curls 1 descending set to failure

Knurl bar skull crushers 1 set to failure then straight into close grip bench presses till failure

Seated knurl bar reverse grip forearm rolls 1 set until failure

 

Ending NOTE: By this point you most likely will not be able to bend your arms due to a “SWOLL” factor of 19.

 

At the end of the day, if you can move through this workout as an ironworker would, start, no breaks, consistent, fluent, strict with attention to safety, your arms will no doubt quickly begin to provide you the results you are looking for.

 

Next up: Chest

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 20th, 2008 at 11:57 am and is filed under Training. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.