Biceps and back: Argo Ader’s workout

The biceps are only half the story here: in Argo Ader‘s workout, the back takes the main training load. I went through the back-thickness day, which features pull-ups, cable rows, an EZ barbell and, honestly, quite a long day’s work in the gym.

Why aren’t the biceps the centerpiece of this workout?

Even in the original piece, Argo Ader was an undisputed top name in Estonia: a star of Fat-Burner and Hommiku TV, whose physique many people wanted to see up close. The first thought was simple. Which muscle would people be most curious about in Argo’s case? The biceps, of course.

But the workout itself tells a different story. Argo’s main emphasis was the back, because by Argo’s own assessment it was the body part that needed more work. The plan was put together by Fred Antson. That’s an important detail, because nothing here is random wandering between machines. Every exercise has its place.

The warm-up started on the rowing machine. Before every workout, Argo rowed at an easy pace, and one kilometer was enough. Why this one? The rowing machine works both the upper and lower body, warms up the joints and signals to the body that the real work is about to begin. For the past four years, Argo hadn’t used any other machine to warm up.

Biceps come after the back-thickness work

Back day was thickness day. Argo trained back 2x a week: thickness on one day, width on the other. When the goal was back thickness, Argo pulled up with the chin tucked toward the chest. On width day, the pull-up went toward the back of the neck. The grip was as wide as possible, and the work was four sets to failure.

A training partner was genuinely useful here. The last repetitions could be assisted at the hips, without the partner doing the whole movement for you. Argo’s point was clear: at the end of a heavy set, a partner is essential, as long as they help just enough to keep the rep moving while the muscle still does the work itself.

Next came seated cable rows to the stomach with a narrow grip. The plan called for four sets of 8-10 repetitions. The torso had to stay at a 90-degree angle to the floor throughout the exercise. No swaying from the lower back. The stretch came from letting the shoulder blades move forward, not from sinking forward with the torso. That kept the work on the lats rather than letting momentum steal the movement.

The same idea carried over to the wide-grip cable row. The exercise was similar, but the grip changed how it felt. Different grips load the back from different angles. In both cases the pyramid principle worked well: add weight with every set.

Why didn’t Argo do the classic bent-over barbell row here? The reason was BodyPump. As a BodyPump instructor, Argo already got plenty of that movement there. People who don’t do BodyPump should use this exercise, on Argo’s recommendation.

The back section finished with the barbell between the legs: bent-over narrow-grip rows to the stomach. A regular barbell had one end wedged into a corner and the weights on the other end. Smaller plates gave a better range of motion. The palms faced each other, the knees were slightly bent and the back was arched. In this case, we loaded six ten-kilo plates onto the barbell.

How were the biceps put to work in Argo’s plan?

And now the part many were waiting for. The biceps did get training load, but not as much as Argo’s arm size might suggest. During this period Argo trained biceps fairly lightly, since they were already growing well. Biceps once had a day of their own, but in this workout the main emphasis stayed on the back.

The first exercise was the standing EZ barbell curl. Classic biceps work: you stand, pick up the EZ barbell and do 8-10 repetitions. The weight was 40kg + the barbell. Four sets in total. Help was welcome again at the end. I helped Argo, Argo helped me, and the set got done.

Second came the preacher bench curl with a regular barbell. Some time ago, Argo did it the other way around: regular barbell first, then the EZ barbell. For variety, Argo switched the order. The weight had to be just right to properly pump the biceps, not just fling the barbell up. Four sets again, with full range of motion. There’s no point in cheating yourself or your biceps.

If the previous exercises didn’t give a good pump, Argo added incline dumbbell curls. A couple of sets, lighter weight and a clean movement. In the top position, it paid to rotate the palms outward as far as you can. A simple truth: if you can’t feel the muscle, the weight or the technique is probably wrong.

Biceps and back: the plan in numbers

The whole workout took 1h and 30 min. For the author, that was too long. By the end the muscle feel was gone and the biceps work was no longer enjoyable. On the other hand, a few hours later the back felt properly worked. Argo’s mass-building workout during a diet? No, thank you!

• BACK LATS (thickness): pull-ups 4 x 8-10
• Seated cable rows to the stomach, narrow grip 4 x 8-10
• Seated cable rows to the stomach, wide grip 4 x 8-10
• Barbell between the legs, bent-over narrow-grip rows to the stomach 4 x 8-10
• BICEPS: standing EZ barbell curls 4 x 8-10
• Preacher bench curls with a regular barbell 4 x 8-10
• Incline dumbbell curls (if needed) 2 x 15

The weekly plan was just as clear: Mon. Back (thickness), Biceps. Tue. Chest, Triceps. Wed. Off (or sometimes calves). Thu. Back (width), Hamstrings (with deadlifts). Fri. 2x BodyPump. Sat. Shoulders, Calves. Sun. Off.

And here is something extra: Argo’s old biceps program, which is sure to interest many of you. Barbell curls 5 x 8-10. Seated incline dumbbell curls 4 x 8-10. On a preacher bench with an EZ barbell 4 x 8-10. On the biceps machine 3 x 8-10.

FAQ: biceps, back and training partner

Should biceps have their own day?

Maybe, but Argo’s example shows it doesn’t always have to be so. If your biceps are growing well, the main emphasis can shift to a weaker area, such as the back.

Why train your back 2x a week?

Argo split the back in two: thickness and width. That way the same muscle group gets more attention, just from a different angle.

Do you need a training partner?

At the end of heavy sets, a partner helps keep the work going. They shouldn’t do the exercise for you, just help you get the last repetitions past the sticking point.

Author: joker

Come and train! ArtGym