Build bigger arms with timed sets

I love training arms. I always have, and I probably always will. It’s no secret that Arnold and his massive biceps inspired me to take up strength training, and it looks like there’s no turning back.

Some coaches and experts suggest that giving your arms extra attention is unnecessary. On closer inspection, you’ll often find that these experts’ own arms aren’t particularly impressive either. With this article, I want to inspire you to train your arms and give you a program that guarantees growth.

As a huge fan of arm training, I’ve trained my arms in many different ways, but the method I’m introducing here is relatively unusual and new even to me. This approach isn’t boring, and the program helped me break through an arm growth plateau I’d been struggling with for some time. These workouts don’t take much time, either.

It’s time to get those arms growing…

A while back, Dave Tate was also a keen advocate of timed sets. I’d experimented with this approach before, but I’d certainly never devoted an entire training cycle to timed sets. That changed with this program.

I followed this program for 12 weeks, and by the end I’d broken the 18-inch (46 cm) barrier. Admittedly, I took the measurements at the end of a workout with my arms pumped, but I’d been waiting a long time for that result. I’d also say that, for a man weighing 210 pounds (about 95 kg), 18-inch (46 cm) arms are pretty respectable. Of course, I still want them to be even bigger, so I’ll definitely return to this program after an important powerlifting competition.

The plan is simple. Set aside one day a week as a dedicated arm day. The idea is to perform most of the exercises in this program as timed sets.

The progression is as follows:

Week 1: 3 x 25 seconds, using the same weight for every set (for example, 3 x 25 seconds with 25 kg)

Week 2: 3 x 35 seconds, using the same weight for every set and the same weight as in the first week (for example, 3 x 35 seconds with 25 kg)

Week 3: 3 x 45 seconds, again using the same weight for every set and the same weight as in the first week (3 x 45 seconds, still using, for example, 25 kg for every set)

Don’t be afraid to start very light—I did, and I got good results. You can comfortably choose a working weight that you’d normally use for an easy warm-up. What ensures results is the prolonged time under tension, which you increase from week to week.

For example, I started with incline machine pullovers using 16 kg for 3 x 25 in the first week, which felt relatively easy at first. By the end of week 12, however, I was using 32 kg for 3 x 45.

Start timing the set when you begin the first rep. Naturally, your tempo won’t stay consistent throughout the set as you get tired, but don’t pause or stop partway through.

Although exercises vary, 25 seconds works out to roughly 10 – 12 reps, 35 seconds to about 13 – 16 reps, and 45 seconds to about 16 – 20 reps. Two reps every 5 seconds is a useful guideline. Ultimately, though, perform the set at a pace that suits you. Focus on time under tension rather than rep count.

The first exercise for both triceps and biceps is not timed. Here, the idea is to increase the weight, using short sets to develop pure strength. Perform the subsequent timed exercises as supersets.

The exercises are as follows:

Triceps

Close-grip bench press, video – use a thumbless grip.
Incline machine pullover, video – works your chest, lats and rear delts, but you’ll feel this exercise most in the long head of your triceps.
Pullover combined with a “skull crusher”, video.

Biceps

EZ-bar curl, video – use an EZ bar for these curls and lean slightly forward (15 degrees). A little “swing” is allowed on each rep. You should, of course, finish each rep standing upright, without leaning back and arching your back. A little momentum is necessary because the weight is heavy, and that slight swing helps you apply maximum strength. However, avoid using so much weight that the movement becomes more of a barbell clean.
Standing straight-bar cable curl: make sure you use proper technique, keep the movement controlled and aim for a slight stretch at the bottom of each rep. Straight bars can often put strain on your wrists during curls, but this cable exercise, performed with a relatively light weight, is unlikely to be a problem.
Dumbbell “hammer curls”, video.
Machine curls, video.

Perform the exercises in the order listed, but decide for yourself whether to use supersets for your arm workout (alternating biceps and triceps) or complete all the exercises for one muscle before moving on to the other. If you choose supersets, rest only after completing two exercises.

As for rest periods, keep them relatively short between timed sets in the first week: 30 seconds is about right. In the second week, rest for 60 – 90 seconds between timed sets, and in the third week, try to keep your rest periods to 2.30 between sets.
For the first exercises, where you use heavy weights and short sets, I definitely recommend supersets.

Since this is only a three-week cycle, you should complete it 2 – 3 times to get serious results. Increase the weights after each three-week cycle, usually by 2.5 – 5 kg for each exercise, then repeat the three-week cycle described above.

I recommend completing this three-week cycle at least twice, although 3 – 5 times would be even better.

The heavy work

Note: as you can see, the first exercises for both triceps and biceps use rep-based sets rather than timed sets. These are strictly strength sets.

Close-grip bench press
Week 1: 5 x 3, using the same weight for all sets, for example 5 x 3 with 90 kg.
Week 2: 5 x 4, using the same weight for all sets. Use the weight from the first week (90 kg) and perform 5 x 4.
Week 3: 5 x 5, using the same weight for all sets, still with the weight from the first week.
Week 4: add 2.5 – 5 kg to the weight from the first week and start again. For example, 92.5 kg – 5 x 3.

Barbell curls
Week 1: 8, 4, 2, 4, 8 (the last two sets have the same rep count as the first two sets, but the weight may be lighter). For example: 50 kg – 8 reps, 65 kg – 4 reps, 75 kg – 2 reps, 55 kg – 4 reps, 45 kg – 8 reps.
Week 2: 10, 5, 3, 5, 10 (still using the weights from the first week). For example: 50 kg – 10 reps, 65 kg – 5 reps, 75 kg – 3 reps, 55 kg – 5 reps, 45 kg – 10 reps.
Week 3: 12, 6, 3, 6, 12, using the same weights as in week 1: 50 kg – 12 reps, 65 kg – 6 reps, 75 kg – 3 reps, 55 kg – 6 reps, 45 kg – 12 reps.
Week 4: add 2.5 kg to the weights from the first week and repeat the cycle: 52.5 kg – 8 reps, 67.5 kg – 4 reps, 77.5 kg – 2 reps, 57.5 kg – 4 reps, 47.5 kg – 8 reps.

Once you have completed the cycle, if you plan to repeat it, first assess whether it worked or whether you should replace any exercises for subsequent cycles.

Personally, I find that the triceps exercises listed work very well and do not need changing. I was initially skeptical about the incline bench machine pullover, as I could not feel my triceps working much during the exercise. That changed over time: I began to feel a proper stretch and could feel the muscle working. This program has been particularly helpful in developing the long head of my triceps, which has always been a major problem for me.

For biceps, I tried various exercises. I am not usually a big fan of machines for biceps training, but I found that machine exercises could work very well, especially toward the end of a workout. Originally, I used dumbbell concentration curls in place of the final exercise, but adding 2.5 kg is a big jump for this exercise, and progress on concentration curls soon stalls.

When I first started this program, I combined arms with shoulder training. However, as the program progressed, it became increasingly difficult to focus on the arm exercises and complete them with the required volume and weight. Since then, I have adjusted my training split as follows when using this program:
Day 1: Arms
Day 2: Legs and lower back
Day 3: Chest, shoulders and back (during this arm program, I do little bench pressing and place more emphasis on overhead presses)

Of course, you do not have to use exactly the same split. Just try to fit arm training into your split at a point when your arms are not too fatigued from the previous workout. You can also try training the rest of your body with timed sets. I tried it, and my body responded with progress to a very new and surprising stimulus.

To sum up, timed sets are certainly nothing new (is any approach truly new anymore?), but this method is a good way to give your progress a fresh boost, and it definitely works for arms.

Author: Janar Rückenberg (translation)

Come and train! ArtGym