Not so fast. While training with kettlebells won’t target the arm muscles as directly as those other methods, they offer some pretty cool benefits that you can’t replicate without them. Let us show you how to use kettlebells to get bigger biceps, triceps, and forearms while you build total-body strength and conditioning, improve athleticism and mobility, and more.

Benefits of Using Kettlebells To Work Out Your Arms

Kettlebells lend themselves to combination lifts—a blend of two or more exercises that flow into one another. For example, doing a curl into a shoulder halo, or a triceps extension into a pullover while maintaining a hollow-body position (both are featured in the workout below). Combo lifts like these emphasize the arms but allow you to train numerous other muscles and movements too, making the kettlebell a very multi-functional tool. In other words, you’ll get an arm pump with these exercises, but you’ll also build strength and movement skills that carry over to sports you may like to play and other training you enjoy.

Kettlebells also force you to squeeze the handle (or sometimes the bell itself) hard to hold on and keep control of the movement. This is a phenomenon that strength coaches call irradiation, where your gripping starts a chain reaction that creates tightness throughout the body. All this tension lights up lots of muscles, encouraging you to keep your form tight to prevent injury and build total-body strength.

How To Stretch Your Arms Before Working Out

Perform the mobility routine from Onnit Coach Eric Leija (@primal.swoledier)—featured at 00:30 in the video above—before you do the arm workout below. It will warm up your shoulders, elbows, and wrists, improving flexibility and preparing you for the training ahead.

Perform the exercises in sequence (a circuit), doing reps of each for 30–60 seconds. Repeat for up to 4 total circuits, depending on how much warming up you feel you need. If you’re coming off some injuries and your joints feel cranky, do more circuits. If you’re short on time and have healthy joints, you can get away with a shorter warmup.

Get Strong Arms With This Balanced Kettlebell Arm Workout

Leija put together the following arm routine. You’ll need at least two light kettlebells (8 kilos or less) and one heavier one (16–20kg) to do it, and it should be done once per week, separate from your other upper-body training.

Directions

(See 03:45 in the video above.)

The exercises are grouped in pairs, marked A and B. Perform a set of A and then B before resting (called a superset), and then rest 2–3 minutes. Repeat until 3 sets are complete for each exercise in the pair, and then go on to the next pair. Perform 8–12 reps for each exercise.

1A. Kettlebell Crush-Grip Row

Sets: 3  Reps: 8–12

(See 03:45 in the video.)

The first exercise in the routine really illustrates the principle of irradiation discussed above. “Smashing the bell between your hands activates the biceps, lats, and pecs,” says Leija, so you work your arms while giving some extra attention to the bigger muscles they support on your other exercises. “Crush the bell like it’s a tomato can.”

Step 1. Hold a moderate-weight kettlebell by the bell itself with both hands and squeeze it between your palms as hard as you can. Keep this tension throughout the exercise.

Step 2. Keeping a long line from your head to your tailbone, bend your hips back until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor.

Step 3. Row the kettlebell toward your belly until your elbows are at your sides, retracting your shoulder blades and pulling them together. Lower the weight back down until your arms are straight again, making sure to maintain the squeeze the whole time.

1B Kettlebell Pullover To Press

Sets: 3  Reps: 8–12

(See 05:18 in the video.)

The pullover works the lats and triceps, but doing it from a crunch position, says Leija, adds a little extra range of motion, since the floor isn’t there to stop the kettlebell when you lower it behind your head. You’ll feel this move all through your upper body and deep in your core.

Step 1. Lie on your back on the floor. Extend your legs in front of you, and dig your heels into the floor. Crunch your shoulders off the floor and hold the position, keeping your ribs drawn down toward your hips. Grasp the kettlebell by its bell end and reach your arms overhead and bend your elbows so that the weight is held just above the floor behind you. As you did with the row above, squeeze the kettlebell hard between your hands.

Step 2. Extend your elbows to lockout, and then pull the weight over your chest. Lower the kettlebell to your chest with your elbows close to your sides, and then press it back up. Reach your arms behind you again, and bend your elbows to begin the next rep.

2A. Kettlebell Curl To Halo

Sets: 3  Reps: 8–12

(See 06:50 in the video.)

“This move isolates the biceps and pumps up the shoulders, but it and also works mobility,” says Leija.

Step 1. Hold the kettlebell by its horns in front of your chest with your elbows tight to your sides.

Step 2. Slowly extend your elbows to lower the weight until your arms are straight. Then curl the weight back to your chest.

Step 3. Raise the weight up and around the back of your head in a circular motion, keeping the kettlebell close and your elbows in as tight as you can. Lower the weight down, curl again, and perfom the halo in the opposite direction. Each curl to halo counts as one rep.

2B. Half-Kneeling Bottom’s Up Press

Sets: 3  Reps: 8–12

(See 08:25 in the video.)

Any press will work your triceps, but trying to keep the bell from toppling over makes the bottom’s up press a real killer for the forearms/gripping muscles too. It also challenges shoulder stability, which can translate to stronger pressing with heavier, more conventional press exercises down the line. Leija says that, once you’ve mastered this move from the half-kneeling position, you’re welcome to try it standing for an even greater stability test.

Step 1. Get into a lunge position and lower your body to the floor. Both knees should be bent 90 degrees and your hips should be level with the floor. Hold a light kettlebell by its handle on the same side as the downed knee, and lift it to shoulder level upside down, so the bell end is facing the ceiling.

Step 2. Move your elbow away from your body about 45 degrees and press the weight overhead slowly—take two full seconds. Control it on the way down (another 2 seconds). You’ll have to squeeze the handle hard to maintain control of the kettlebell.

3A. Close-Grip Kettlebell Pushup

Sets: 3  Reps: 8–12

(See 10:09 in the video.)

Sure, you could just do close-grip pushups on the floor and get a hell of a triceps and chest hit, but doing them on a kettlebell demands more of your shoulders and core to keep you stable.

Step 1. Place a kettlebell on the floor and tilt it over so the handle digs into the floor and provides some stability. Res your hands on the bell and extend your legs behind you to get into pushup position. Your body should form a long, straight line. Brace your core.

Step 2. Lower your body until your chest is just above the kettlebell, tucking your elbows close to your sides as you descend. Squeeze your shoulder blades together as you go down, and then spread them apart as you press yourself back up.

To make the exercise harder, bring your feet closer together. To make it easier, widen your stance.

3B. Kettlebell Zottman Curl

Sets: 3  Reps: 8–12

(See 11:39 in the video.)

Trying to keep your wrists straight on these is a workout all by itself, and it will strengthen both sides of your forearms. “The way the weight is distributed with the kettlebell,” says Leija, “it’s a long lever. The weight is further away from the handle than it is when you use a dumbbell. So it’s going to feel a lot heavier. Go light on these.” Eight- or even six-kilo kettlebells will be fine for most people.

Step 1. Grasp two light kettlebells by their handles and squeeze hard. Keeping your elbows close to your sides, curl the weights up.

Step 2. At the top, turn your palms over to face the floor, and lower the bells back down slowly. Rotate your palms forward again to begin the next rep.

How Often Should You Train Your Arms?

The triceps are involved in any pushing or pressing exercises you do. The biceps are recruited on every pulling or rowing move, and the forearm muscles can’t escape working whenever you grip and carry anything—so, chances are, your arms are getting plenty of muscle-building stimulus as it is, if you’re following a balanced strength program. One day of more direct arm training, such as the routine outlined here, is a good adjunct for boosting your arm volume while giving a little extra attention to all the other upper-body muscles. To make a long story short, as long as your other workout days feature some kind of pushing and pulling, you only need one focused arm workout per week.

The post The Best Kettlebell Arm Exercises and Workout to Get Strong appeared first on Onnit Academy.

A couple of exercise bands, light dumbbells, and your own bodyweight are all that’s needed to keep your guns loaded when more sophisticated training seems out of reach.

Benefits of Stronger Arms

Some trainers think of big arms as being merely ornamental. They look good, but don’t offer any functional benefit that helps one be more athletic or strong. However, John Rusin, PT, DPT, CSCS, a strength coach and creator of the Pain-Free Performance Specialist Certification (DrJohnRusin.com), says that outlook couldn’t be more wrong. “Straight up, whoever says arm training isn’t functional can’t be trusted,” says Rusin. “Since the arms indeed have muscles, and act as an integral connection point between the hands and shoulders, they should be trained in order to gain, maintain, and maximize force and muscle recruitment in all types of activities.”

It should be obvious that bigger, stronger arms can help you push and pull harder. Any strong bench presser can tell you that the triceps contribute greatly to the lift. In fact, you couldn’t lock out a heavy weight without them. Throwing, punching, and even dribbling a basketball all require triceps strength and coordination. Biceps strength, meanwhile, goes in tandem with grip strength, so any athlete who relies on holding on to something or someone (rock climbers, grapplers, American Ninja Warriors) can benefit from doing a few curls. Of course, big arms are also impressive to behold, and can give an athlete a mental edge when he/she shows up to competition. Even if it’s just a friendly game of pick-up basketball or flag football, whom would you be more nervous to guard—the guy with guns like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, or the one with arms like drink stirrers? Which one looks tougher and harder?

How Can I Build Arm Muscles Without Weights?

Effective arm training can be done with your bodyweight alone. Chinups and pushups may be known primarily as back and chest exercises, but they also work the biceps and triceps, respectively. However, if you really want to expand your arm-training options at home, without investing in an elaborate gym setup, get yourself a few types of exercise bands. Bands will allow you to better isolate your arms for traditional curl and pushdown/extension movements that provide more overload directly to the biceps and triceps.

The best exercise bands are circular (loop) bands—not the paper-thin elastic ones your physical therapist gave you to rehab your shoulder, or the purple ones that come with handles you see in drug stores. The bands on elitefts.com are much more durable and versatile than what you’ll find in your local sporting goods store, so we recommend you shop there. Pairs of micro, mini, and light bands should have you covered.

Bands like this can provide as much resistance as free weights, and can be adjusted to suit a variety of exercises. Anchor them to a pipe, desk, or the floor under your feet, and hold a loop in each hand (or one), or grasp anywhere else on the band to add or reduce resistance. Bands make exercises harder at the point in the range of motion where you’re strongest, and ease up where you’re weak. This makes for joint-friendly training that’s less likely to aggravate any injuries you have.

Think about doing a pushup with a band around your back and your hands securing the loop ends to the floor. As you press yourself up, you put more stretch on the band, which adds resistance to your chest, shoulders, and triceps. Just when the exercise would normally be getting easier (as you lock out your elbows), the band makes it more challenging. So, if you have shoulder problems, the pushup will feel harder once the bulk of the stress is off your shoulders.

How To Stretch Your Arms Before Exercising

Use the following mobility drills to warm up and mobilize your shoulders and elbows before any arm routine. Perform 2–3 sets of 5–10 reps for each move.

Arm screw

Raffiki elbow circles

Inverted pushup rotation

Arm Workouts You Can Do At Home With and Without Weights

There are four workouts that follow, courtesy of Rusin. Two are focused on the biceps, and two on the triceps. They require at least two different types of bands and some light dumbbells, and maybe a broomstick or other bar-like apparatus you should be able to rig up without much trouble. We’ll attack each muscle group with two different styles of training—metabolic stress, which is a fancy science term for getting a pump, and mechanical tension, which means forcing the muscles to overcome greater amounts of resistance and activate the greatest number of muscle fibers.

The pump workouts fill the muscles with blood, which drives nutrients into them and, scientists think, may send the body the message that the muscle cells need to expand (grow) to avoid injury. The mechanical tension-focused sessions emphasize strength. Some exercises in both types of workouts will challenge other muscles while hitting the arms, giving you even greater results for your efforts. These include the bent-over banded row with underhand grip, which doubles as a back move, and the bridge-hold banded underhand curl, a glute exercise.

Other lifts will hit your arms in ways you never thought possible, and are ideal for people who have only light dumbbells at home, or exercise bands. The thumbs-up Y raise may look like a delt exercise, but it will hit the long head of your biceps—the one responsible for the biceps “peak” when you flex your arm. Though it looks like a trap move, the bent-arm shrug forces you to contract your biceps isometrically throughout the set. It will burn like fire after a few reps.

“These workouts are quick hitters that target all aspects of the biceps and triceps from both an aesthetic and functional standpoint,” says Rusin. “Get ready for one hell of a pump. One that will get you bigger, stronger, and downright more functional in the process.”

Arm Workout #1 – Pump Emphasis Biceps w/ Bands, Dumbbells, and Bodyweight

Perform the paired exercises (marked A and B) as supersets. So you’ll do one set of A, then immediately do one set of B, rest as prescribed, and repeat until sets are completed for the pair. Exercises that are not marked with a letter are done alone—complete all sets for the move before going on to the next exercise.

For the banded exercises, be sure to choose a band that allows you the number of reps that are prescribed. If your band is too light, choke up on it to provide more tension. If it feels too heavy, try to reduce the tension by sitting or kneeling. The banded exercises may also be performed with dumbbells as a replacement.

1A Banded Rotating Biceps Curl

Sets: 5  Reps: 20  Rest: 0 sec.

Step 1. Pick up a circle band and grasp an end in each hand. Stand on the center of the band so it’s secured to the floor. Stand tall with your abs braced and pelvis level with the floor. Your palms should face in to your sides.

Step 2. Curl the band, rotating your palms outward as you come up, so that you lift against the resistance of the band.

1B Alternating Thumbs-Up Y Raise

Sets: 5  Reps: 20 (each side)  Rest: 30 sec.

Step 1. Hold a light dumbbell in each hand and stand tall. Keeping your shoulders drawn back and down (think “proud chest”), raise one weight up to eye level with your palm facing in (thumb pointing up).

Step 2. Lower your arm and repeat on the opposite side. If you don’t have any dumbbells, this exercise can be performed with two bands in the same fashion. Stand on one loop, and grip the opposite one.

2 Bent-Over Banded Row w/ Underhand Grip

Sets: 4  Reps: As many as possible  Rest: 45 sec.

Step 1. Grasp an end of the band in each hand with your palms facing up and stand on the center of it to secure it to the floor. Draw your shoulders back and down and bend your hips back until your torso is close to parallel to the floor. Your head, spine, and pelvis should be in a straight line.

Step 2. Row the band to your belly.

3A Bridge-Hold Banded Underhand Biceps Curl

Sets: 3  Reps: 10  Rest: 0 sec.

Step 1. Sit on the floor and loop one end of a band under one foot. Run the band over your waist and secure the other loop under the other foot. Position your feet close to your butt and turn them out about 20 degrees. Tuck your pelvis so that it’s perpendicular to the floor, and brace your core. Grasp the band with both hands, palms facing up.

Step 2. Drive your heels into the floor to bridge your hips up into the air. Be careful not to hyperextend your lower back (keep your core tight).

Step 3. Curl the band while keeping your arms against the floor. Hold the bridge position until you’ve completed all your reps.

3B Wide-Grip, Halfway-Down Pushup Hold

Sets: 3  Reps: Hold 30 sec.  Rest: 60 sec.

Step 1. Get into pushup position with hands outside shoulder width. Your body should form a straight line from your head to your feet, and your pelvis should be perpendicular to the floor, core braced.

Step 2. Lower your body until your chest is halfway to the floor and hold the position.

4 Single-Arm Biceps Stretch

Sets: 1  Reps: Hold 45 sec. (each arm)

Step 1. Grasp a doorframe or other sturdy object with your hand at shoulder level. Step away from the anchor point, turning your body and straightening your arm so that you feel a stretch in your biceps. Hold for 45 seconds, and then switch arms and repeat.

Workout #2 – Pump Emphasis Triceps w/ Bands and Bodyweight

Perform the paired exercises (marked A and B) as supersets. So you’ll do one set of A, then immediately do one set of B, rest as prescribed, and repeat until sets are completed for the pair. Exercises that are not marked with a letter are done alone—complete all sets for the move before going on to the next exercise.

For the banded exercises, be sure to choose a band that allows you the number of reps that are prescribed. If your band is too light, choke up on it to provide more tension. If it feels too heavy, try to reduce the tension by sitting or kneeling.

1A Split-Stance Overhead Banded Triceps Extension

Sets: 5  Reps: 20  Rest: 0 sec.

Step 1. Attach a circle band to a sturdy object overhead and grasp an end in each hand. Step away from the anchor point and raise your arms overhead. Your legs should be staggered. Bend your hips back to put tension on the band.

Step 2. Extend your elbows without moving your upper arms or torso. Switch the front leg on each set.

1B Bent-Over Bodyweight Rear-Delt Raise

Sets: 5  Reps: 20  Rest: 30 sec.

Step 1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and bend your hips back until your torso is about 45 degrees to the floor. Your head, spine, and pelvis should all form a straight line. Extend your arms toward the floor.

Step 2. Raise your arms out 90 degrees until they’re parallel to the floor.

2 Feet-Elevated Close-Grip Negative Pushup

Sets: 4  Reps: As many as possible  Rest: 45 sec.

Step 1. Rest your feet on a bench, box, or other elevated surface. Get into pushup position with your hands inside shoulder width, and tuck your pelvis so that it’s perpendicular to your spine.

Step 2. Take three seconds to lower your body until your chest is just above the floor. Push yourself back up, and begin the next rep.

3A 1.5 Rep Between-Bench Bodyweight Dip

Sets: 3  Reps: 10  Rest: 0 sec.

Step 1. Place two benches or chairs parallel to each other and stand in between them. Place a hand on each bench and bend your hips and knees so that you’re suspended by the benches.

Step 2. Lower your body until your upper arms are parallel to the floor, and then press yourself halfway back up. Lower your body again, and then press all the way up. That’s one rep.

3B Pushup Hold

Sets: 3  Reps: Hold 30 sec.  Rest: 60 sec.

Step 1. Get into pushup position with hands shoulder-width apart. Hold the position with your body braced for 30 seconds.

4 Single-Arm Triceps Overhead Stretch

Sets: 1  Reps: Hold 45 sec. (each arm)

Step 1. Reach your arm overhead and bend the elbow. With your free hand, gently pull on the elbow until you feel a stretch in your triceps. Repeat on the opposite side.

Workout #3 – Strength Emphasis Biceps w/ Bands and Bodyweight

Perform the paired exercises (marked A and B) in alternating fashion. So you’ll do one set of A, rest as prescribed, then one set of B, rest, and repeat until sets are completed for the pair. Exercises that are not marked with a letter are done alone—complete all sets for the move before going on to the next exercise.

For the banded exercises, be sure to choose a band that allows you the number of reps that are prescribed. If your band is too light, choke up on it to provide more tension. If it feels too heavy, try to reduce the tension by sitting or kneeling.

1A Banded Inverted Row w/ Underhand Grip

Sets: 5  Reps: 12  Rest: 15 sec.

Step 1. Set a barbell, broomstick, or other sturdy bar at about waist height. Wrap a band around your hips and secure each end with a heavy object. Grasp the bar with hands shoulder-width apart and palms facing up. Bend your knees 90 degrees and plant your feet on the floor. Hang from the bar with your body in a straight line, core braced, and shoulders drawn down and back.

Step 2. Pull your body up to the bar so that your back is fully contracted.

1B Single-Arm Banded Reverse Curl

Sets: 5  Reps: 20 (each side)  Rest: 45 sec.

Step 1. Loop a band over your left foot and stand on it with your right foot. Grasp the free end in your right hand, palm facing down, and stand tall.

Step 2. Curl the band, keeping your wrist straight and in line with your arm. Complete your reps, and then repeat on the opposite side.

2 Hollow-Body Bodyweight Chinup

Sets: 4  Reps: AMRAP  Rest: 60 sec.

Step 1. Hang from a chinup bar with hands shoulder-width apart and palms facing you. Draw your ribs down and tuck your pelvis. Brace your core. Your legs should raise slightly in front of you and your abdomen should look somewhat hollowed out.

Step 2. Keeping the hollow-body position, pull your body up until your chin is over the bar.

3A Banded Bent-Arm Shrug

Sets: 3  Reps: As many as possible  Rest: 0 sec.

Step 1. Stand on the center of a band and hold an end in each hand. Bend your hips back slightly and allow the band to pull your arms downward.

Step 2. Keeping a small bend in your elbows, shrug your shoulders as high as you can.

3B Kneeling Banded Biceps Curl w/ 5-Second Iso Hold

Sets: 3  Reps: As many as possible  Rest: 60 sec.

Step 1. Stand or kneel on the center of a band and grasp an end in each hand.

Step 2. Curl the band and hold the top position for 5 seconds. That’s one rep.

4 Single-Arm Biceps Stretch

Sets: 1  Reps: Hold 45 sec. (each side)

Step 1. Grasp a doorframe or other sturdy object with your hand at shoulder level. Step away from the anchor point, turning your body and straightening your arm so that you feel a stretch in your biceps. Hold for 45 seconds, and then switch arms and repeat.

Workout #4 –Strength Emphasis Triceps w/ Bands and Bodyweight

Perform the paired exercises (marked A and B) in alternating fashion. So you’ll do one set of A, rest as prescribed, then one set of B, rest, and repeat until sets are completed for the pair. Exercises that are not marked with a letter are done alone—complete all sets for the move before going on to the next exercise.

For the banded exercises, be sure to choose a band that allows you the number of reps that are prescribed. If your band is too light, choke up on it to provide more tension. If it feels too heavy, try to reduce the tension by sitting or kneeling.

1A Banded Pushup

Sets: 5  Reps: 12  Rest: 15 sec.

Step 1. Wrap a band around your upper back and grasp an end in each hand. Get into pushup position with hands at shoulder width.

Step 2. Perform a pushup, lowering your chest to an inch above the floor.

1B Banded Triceps Pushdown

Sets: 5  Reps: 20  Rest: 45 sec.

Step 1. Attach a band to a sturdy overhead object and grasp the free end in both hands. Angle your body slightly to put tension on your triceps.

Step 2. Keeping your elbows at your sides, extend your elbows to lockout.

2 Constant-Tension Triceps Pushup

Sets: 4  Reps: As many as possible  Rest: 60 sec.

Step 1. Get into pushup position with your hands inside shoulder width.

Step 2. Perform pushups without locking out your elbows. Stop just short of lockout to keep tension on your triceps.

3A Alternating Shoulder Taps

Sets: 3  Reps: As many as possible  Rest: 0 sec.

Step 1. Get into pushup position and alternately raise one arm off the floor to tap the opposite shoulder. When supporting your body on one hand, brace your core and avoid any twisting or bending.

3B Banded Triceps Kickback w/ 5 Second Iso-Hold

Sets: 3  Reps: As many as possible (each arm)  Rest: 60 sec.

Step 1. Anchor the band to the floor with your feet and and grasp the open loop with one hand. Bend your hips back so that your body is nearly parallel to the floor. You should feel a stretch on your triceps when your elbow is bent.

Step 2. Keeping your arm at your side, extend your elbow and squeeze your triceps. Complete your reps, and then repeat on the opposite side.

4 Single-Arm Triceps Overhead Stretch

Sets: 1  Reps: Hold 45 sec. (each arm)

Step 1. Reach your arm overhead and bend the elbow. With your free hand, gently pull on the elbow until you feel a stretch in your triceps. Repeat on the opposite side.

The post 4 Killer Arm Workouts You Can Do At Home appeared first on Onnit Academy.

I fantasized about being just like them and possessing the ability to make the impossible seem easy. Thousand pound squats, keg tosses, diesel truck pulls, heavy farmer walks, and of course the old strongman staple: The Tire Flip.

Even through all of my training programs over the years, I have never amassed the hulking physique and Herculean strength to compete at that level, but thankfully, strongman training is not solely reserved for the uber-athletes on television.

In recent years, the popularity of using strongman training (especially large tires), has exploded with many coaches and athletes incorporating the various exercises into their programming.

When performing the various tire movements correctly, they can enhance the strength, power development, and conditioning of anyone willing to challenge themselves like their Strong Man idols.

The one nice advantage about using tires to train is that you only need to be concerned about storage space because they are an inexpensive piece of equipment to obtain. I have three tires at my gym and none of them cost me more than some beer money.

To find a tire, do a local search for shops that deal with commercial vehicles. For one of my tires I had to leave my contact information and they called me when they had one in.

Usually, tire shops are more than willing to part with these large tires because it costs money to recycle them; it’s a win-win situation for you and them.

Once you have your tire, it’s time to start using it, and there are a variety of exercises that will challenge you in ways traditional weight training can’t. With proper technique, your functional strength can reach a level much higher than before.

The Farmer Walk

The tire farmer walk is a challenging variation that taxes your conditioning and grip. Simply set up in a deadlift position and lift the tire, then take it for a walk. Make sure you keep your chest up and shoulders back for safety.

Tire Deadlift

Tires can be used as variations for conventional exercises like the deadlift. We all know of the benefits the deadlift has for hip strength and power production that is necessary for many sporting movements.

The tire deadlift adds a unique grip training dynamic because you have to rotate your hands so that your thumbs are facing back to grip the tire.

Before you attempt the deadlift, it is very important that you lock your shoulders down and back to maintain their stability and safety, and then simply drive with your legs and extend your hips until you are in the standing position (much like a barbell deadlift).

Tire Flip

This is the classic movement that The World’s Strongest Man made famous. The flip is a tremendous movement for people who need explosive power. This is one of the best exercises for athletes such as football linemen, wrestlers, and others who need to exert force quickly to move heavy opponents.

The flip looks simple enough, right? You just lift the tire up and flip it over. Essentially, that is the idea and with a light tire it may not matter how strict your technique is, but if you want to lift a relatively heavy tire without proper technique, you might be setting yourself up for a potential injury.

The first concept to consider is the fact that the tire flip is not a deadlift; it is more like a hack squat. The movement is generated solely from the lower body, the arms merely lock onto the tire. Do not attempt to lift the tire with your arms or serious injury can occur.

To set up properly you want your arms slightly bent and in a comfortable position. Your feet should be back away from the tire and your chest up against it. Your back is flat and your hips are low. Lockdown your upper body and drive from your legs to extend your hips, knees, and ankles.

When you do this your hips should be propelling the tire simultaneously upward and forward. Your body should remain close to the tire at all times as you quickly rotate your hands and follow through until it is completely flipped.

Some tires are heavy and you may only be able to lift it waist high; at this point, drive one of your knees against the tire to prop it up until you can get your hands turned and your hips adjusted to complete the flip.

You can train tire flips in two ways: you can flip a heavy tire for strength and power production or go with a lighter tire to work more volume and train your endurance and conditioning.

Sledgehammers

I do not know of a single person who does not enjoy beating a tire with a sledgehammer. Much like the tire flip, this exercise is great for power production, however, sledgehammer work focuses on power production in the opposite direction.

Instead of extending the hips and propelling the tire upward, you drop your hips to swing the hammer into the tire. Sports like wrestling, judo, and rotational sports (baseball, volleyball, golf, etc.) can benefit tremendously from sledgehammer training.

Like the tire flip, the movement might seem simple enough, but understanding a few important technical components will make sledgehammer work safer and much more effective. Line up the head of the hammer on the middle of the tire in front of you.

Have your feet lined up about shoulder width apart. One hand should be on the top of the handle and one near the bottom. Rotate the hammer until it gets aligned directly over your head.

With the hammer overhead, it should feel weightless, this is where you begin to simultaneously drop your hips downward as your top hand slides toward the bottom so maximum power can be generated. Catch the hammer up high on the rebound and then repeat the motion.

When you get the hang of it, alternate sides.

Partner Work

Tires can be great for team building and there are a few movements where two people can work together to get the job done. At my gym there is one tire that is so heavy that only one person has successfully flipped it by himself.

To manipulate this monster weight, we do partner flips. Each person sets up close to the other and away they flip. Timing and teamwork is necessary for this exercise to be successful.

Quite possibly one of my favorite drills is the partner tire push. This has a practical sporting application for anyone needing to absorb force and generate power from their legs and project it through their upper body, especially in a pushing motion like a lineman in football.

Put one person on either side of a large tire with a staggered stance. One person will keep their elbows tucked, drive with their legs, and shove the tire towards the other person.

The other person will tuck their arms close to the side of their body and absorb the energy with their core and legs muscles, then redirect the tire back to their partner.

Sample Tractor Tire Workouts

Tire training offers a unique and unparalleled experience that should be considered in most strength and conditioning programs where power generation is a necessity.

Adding some of these tire training exercises into a carefully structured strength and conditioning program will enhance strength, coordination and increase power production. Now go out and find a tire and make it happen.

Tire Flip And Farmer Walk Circuit

This circuit consists of three rounds of two tire movements; simply flip the tire a desired distance and then jump inside, deadlift the tire and farmer walk it back to the start. Try to complete three rounds in a row or rest if you want to fully recover.

I also like using partners for this circuit. One person completes a round and then it’s on to the next person. If you have enough athletes at one time, make some teams and time them and see who completes the challenge the fastest.

2 Minute Tire Flip Challenge

One of the records on the board in my gym is the Two Minute Tire Flip. We use the small tire (approximately 250lbs.) and flip it as many times as we can in two minutes.

By the end of the challenge your hamstrings should be screaming and you should have some burning lungs to go with it. If you can get into the high 40s for repetitions you are doing quite well. Take the challenge and see where you stand.

Tire Flip And Sledgehammer Circuit

Much like the circuit above, start by flipping the tire for a desired distance and then when you get to the end grab the hammer and hit the tire for 15 strikes on each side. Rest and repeat the circuit two more times.

Sledgehammer Circuit

My favorite sledgehammer circuit consists of 30 seconds of work and 15 seconds of rest. You are going to work on one side, rest, and then perform the strikes on the opposite side. For an added challenge add a third round where you alternate strikes on each side.

Rest about 60 seconds after each group of two or three and complete the whole circuit three times.

The Top 5 Tractor Tire Exercises: Flipping & Beyond

The post The Top 5 Tractor Tire Exercises: Flipping & Beyond appeared first on Onnit Academy.

Fast & Furious 6 and Furious 7

After appearing as former street racer Tej Parker in the series’ 2011 installment, Fast Five, Ludacris hired trainer Jason VanHeulen to help him put on weight for the next sequel. “He told me, ‘I’m tired of being this little shrimp around guys like Dwayne and Vin,’” says VanHeulen. “Chris weighed 154 pounds at the time, and he begged the director for a shirtless scene in the next movie. All of a sudden, our asses were on the line.”

Adding to the challenge of bulking the rapper up was the timeframe the two faced to do it: there were only three months till Ludacris’ shirtless scene for Fast & Furious 6 would be filmed. “We didn’t have a lot of time to put size on,” says VanHeulen, “so we worked hard on making him look bigger.” That meant volume—lots of sets and reps.

“The workouts were grueling, but Ludacris was steadfast in the gym. At the dinner table, however, he often needed VanHeulen to say, “Move bitch!”

The pair began training seven days per week. The workouts consisted of four intense lifting days and three light recovery workouts in which he focused on mobility and cardio, often done in a swimming pool. The lifting split featured two heavy days—one focused on upper body (Monday) and one lower-body day (Tuesday)—and then two lighter days (Thursday and Saturday) for each area centered around speed and rep work. On heavy upper days, Ludacris might perform a bench press, working up to the heaviest load he could handle for 5 reps, followed by upper back work to maintain muscle balance, and then hit his shoulders and arms. Heavy lower days would see him follow the same procedure with a squat or deadlift, finishing up with hamstring, quad, and core exercises.

On speed/rep days, he’d start with an explosive exercise to prepare his central nervous system to recruit the maximum amount of muscle fibers in the session—think burpees into a box jump done for 5 sets of 5, or medicine-ball slams—and finish with more standard bodybuilding techniques, like 4 sets of 8–12.

For cardio, VanHeulen typically had Ludacris do intervals, working at his hardest pace for 20 seconds— swimming in the pool or using various cardio machines—followed by 20 seconds rest. Sessions lasted about 20 minutes.

The Ludacris Diet

The workouts were grueling, but Ludacris was steadfast in the gym. At the dinner table, however, he often needed VanHeulen to say, “Move bitch!”

“I used to have to watch him every second because he would eat so much,” says VanHeulen. “I’d have to order his food for him so I could control the portions.” An extreme foodie, Ludacris loves to eat out and has a giant sweet tooth. “He’s also a perfectionist, so he’s going to look for the ‘world’s best’ wherever we are. He’ll research it ahead of time.” Naturally, with so little time to spare, no such indulgences were allowed on VanHeulen’s program, save for a Sunday cheat.

Ludacris ate six meals per day of standard fit-person fare—veggie omelets, oatmeal, and protein supplements. To gain weight, he kept his carbs high. The goal was to put on size, but the two agreed they wouldn’t try to outmuscle the likes of Dwayne Johnson and Diesel. “My idea was to get him looking like an incredibly fit surfer,” says VanHeulen. Ludacris nailed it, weighing 162 pounds in time for his shirtless scene. “People said he looked more like 185.”

“Ludacris hired trainer Jason VanHeulen to help him put on weight for the next sequel. “He told me, ‘I’m tired of being this little shrimp around guys like Dwayne and Vin,” says VanHeulen.”

The pair continued the same basic regimen nearly year-round and through the filming of Furious 7, where Ludacris got his biggest to date—175 pounds (he stands only 5’8”). His strength followed suit. Ludacris can squat 315 pounds for 3 reps, bench 275 for 3, and deadlift 405 for 3. He also enjoys experimenting with more unconventional lifts, such as mace slams, tire flips, and advanced suspension trainer exercises.

“Needless to say, after his transformation for Fast 6, Chris did not have to beg for a shirt-off scene in Furious 7. In fact, the producers asked if he would do another one.”

Ludacris Workout for Muscle Gain

The following is a sample training week for Ludacris when he was putting on muscle for Furious 7. Exercises marked “A” and “B” are alternated—do one set of A, rest as needed, then one set of B, rest, and repeat.

Monday

Warmup: 5 minutes of mobility and stretching, focusing on the thoracic spine and shoulders

1A. Plyo Pushup

Sets: 5
Reps: 3

1B. Suspension-Trainer Face Pull

Sets: 3
Reps: 20

Continue performing sets of the plyo pushup after you’ve completed all sets of the face pull.

2. 30–Degree Incline Bench Press

Sets: 4
Reps: 6–8

Perform rest-pauses on the last set. Do 6–8 reps, rest 20 seconds, and perform reps to failure. Repeat twice more to end the set.

3A. Dumbbell Bench Press

Sets: 3
Reps: 6–8

3B. One-Arm Dumbbell Row

Sets: 4
Reps: 8–10 (each side)

4A. Standing Dumbbell Alternating Overhead Press

Sets: 3
Reps: 8–10 (each side)

4B. Pullup

Sets: 4
Reps: 6

Take 3 seconds to lower your body down. Use an exercise band if necessary to unload some of your body weight.

5A. Close-Grip Pushup

Sets: 2
Reps: As many as possible

5B. Hammer Curl

Sets: 2
Reps: 8–10

Cardio: Walk on an inclined treadmill for 20 minutes. Keep your heart rate between 130 and 140 beats per minute.

Tuesday

Warmup: 5 minutes of mobility and stretching, focusing on the hips and groin.

1A. Box Jump

Sets: 5
Reps: 3

1B. Feet-Elevated Glute Bridge

Sets: 3
Reps: 20

Continue performing sets of the box jump after you’ve completed all sets of the glute bridge.

2A. Suspension-Trainer Hamstring Curl

Sets: 5
Reps: 20

2B. Windmill Med-Ball Slam

Sets: 5
Reps: 5 (each side)

3A. Deadlift

Sets: 5
Reps: 10

3B. Standing Calf Raise

Sets: 5
Reps: 10

4. Walking Lunge

Perform lunges, alternating legs each rep, for ¼ mile.

5. Goblet Squat

Sets: 5
Reps: 6

Take 3 seconds to lower your body on the descent.

Cardio: Run up a flight of stairs or use an inclined treadmill. Work for 20 minutes while keeping your heart rate between 140 and 150 beats per minute.

Thursday

Warmup: 5 minutes of mobility and stretching, focusing on the thoracic spine and shoulders

1A. Mace Tire Slam

Sets: 5
Reps: 3 (each side)

Slam a tire with a steel mace, or sledgehammer.

1B. Suspension-Trainer Inverted Row

Sets: 3
Reps: 20

Continue performing sets of the mace tire slam after you’ve completed all sets of the inverted row.

2A. Suspension-Trainer Atomic Pushup

Sets: 3
Reps: 12–15

Rest your feet in the foot cradles of a suspension trainer and elevate your hands on parallel bars.

2B. Front Lever

Sets: 3
Reps: Hold for 10 seconds

3A. Parallel-Bar Dip

Sets: 2
Reps: As many as possible

3B. Suspension-Trainer Pullup

Sets: 2
Reps: As many as possible

4A. Dumbbell Curl To Overhead Press

Sets: 2
Reps: 12–15

4B. Chinup

Sets: 2
Reps: 12–15

5A. Suspension-Trainer Skull Crusher

Sets: 2
Reps: 15–20

5B. Suspension-Trainer Biceps Curl

Sets: 2
Reps: 15–20

Cardio: Run up stairs again. Keep your heart rate between 130 and 140 beats per minute.

Saturday

Warm up: 5 minutes of mobility and stretching for the entire body.

1A. Hurdle Jump

Sets: 5
Reps: 3

1B. Side Plank

Sets: 3
Reps: 20

Continue performing sets of the hurdle jump after you’ve completed all sets of the side plank.

2. 10-Minute Circuit

Complete as many rounds of the following as possible in 10 minutes.

A. Tire Flip

Reps: 6

B. Sprint

Reps: Run 40 yards

C. Reverse Lunge

Reps: 6 (each leg)

D. Mountain Climber

Reps: 6 (each leg)

E. Dumbbell Farmer’s Walk

Reps: Walk ½ mile

Hold 35 pounds in each hand and walk.

Ludacris Muscle-Gain Nutrition Plan

7:00 a.m.

● 10g branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs)

9:00 a.m.

● Vegetable scramble containing chopped spinach, zucchini, onions, and 4 whole eggs cooked in 2 tbsp coconut oil.

● 1 pack Total Human®

● 8 oz. Onnit Caveman Coffee

10:00 a.m.

● 60–90 minute workout

11:00–11:30 a.m.

● post-workout shake containing 30g grass-fed whey protein

● 1 serving whole fruit (kiwi, banana, 1 cup pineapple or mango)

1:00 p.m.

● Seared sea bass

● Kale salad with broccoli, cucumbers, carrots, tomato, cilantro

6:00 p.m.

●  Vegetable linguini with chicken and cranberries. Spinach salad with caramelized onions and hard-boiled egg.

●  Total Human®

The Fate of The Furious

As VanHeulen and Ludacris prepared to shoot the latest installment in the Furious franchise, the training underwent a significant shift. Having established a solid foundation of muscle, Ludacris had no interest in bulking any further, and his most hectic shooting schedule to date would make putting in time at the gym more challenging than ever.

“They had so many stars in this one to coordinate,” says VanHeulen, referring to Johnson, Diesel, Jason Statham, Charlize Theron, Kurt Russell, and more, “the shooting schedule was much harder.” And more unpredictable. “I might have 10 minutes with him one day, 20 minutes, I didn’t know. I had to get him the biggest bang for his buck for every free moment he had.”

Although the film was shot near Ludacris’ home in Atlanta, he would have no time to run back to his house or a local gym for a workout. Funnily enough, it was Vin Diesel who saved the day. “He brings a trailer filled with workout equipment to every film set,” says VanHeulen, and Ludacris was welcome to use it.

To make the most of every minute they had to train, VanHeulen aimed to fit work for every major movement pattern into each session. Workouts were full-body, including some kind of squat, hinge (such as deadlifts), push, and pull. Exercises changed daily to account for the unpredictability of training times and session lengths, and cardio came by way of the lifting. “We moved quickly enough to keep his heart rate up. We’d do 2 to 3 sets of as many reps as he could do for each lift.”

When Diesel was done shooting his scenes, he left and his workout trailer left with him. That forced VanHeulen to get more creative about his workouts. “Chris looked at me like, ‘What are we going to do?’ I said, ‘Well, there’s a tree over there we can do pullups on. There’s a lawnchair we can do jumps and stepups on.” It’s safe to say they got by.

Nowadays, Ludacris knows what to eat and how to portion his own meals. “He’s got it down to a tee,” says VanHeulen, and while Ludacris still loves his Sunday cheats, he now contains them to a meal and not an entire day. As a result, he looks better in this movie than any of the previous ones.

“The idea was to get him to look good in a T shirt,” says VanHeulen. “It’s the T-shirt build you want, because most of the time you’re not shirtless.” The two worked chest and upper back especially hard to complete the look, relying on face pulls, band pull aparts, and suspension trainer rows. “Chris calls himself the King of the Four-Pack, because he eats and drinks too much to have a six-pack [laughs]. He looks fuller now.”

Supplements have played a role as well. Ludacris takes Total Human packs every day, “and always pops Alpha BRAIN® before a show,” says VanHeulen. He likes Recovery Protein and Fulvic Minerals, and relies on Vitamin D spray. “When he’s in the studio or on set all day, he can’t get vitamin D outside. He’s had his blood tested in the past and his D levels were always low.”

While the Fast & The Furious franchise has no end in sight, you can count on Ludacris continuing to train for the rest of his life, regardless what roles his movie career may bring him. “It’s not that he likes working out,” says VanHeulen. “He likes making progress. He likes looking back and seeing how much his life has gotten better because of working out.”

Training is part of how Ludacris optimizes the way he approaches everything that’s important to him. “He knows if he does his workout he’ll be able to write music better and work better the rest of the day. It gives him clarity. He still has motivation because he sees all the success it’s brought him.”

It’s also brought him street cred with Johnson and Diesel, two of Ludacris’ biggest inspirations in the gym. “Things have changed,” says VanHeulen. “Now those guys are asking what Chris does for his workouts. Dwayne compliments him and Chris loves that. When he gives Chris a high five or says keep it up, that keeps him going.”

Ludacris’ Fate Of The Furious Workout

Perform each workout as a circuit, completing one set of each exercise in succession and resting as needed in between unless otherwise directed. Repeat the circuits as prescribed.

Workout A

Repeat the circuit for 20 minutes, completing as many rounds as possible in that time. Complete 6 reps for each lift.

A. Goblet Squat

B. Dumbbell Curl to Overhead Press

C. Dumbbell RDL to Row

Perform a Romanian deadlift and then a bentover row in the down position (when your torso is parallel to the floor).

D. Decline Pushup

E. Farmer’s Carry

Hold heavy dumbbells in each hand and walk as far as you can. Ludacris made 3 laps around Vin Diesel’s trailer.

Workout B

Do 10 reps for each and complete 10 rounds. Rest 30 seconds between exercises.

A. Reverse Lunge with Overhead Press

B. Renegade Row

C. DB clean to DB Snatch

Perform a dumbbell clean followed by a dumbbell snatch on the same side. Repeat for 10 reps each and then switch hands.

D. Side-To-Side Pullup

Perform a pullup and, at the top, push yourself over to one hand and then the other. Keep your chin above the bar the whole time.

Workout C

Perform 1 rep of each exercise, then 2, 3, and so on up to 10. Rest as little as possible between exercises. Ludacris uses 20-pound dumbbells for each exercise.

A. Man Maker

Grip dumbbells and get into pushup position. Do a pushup and then row one weight at a time to your side (a renegade row). Jump your feet up until they’re outside your hands, using your back to help pull them forward. Stand up and then perform a push press—dip your knees quickly and use the momentum to press the weights overhead. That’s one rep.

B. Lateral Lunge

C. DB High Pull

D. Parallel-Bar Dip

Workout D

Perform the exercises for 6 minutes total. Do 4–6 reps of each.

A. One-Arm DB Push Press

B. Single-Leg Leg Press

C. One-Arm Lat Pulldown

Rest 3 minutes and then perform the following circuit in the same fashion.

A. DB Clean and Press

B. DB Front Squat

Hold the weights on the front of your shoulders.

C. DB Bentover See-Saw Row

Row the weight to one side, and as you lower it, row to the other side.

Follow Jason on Instagram to see videos of him training Ludacris, @Relentlessjason

The post The Ludacris Workout for the Fast & Furious Franchise appeared first on Onnit Academy.

So, it makes sense to want to craft your monster set of man melons (biceps) and omega mass (triceps). Here are a few things to consider when training your arms to make sure you get the most benefit possible.

Bigger Arms Through Training Frequency

Most people who train to build muscle operate under the assumption that they should only train arms once a week because that is what others have told them at the gym and the magazines on the market.

I was under that impression for a while too but think about something for a minute…

You may not realize it, but you are probably already training your arms more than once a week.

For instance, if your training split involves a chest day, a shoulder day, a back day and an arm day, then you are already working your triceps hard on three days (chest, shoulder and arm Days), and you are already hitting your biceps hard twice (back day and arm day).

This goes to show that, the arms can handle the extra work, especially if you have been training for a year or so. With that in mind, if you want to build bigger arms, you should consider adding in even more arm-specific work.

Keep your split the way it is, but on those bigger muscle group days (chest, shoulders, back) add in some more quality arm-specific training for the biceps or triceps at the end of your workout.

Bigger Arms & Training Tempo

Lifting tempo is the combination of the speed it takes you to perform the concentric portion (muscle shortening) of a lift and the eccentric portion (muscle lengthening) of a lift. It is usually written like this: 1:1, where the first 1 is the concentric portion and the second 1 is the eccentric portion.

An example would be Dumbbell Curls, where it takes 1 second for you to curl the dumbbell up and then 1 second to lower it back down.

The 1:1 tempo is the way 99% of the people in the gym looking to build their arms do things 100% of the time. Unfortunately, they are killing their results, because the eccentric portion is where most of the damage to the muscle takes place. That damage is what causes the muscle to grow.

With this in mind, it makes no sense to have such a short, eccentric contractions. At least, not all of the time. So, the next time you train arms, target one of the exercises to lengthen the eccentric contraction.

Go from 1 second to 2 or 3 seconds. This will cause more microtrauma to the muscle and hopefully, lead to more growth in your arms.

In another workout shortly down the line, try increasing the eccentric portion of the tempo in two exercises. Then, gradually modify the majority of your training so that the eccentric part of the lift slows down even further.

Try that out for a while and make a note of the changes you experience when you look in the mirror when you put on your shirt, and when you walk down hallways. The lateral head of your triceps will start knocking pictures off the wall!

Focus on Training Intensity for Bigger Arms

Most people work the same rep ranges on every single arm training exercise they do. This is usually in the 8 to 12 rep range. That’s OK for a while, but eventually, you need to throw in rep ranges that are lower and higher. Your body gets used to the same thing all the time and eventually stops responding. Here are some things to try.

Train for Arm Strength: Instead of always looking at the 8 to 12 rep volume, try training for strength by increasing the weights and decreasing the reps to the 3 to 5 rep range. This might feel quite foreign at first but stick with it. There’s nothing wrong with working toward STRONG arms on top of having BIG arms.

This video shows some heavy dumbbell curls, testing max biceps strength:

Train for Bigger Arms with Eccentric Only

As I said above, the eccentric portion of the exercise is where most of the damage occurs, so the good idea is to ONLY perform that portion of the exercise.

Also, you can exert more force in the eccentric range of motion than the concentric range of motion, so you’ll be able to increase the weight here significantly. Work in the 3 to 5 rep range here. If you can get 6 reps, you should use a heavier weight.

This video shows some eccentric only training:

Get Bigger Arms with Ultra Endurance Training

This section is all about getting away from the black hole of 8 to 12 reps all the time, so the next initiative to take is to completely blow that range out of the water by doing sets of just insane numbers of reps per set.

Here is an example I have been trying recently. It is the Poundstone Curl Challenge, originated by Professional Strongman Competitor, Derek Poundstone. The idea is to take an empty 45-lb barbell and try to curl it 100 times in one long, gigantic, monster-volume set.

Try this one time, and you will hate Derek Poundstone as much for introducing this maniacal idea to the world.

WARNING: This kind of volume makes your arms just plain hurt. It will also make them grow like crazy. So be ready for both.

Here’s my video the first top I got 100 reps:

Making these changes to your arm training will have a profound effect on your results. Not only will your arms grow, they will get stronger as well. More strength is always something that everyone can use.

Naturally, be sure to use proper form, the right range of motion, and always incorporate stretching to maintain your movement quality while doing this kind of intense training for bigger arms.

Jedd Johnson runs DieselCrew.com, a site dedicated to strength training and muscle-building. Sign up for his free newsletter, The Diesel Files. For more strength training and muscle-building ideas, be sure to subscribe to my channel on Youtube. 

The post The Top 5 Tips for Bigger Arms appeared first on Onnit Academy.

But there is a part of me that wants to eat everything in sight lift everything in sight, and make every muscle so big that I have to walk sideways through doors.

As a professional athlete and United States Marine, staying within a certain weight category improves my chances for championships, titles and promotions…it also helps me run much faster for much longer periods of time for some of the tests I have to take in the military.

Unfortunately, I have a bit a vanity that I have to reveal…I do not like my t-shirts to fit loosely around my arms.

I would buy smedium shirts, but then every shirt I wore, wouldn’t cover my belly button.

So I have decided there is a circumference of arm size that I cannot let me arms fall below…no matter how much I have to cut weight.

I want biceps and triceps that make each shirt sleeve beg for a seamstress to let them out.

Good thing, I train battle ropes, which creates massive pump, and would probably increase the size of my arms even bigger, if I didn’t have to keep my calories below a certain amount.

If you are looking for massive arms and enormous pump, check out these nine battle ropes moves, but make sure you grip hard on the rope and give each exercise every bit that you got…otherwise you will be cursed with your wimpy noodle arms for the rest of your days.

1. Kneeling Alternating Waves

2. Reverse In-and-Out Waves

3. In-and-Out Waves

4. Seated Rope Pulls

5. Kneeling Overhead Extension Rope Drivers

6. Seated Rainbows

7. See-Saw Presses

8. Standing Push-Pulls

9. Side Facing Vertical Waves

Battle Ropes Workout to Build Muscular Arms

Whether you work one or two of these in at the end of a good arm, back, chest, or upper body day, or you perform these exercises as your arm, back, chest, and upper body day, you will not leave the gym disappointed.

Actually, you should find the nearest beach during your prime pump hours to show off what you have just created–a gnarly case of swolliosis.

But seriously, if you are looking for big triceps, bigger biceps, and the biggest pump you have ever felt, check out these battle ropes exercises above.

For full workout and training programs check out my Onnit OnDemand Channel at: https://ondemand.onnitacademy.com/p/aaron-guyett-channel

Enjoy your pump!

The post 9 Battle Ropes Exercises to Build Muscular Arms appeared first on Onnit Academy.

One of the oldest forms of training around is becoming a staple of building fantastic results for athletes and everyone else looking to become a force to be reckoned with.

I can remember many years ago using sledgehammers for destruction; tearing down walls and breaking up concrete when I worked in construction.

When I was done with a long day’s work with the sledgehammer, I felt like a badass, even though I was tired as hell.

My forearms would be the size of grapefruits, and my core, shoulders, back, and grip would be sore for days.

An Introduction To Sledgehammer Workouts

When you think of old school training methods, the sledgehammer is one of the first things that probably comes to mind. In regards to building and developing raw strength and explosive power, nothing beats it.

Of course, the primary recipient of your “destructive” sledgehammer swings is a large tractor tire.

Sledgehammers come in many weights: from 4 pounds, all the way up to 30+ lbs, and some are even bigger.

Along with many of the physical benefits that come with sledgehammer training, you also feel damn good just swinging and slamming it down.

It brings out your innate raw power and leaves you feeling like a superhero (or villain, depending on your mood).

You just can’t get this feeling from any piece of equipment that a fancy gym might provide.

The Benefits Of Sledgehammer Exercises

For fighters and athletes, sledgehammer exercises are great tools to use from time to time, whether it’s included in your circuit training program or as the primary tool you use for strength and power development.

Along with developing strength and power, you can also look to enhance wrist stability as well as strengthen the forearms and grip.

Grip strength is key for both strikers and grapplers along with the other major sports athletes.

Sledgehammer workouts are some of the meanest tools that you can train with, improving your strength, endurance, flexibility and explosive power.

When using a sledgehammer for strength training, it causes you to use the full range, multiple-joint movements focusing on acceleration, agility, coordination, speed, and mental toughness.

You can use it as a full body workout with or without a tire. You can also use the sledgehammer as a warm up exercise before starting your workout with another tool.

Sledgehammers will strengthen muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the wrist, elbow and shoulder girdle.

This is the perfect tool for fighters looking to strengthen those areas and increase explosive power.

It allows for circular weight training exercises not possible with other traditional equipment. Your hand-eye coordination even improves!

Selecting A Sledgehammer For Your Workouts

Buying the right size hammer is key, if you are starting off, don’t go out and get a 16-pound hammer; this will only get you injured.

Start off light and work your way up; a good weight for first timers is the eight pounder.

You can learn the technique and form with this weight and master the main exercises while increasing your endurance levels.

Even a small handle sledgehammer that weighs only 4 pounds with a 12-inch handle are great to use for Donkey Kongs, short range slams while kneeling, and double slams (one small hammer in each hand).

Sledgehammer Exercises

When training with sledgehammers, emphasize repetitive slams into the program; this can develop endurance in a lot of key areas like your back, shoulders, traps, core, and arms.

You can also use one-handed slams (also known as Tomahawks) which will cause you to use balance and core strength.

Footwork is key: you have to pivot one foot in some exercises and then make sure that your feet are set firmly every time (the last thing you want is the hammer coming back at you and hitting your shin).

You can also square your feet up with the tire and do overhead slams, keeping your body straight and aligned.

Slams require major muscle groups and stabilizer muscles to work together during the movement, causing an awesome exercise for raw power and endurance.

If you are a beginner, this is the first exercise to start with before progressing into single arm slams and so on.

The Main Benefits of Sledgehammer Exercise

● Improve work capacity
● Muscle conditioning
● Develop core strength
● Grip/forearm strength
● Full body strength & endurance
● Rotational strength

Advanced Sledgehammer Workout Techniques

As you get comfortable with the sledgehammer and doing slams and other exercises become easy, you can try juggling them. This is a true skill and takes time to develop, so start off using a very light weight and progress up.

With juggling sledgehammers, you start to develop a whole new level of strength and reflex along with hand-eye coordination. I would recommend starting off practicing on sand, grass, or other soft surface; you don’t want the sledgehammer to bounce if you drop it.

Sledgehammer Workouts

Beginner Sledgehammer Workout

A1: Right Side Slams – 4 x 15
A2: Left Side Slams – 4 x 15
A3: Overhead Slams – 4 x 15

Perform as a non-stop circuit, resting 15 seconds in between rounds.

Advanced Sledgehammer Workout

A1: Tomahawks (Right Hand) – 15 to 1
A2: Tomahawks (Right Hand) – 15 to 1
A3: Double Arm Slams – 15 to 1

After each circuit round, rest 15 seconds. Start with 15 reps for the first circuit and decrease reps for each progressive circuit until you are only performing one rep per exercise.

Check Out Some Killer Sledgehammer Workouts In This Video

The post How to Develop Power with Sledgehammer Workouts appeared first on Onnit Academy.

Other Exercise Info

Tip Writer: Mark de Grasse
Demonstrator: Edwardo Williams

The post Form at a Glance: Clapping Push Up Launch appeared first on Onnit Academy.

The Steel Mace Bent Over Row is an excellent exercise to build a powerful back, core and arms. Maintaining core tension will alleviate pressure on the lower back . It is a fantastic back and biceps workout that can be used well with your current routine or by itself.  During the Steel Mace Bent Over Row you will also have the added benefit of a strong grip and forearms.

Exercise Steps

Step 1: Grab the Steel Mace with a shoulder width grip, and your knees bent.

Step 2: Bend over at the waist with your arms hanging down.

Step 3: With a straight back and tight core, pull the Steel Mace to your chest and then lower back down.

Tips & Safety: Maintain core tension throughout the duration of the exercise. Squeeze your upper back as you lift the Steel Mace to your chest, try not to round your back during the lift.

The post Bent Over Row Steel Mace Exercise appeared first on Onnit Academy.

The deadlift is a staple strength skill, but not everyone has explored the potential benefits of the 1-Arm Suitcase Deadlift. This drill will challenge your lateral stability and fire off the corset of muscle around your spine. In addition, the grip and forearm strength necessary to lift and stabilize the barbell will challenge even the strongest lifters.

Exercise Steps

Step 1: Stand beside the center of the barbell with your feet shoulder width or closer apart. Hinge at the hips and grasp the barbell in the center.

Step 2: While engaging your core and seeking to prevent core rotation, pull the barbell from the ground. Keep a tight grasp of the barbell and try to stabilize the weight as you lift.

Step 3: Lockout your legs at the top of the movement. If the barbell is swaying at all, stabilize before descending. If one side of the barbell touches the ground before the other, you need to either readjust your grip to find the center of the weight or move in a more stable and fluid motion while lifting.

Tips & Safety: Before starting your set, be sure to lift the weight one or more times to figure out where the center hand position is; once you find it, keep your hand in position.

The post Barbell Exercise: 1-Arm Suitcase Deadlift appeared first on Onnit Academy.