Workout Summary
- Main GoalBuild Muscle
- Workout TypeSingle Muscle Group
- Training LevelIntermediate
- Program Duration10 weeks
- Days Per Week3
- Time Per Workout60-75 minutes
- Equipment RequiredBarbell, Bodyweight, Cables, Dumbbells, EZ Bar, Machines
- Target Gender Male & Female
- Recommended Supps
- Workout PDF Download Workout
Workout Description
Right now you're questioning my sanity. 5,000 reps? Yes, 5,000 reps.
This is a 10 week arm specialization program designed to beef up your biceps and triceps. Before you click away, discounting this type of approach, understand that it's nothing new. Specialization programs have been around forever.
As bodybuilding legend Vince Gironda said, “Rules are made to be challenged, questioned, changed or completely broken. There is no absolute right way, or wrong way, to workout.”
It's time to break the rules. You want big arms? Pencil in this program over the course of the next 10 weeks and back it with plenty of food and sleep.
5,000 Rep Rules of War
Here are the rules:
Blast and Cruise. Over the course of the next 10 weeks you will alternate between blast weeks and cruise weeks. Blast weeks feature 3 arm building workouts and are super-high volume. Cruise weeks are still challenging, but the frequency is dropped to 2 workouts and the volume per session is cut in half.
- Blast weeks - 3 workouts, performed on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. 250 total reps per workout.
- Cruise weeks - 2 workouts, performed on Monday and Thursday. 125 total reps per workout.
Minimize the Other Guys. The "other guys" being chest, back, shoulder and leg work. You won't be doing many sets for each of these muscle groups.
Eat Your Protein. I don't care who you are or what you weigh. I want you to eat at least 200 grams of protein per day. If you can hit a minimum of 220 grams per day, better yet.
Slap on the Feedbag. Eat. Eat more. 500 calories above maintenance and no less. If you are still hungry eat more. Food equals growth, food equals recovery. You are after both during the next 10 weeks.
I don't care who you are or what you weigh. I want you to eat at least 200 grams of protein per day. If you can hit a minimum of 220 grams per day, better yet.
Blast Week Workouts
- Monday - Chest, Shoulders and Arms
- Wednesday - Legs and Arms
- Friday - Back, Traps and Arms
| Monday | ||
|---|---|---|
| Chest, Shoulders and Arms | ||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Bench Press | 3 | 5-8 |
| Pec Dec | 2 | 10-12 |
| Military Press | 3 | 5-8 |
| Side Lateral Raise | 2 | 10-12 |
| Arm Work | ||
| Close Grip Bench Press | 5 | 10 |
| Dumbbell Curls | 5 | 10 |
| Lying Triceps Extension | 5 | 10 |
| Rope Cable Curls | 5 | 10 |
| Close Grip Push Ups | 5 | 10 |
| Wednesday | ||
|---|---|---|
| Legs and Arms | ||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Squats | 3 | 5-8 |
| Leg Extensions | 2 | 10-12 |
| Leg Curls | 3 | 10-12 |
| Seated Calf Raises | 2 | 10-12 |
| Arm Work | ||
| French Press | 5 | 10 |
| EZ Bar Curls | 5 | 10 |
| Bench Dips | 5 | 10 |
| Hammer Curls | 5 | 10 |
| Dumbbell Kickbacks | 5 | 10 |
| Friday | ||
|---|---|---|
| Back, Traps and Arms | ||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Deadlifts | 2 | 5-8 |
| Barbell Rows | 3 | 5-8 |
| V-Bar Pull Downs | 3 | 10-12 |
| Barbell Shrugs | 2 | 8-10 |
| Arm Work | ||
| Tate Press | 5 | 10 |
| Barbell Curls | 5 | 10 |
| Cable Tricep Extensions | 5 | 10 |
| Machine Curls | 5 | 10 |
| Dumbbell Tricep Extensions | 5 | 10 |
It's time to break the rules. You want big arms? Pencil in this program over the course of the next 10 weeks and back it with plenty of food and sleep.
Cruise Week Workouts
- Monday - Chest, Shoulders and Arms
- Thursday - Legs, Back and Arms
| Monday | ||
|---|---|---|
| Chest, Shoulders and Arms | ||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Bench Press | 3 | 5-8 |
| Pec Dec | 3 | 10-12 |
| Military Press | 3 | 5-8 |
| Side Lateral Raise | 3 | 10-12 |
| Arm Work | ||
| Close Grip Bench Press | 5 | 5 |
| Dumbbell Curls | 5 | 10 |
| Cable Tricep Extensions | 5 | 10 |
| Thursday | ||
|---|---|---|
| Legs, Back and Arms | ||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Squats | 3 | 5-8 |
| Leg Curls | 3 | 10-12 |
| Barbell Rows | 3 | 5-8 |
| V-Bar Pull Downs | 3 | 10-12 |
| Arm Work | ||
| Weighted Chin Ups (Palms towards face) | 5 | 5 |
| Lying Tricep Extensions | 5 | 10 |
| EZ Bar Curls | 5 | 10 |
60 Comments
Do we superset biceps and triceps or just follow in the order given
Order given, but you can superset them every few weeks for a new challenge.
I have started this program and can I do shoulder workout on Saturday after Friday's back and arms workout.
Hey Sanchit - it's best to follow the program as written.
This would work perfect with my armwrestling training while my shoulder is injured. Only problem is a lack of forearm work. What would you recomend? Add a forearm exercise at the end of all workouts or replace one of the tricep exercises with a forearm exercise?
Also. I don't mean to sound arrogant. Sorry if I do when I say; I already use fatgripz for all arm work so that is not the answer I am looking for. Direct forearm work is extremely important for my sport but triceps less so that's why I am considering replacing one of the triceps exersices. Considering your experience I want to know what you think would work best.
Do the weights go up every set or do you keep the same weight for all the reps and go up every weeks?
Hello People,
I am starting this routine on 6th April 2015. I am starting with 2000 calories a day as I am short fella [5'4 an 150 lbs]. My aim : Well defined abs with great looking arms.
I am starting this routine and adding 3 30 minutes cardio session per week. I am an endomorph so I will be consuming less carbohydrates throught 10 weeks. I will be consuming 100 grams fat, 150 grams protein and 125 grams carbohydrates.
Thank you. I will keep you posted.
Well I'm on my week 8 and pretty far i've made a good progress in terms of overall body fat loss and adding good toned look on my arms.
After this routine and I'm on to muscle building program by KRIS GETHIN.
How long before I start seeing results? Roughly?
I'm going to try this routines, can I please for at home and gym.
Do you also have workouts to do at home.
What do I need beside protein in order for me to see results during the course of the 10 weeks?
If time is more of a problem for someone, would super setting the arm exercises still be fine?
On week 6 of this workout, and I must say, I am loving it. Already getting comments on my arms looking more defined and larger. I tweaked the program a bit, going with a 4/3 split. I kept the arm workouts as recommended, but added a separate shoulder/traps day in blast week and then chest, legs, shoulders/back for the cruise week.
Hey TommyJohn, you probably just finished this program recently. If you dont mind, have your arms grown noticeably(.75 inch)? I'm thinking of starting this up, so it'd be awesome to get your input. Thanks!
Hi Steve,
I love your workouts and am looking for my next one but I am a bit strapped for time.
Could I superset some of these exercises to reduce time?
Regards,
Joel
Nice workout
First off, Steve you are right on with this. I am about to enter my 8th week and the difference is very noticeable.
My question to you is, what is a good maintenance program to continue after the 10 weeks are over as to not lose what I have gained? Thanks man
I strong now need I do only blast only? please advise
hi steve ,
I'm working on my first strength focus 5 week workout program and realy could use some feed back , i'm hoping you can be thad person . can i send it to you ?
steve, you never answered the questions of your fans that asked for you to define your programs schedule of blast and cruise weeks. is it blast for 1 week and cruise for 2, or is it blast for 2 weeks and cruise for 1, or is it something else?
Hi Billy,
From the article: "Over the course of the next 10 weeks you will alternate between blast weeks and cruise weeks."
You flip-flop between workouts each week.
Hey Steve, so why only 2 workouts on cruise weeks? I typically work out 5-6 days a week and and need to switch up my current routine. I'm worried that 2 workouts a week isn't enough. Thoughts?
What can I do instead of Pec Dec don`t have the equipment to do it.
Dumbells flies
Is this program designed to be completed as a circuit or complete each exercise prior to moving to the next?
Thanks,
Sam
Steve, what do you think about doing 5 sets for bench, squat and deadlifts instead of 3
Also Steve if I did run this program and did not eat 200grams of protein, would I still get the same gains?
Steve can you run this program without eating 200grams of protein?
You can run it with any amount of protein, but eating less won't be optimal. Specialization should be backed with plenty of food.
I'm getting great results from this, what are your thoughts on applying this specialization to other body parts?
Why are they using steroid terminology "blast and cruise" for a muscle building program? Just an odd choice of words to pick in my opinon lol
Hi,
With the high amount of reps in this routine, i think i may struggle to fit it all in (currently train 4 days a week mon - thur 7am - 8am). Would you recommend using super sets to fit everything in? Tricep with Biceps generally works well for me, but i don't want to fatigue too quickly if I am already doing a high number of reps. What are you thoughts?
Thanks,
John
Hey Steve what group of muscle can I do on the rest days ? And is this program like full bodywork out program?
Do I increase weights between sets for arm exercises? Or it should be same weight for all 5 sets?
hi steve. I'm a big fan of your work. I would like to ask about the time interval for the training of arms? could alter the formation of the back and shoulder workouts because I want to give emphasis on these muscle groups? and on the deadlift, could put it as the last of back or it would be wrong? if I have written something wrong sorry for my english I'm not fluent
Multiple experts say that the rep range 6-8 is best for muscle mass. Assuming u agree with this, is this workout not meant for mass? But for more definition?
No. They are wrong. There are no magic rep ranges. In addition, rep work does not give you fat loss. Cutting calories does.
Is this program and volume suiting for me as I have been doing stronglifts 5x5 for over a year and a bunch of random arm workouts
Wait, so when do I blast and when do I cruise?
J/K, lol.
It says 200 g. of protein, but how many carbs would be a good amount?
Would the approach this program have towards building mass on arms, work equally well for adding mass to other bodyparts if i replace the excersises ?
Hey Steve,
Looks like a solid program. I am wondering what kind of weight I should be doing for the arm workouts on the blast and cruise weeks. Like what estimated percentage of my 1RM? And do we keep the same weight per exercise?
I like very good
Do I increase weights between sets for arm exercises? Like
Steve,
I've been running your Power 8 workout for around 3 months now, and I've decided to run this 10 week program as a change of pace. A couple of questions: I know the purpose of htis workout is to take away energy used from other areas of the body to concentrate on the biceps and triceps, but can I add in RDLs on leg days, and can I still throw in Deadlifts on Curise week?
In addition, I ran the first day today, and like the power 8, I kept rest to a strict 60 seconds between sets during Arm Work. Is that what you recommend, or should I give myself more time?
Thanks,
Nate
Hi Nathan,
You can try to add in extra work. Just play it by ear and see how your body feels.
60 seconds is good. I wouldn't restrict it any more than this though.
Looks like a good workout, I am starting it tomorrow, will I see results?
I wouldn't put out a program I didn't believe in.
Doing 4 day a week 5/3/1 which I keep pretty basic.
Will be adding the arm section of this on my "off" days... unless there is a reason why not...
Thanks Steve, I should have caught that. Thanks again for all you do for us. I have been doing your routines for almost a year now with awesome results.