Up and Down the Rack - Bradley Steiner

 

Often readers ask about "advanced" training methods. 

"What do the 'champs' do in order to develop such-and-such?" 

I'm often asked how the "stars" work out in order to build their truly outstanding development, etc., and so forth. More often than not, the following question reverberates in my students' inquiries: 

What secret do the champs employ to develop their exceptional arms and shoulders? 

arms and shoulders

Arms and Shoulders

ARMS AND SHOULDERS! 

It seems that these two body areas definitely get a generous share of concern from the trainees, indeed! If the Stars have a "secret" for developing arms and shoulders, it's a safe bet you want to know what that secret is, eh? 

Well, I've got to say in all honesty, that the only actual "secret" is extremely hard work on the best exercises, coupled with (though most publications will never say so) plenty of natural potential, and topped off with lots of good dietary habits and rest. Beyond this core system, I'll concede that one or two "special" methods of training occasionally fall into favor. One of them is, in fact, the subject of this very article . . . 

Training "up and down the rack" is how the champs describe it. What you need, of course, is a rack of dumbbells to use this method. 

Note: It's kinda nice to be alive while all these lifting gear ideas are getting put into production and made available. These are outstanding. All's you do is crank the handle, a rod extends to take on more plates, or contracts to take on less. A flick of the wrist and you're running the rack. 

  

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The method of training up and down the rack is suitable ONLY for working arms and shoulders. It is solely a "pump 'em up fast and furious" technique. 

I also want to stress that the method would be quite unsuitable for any beginning or hard-gaining trainee. However, the well-developed, super-ambitious and very enthusiastic advanced bodybuilder who wants to try his hand at something new, just to break the monotony of a steady, basic schedule, might profitably employ the up and down the rack method of training for a while. 

Some really impressive gains are possible in a quite short time. 

How the Method Works

Actually, the name of the method describes the method itself. What one does is select a comfortably light pair of dumbbells for, say, alternate curling. Okay. One set of 8 reps is pumped out in good form. Now, take the very next pair of dumbbells on the rack. Pump out another good set of 8 reps. Now you're going strong! Next pair! Then the next . . . and so on . . . RIGHT UP THE RACK, as far as you can go while still maintaining your strength and sanity! Work as rapidly as you possibly can, and keep cheating to a bare minimum. If you're advance and if you've built plenty of good, basic, solid muscle via the more conventional training methods, you should be able to do a very large number of sets (progressively employing heavier dumbbells) with the tremendously impressive "pump" as a result. 

Once you've hit the "top" of the rack (i.e., the heaviest bells you're capable of handling in the exercise you're doing), go right DOWN the rack! Work back down dropping back to the first pair of dumbbells with which you started. You should have gained an inch-and-a-half of pump after this series is completed. If you didn't, you loafed. 

There are an almost endless number of arm exercises that the up and down the rack method may be applied to. Here is a sampling:

Alternate curls; simultaneous curls; Zottman curls; triceps extensions (one and two arm style), etc. 

In addition to working the arms, the up and down the rack method may be used in working the shoulders. Same exact system, same method of going up and down the rack.

You might employ the method with these exercises: 

Lateral raises; alternate forward raises; bentover laterals; single-arm laterals; crucifix lifts (ouch, this one's a killer), etc. 

Some Suggestions 

If you want to try the method, be very certain of the following: 

1) Never use the method with anything but dumbbells, and for any purpose except occasionally pumping the arms or shoulders to their maximum.

2) Don't work any one muscle group more often than twice a week, and use only one exercise for arms and shoulders. 

3) Use the method for a month at a time -- maximum. If you prolong the use of this system you will NOT induce any gains. This is purely a pump method, for show, and it should be thought of as a system for putting the finishing touches on already-big muscles, not as a system for building them up.

4) When you lay off this method, take a week's rest for the body parts worked before resuming conventional training for those body parts. This method of up and down the rack training extremely severe and enervating. 

5) Ease up a bit on your other exercises when you try this system for your arms and/or shoulders. 

6) Discontinue use of this method if for any reason you feel dissatisfied with the results. There is no way to "force" response with this method. If you get it, good. If not, give up the try. Some people have bodies that respond well to this method; others do not.

7) Observe yourself carefully in a full-length mirror, whenever possible. This will enable you to work very well and with maximally-strict form.

There you have some hints as to how to dabble in one of the more controversial and "specialized" advanced training methods. Try it by all means, if you've been searching for something new in the way of muscle-building, just to spice up your workouts. 

Enjoy Your Lifting!