Thursday, February 22, 2018

Beginner's "Advanced" Arm Program - Ernest F. Cottrell (1974)











It is a well known fact that beginners in the field of bodybuilding are "arm crazy!" I've talked to Larry Scott, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Franco Columbu, Vince Gironda, etc., etc. . . and they all agree that the bodybuilding courses they sell must indicate what the beginner's preference is. It is definitely arms! 

I know that when I was a kid and interested in bodybuilding, the arms were the only to show off the muscles. I, and my buddies, worked the arms more than anything else, and we always kept our shirtsleeves rolled up so everyone couldn't help but gaze at our "well-developed, manly arms . . ."

So, if you are a beginner, it's 100-to-1 that you want big, well-muscles arms first. And I'm not going to argue with you about how illogical and time consuming this attitude is since it will cause your total physique development and symmetry to suffer at first -- because it's also 100-to-1 that you won't listen, or give a damn about this until you get big arms! So . . . what the hell -- let's develop those slender buggy whips into strong, sinewy and bulging arms that look, feel, and produce on a Herculean level!

Also, number 2 and 3 on the beginner's priority list are, in order, bulking and then chest development. In this arm program, I have so organized the exercises that you may bulk up and muscularize your entire body while your arms take larger proportions. In my next article, I will present a beginner's chest course and continued bulking program.

I will only briefly deal with rest periods, sets and reps, etc., in this article since space won't permit extensive preliminary explanations. For a very comprehensive beginner's starting information, look at the January '74 issue of Muscle Builder for the Book Length Beginner's Program.


Arm Specialization    

Normally, it is considered unnecessary, or even non-productive, to have the "beginner" specialize on any part of the body until he has worked out for at least six months. I disagree! If the student is instructed properly  he can specialize from the first workout and make rapid progress. Hundreds of my students have shown results this way, some have made amazing gains.

This course has a specially selected group of exercises that are arm-oriented, but basically are excellent for general overall muscular development and strength of the whole body. Then there are some very result-producing isolated arm exercises that will certainly make your upper arms bulge with muscle in a short time. Just follow this course to the letter . . . and get off to a fast start instead of just fooling around with the weights for months and getting nowhere!


The Routine (Outline)

Monday/Wednesday

1) Bent Legged Situps - 3 x 20 reps. Rest 45 seconds between sets. Rest 90 seconds after last set.

2) Close-Grip Bench Press - 3 x 10. Rest 2 minutes between sets. Rest 3 minutes after last set. 

3) Bent-Arm Flyes - 2 x 15. Rest 30 seconds between sets. Rest 3 minutes after last set. 

4) Pushups, Hands Wide - 2 x until tired. Rest 2 minutes between sets. Rest 5 minutes after last set. 

5) High-Pulls - 3 x 8. Rest 3 minutes between sets. Rest 5 minutes after last set. 

6) Dumbbell Curl and Press - 3 x 8. Rest 3 minutes between all sets. 

7) One-Arm Row - 3 x 8, alternate arms, no rest. Rest 2 minutes after last set. 

Arm Specialization: 

8) French Press - 3 x 20. Rest 2 minutes between sets. Rest 3 minutes after last set. 

9) Cheat Curl - 3 x 12. Rest 2 minutes between sets. Rest 3 minutes after last set.

10) Triceps Pressdown - 3 x 15. Alternate arms no rest. Rest 2 minutes after last set. 

11) Dumbbell Wrist Rockers - 3 x 12. Rest 1 minute between sets. 


Tuesday/Thursday

1) Front Squat - 3 x 15. Rest 2.5 minutes between sets. Rest 3 minutes after last set.

2) Leg Extension - 3 x 12. Rest 1.5 minutes between sets. Rest 2 minutes after last set. 

3) Calf Raise - 4 sets until tired. Rest 30 seconds between sets. Rest 2 minutes after last set. 

4) Seated Knee-Up superset with Baseball Bat Swing - 3 x 20, no rests, superset. 


Saturday (condensed workout)

1) Seated Knee-Ups, 4 x 20-30. 45 seconds between sets. Rest 2 minutes after last set. 

2) Front Squat with Rise on Toes, 3 x 20 superset with ->
Bent Arm Flying With Deep Breathing, 3 x 20. No rest, superset. Rest 4 minutes after last set. 

3) Pushups, Hands Close - 4 x until tired. Rest 2 minutes between sets. Rest 3 minutes after last set.

4) High Pull - 4 x 12. Rest 3 minutes between sets. Rest 5 minutes after last set. 

5) French Press - 3 x 20. Rest 2.5 minutes between sets. Rest 3 minutes after last set. 

6) Cheat Curl - 3 x 12. Rest 2.5 minutes between sets. 
 

 



 










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