Ultimate pump Jim Stoppani, PhD

Photo Credit: Bill Dobbins

Jim Stoppani, PhD

Ultimate pump: pound your arms with the 2 X 4 workout—and grow 2 inches in four weeks

Our training articles are always underpinned by research, often detailed at length. But sometimes we ask you to trust us because we know a program works. How can we be certain? In the case of this program, our male staffers, from the pencilneck to the hardcore lifter, gym-tested it. Lo and behold, a month later, our editors were sporting arms cocked-and-loaded enough to hold a casting call for Planet of the Apes in our conference room. So here’s what to do, short and sweet. Now go apeshit in the gym.

ARM WORKOUT 1
EXERCISE SETS REPS
Dip 2 8-10
Dumbbell French Press 2 8-10
Incline Dumbbell Curl 2 8-10
Cable Concentration Curl 2 8-10

ARM WORKOUT 2

EXERCISE SETS REPS

Barbell Curl 3 8-10
Dumbbell Hammer Curl 2 8-10
Lying Triceps Extension 3 8-10
Straight-Bar Pressdown 2 8-10

ARM WORKOUT 3

EXERCISE SETS REPS

Reverse-Grip Bench Press 2 8-10
Close-Grip Bench Press 2 8-10
Preacher Curl 2 8-10
Standing Cable Curl 2 8-10

ARM WORKOUT 4
EXERCISE SETS REPS
Close-Grip Bench Press 3 4-6 *
Triceps Pressdown 3 4-6 **
Seated Barbell Curl 3 4-6 [dagger]
Dumbbell Preacher Curl 3 4-6 **

ARM WORKOUT 5
EXERCISE SETS REPS
One-Arm Reverse-Grip Pressdown 3 10-12
Close-Grip Bench Press 3 6-8 [double dagger]
EZ-Bar Preacher Curl 3 6-8
Dumbbell Curl (down the rack) 4 8-12 [dagger][dagger]

ARM WORKOUT 6
EXERCISE SETS REPS
Cable Concentration Curl 3 10-12
Standing Barbell Curl 3 6-8 [double dagger]
Dumbbell Close-Grip Bench Press 3 6-8
Rope Pressdown 3 8-12[double dagger]

* Do two sets with pins set in the top half of the range of motion.

On the third set, remove pins and do full-range reps.
** Choose a weight heavier than that which you can lift for one rep and have a partner help you force-rep the positive portion of the exercise while you resist the negative portion on your own. After completing the third set, strip the weight and rip out as many as you can unassisted.

[dagger] Load a bar with 10-20-plus pounds more than you can lift for 4-6 reps of normal barbell curls. Sit on a flat bench and rest the bar

on your thighs. Using a shoulder-width, underhand grip, curl the weight toward your shoulders.

[double dagger] On the last set do 6-8 reps, drop the weight 30% and rep until failure.

[dagger][dagger] Drop the weight by 5-10 pounds each set. Don’t rest between sets.

[double dagger][double dagger] For each set, do 8-12 reps, drop the weight, rep until failure, and then drop a second time and rep until
failure again.

Jim Stoppani, PhD