Strength Training
Around the Gym: Armed and dangerously hot
By Paul E. Pratt
Unlike some trickier muscle groups—like calves and glutes—strong, muscular arms are part of most every gay man's workout routine.
The reason is obvious: Big, strong arms can make even the butchest guy want to be held!
Here we check in with a few RealJocks to find out what they think about beefy biceps, toned triceps and the men who have them. Don't miss their tips to admirable arms!
Mario Cruz, 31
I work out every part of my body the same. I don't want to have a big upper body and skinny legs or the opposite. I want to be proportionate. Usually people say my triceps look big. Big arms look sexy. I personally like to see a guy with big arms and a tattoo as well. Those look better on a muscular arm.
I workout my biceps and triceps two different exercises for each and three sets—sometimes four sets—and alternate. For biceps, I like to work mostly with free weights. I think you get stronger if you use free weights rather than machines. I try to use free weights for everything I do, not just my arms.
Depending on the type of body someone has, if someone has no fat and wants to develop muscle, I would tell them to do high weight and few reps to promote muscle growth. If someone has fat, I would tell them to do cardio to burn fat first and then worry about muscle growth.
Joe Piazza, 43
That's a good question. It's part of the overall proportion of your body. You want to look good overall. You certainly notice someone who has impressive arms. It's a good look and some good genetics. Guys with too skinny arms don't necessarily pop out.
Everyone appreciates a good pair of biceps. My routine includes 21s—bicep curls with 21 reps in a set. You do seven from the halfway point to full curl and seven from full extension to half curl and mix that up, then I do hammer curls and also tricep presses, overhand and underhand. I also vary machines for variety and so I don't get bored.
Mark Benjamin, 46
I do it as part of my overall workout. I try to keep everything in the same symmetry. For me, if I work out, it's pretty natural for me to put on muscle wherever I'm working out.
When I see guys with small arms, if it goes with the rest of their body, it's OK. Personally, I prefer someone who has a little more muscle, a little more mass. It's what I particularly like. I like people to be somewhat muscular.
I notice guys arms, so I like that. The arms are kind of like a hook. If I notice their arms, I take a look at the rest of them. I think you need to do various arms exercises and need to work both sides. If you're going to work biceps, also work your triceps. Since my biceps fatigue more quickly than my triceps, I work my biceps extra hard. Make sure you incorprate exercises which work all aspects of the arms. I particularly like use cables to work biceps and triceps then I use free weights as well.
The reason is obvious: Big, strong arms can make even the butchest guy want to be held!
Here we check in with a few RealJocks to find out what they think about beefy biceps, toned triceps and the men who have them. Don't miss their tips to admirable arms!
Mario Cruz, 31
I work out every part of my body the same. I don't want to have a big upper body and skinny legs or the opposite. I want to be proportionate. Usually people say my triceps look big. Big arms look sexy. I personally like to see a guy with big arms and a tattoo as well. Those look better on a muscular arm.
I workout my biceps and triceps two different exercises for each and three sets—sometimes four sets—and alternate. For biceps, I like to work mostly with free weights. I think you get stronger if you use free weights rather than machines. I try to use free weights for everything I do, not just my arms.
Depending on the type of body someone has, if someone has no fat and wants to develop muscle, I would tell them to do high weight and few reps to promote muscle growth. If someone has fat, I would tell them to do cardio to burn fat first and then worry about muscle growth.
Joe Piazza, 43
That's a good question. It's part of the overall proportion of your body. You want to look good overall. You certainly notice someone who has impressive arms. It's a good look and some good genetics. Guys with too skinny arms don't necessarily pop out.
Everyone appreciates a good pair of biceps. My routine includes 21s—bicep curls with 21 reps in a set. You do seven from the halfway point to full curl and seven from full extension to half curl and mix that up, then I do hammer curls and also tricep presses, overhand and underhand. I also vary machines for variety and so I don't get bored.
Mark Benjamin, 46
I do it as part of my overall workout. I try to keep everything in the same symmetry. For me, if I work out, it's pretty natural for me to put on muscle wherever I'm working out.
When I see guys with small arms, if it goes with the rest of their body, it's OK. Personally, I prefer someone who has a little more muscle, a little more mass. It's what I particularly like. I like people to be somewhat muscular.
I notice guys arms, so I like that. The arms are kind of like a hook. If I notice their arms, I take a look at the rest of them. I think you need to do various arms exercises and need to work both sides. If you're going to work biceps, also work your triceps. Since my biceps fatigue more quickly than my triceps, I work my biceps extra hard. Make sure you incorprate exercises which work all aspects of the arms. I particularly like use cables to work biceps and triceps then I use free weights as well.
Triggerman wrote:
Great arms, developed from all angles, can add that finished touch. Obviously arms are exposed more often than any other body part and definitely catch my eye. More than anything I think guys who go to the gym overtrain arms. I see guys doing as many sets and reps for arms as they do for back and legs. Biceps and triceps get worked out all the time with back and chest exercises, then they get their own workout. I learned along time ago to cut back on volume for arms and I gained size immediately. It came in handy when I detached my left bicep at the elbow playing football. Years of proper training helped me get back what I lost in 1/3 the time the doctors predicted.
Aug 01 6:46 PM