The Ultimate Arm Workout: Winning The Arms Race by Charles Poliquin
Charles Poliquin Winning The Arms Race Pdf Pdf Checked
If you are looking for a proven way to build bigger and stronger arms, you might want to check out Charles Poliquin's book Winning The Arms Race. In this book, Poliquin, who was one of the most respected strength coaches in the world, reveals his secrets for developing impressive arms that will make you stand out from the crowd.
Charles Poliquin Winning The Arms Race Pdf Pdf Checked
But who was Charles Poliquin and what made his book so special? In this article, we will give you an overview of his life, his training principles, his arm program, and his benefits. By the end of this article, you will have a better understanding of why Winning The Arms Race is a must-read for anyone who wants to take their arm training to the next level.
The Poliquin Principles
Before we dive into the details of his arm program, let's first take a look at the general principles that guided Poliquin's training methods. These principles are based on decades of research, experience, and results with thousands of athletes from different sports and backgrounds. They are also applicable to anyone who wants to improve their physique, performance, or health.
Individualization
One of the key principles that Poliquin emphasized was individualization. He believed that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to training, as everyone has different genetics, goals, preferences, strengths, weaknesses, injuries, etc. Therefore, he always tailored his programs to each individual's needs and goals, taking into account factors such as body type, muscle fiber type, hormonal profile, metabolic rate, recovery ability, etc.
For example, he would use different exercises, sets, reps, rest periods, tempo, frequency, volume, intensity, etc., depending on whether someone was an ectomorph (thin and hard-gainer), mesomorph (muscular and easy-gainer), or endomorph (fat and slow-gainer). He would also use different methods to test and monitor his clients' progress, such as body fat measurements, strength tests, performance tests, etc.
Periodization
Another principle that Poliquin followed was periodization. He understood that the human body adapts to any stimulus over time, and that in order to keep making progress, one has to constantly change the stimulus. Therefore, he planned his training cycles in a way that would optimize performance and avoid plateaus.
He used different types of periodization, such as linear, undulating, conjugate, etc., depending on the goal and the phase of the training cycle. He also used different microcycles, mesocycles, and macrocycles, ranging from days to weeks to months to years. He would vary the training variables within each cycle, such as the exercises, sets, reps, rest periods, tempo, frequency, volume, intensity, etc., to create different adaptations and stimuli.
Intensity
The third principle that Poliquin advocated was intensity. He believed that intensity was the most important factor for stimulating muscle growth and strength gains. He defined intensity as the amount of effort or difficulty involved in a set or a workout. He used different techniques to increase the intensity of his workouts and stimulate muscle growth.
Some of these techniques included supersets, drop sets, rest-pause sets, forced reps, partial reps, negatives, isometrics, etc. He also used different tempos, such as slow eccentrics (lowering phase), fast concentrics (lifting phase), pauses at the bottom or top of the movement, etc., to create more tension and damage in the muscles. He also used different loading schemes, such as heavy weights and low reps, light weights and high reps, or a combination of both.
The Winning The Arms Race Program
Now that we have covered the general principles that Poliquin used in his training methods, let's take a look at the specific program that he designed for building bigger and stronger arms. This program is based on his book Winning The Arms Race, which is a comprehensive guide for developing impressive arms that will make you win any arm-wrestling contest or attract any admirer.
The program consists of four phases, each lasting six weeks. Each phase has a different focus and goal. The first phase is called the Foundation Phase, which aims to build a solid base of strength and size in the arms. The second phase is called the Hypertrophy Phase, which aims to increase the muscle mass and cross-sectional area of the arms. The third phase is called the Definition Phase, which aims to enhance the shape and separation of the arm muscles. The fourth phase is called the Peak Phase, which aims to maximize the peak contraction and pump of the arm muscles.
In this article, we will only cover the first phase of the program, as it is the most important and challenging one. The other phases are explained in detail in Poliquin's book. Here are some of the main aspects of the first phase of the program:
The Anatomy of the Arms
Before we get into the exercises, sets, reps, etc., let's first review the anatomy of the arms. The arms are composed of three main muscle groups: the biceps brachii (front of the upper arm), the triceps brachii (back of the upper arm), and the brachialis (side of the upper arm). Each muscle group has different functions and characteristics.
The biceps brachii has two heads: the long head and the short head. The long head originates from the supraglenoid tubercle of the scapula (shoulder blade) and inserts into the radial tuberosity of the radius (forearm bone). The short head originates from the coracoid process of the scapula and inserts into the same place as the long head. The main function of the biceps brachii is to flex (bend) and supinate (turn outward) the elbow joint.
The triceps brachii has three heads: the long head, the lateral head, and the medial head. The long head originates from the infraglenoid tubercle of the scapula and inserts into the olecranon process of the ulna (forearm bone). The lateral head originates from the posterior surface of the humerus (upper arm bone) above the radial groove and inserts into the same place as the long head. The medial head originates from the posterior surface of the humerus below the radial groove and inserts into the same place as the other heads. The main function of the triceps brachii is to extend (straighten) and adduct 71b2f0854b
