If your arms are more like noodles than prime beef, change all that with rest-pause supersets – a fast and efficient method to balloon your biceps. Rest-pause is a practice advocated by Christian Thibaudeau, the man who gets the world’s leading bodybuilders and CrossFitters in superhero shape.
To make your muscles grow you need to do exercises that put your muscle fibres under tension for long enough that they break down, then rebuild bigger to cope with the workload. You could do this by setting up camp by the weights rack, but you’ve got bigger fish to fry (which in fact would be a good source of post-workout protein).
Instead, this rest-pause workout exaggerates the time under tension, helping you achieve complete muscle stimulation with only two sets per exercise and only two moves per muscle group. In PT parlance, that’s more bang for your buck.
Be mindful, however, that the rest-pause technique is an advanced muscle growth technique and is therefore very taxing on your body’s central nervous system. While it’s fine in moderation, overstressing the central nervous system means you risk not recovering properly from exercise – hindering your biceps-building progress.
How It Works
Lift a weight until you get to the point of momentary failure, like the final rep on ten biceps curls with reasonably heavy dumbbells. Set the weights down for 15 seconds, then pick them up and do as many reps as you can until that same point of failure. Put the weights again, then do one final set to failure. Instead of total fatigue, you get to the point of momentary failure multiple times in one set, allowing you to work more muscle fibres.
With plenty of rest and a healthy post-workout serving of high-quality protein and carbohydrates you’ll get bigger and stronger. The rest-pause sets (moves 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B) are sandwiched between a tough biceps-focused lift to flood your body with muscle-building hormones and a high-rep triceps-targeting finisher for a final challenge.
Directions
Do five sets of move 1. Then, for moves 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B, pick a weight that allows you to reach about ten reps before failure, then rest for 15 seconds. Do the exercise again, aiming for around eight reps, then rest for 15 seconds. Finally do one more set, aiming for around six reps, then rest. That’s a complete set. If you feel you can do more reps, do, but increase the weight next time.
Keep your tempo for each move smooth and controlled to keep the muscles under tension, going lighter than usual if needed. After the final set of 3B, move on to the 100-rep finisher. Time yourself and aim to do this quicker the next time you take it on.
This form of training can take its toll so only do this workout twice a week, resting for 36-48 hours between sessions, or you’ll lose all function in your arms (or at least the DOMS will be savage).
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1 Towel-grip chin-up
Sets 5 Reps 5 Rest 45sec
Loop a gym towel over a pull-up bar and grip it tightly with both hands. Pull your chest up to your hands and lower slowly back to the start. This method is a great test of your grip and will help strengthen and grow all the muscles in your forearms.
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2A Dumbbell biceps curl
Sets 2 (rest-pause) Rest 60sec
Hold dumbbells by your sides with your palms facing forwards. Keeping your elbows close to your sides and without leaning back, curl the weights up to your chest. Squeeze your biceps hard, then lower them slowly. For the last rest-pause mini-set cheat the weights to the top of the lift with momentum or drop one weight and use two hands to get the dumbbell to the top before lowering with one. Repeat on both sides.
2B Dip
Sets 2 (rest-pause) Rest 60sec
Grip the bars or handles with your arms locked out and stay upright to target your triceps. Bend your arms to lower until your hands are level with your chest, then press back up powerfully.
3A Cable reverse curl
Sets 2 (rest-pause) Rest 60sec
Set the cable at its lowest point. Hold the bar attachment with your palms facing down and stand so it’s at thigh level. Keeping your elbows close to your body, curl the bar up until it’s level with the top of your chest, then lower under control.
3B Cable triceps extension
Sets 2 (rest-pause) Rest 60sec
Set the cable at its highest point. Hold the ends of the rope attachment with your arms bent above your head and turn away from the cable station, taking a big step forward on one foot. Leaning forwards and keeping your upper arms static, extend your arms to target your triceps.
4 Press-up
Sets As many as needed Reps 100
With your hands shoulder-width apart and body in line, bend your arms to lower your chest until it’s just off the floor, then drive back up until your arms are straight. Aim to complete these 100 reps as fast as you can, resting as needed.
