Perfect Monster Arms: Take 2!

Build "PERFECT MONSTER" arms FAST with these cool exercises! The "Guns." The "Pythons." "Thunder and Lighting." The "Rockweillers." -- there is no other muscle group that has earned more nicknames than the biceps!

Bulging biceps - every guy wants them and gals, no worries, because while your arms will get "PERFECT"ly sexy, you just don't have the required problem of fast growth that the guys do. You all will just get lean and hot hot hot! Gents, if your arm growth has hit a rut... your gains are coming to a screeching halt... or maybe you're just plain bored with your arm exercises, then I've got some insane, new exercises - specifically to grow your guns - that will not only give your arms a shock but will electrify your motivation again. Here are the “The Best PERFECT Arm Exercises You've Never Heard Of."

NILSSON CURLS
Like a pullup (palms facing your face) but your heels are on the floor and the bar lower so your biceps are fully engaged! Like you're about to lay on your back but that's just the angle you need, no back on the ground! You can do both regular as well as reverse curls! "IT'S ALL GOOD." But you're holding on to the chinup bar holding your body up using your biceps. It may sound easy but try it one hand at a time! Then add reverse curls to the mix. That bracing technique is just your heels on the floor to aid the movement! It's a bodyweight exercise for your biceps that LOOKS like a chin-up but uses a special "bracing" technique to put almost ALL your bodyweight directly onto your BICEPS. Imagine the growth you'll get with THAT much resistance going directly onto your BIs!

REVERSE PEC DECK LOCKOUTS
Try using the handles on the perfect pullup turning your palms out as you do a push up at an angle so the bar is low and perpendicular to the floor. The wide perfect pushups work for this movement too! A breakthrough in tricep contractions, this exercise targets the most anatomically-possible contracted position of the muscle with body weight. Get ready for it because I guarantee you've never felt a tricep contraction this hard in your entire life. Just using your "PERFECT PUSHUP" wide grip with a partner pushing on your shoulders or weighted vest "DOING MANY" (grins) (keep a count in your note book)!

ONE ARM CURLS
Doing the standard Curls with both arms you can slowly work your way to one arm. If you do it right tests your strength, balance, coordination and determination. It can be extremely difficult to do but the results are totally worth it. Not only does it increase muscle activation in the biceps, it gives your grip a tremendous workout as well!

SPIDERMAN RACK PUSH-UPS
We do a morning training ritual called "MONSTER MASH" where we just set up a number of different exercises in a row fast! Setup time is sometimes an issue when you're training. This great tricep exercise is a mash-up between close-grip push-ups and bodyweight tricep extensions. The key is how you do them in a rack to basically spring-load the tension onto your TRIs. Very quick to do but brutal! Using the perfect pullup bar at a low angle to do pushups with your weight 70% on bar/on ground on feet 30%. Again, it sounds easy but mix in one handers!

LEANING WRIST CURLS
Have the perfect pullup bar facing directly in front of you holding it with hands & using your wrists to affect forearms. Again sounds easy until you use more of an angle & then one handers! (it's all in the wrists) but be careful, the forearms weaken fast. I assure you that you will feel this one quick! Like the same movement as using a dumbell wrist curl using the turning handles to attack all angles of the forearms!

This unique version of the wrist curl adds a new dimension of tension...instead of just doing a plain old wrist curl, you'll also be supporting your bodyweight on your forearms to increase the tension. This position also gives you natural "occlusion training" (which is basically limiting the blood flow out of a muscle while training in order to increase hormonal growth factors in the area). If you've ever had trouble building forearms, this exercise might just hold the key for you...

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So here's the deal...
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I’m desperate for new exercises. As a result I've gotten "HOOYAH" creative............... If you've got access to "perfect products" and bodyweight, you'll be able to use the VAST majority of these exercises. I think once you've tried these examples, you'll be hooked...

HOOYAHS & Cya at the gun show,"carpe diem"-- NUFF SAID

CM SEAL Team blogger: Marcus Colburn

Teammates, stay tuned for CM SEAL blogger Mike Ryan -- you want to put on weight in all the right places, in all the right ways -- he'll tell you how! And Marcus, when are you going to do a YouTube for all the Teammates who'd like to see this live?! HOOYAH!!

CHARLIE MIKE -- ALDEN

Stew Smith's Bodyweight Exercise Plan: Part II

CM SEAL Team blogger: Stew Smith

Here's Part II of my answer to a member of the Perfect Pushup YouTube group. Here's a link to Part I.

"I need help in making a full body bodyweight routine. Any advice/sample that you can offer? I am seventeen and have been using the Perfect Pushup on and off for a year now. With it, I am able to pump multiple diamond push ups more than I ever have in the past years".

I have been creating calisthenics based workout plans for more than twenty years to build muscle stamina, strength, and flexibility. By adding a form of cardiovascular activity like running, swimming, or biking to complete the workout, you can burn more calories and improve heart and lung circulation. I also like to supplement calisthenics with some form of simple weight training like dumbbells in full body movements. If you use the Perfect Pushup or the Perfect Pullup with your sets of exercises, you can reduce your repetitions by 50% typically depending on your fitness level.

Here are some sample routines that focus on both upper body, lower body, and core exercises:

Upper / Lower back Balance Cycle: In order to balance out doing several sets of pushups or other pushing exercises, add in the below exercises for 2-3 sets at the end of the workout to avoid internal rotation of the shoulder girdle.


Repeat 2-3 times
Reverse pushups - 25 reps
Birds - 25 reps
plank pose - 1 minute

see www.stewsmith.com/linkpages/pushupbalance.htm

Push / Pull Upper body Cycle: To fully work the upper body, balance out the pushing muscles (chest, shoulders and triceps) with the pulling muscles (biceps, forearms, back).

Repeat 4-5 times
pushups - max reps
reverse pushups - 20
pullups - max reps
birds - 20
abs of choice - 50

Add MJDB#1 for supplemental push / pull exercises (www.stewsmith.com/linkpages/MJDB.htm)

Abdominal Cycle: Do this 2-3 times during the workout and 4-5 times a week. It is fine to do abdominals and cardio exercises several days a week or on back to back days.

crunches - 25
reverse crunches - 25
double crunches - 25
left crunches - 25
right crunches - 25
bicycle crunches -25
plank pose 1 minute

These workouts can be done throughout the week, but as with weights, it is not recommended to do the same major muscle groups on back to back days. So pick a calisthenics day and follow it with a cardio workout on the next day is the easiest way to create a fitness routine for yourself. If you are new to exercise, just google some of the exercises in the workouts above or visit StewSmith.com for articles, pictures, and books complete with workouts and exercise descriptions.

Questions? Ask away!
______________________________________
Stew Smith CSCS, is a former Navy SEAL and fitness author specializing in military, law enforcement fitness for future and active duty members who serve the country in physically challenging and potentially dangerous professions. Contact Stew at stew@stewsmith.com for answers to your questions.

Stew Smith's Bodyweight Exercise Plan: Part I

CM SEAL Team blogger: Stew Smith

Calisthenics, or bodyweight exercises, originated thousands of years ago in ancient Greece and have been a major component of fitness in athletics, military, law enforcement, and daily fitness for home workouts without equipment. Here is a request from a Perfect Pushup user in our YouTube group seeking to do more exercises without having to go to a gym.

"I need help in making a full body bodyweight routine. Any advice/sample that you can offer? I am seventeen and have been using the Perfect Pushup on and off for a year now. With it, I am able to pump multiple diamond push ups more than I ever have in the past years."

I have been creating calisthenics based workout plans for more than twenty years to build muscle stamina, strength, and flexibility. By adding a form of cardiovascular activity like running, swimming, or biking to complete the workout, you can burn more calories and improve heart and lung circulation. I also like to supplement calisthenics with some form of simple weight training like dumbbells in full body movements. If you use the Perfect Pushup or the Perfect Pullup with your sets of exercises, you can reduce your repetitions by 50% typically depending on your fitness level.

Here are some sample routines that focus on both upper body, lower body, and core exercises:

Upper body Warm-up
Repeat 5-10 times
jumping jacks - 10
pushups - 10
*add pullups when multiple sets is possible at 5-10 reps per set

Lower body Warm-up
Repeat 5-10 times
jumping jacks - 10
squats - 10

Upper / Lower Body & Cardio Combo - A full body plan like the one below is a fast way to complete a workout with little or no rest by resting your upper body by working your lower body and abdominal exercises:

Repeat 3-4 times
Pullups - max reps
Squats - 20-30
Pushups - 20-30 reps
Lunges - 10-15 / leg
abs of choice - 50 reps
Optional Cardio of choice - 10 minutes

Supplemental Dumbbell Routine - see link for a great way to add to the full body workout.

Lower body / Cardio Workout - Here is a quick and challenging workout to build both leg speed and endurance.

Repeat 4-5 times
Run or bike 3 minutes
squats - 20 reps
lunges - 15/leg reps
heel raises (calves) - 20-30 reps

Tomorrow: Upper / Lower back Balance Cycle, Push / Pull Upper body Cycle, and Abdominal Cycle.

These workouts can be done throughout the week, but as with weights, it is not recommended to do the same major muscle groups on back to back days. So picking a calisthenics day and following it with a cardio workout on the next day is the easiest way to create a fitness routine for yourself. If you are new to exercise, just google some of the exercises in the workouts above or visit StewSmith.com for articles, pictures, and books complete with workouts and exercise descriptions.
______________________________________
Stew Smith CSCS, is a former Navy SEAL and fitness author specializing in military, law enforcement fitness for future and active duty members who serve the country in physically challenging and potentially dangerous professions. Contact Stew at stew@stewsmith.com for answers to your questions.