Move on to the block, using the same alternating structure. Advanced Progression Strategies
He heavily favored supersetting biceps and triceps. This method increases blood flow to the upper arms, maximizes recovery between sets, and creates a reciprocal inhibition effect that allows for deeper muscle fiber recruitment.
Charles Poliquin, nicknamed the "Strength Sensei," revolutionized modern strength training by blending European sports science with practical gym experience. In Winning the Arms Race , he challenged the conventional wisdom of performing endless, light-weight sets for biceps and triceps. Instead, Poliquin focused on structural balance, high mechanical tension, and neurological overload. The core tenets of his arm training philosophy include:
Emphasizes the brachioradialis and brachialis.
Charles Poliquin’s Winning the Arms Race isn't just a workout plan; it’s a masterclass in physiology. If you can find a "Checked" copy, you are holding the blueprint that has helped Olympic athletes and professional bodybuilders break through plateaus for decades.
Poliquin despised sub-optimal, high-volume "pump" routines that yielded temporary fluid accumulation rather than actual muscle hypertrophy. His programs were engineered around specific physiological principles designed to disrupt homeostasis and recruit high-threshold motor units. 1. The Crucial Role of Tempo
Which would you prefer?
Before diving into the book, it helps to understand the man who wrote it. Charles R. Poliquin was born on March 5, 1961, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and began strength training at an early age. He earned a master’s degree in exercise physiology and began working as a strength coach while still in graduate school.
hosts a PDF titled Arm Size And Strength: The Ultimate Guide , which Poliquin himself described as a six-month periodized arm program that builds upon his earlier work. However, users should verify that they have permission to access this material.
All loading parameters are a function of the number of reps you choose to perform. The rep count dictates the rest intervals and the number of sets you’re going to do. Once you’ve decided that, it limits which exercises you can do.
Key concepts usually found in this work include: