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STRENGTH & HEALTH, York, Pa.

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Acquiring Shaplier Biceps

(Continued from page 37) sistance can be applied to meet the demand of the growing muscle, benefitting the biceps.

Many muscle culturists believe that only curling movements will effect biceps development, while in reality there are many exercises that influence and activate the biceps. In all rowing exercises, for example, the upper arm muscles are strongly involved, especially the brachialis, the muscle that adds width and thickness to the biceps region. Lot of fellows have huge looking arms hanging at their sides, but when viewed from the front the biceps are thin and shallow looking, all because the brachialis lacks complete development. A well developed arm usually looks wide from the sides and equally as thick from the front. It's because the brachialis, which lies beneath the biceps and extends on each side of the arm, helps to show more massive development. Its tendons attach deeper and lower into the forearms and provide better leverage for the biceps.

Most exercises done on the "lat machine" induce some biceps growth, effectively different from regular curling and is advisable if this apparatus is at your disposal. High pullups are equally as beneficial to the biceps, as are all methods of cleaning weights to shoulders. Therefore, it's easy to see how the biceps can be worked even if curls were not included regularly. However, some form of curls are best included if one seeks to attain the maximum in biceps size. Nevertheless there are some fellows who think that in order to get big arms or keep them they have to curl and curl everyday, often using the heaviest weights possible. Frankly, with only a minimum of exercise I manage to retain myself in fair condition as the posed pictures recently taken show. What's more, for almost seven years I have done practically no curls and am only now trying to coax myself into using them, yet I find no obvious decrease in arm girth. In my training I try to get the most out of my exercises with the least amount of effort and anyone else can do the same, providing they follow sensible training methods.

...

Occasionally we have training with us a man who finds a way to cheat in any exercise you give him and one of his specialities is a travesty on the two hands curl which he calls "lurchers," which are nothing more than a forward-bend, a heave and then a backbend before the dumbells reach his shoulders . all in "perfect military form" because he doesn't use either the split or squat style! Whenever we ride him for his efforts his retort is always it works my arms! This we know, but we also know what a terrific strain his back suffers, and once his back gives out the "lurchers" will come to an end! Often I have challenged him to hold those dumbells in his hands without any effort to "curl" them, for a minute or so, to prove he will still feel the same strain but he refuses to accept the terms. It doesn't take much reasoning to realize that any strain or stress is enough to fatigue the muscle, but my question is, does this help development? Development results only when the muscle is used over its entire normal range, and this applies to all muscles as well as the biceps.

Proper curling motions will undoubtedly cause the biceps to grow and strengthen, although the exercises mentioned previously are also very beneficial and can help to round out this muscle more fully. Regular curls work the biceps very well but some men fail to achieve full contraction in this upright position. By bending forward. from the hips, leverage is increased and imparts greater action and resistance to the biceps. Reverse curls, knuckles up, works the biceps differently and bring the forearm muscles into play. Curling dumbells, knuckles facing out, also works the forearms and activates the lower points of the biceps. Alternate curls are no different except when one acquires the rhythm of performance, more weight can be used in each hand. Nevertheless, I would like to reiterate, while weight is important in all exercises to gain size and strength, it must be emphasized here that correct performance is equally as important in early stages even more so than employing limit poundages. If handling heavier weights is your objective then you can do the exercise in any fashion you like, but if you seek optimal development, be sure you work the muscle correctly first, then if additional work is required for strengthening purposes, employ maximum poundages in the cheating style.

To achieve optimal biceps size it's not necessary to do a dozen biceps exercises, although three to five exercises can be done unless numerous sets are used, then fewer exercises and lower reps are advocated.

word regarding measurements. Regular readers all know we do not stress measurements. The reason for this is obvious; too many grossly exaggerated measurements are published in other magazines. The number of men today claiming 18, 19 and even 20 inch arms is difficult to count, yet only a small percentage actually have the measurement they claim. Our aim therefore is not to encourage falsified girths but suggest such measurements be judged by proportions and not the tape. A man whose forearms are well developed will have a large looking arm, but if the forearm lacks development the upper arm may appear larger than it is because of the contrast and vice versa. In fact, forearm size is controlled to a large degree by wrist size, the upper arm by the forearms and deltoids. One writer, Alan Calvert, was of the opinion that if the forearms and deltoids were superbly developed, the upper arm would take care of itself. It might to a certain extent but some direct exercises should be done to encourage this growth.

Arm length is another factor to 'consider in relation to arm size. The longer the humerus the "more meat" will such an arm have, making it more massive, although it may not appear any larger than the arm that is two or more inches shorter and equally developed. Stanko's arm is rather long and shows massiveness not accurately revealed in picBruce Randall, who visits us regularly, has tremendous looking arms of exceptional length. Strangely enough they look more massive when just hanging at his side or when he flexes his triceps in front of his chest. Because of his arm length he probably has "more meat" on his arm than any man his size, being muscular as well.

tures.

STRENGTH AND HEALTH

As for exercises, there are more than can be mentioned if one considers all movements that influence biceps development, but a brief break-down is that barbells, dumbells and kettlebells can all be used to affect the biceps. Just as many can be done with cables or chest expanders, "crusher apparatus," gymnastic equipment and many can be done without any equipment. However, increasing resistance must be maintained if the muscle is expected to improve with certain number of repetitions needed to stimulate this muscle growth. Bear in mind that several correct movements are essential that work the biceps over their full range before the shorter, heavier movements are done. Repetitions need not be excessive and those bent on following a system of sets instead of a wider variety should try the 10-8-6-5-3 system of reps which call for increased weight with each consecutive set. Using this system, three to five exercises would be more than sufficient, particularly if several indirect movements are employed in your training routine. Nevertheless, remember to do them correctly, if you are interested in building a shaplier biceps.

(Next month, More Massive Triceps)

Advanced Methods of W/T

(Continued from page 31)

words, train, but do not strain. If you. train three times per week it is wise to have one limit day a week, one medium and one light day. If you are exercising with weights only, select a weight that you can handle 15 times on your light day, a weight which you can handle 12 times your medium day, and a weight that you can handle as many as ten times on your heavy day. If you wish to handle still heavier weights on your heavy day perform the movement seven or eight repetitions, remove some of the weight and almost immediately perform seven or eight additional repetitions. If you are ambitious to work more than three times weekly, two other easy or tinkering days can be a part of the training program. When training hard for competition, usually on my light days I would make it a rule never to use more than 42.5 pound dumbells.

The ambitious competitive weight lifter follows a version of the medium, light and heavy system with his tinkering days. One day on which an endeavor is made to equal or surpass the best records of the past. A day on which ninety per cent of limit is worked up to, a day on which 70 or 80% of limit is practiced. On the easy days, pressing will be practiced, pressing behind neck, inclined bench pressing, sitting presses, and a few other assistance exercises. Just remember that you must work to the limit at times so that nature will meet the demands made upon the muscles, but don't work on your nerve more than once a week. A great many young men fail to obtain the results they crave because they over train.

19. Warming up is most important, it means to start the blood circulating vigorously through the muscles, before exercising strenuously. By warming the muscles in this manner, probability of strains and sprains is eliminated. It is (Continued on page 50)

• NOVEMBER,

1957

York Carbell and

Dumbell System

Course No. 3 and 4

York Carbell and Dumbell System

YORK BIG 12 SPECIAL

This is the most popular of all York Barbell Combination Training Sets, and for good reason. No other set in the world contains all the features of this superb home gymnasium outfit, and no competitive product can match York Big 12 quality.

Here are the features that give the Big 12 its name...

1. 200 pound York Deluxe Barbell consisting of a 5-foot, solid steel, knurled, machined and polished bar, heavy duty, "locktite collars," just a turn of the hands locks them in place. 4 each of 14, 22, 5 and 10 pound plates, 4-25s.

2. Pair of 14" solid steel, machined dumbell bars with revolving hand grips, four outside lock collars. and wrench.

3. Pair of Iron Health boots with straps. York was the first to sell Health boots, which permit many. exercises to develop the legs and strengthen the midsection.

4. Heavy duty headstrap for neck development. A good, substantial strap which will give you years of service.

5. Wrist roller to develop the hands, wrists and forearms. A fine developer.

6. Pair of nine-inch bars to be used in dumbell training and iron boot exercises.

7. The solid steel bars can quickly and easily be made into swing bars, another York "first"; York. leads, others follow. With the swing bars you can

York Barbell Co., York, Pa.:

practice many new and different body-building exercises.

8. A pair of the new solid iron York Kettle-bell handles that makes possible an entirely new set of dumbell movements.

9. Book containing York barbell and dumbell courses 1 and A complete body-building course without an equal.

10. Book containing York barbell and weight-lifting courses 3 and 4. Repetition weight-lifting exercises which have proven to build greater physical ability. than any other courses. .

11. A book of York.leg-developing exercises, three complete courses, three wall charts.

12. Bob Hoffman's Swingbell System of Training, 48 exercises.

Plus a special gift of Advanced Methods of Weight Training, including 24 complete, well-planned courses and 15 methods of weight training, makes the York set vastly superior to any other. You can be proud to own a York Big 12 Special. It is a complete gymnasium which will serve you, your family and friends for a lifetime.

Please ship me immediately the York Big 12 Special I have checked below. I enclose $....

() 240 lb. Deluxe type York Big 12 Special () 340 lb. Deluxe type York Big 12 Special () 240 lb. Aristocrat York Big 12 Special () 340 lb. Aristocrat York Big 12 Special

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