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Training
Get Big Arms in 6 Weeks: 6-Weeks to Sick Arms
Jim Stoppani, Ph.D.
Jim Stoppani, Ph.D.
February 17, 2021
Build bigger and stronger biceps and thick defined triceps with this arm program. Grow like a
pro with the ultimate science-based program for insane gains.

Bigger Arms in 6 Weeks: 6-Weeks To Sick Arms Workout

When I used to train at Gibson's Gym in Manchester, Connecticut, one of the slogans on the
back of the gym T-shirts read, "It doesn't matter what kind of car you drive. What matters is the
size of the arms hanging out of the window."

Big arms not only symbolize masculinity, but they're also the most visible body part you have.
So it's no surprise that big arms seem to be what every guy, and even many women, want.

Regardless of where you're starting from, this 6-week program will heap a noticeable amount of
size onto your arms. Some of you can expect to put on an inch or more on your arms by the
end.
Follow the full program, Six Weeks to Sick Arms, in BodyFit. You can track your workouts in the
BodyFit app, swap out lifts to match your equipment, and watch demonstration videos of every
movement in every workout!

Why And How This Program Works

This 6-week program is a progression that ramps up the training frequency (how often you train
arms each week) starting at once per week in week one; twice per week in week two; and three
times per week in weeks three through five. Then you back way off in the final week, number
six, to just once per week again.

Trust me, there's a method to this madness.

Week one is designed to annihilate your biceps and triceps. You'll pull out all the stops, using
negative rep training to really destroy every single muscle fiber you can in your arms.

You'll need a good week to recover from this onslaught. The next week pops your guns with
lighter weight and higher reps. Volume will be low in these workouts, by design. You'll still be
recovering from the previous week.

Big arms not only symbolize masculinity, but they're also the most visible body part you have.

These workouts will help you to better recover from the previous week and will get you ready for
the crazy three weeks that are to come.

In weeks three, four, and five, you will be hitting arms three times per week. If you think that
sounds like overtraining, you're precisely right. But overtraining does not happen immediately. It
takes several weeks to actually become overtrained. The technical term for training that can
lead to overtraining is called overreaching.

And what's interesting about overreaching is that research shows that if your diet is adequate in
calories, protein and carbs, as well as the right supplements, then you can actually capitalize on
overreaching and turn it into a way to grow bigger and stronger.

Several studies from the university of Connecticut have shown that when subjects overreach for
several weeks, during the two weeks following, they grow significantly bigger and stronger while
taking it easy. The key is to stop the overreaching just before it turns into overtraining.

That's why you'll be training arms three times per week in weeks three through five and then
switch it up to just once per week in week six. I also suggest that the week after week six you
take it fairly easy on your arms and train them just once that week before getting back into any
serious training programs.
These workouts will help you to better recover from the previous week and will get you ready for
the crazy three weeks that are to come.

The 3-day per week arm training not only is designed to shock your muscles into growing with
frequent and intense workouts that cause overreaching, but it also takes advantage of the
staircase effect for building muscle.

This refers to the fact that training activates genes in muscle fibers that are responsible for
many of the adaptations that take place, such as muscle growth and strength increases.

For example, consistent training activates certain genes that result in building more muscle fiber
protein, which means more muscle size and strength. These genes are typically activated over
hours, with some remaining activated for days.

Repeated workouts, if timed appropriately, can build upon the activation of the genes to reach
an even higher activity level and greater muscle growth. This is referred to as "the staircase
effect."

In other words, let's say a certain gene involved in muscle growth is activated by a workout to
the point that its activity is boosted by 100% following the workout, then slowly declines in
activity over the next few days so that the day after the workout it is still up by 75%, and the
second day after the workout it is up by 50%, then the third day it is up by just 25%, and finally
on the fourth day after the workout it is back to the original level.

If you performed the workout on the fourth day after the first workout or later, then that gene
would be bumped back up to 100% of its original activity.

However, if you worked out on the second day after the first workout, when the gene was still up
by 50%, then you could potentially bump up its activity to 150%. This could lead to even greater
muscle growth and strength gains than if you waited to train again after the fourth day or later,
like one week later.

This is one reason why training a muscle group every 48 hours could lead to even greater
muscle growth and strength gains than training every seven days.

Of course, this program is not all about training frequency. While moving to more frequent
workouts can help you build extra size on your arms, to really get them up there in size will
require pulling out all the stops. So intensity techniques, like drop sets, forced reps, rest pause,
negative reps and supersets will be key in forcing them to grow.
These techniques will not only put more stress on the muscle, but they are also known to boost
growth hormone levels. In fact, one study from Finland reported that subjects doing forced reps
increased GH levels 3 times higher than when they just stopped after reaching muscle failure.

Drop sets, Forced reps, Rest pause, Negative reps and Supersets will be key to help you build
extra size on your Arms.

Drop sets, Forced reps, Rest pause, Negative reps and Supersets will be key to help you build
extra size on your Arms.

That extra growth hormone will be put to good use initiating muscle recovery and growth that
will get that tape measure stretching. Another study reported in the Journal Medicine & Science
in Sports & Exercise that subjects using negative rep training led to high GH levels.

Another key element to this program is the constant switching up of weight and rep ranges
every workout to keep your arms growing. This is known as periodization, and research
confirms that using periodization, which is the continual cycling of weight and rep ranges,
produces the greatest gains in muscle size and strength.

One form of periodization that appears to be superior to other forms is called undulating
periodizaion, which is simply the constant switching up of weight and rep ranges every workout.
Research studies from both Brazil and the University of Connecticut have supported this form of
training for making continued gains.

Since you'll be training arms pretty much every other day during weeks three, four and five, you
may be worried about your arms still being sore when you train them. Don't be.

Research from Japan shows that when subjects workout intensely to cause muscle pain and
train that muscle again just two days later and again four days later when the muscle is still
sore, it does not impede recovery. Plus this can actually help them grow.

One study found that when subjects trained the same muscle group just two days, the catabolic
hormone cortisol was lower. Since cortisol competes with testosterone, having lower cortisol
levels during and after workouts can make you more anabolic and allow your testosterone to
better enhance muscle growth.

Training Splits
To properly hit your arms during these 6 weeks, you'll need to alternate your training split. Each
week you will follow a 4-day training split.
However, based on the week and number of times you are training arms, you will be training on
four different days of the week and pairing up different muscle groups each week.

Use the following training splits for each week of the Six Weeks to Sick Arms program.

Workout Plan
Week 1
Note: Use this training split during week one.

Monday: Triceps/Biceps
Tuesday: Legs/Calves
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Back/Abs
Friday: Chest/Shoulders/Traps
Saturday: Off
Sunday: Off
Week 2
Note: Use this training split during week two.

Monday: Triceps/Biceps
Tuesday: Back/Legs/Calves
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Biceps/Triceps
Friday: Chest/Shoulders/Traps/Abs
Saturday: Off
Sunday: Off
Week 3-5
Note: Use this training split during week three, four and five.

Monday: Triceps/Biceps
Tuesday: Chest/Shoulders/Traps/Abs
Wednesday: Back/Biceps/Triceps
Thursday: Off
Friday: Biceps/Triceps
Saturday: Back/Legs/Calves
Sunday: Off
Week 6
Note: Use this training split during week six.

Monday: Chest, Abs

Tuesday: Back, Calves
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Shoulders/Traps/Legs
Friday: Triceps/Biceps
6 Weeks to Sick Arms: The Program
6 Weeks to Sick Arms: The Program
Follow this full 6-week program in BodyFit Elite! You’ll get a customizable workout tracker and
app, with demonstration videos for all movements. Earn free shipping and store discounts, plus
access to 70+ additional programs!
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jim Stoppani, Ph.D.
Jim Stoppani, Ph.D.
Jim Stoppani holds a doctorate in exercise physiology from the University of Connecticut and
has been the personal nutrition and health consultant to numerous celebrity clients, including...

View all articles by this author

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30 COMMENTS
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Comments

alkabeyamk11 (kabeya)
Your sample script.

"4 videos that get you up to six abs in no time."

I tried everything to have abs in concrete, I deprived myself of eating but no success, then I
discovered these 4 superb videos which allowed me to have quickly my 6 abs well traced.

Video 1 * link 1 : shrinke.me/L94v7qED

Video 2 * link 2 : shrinke.me/MW16gyy
Video 3 * link 3 : shrinke.me/j56DTq
video 4 * link 4 : shrinke.me/RrYpH

September 7th, 2020

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Reply

aderu
hi jim can you publish your article on my site www.coachdigger.com?

May 2nd, 2020

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azizs16
All good and would be perfect if I find these exercises on an app

February 1st, 2020

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Reply

Fitdude50 (Steve Cooper)

Hi really enjoying this program. One thing, do I drop to maintenance on other body areas
throughout this program?
Many thanks
Steve

October 8th, 2019

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Reply

SickEndo (Andrei Robert)

Can I start a cut with the beggining of 6 ?Will it affect my recovery?

February 27th, 2019

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Reply

eboothe1029 (Evan Boothe)

This plan really worked and gave me a great jumpstart on where I’m trying to get. Thank you,
Dr. Stoppani!

May 23rd, 2018

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Reply

doubledanger (Danny)
Interesting.

January 10th, 2018

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Reply

otteruic (Mark)
When you train other body parts during this workout should you use the same rep count you do
with your arms? So for ex: 3 to 5 close grip bench then 10 to 12 - should you do this with chest
back legs etc...

December 21st, 2017

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Reply

baigui23
I'm on Week 2 (Monday) and I think it meant to say inclined CURLS rather than inclined press.
Just a guess based on how the workout looks so I'm gonna roll with inclined curls.

November 30th, 2017

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Reply

kandmjones (Ken Jones)

I am in week 5 and I have gained 3/4 inch. I feel so much stronger. I plan to take a week off then
I Am going to to start 6 week to shred. Stoppani is awesome,
September 17th, 2017
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