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Developing the Forearms

By George F. Jowett

The development of the forearms is a problem to thousand of body builders, but the author, who is famed for the size and strength of his powerful arms, offers valuable help in this fine article. He sets you right on many questions, and explains why certain beliefs are mere fallacies. With usual thoroughness, he picks apart the entire muscular scheme of the forearm in such a manner you can visualize the entire-plan unfold before- your eyes. He presents practical facts gleaned from many years of personal experience, and from teachings others. It will help you immensely to build your forearms as you want them.

It is commonly said that the calves and the forearms are the two muscular parts of the body that are the most difficult to develop. It is quite true that many do find them very stubborn to respond to an appreciable increase in growth, but the fact remains that the forearms and calves are composed of the same type of muscles as the rest of the body. It is not any particular peculiarity in the muscular construction of these parts that makes development difficult as much as the fact that these two parts are functioning more vigorously daily, which causes a greater density of tissue that makes the necessary breaking down process of the old tissue a more serious task. This must be done first before growth can take place.

Some choose to term this difficulty a natural condition. Possibly it is; nevertheless, It does not alter the natural order of tissue replacement. My experience gained from observation is that most body builders expect the forearms to respond as readily as other parts, and when they do not they become disgusted and say it just cannot be done for one of many reasons — the most common ‘being, that they have small wrists.

In years past, this old alibi has been drummed into the body builder. To my mind, the alibi just a satisfactory excuse for the incompetent instructor and the indifferent body builder. Naturally all are not indifferent. Many try hard, which puts the burden for non-success where it belongs — upon the instructor.

In my study of various body building courses. It is quite noticeable how are deficient in supplying the pupil with the proper explanation, construction and function, treatise and exercise for the forearms.

The small-boned wrist theory always makes me ask the question, “What is a small wrist?” I never get an answer. The defect, if it is one, is more assumed than is actual. During many years as an instructor. I have had the opportunity to observe numerous body builders. Many were famous for their arm strength, and many others with fine arm development could have been equally famous if their inclinations had been toward professional performance or amateur competition. Many of these specimens did not have large bony wrists; very few did. To the average body builder, some of these wrists would have appeared large, and the tape would have justified the fact — but it rarely ever was all bone girth. What was most apparent was the strong mass of muscle and sinew formed around the wrist. As an example, let me quote myself. My wrist measures around 9 ½ inches. Yet, those who can go back far enough to remember me in my earlier days when I was only a middleweight, growing into a heavyweight, will recall that my wrist measurement was given a-round 7 ¼ to 7 ½ inches. As far as years ago, I had then reached manhood’s estate and the age when bones had reached the limit of natural growth in my particular case. Now, is it foolish to assume that the additional two inches gained on my wrist girth could be pure bone? Of course not! My Forearms increased with any other development that transformed me into a heavyweight, and with the increase of forearm size went wrist size. Of course many heavyweights never secured the sized arms and wrists that I and others got, but that was simply because they did not apply themselves as I and others had done.

At the same time, it must always be understood, as explained in previous articles, that a man who is naturally a lightweight cannot expect to obtain the wrist and forearm size of the heavyweight. Yet, there are many cases where men who were to all appearances naturally Inclined to be of an average bodyweight, but who became heavyweights. Like myself, they were not content to belong to the average bodyweight class, no matter how fine their development, nor how great their strength was at the weight, they persevered and so built their body until they finally became heavyweights. Usually, these men can be identified by their bony structure, that is if you observe closely enough. As an example, many remark about my heavy wrist formation, but by squeezing the wrist at the sides, the muscular bulk is forced away and shows clearly the natural bone size, which is not much different than it was when I was a middleweight. In other words, you too, can build your forearms to greater size if you will only be persistent enough. Forget the small-boned wrist idea. Muscle is muscle, and the right type of exercise will break down any stubborn tissue and allow greater growth in replacement.

Many instructors lacking sufficient information on forearm development advise that the constant gripping, and lifting of dumbbells of barbells during exercise provides sufficient exercise for the forearms. That is not so, because in those same movements, yon are only using the arms in the manner in which they are most accustomed. The -muscles being fully used to those movements, even though they may be more vigorous movements, will no more respond to growth than will pick and showel work increase the arms of the laborer.

Like developing any other part of the body, you must understand the construction and function of the muscles. The forearm muscles, due to the natural crossing action of the radial and ulna bones of the forearms, are arranged to provide more diversified action.

The forearm muscles are capable of four movements — supination — pronation — flexion and extension. This being the case, the mere gripping and bending the arm, lifting to the shoulder, is only one part of their fourfold action. Exercise must be employed that works the muscles from every line of their natural angle. The swift movement of the arms in weight lifting is too quick to classify the action as muscle building exercise. In a lift, there is only the momentary grip, and pull up, that hurls the weight to the shoulders, then the muscles more or less relax in order for the arms to bend, and get under the weight. The forearms are little used in the overhead heave, except at the conclusion of the lift when the supinator longus of the forearm helps to support the triceps of the upper arm in locking the arm at the elbow. To give muscles benefit, the action must be an exercise movement that thoroughtfy stimulates action throughout all the issues, therefore, the movement must be reasonably slow and complete. Particularly Is this true with muscles that are more than ordinary dense In their tissue structure, otherwise, the breaking down of old issue will not be sufficient.

The forearms are divided into a very complex arrangement of nineteen muscles. These muscles are slender-bellied, and with very long tendons. The muscles proper, on the front of the forearm, extend about three-quarters of the way down to the wrist, the rest of the connection to the hand is tendon. Those on the back of the forearm are longer, but these also have long tendons as an examination of the anatomical illustrations of the forearms accompanying this article show.

The origin of most of these muscles are inserted on the bone of the upperarm to become finally attached onto the wrist and hand.

In the last issue, explaining the biceps of the arm, I showed how the biceps were attached upon the bones of the forearm, and as the forearm muscles originate on the bone of the upper arm, you can better understand now why the arm is so powerful in bending the forearm on the upper arm. Everything muscular Is arranged this way. Those who are seeking to increase the depth of the upper arm against the elbow fold can realize that forearm development is also a necessary part of the plan to create this desirable powerful formation.

Of the nineteen muscles in the forearm, four are concerned with pronation and supination, nine with the thumb, and six with the wrist, and they all have capable extension and flexion. When you hold the arm with the back of the hand up, that is the prone position, the reverse is the supine. This action aided by the crossing of the bones, permit the hand to rotate on the wrist 180 degrees, or a half circle. The rotation of the hand is caused by the crossing of the forearm bones, and not by the wrist alone. These bones control the wrist movement, therefore, you must always bear in mind that it is the forearm that involves the movements of the wrist and hand. This being a fact, all hand and wrist movements in turn involve the forearm muscles, and the hand and wrist is the angle from which we must begin in order to develop the muscles. The only thing left is to know in which direction the hand and wrist should be bent in order to get at all of the muscles. These movements comprise the exercises necessary for the purpose.

You must always remember that the actual functions of these muscles are short. The length of their pull is controlled by the limation of the hand bending on the wrist. Therefore, the true exercise operation must be gauged from the straight arm position, and bending the hand on the wrist in the varied exercise position. From this line of action, only light weights should be used, otherwise the swing of a heavy weight is going to create a momentum which will deprive the muscles of a steady complete movement.

There are exercises that are very influential for the forearm muscles that require a bent arm. These efforts are more sustained muscular contraction. By that I mean, after the muscle has become contracted from a movement, the bent arm will sustain the final contraction in a greater degree. Then there are movements of this nature which are necessary because of the supinator longus reaching high onto the upper arm bone, co-ordinates with the triceps. We must also bear in mind what I told you in last month’s issue how the biceps have a functioning relationship with the forearm. With these facts in mind you will understand the reason for light weights with certain exercises, and heavier weights in other exercises. The latter are employed where the muscles of the upper arm coordinate with the lower arm. In other words, you must know the how, when and where to employ heavy and light weight.

The forearm muscles having only an actual short range of contraction will permit, in many cases, a very much increased poundage per exercise, and what is also very important, one can exercise the muscles of the lower arm without any danger of organic reaction. The reason for this is because the forearm muscles are not directly associated with the organs. They also act more independently of other groups which enable their physical capabilities to be more safely and definitely controlled.

The thumb is an important consideration, too, in forearm development. While nine forearm muscles are concerned with thumb action, there are three that are directly associated with it—a short, and a long extensor, and the long abductor. The thumb, like the little finger has more freedom than the other fingers. While the little finger is much weaker than the thumb yet It has three direct muscles connections,—abductor, flexor and opponens.

The little finger does not act as independent of the other fingers as does the thumb, which means, while you can grip collectively with all fingers the thumb is not necessarily acting, so you should remember to grip strongly with the thumb when holding a weight in the hand during exercise.

The common extensor of the forearm branches into four sections, to be attached onto each finger. The palmaris longus extends from the bone of the upper arm down the forearm ending into a broad sheet of tissue that forms the palm of the hand. Other hand muscles of fleshy bulk form on the top of the fascia. On the back of the hand there are no fleshy, muscles, just a series of tendons. Of course there is a series of superficial muscles forming under the forearm surface muscles which you are more familiar with. These are equally stimulated by the exercises given

The one muscle one should be careful with, particularly weight lifters, is the supinator longus, that runs high on the upper arm bone and supports the triceps. Many lifters strain this muscle, which pains slightly and makes the arm weak in certain arm movements. This is because this particular muscle is not carefully developed strongly enough to co-operate with the effort the triceps demand. There is a little triangle shaped muscle at the upper part of the forearm named the Anconeus that also supports the triceps. This muscle is considered an elongation of the triceps by anatomists, and is developed in unison with the supinator longus.

If you are keen to develop the forearm muscles, it will pay you to read over the explanation given herein several times, so everything is properly grasped in your mind. After all, the forearm is a complex arrangement of muscles, and while I have tried to be brief, and yet cover all the important features necessary to know, study will clarify the subject .more to you. I have not covered all of the muscles separately, simply because so many of them operate will each other in groups that deal with the four explained movements of the forearm muscles.

The exercises submitted for your benefit within this article should be practiced as shown and described. Where a dumbell is advocated, use it. Where a kettle bell is advised use it, also where a solid dumbbell is advised gripped in the hand by the end, use it that way. In this last named, where one holds the dumbbell toy the end and describes a circle with the other end, moving the hand on the wrist, you will probably recognize an old exercise. I have noticed of the late that many have deviated from this exercise principle, using a dumbbell gripped by the bar. This is wrong in two ways. It induces one to use too much weight. The detriment of this is that once the exercise motion is set up a momentum is gathered by the heavy bell. This causes the bell to swing as the hand rotates and deprives the muscles involved of the progressive resistance necessary for development. Moreover, by holding the bell by the end, you obtain full grip of the thumb and little finger, as well as the other fingers If you grip a bell by the bar you are deprived of thumb, and little ‘finger benefit. The thumb is most important. Holding the bell by its end compels you to perform the exercise correctly, and docs the work it is ordained for.

There is not so much difference in muscular construction in the forearm as often met with in other muscles, as explained in other ‘previous articles. The forearm size is less deceiving than other muscular bulk. There is less chance for coarse tissue because the forearms are actively employed daily. You can readily tell the difference between a true strong forearm, and a weak one. The muscles stand out in stronger relief, or else the fore-arm is fat. There is the only real difference. After- this, the forearm size and muscular display becomes a true index of power.

Most forearms show the greatest development on the outside the Inside particularly when the muscles are flexed with the hand and forearm In the goose neck formation, is usually sadly lacking. When the front of the forearm is fully developed and when flexed will take on a canoe-like shape from wrist to elbow.

The front of the forearm takes on a different shape with different muscular types. Some display an abrupt bulk just bellow the elbow when the arm is posed in the goose neck position, and the rest of the arm to the wrist is slender. When this occurs, the forearm at its buging point looks larger than It really is. This happens when the frontal muscles are not fully developed over their entire length. As these muscles develop over their length, the sinew insertion into the muscles becomes thicker with the muscle, and this cordiness is what makes up the heavier wrist and stronger arm. I have seen many arms praised (because of this short abrupt bulking, but my experience has proved to me convincingly that they are not the strong type arm of outstanding physical merit. Men who are famous for their arm strength showed a forearm that bulked with thick sinew from the wrist to the elbow. The back of the forearm was broad with a muscular sweep rolling over the elbow and down. The ball of the thumb was thick muscle as also was the outside wall of the palm of the hand. Men like Karl Moerki and Thomas Inch are outstanding examples of men naturally endowed with small wrist bones. Their normal wrist did not exceed much over six inches in circumference, and the bony structure of the hand was small, but look what arms they built. You could see the powerful muscle banking on the front, and along the outside wall of the wrist, and they were both extremely powerfully armed.

Exercise will build for anyone splendid, powerfully formed forearms who strives hard and long enough, but one should also combine other variations of practices as an interesting deviation from exercise. Rope climbing is great, especially when one gets to the point where the rope can be climbed with hands alone. Chinning the bar to the half- up position, with the hands gripping in varied positions, such as the regular grip with palms of the hands facing front, then in the reverse position, then with hands using the alternate grip. Hand balancers always display powerful, well-formed forearms. The constant pushing up of their body-weight balanced on the hands employs every muscle in the forearm. Bending, and twisting iron bars into varied forms, and the bending and breaking of spikes is also a fine developer. The sport of wrist turning provides another fascinating form of forearm exercise. It is the particular sport of the strong armed fellow, and many wonderful tourneys of arm strength have I seen pitted together in a wrist turning contest.

In former Germany and Austria, there were hundreds of clubs that had teams devoted entirely to the sport of kettle bell juggling. What a he-man’s sport that is! The varied spins, twists and turns, the constant catching and swinging, saying nothing about the footwork, timing and keen eye required. It gets at every muscle as no other sport can. It is an arm developing sport de-luxe. On the other hand we read of feats claimed as being great feats of arm strength that actually are not. As an example, I can recall quite a number of years ago visiting a friend in an other city who simply worshipped a local Herculean athlete. He told me that this man would show me what real arm strength was. I was only a middleweight then, but was considered fairly strong-armed. This particular athlete had such a grip that he could raise off the table top a large iron ball which it was claimed no other athlete had ever been able to budge. While I have a large hand, the other fellow bad a larger hand. On sight, lie said I could not move the ball because my hands were not large enough. Nevertheless, he began to demonstrate and to the consternation of my friend he failed on every attempt. I then asked if I might try. My friend was indignant. What was the use of me trying when this giant had failed! He weighed about 265 lbs., nevertheless, at the first attempt I raised the ball, and held it, much to their consternation. This stunt was thought as being a great feat of arm strength. It was not as much a feat of arm strength as it was a feat of having so much strength and knowing how much to employ on the grip over a certain degree, simply squeezed the ball out of the hand. What the Hercules had not noted was that ‘I had an enormous thumb joint. In fact the thumb joint of my hand constitutes more than one-third of my hand spread and size. The thumb ‘being so large and strong, a-long with the little finger grip, did the trick. I merely employed enough force to enable the ball to cling to the hand and gently raised it off the table in a perpendicular line. A clever stunt all right, but did not require as much arm power as other feats I knew of, and which I had seen performed. This bears out what I say that many feats that imply great strength to perform are not always so, therefore, do not be misled, stick to the practices that are proven of the right order. Practice the exercises without deviation as instructed. Any deviation might only be some other fellow’s pet idea, or because he has some physical peculiarity that enables him to do a particular stunt difficult to others without the same peculiarity.

Personally, I regret that lifting clubs and body builders in this country do not follow the practice of juggling kettle bells. I will never forget my initiation into the sport. As a work-out, we stood in a wide circle and tossed the bell to each other. After only a very short time, and I mean short, my forearm muscles began to ache like no one’s business, but I stuck, vanity got the best of me, and for the next couple of days a my arms were like sticks. Later, I practiced the game with more common s sense, and attribute much of the gain gotten in forearm development along with the special exercises, to this sport.

There are numerous other exercises t that can be practiced which lack of s space prevents me from giving more t than I have herein, but these will suffice, and another article I will cover e more of them. While these exercises do give a wonderful benefit to the wrist, yet, there are other exercises that involve wrist movement exclusively. This is done by nutralizing as much forearm action as possible, making the wrist do the major work, which is the opposite in forearm exercise. The wrists will be treated in a s special separate article. I aim to make this series the greatest treatise of it physical development, far beyond the range of what a book could contain, only at a greater cost than one could pay. Follow them through and enjoy the practical benefits that experienced instructions yields to you. These forearm exercises will help you more than you may now realize. Start off with weights well within your control, and increase one repetition every third practice night until you have reached the limit of repetitions to comfortably perform. Never fatigue your muscles, instead, add a little more weight and start over with the original low count and work up as before, and the results will be, the development of a fine powerful forearm which will make you feel proud to roll up your sleeve and show to anyone.

Your Physique Volume 3 N 2, 1943

The Mighty Triceps

By George F. Jowett

ONE day I was amused in watching a group of young men practicing a series of impromptu feats of strength among themselves In a Turner’s gym. One young fellow with an imposing development, particularly of the arms, had them all stopped in chinning the bar. and curling d umbel Is and barbell to the shoulders from the full arm hang position, but what puzzled all his comrades was the fact that he was no better, and not as good as one of the boys In slowly raising a barbell or dumbell to arms’ length overhead. They just could not figure it out. None of them could compare with this particular young chap in arm development, but there it was. He could do so many feats of arm strength the others could not, but he was sunk when it came to feats of overhead lifting. The answer, while puzzling to them, is very simple. This young chap only excelled in feats where the forearm was bent on the upper arm in such movements as curling, chinning and dipping In other words he was all biceps, and only where the biceps muscles were involved did he excel. He failed at all movements, that Is in proportion to his other stunts, simply because he had no worth-while triceps development, and all feats that require the strengthening of the arms overhead, and even when pressing down, with straight aims, are controlled by the action of the triceps muscles.

This again brings out the fact which I have so often stressed upon — that the size of the upper arm is not a true criterion of upper arm strength as much as is balanced upper arm development. The upper arm girth may measure much less than that of another, yet to the surprise of the larger-armed chap, the other fellow will excel in more feats of strength. Some explain this as being better in performing the tricks, or knowing the knack of doing a thing, whereas, others claim the big-armed fellow has more beef than strength. This Is rarely true, yet most people believe It. especially when they see an untrained man equal or beat is most arm-building enthusiasts center all their efforts on biceps development and pay little or no attention to the triceps, with the result that they are only able to excel on particular feats such as curling, dipping and chinning the bar. The body builder travels further who pays more attention to balanced development than the one who sticks to isolated development of one particular group of muscle. Vanity, and the craze for large girthed muscles is the cause of this isolated development fad.

One must always remember that the biceps act antagonistic to the triceps, and vice versa. The word antagonistic, while commonly used to explain the point is not wholly true. I would prefer to say that each support the other, except in such movements where one acts independently of the other. In this case one muscle is relaxed while the other performs, but in many movements and the majority of movements of the upper arms, the triceps and the biceps act together. As one muscle fullfils its duty the other takes up its appointed duty and carries on. You see this properly demonstrated when a person picks a barbell or dumbell from off the floor to the shoulders, and then raises the weight overhead. In the first movement the biceps function to the point of just beginning to raise the weight overhead at which point the triceps take up and perform most of the work. This clearly shows that the more balanced the development of these two muscular groups are, the more perfect will be the completion of the lift overhead.

The triceps form the bulk of the back of the upper arm as the word triceps implies it is in a three-fold muscle finally inserted into one common tendon. This muscle originates from beneath the deltoid of shoulder cap muscles. They are divided into an inner head, an outer head and a long head. The first two heads are attached onto the extremity of the bone of the upper arm. The long head is attached to the end of the clavicle, or collar bone, and onto the tip of the shoulder blade. The bulk of these three muscles quickly merge into a broad tendon at a point easily visible to the eye when this muscle is contrated forcibly by straightening the arm. The tendon forms the flat part of the upper arm down to the elbow and is flanked on each side by the muscles as they flow down to insertion about the elbow joint. The triceps have powerful control over the forearm. Their chief function is in straightening the forearm with the upper arm.

In former articles of this series when explaining the muscles of the forearm and of the upper arm. I have shown how strongly certain forearm muscles aid the triceps in operation. Chief among these are the supinator longus and the anconeous. Particularly the later though partly visible on an anatomical chart, the major part of it hidden under the supinator longus and under the triceps as this muscle travels from the forearm up onto the upper arm. These two accessory muscles act as the arm just begins to straighten and when the arm is completely straightened, making the arm lock more definite. The start aids the triceps to get under way and again comes into action at the point just before the arm straightens, known to lifters as the weak point. This point is only weak because the muscles arc not as fully developed as should be in order to fully co-operate. Perhaps this fact will also make clear to my readers why I have advocated to lifters raising upward a dumbell from the shoulders only about six Inches from the shoulders also, while holding a weight overhead, merely lowering the weight a few Inches and then slowly straightening the arm These two exercises movements develop and strengthen these muscles at the point that is most important to a weight lifting enthusiast.

The triceps are very powerful muscles, in fact, much more powerful in proportion to size than are the biceps. This is because the biceps are more shorter ranged in operation. Judging arm strength by results, it would pay every body-builder and weight-lifter to pay greater attention to the development of the triceps than is usually done for the biceps.

Most body-builders when taking their upper arm measurement do so with the biceps flexed, for this reason we are more familiar with arm size when measured from this position, but. if all would make a point to give the measurement of the upper arm when held relaxed and straight by the sides, one could readily judge by comparison whether the biceps were more developed than the triceps. In other words, there would not be so great a difference between the flexed upper arm girth and the relaxed measurement. Incidentally, many do not take the measurement of the upper arm correctly. If they did, some upper arms would measure more than is ordinary shown. Many flex the bleeps, bending the forearm as much as possible upon the upper arm When this Is done, the triceps become completely stretched, and where there should be a full curve on the under side of the upper arm there is a flat line. The forearm should be held almost at right angles with the upper arm which permits biceps and triceps alike to supply their bulk to measurement. Of course if the arm lacks triceps development, holding the forearm at any angle when the biceps are flexed will mean nothing additional.

Men who have reached the summit of arm development always are blest with a pair of powerful triceps. Among heavyweights, the stronger and larger the triceps become the less definitation will be shown. They bulk very heavily. In such cases the only proof of powerful triceps development is the crest of the horseshoe formation of muscle that rises from the fascia midway on the back of the upper arm. In a few cases this condition is exceptional, such as with Hackenschmidt, whose triceps formation was as clear and as clean cut as that of a lightweight Of course Sandow showed finely molded triceps, but he was not a heavy weight in the sense of the word as we nowadays accept the term. At his best he weighed about 186 lbs., and around this body-weight I can mention many who display triceps even more perfectly molded than most biceps. Nevertheless, the real heavyweights have real triceps power, otherwise their arm power, particularly in the slow overhead lifts and jerks, would never have achieved the records credited to these men of might. One can always tell powerful triceps the moment they see a bare arm. The width across the arm just below the deltoid gives the story. Of course, we know that big strong men always run to massivenesa. Their muscles become so densified with muscular fibre hardly any separation is visible, but do not let this deceive you as to the existence of muscle and power. Of course it all depends on what one is after. If the purpose is purely body building with a desire to develop the muscles so that they display separation, this can be done by omitting the practice of heavyweight lifting Heavyweight lifting brings out the fullest in muscular size, but also densifies the structure in the process. One could not become extraordinarily strong without this happening, and to many, this development is a desirable conquest. Now do not get me wrong by thinking weight lifting does not produce men with a clear muscular separation it certainly does in numerous cases, but what I mean is you will find more real strong men with smooth, silky muscles and less separation than you will among those who strive purely for development for the purpose of muscular display.

After reading this you may be a little confused and wonder what is the difference in the exercise process to ac quire one or the other. It is very simple. The practice of heavyweight lifting involves a less number of exercises in one period and over a shorter length of time per exercise period, and less practice nights per week. Weight lifting exercises Involve whole groups of muscles in each exercise, whereas, for the purpose of separation, less weight is involved, but more repetitions per exercise, and more exercises to be practiced at each period, and these I every night Repeated repetitions of an I exercise directly imposed upon one single muscle group will cause greater fibre construction. Constant contraction causes separation and shapeliness more than it does increase size. While size will culminate, yet it does not show its gains as much as it shows separation and shaping of the muscles, and the more exercises that can be performed to stimulate a muscle, or the least muscle group from all points of operating angle, the greater contraction of the muscle and allied muscles, which is the reason why more repetitions and more exercises per period, and every night weekly, will create finer muscular separation. While this explains a point that perhaps is important to you, and which is important in explaining the difference to those who are not aware of the facts and wish to know them — what I has it got to do with the development of the triceps in size, shape, separation and strength. It has a great deal to do with it for no other reason than because barbell or dumbell exercise alone will not give one the fullest in triceps development. Barbell and dumbbells give a very limited form of exercise for the triceps. Therefore, other factors must be considered that will function the triceps from all they varied angles they are capable of functioning

Many body builders get a set notion that weights are the only thing even to the exclusion of all other methods and other apparatus. It is a wrong attitude. While I agree on the greater efficiency of progressive weights, yet I never met a man who had reached the peak of success in development and strength, who had not recognized the fact that his training periods must be mixed exercise in order to get the best out of ail the muscles.

There is a saying that a good workman always is plentifully supplied with the best tools. It is the same with the good body builder. He will recognize the necessity of employing other tools and methods for obvious reasons, other than weights, and will use than in the right place. I have used all forms of apparatus while not yielding first place to them in preference to progressive weights. I have used cable pulls for certain muscles I have used spring grips, dumbbells-grips, chest weights and what have you. and enjoyed them one of the forms of exercise I ever indulged in was that of swinging heavy weighted clubs, something one never hear tell of these days. I used to have a pair knocking around up to a short time ago. and have often been quite amused watching the helpless antics of many who stand high in strength fame today, trying to swing them They are the equal of kettle-bell juggling for the arms and shoulders, and provide a far more strenuous training routine. Then we had the single club, one that weighed from eighty pounds as to whatever you desire, which was swung in all directions while gripped with both hands. They made you realize you had a pair of triceps and if they were below par in strength and development they quickly improved. Breaking iron shoes afforded fine triceps works, and many years ago I used the iron shoe exercise purely for triceps and arm purposes, a-long with my other weight training exercises Cable pulls of strong elastic can be used to give fine triceps exercise, as also can the gymnastic exercise, dipping between the parallel bars.

Just try standing between pair of parallel bars, pressing with the hands on the bars as you raise the legs up backward while held straight, until you are m a pianche. You nail soon find out If your triceps are strong or not as this ss purely a triceps feat that cannot be equalled with weights. Hold the chest cable expander at arms’ length behind the back, and with straight arms raise the arms out and up, until they are in a line level with the shoulders. This is a pure triceps exercise, providing you do not bend the body while performing the movement. Raising a dumbell backwards, and twisting the arm when the full back arm raise has been made will give the triceps a fine work out, but the trouble it is so easy to swing the body with the arm raise, that the best value in the exercise for the triceps becomes lost. Yes, you can lift a barbell from the position where it hangs at aims’ length across the back of the thighs, and then with straight arms, lift up backwards as high as possible. This is line if — you do it right, but too many bend too far forward as they raise the arms, with the result, that they hardly raise the aims at all. They only bend forward, and think they are doing it right, but this kind of mental telepathy will not help a little bit The exercises I have mentioned with either apparatus give you less chance to mislead yourself, with the results, better triceps action is gained, and muscular action is what origins results

Be broad-minded with your training. Study the things that will give you the development benefits you desire, and use those methods. It is no travesty from a principle to use a chest cable pull for one exercise in your weight-lifting exercise training. Chest cable pulls. as well as other things mentioned herein, are tools of the trade so to speak. I never came across a truly successful body builder who could say that in all his life he had never used any but one type apparatus to secure his strength, size and development. Thomas Inch, the great English strength athlete was very fond of chest cable exercise mingled with his barbell and dumbbell routine. If you think it is only weaklings or sissies that use this type of apparatus, you ought to try stretching the cables Inch could stretch few strong men could budge them let alone completely stretch hem. It helped to make their muscles more versatile and supple it allowed the weight training program to secure better results. On the whole, weights cannot be surpassed, but for some muscles where weights are restricted in their adaptability to function the muscles completely, use other means and apparatus if they will do the work.

Results are what you are after so do not turn down a point that will help you secure the results, particularly does this advice hold good In the consideration of triceps development. The point to remember is that all movements that straighten the arms, and permit the arms to be turned while the arms are held In the straight arm position, and also permit a turn or twist while the arm is evolving into the straight arm position, provide triceps stimulation and development. Therefore, bearing this in mind, you will not find it difficult to form a triceps exercise routine, adding to the exercises illustrated within this article.

Take the above position grasp the barbell as shown by dotted lines and straighten the arms. Don’t swing the barbell but use the strength of the triceps to bring it to arms length overhead. Other good exercises that can be done from this position is the prone press, shoulder press and belly tows. All are good triceps exercises, and plenty of weight can be used.

Your Physique, Volume 3 № 1, Mar 1943