Build Arms That Actually Pop

Function and performance come first.
Always.
But let's not pretend vanity doesn't matter.
Looking good feels good.
So embrace it.

The fastest way to look more defined?
Build your arms.
And no, it's not just about hammering biceps.
That's rookie math.

The real formula:
Triceps + Lateral Delts > Biceps

Matthew McConaughey said it best in his book Greenlights:

He’s right.
Triceps are the bigger muscle group, three heads vs. two.
More surface area → more definition.

Lateral delts?
They broaden the shoulders and sharpen that biceps-triceps split from the side.
That’s the silhouette you want.

Big Arms Aren’t Complicated
Volume → growth.
Keep it simple.

Here’s how most screw it up:

Going to failure every set
Chasing full failure doesn’t build size, it blunts progress.
Stop 1–2 reps short.
Keep the quality high.

Skipping the eccentric
You grow on the stretch.

Triceps: slow the elbow bend.
Delts: control the descent, fight gravity.
Biceps: slow the lowering. No drops.

Too much momentum
If you’re swinging weights, you’re losing efficiency.
I’ll allow it sometimes for curls, if you control the negative.
Otherwise lock in, brace, move with intent.

Inconsistent training
One random “arm day” a month doesn’t cut it.
Minimum twice a week.
That’s how you grow.

Triceps
• Dips - functional, brutal, shoulder-integrated strength.
• Triceps Extensions (rope/bar) - full stretch, full lockout.
• Straight-Arm Pulldown (rope/bar) - hits long head + lats.
• Overhead Extensions (rope/DB/EZ) - hits all three heads.
• Skull Crushers (EZ/DB) - control the eccentric, stabilize shoulders.
• Machine Extensions - stable, controlled, isolated.
• TRX Skull Crushers - triceps + added core demand.

Note: One triceps head crosses the shoulder. Overhead work and skull crushers hit it best. Don’t skip them.

Delts
• Dumbbell Lateral Raises - reach wide, not just high. Aim just above parallel.
• Cable Lateral Raises - constant tension, reach wide.
• Scaptions - not just for size, they bulletproof shoulder function.

Biceps
• Dumbbell Curls - supinated, hammer, alternating, together.
• Cable Curls (rope/EZ) - constant tension, controlled descent.
• Machine Curls - stable, controlled, isolated.
• TRX Biceps Curls - bodyweight resistance + continuous tension.

Workout A
2 rounds of each
• Dips - 5-8 reps
• Lateral Raises - 12-15 reps
• Tricep Pushdowns - 10-12 reps
• Overhead Tricep Extensions - 10-12 reps
• Seated or Kneeling Dumbbell Bicep Curls - 8-12 reps
• TRX Tricep Extensions + TRX Bicep Curls (superset—back to back) - 10-12 reps
Total reps (whole workout): 130–166

Workout B
2 rounds of each
• Tricep Extensions - 5-8 reps
• Lateral Raises - 12-15 reps
• Skull Crushers - 8-12 reps
• Scaptions - 12-15 reps
• Machine Bicep Curls - 10-12 reps
• Machine Tricep Extensions - 10-12 reps
Total reps (whole workout): 114–148

• Tempo: 4–1–1
Biceps: 4 down, 1 hold at bottom stretch, 1 up
Triceps: 4 up into stretch (eccentric), 1 hold at top, 1 down to lockout
Shoulders: 4 down, 1 hold at bottom, 1 up to just above parallel
• Rest: 60–90s on higher-rep/isolation sets, up to 120s on lower-rep/heavier sets.
• Elbow health: rotate EZ bar/cables/neutral grips.

Use these two arm-specific workouts weekly.
Do both in the same week, or alternate them.
A twice one week, B twice the next.
Don't overthink it. Just get it in.

Great arms aren't luck.
They're volume, precision, and consistency.
Earn the look.

Train Hard.
Think Deep.
Live with Intent.

— The CODE