Biceps & Triceps Strength is part of Linda Wooldridge‘s Strength Series workouts. They are all available for free on YouTube but she also has all 5 of her Strength Series workouts on a single DVD. In addition, you can purchase the individual workouts from Linda through her website via download or DVD.
After doing Linda’s Chest & Shoulder Strength workout I knew this was going to hurt. And it didn’t disappoint! This is another high rep/endurance level strength workout that completely burned out my arms. Impossible to lift heavy because you do so many reps. I definitely overestimated what I could lift on some of the exercises and had to drop down to a lighter dumbbell. At the end of the workout, during the stretch, my arms were shaking. So another excellent burnout strength workout from Linda. And, of course, burning my bi’s and tri’s in just this workout wasn’t enough for me. I finished it off with her 100 Rep Challenge Biceps & Triceps. So yeah, my arms are fried.
Biceps & Triceps Strength is 46 minutes long; 1 minute intro and 4 minute stretch. Equipment: 2 sets of dumbbells (one lighter and one heavier) and a resistance band. Linda used 3 and 8 pound dumbbells and I used 3-15 pound dumbbells. What is listed in the breakdown below is what I used.
- Holding 2 DBs in one hand, do a bicep curl to overhead press then hold DBs with both hands and do an overhead tricep extension, pass the DBs to other hand and lower–alternate sides; changes to pyramid style–2 reps for each move then 4 reps then 8 reps then go back down the pyramid (I used one 15# DB)
- Traditional bicep curls in a single, single, 2 double pattern (single is one arm curl and double is two arm curl) (10# DBs)
- Place the band under one foot and hold an end in each hand along with lighter DBs, do the same pattern of traditional bicep curls as in #2 (6# DBs); set DBs down and continue same pattern w/ just the band
- Tricep kickbacks in single, single, double pattern (10# DBs)
- Place the band under one foot and hold an end in each hand along with lighter DBs, do the same pattern of tricep kickbacks as in #4 (5# DBs); set DBs down, hinge forward at hips and do straight arm tricep pulses w/ just the band
- Get into side lunge position, one hand on bent thigh, the other hand will do a bicep curl pattern: one curl toward bent leg, one curl straight ahead, one DB scoop in a diagonal, one scoop straight ahead (for scoops, arm remains bent) (10# DBs); changes to pyramid style–2 reps for each move then 4 reps then 8 reps then go back down the pyramid (8# DBs)
- Still in side lunge but this time w/ a band under foot of bent leg, do just the diagonal and front scoops w/ band only
- Repeat 6 & 7 on other arm
- One arm overhead tricep extension–one to the side (lowering DB to opposite shoulder in front of face) and one behind you (traditional way), alternate these two tricep moves (one 8# DB); changes to pyramid style, but this time you start at the top of the pyramid–8 reps for each move then 4 reps then 2 reps then go back up the pyramid (one 5# DB)
- Do fast single arm overhead tricep extensions using only the band (other end of band is under same side foot)–first behind you then place the end of the band under opposite foot and do fast overhead tricep extensions toward opposite shoulder
- Repeat 9 & 10 on other arm
- Hammer curl and when DBs are in front of you, push them out straight and when you bring the in, rotate arms to sides of body (keeping elbows touching body), do a wide bicep curl and at top of curl, pushing DBs out/up to side (elbows leave side of body now), turn hands so palms are facing each other and bring DBs back to top of hammer curl position and lower DBs (completing the rest of the hammer curl you started at the beginning of this combo) (8# DBs)
- With lighter DBs, hold them w/ arms bent and palms facing ceiling in front of body, press DBs in front of you, then rotate DBs to sides of body and press them out to side (alternate these two moves); changes to pyramid style–2 reps for each move then 4 reps then 8 reps then go back down the pyramid (6# DBs)
- Do the same move as #13 but this time with just the band (under one foot and an end in each hand) (no pyramid); changes to straight arm front pulses
- Holding one light DB, do one tricep push up on knees, one tricep kickback in full plank (on toes), rotate into straight arm side plank and do 5 overhead tricep extensions while holding full side plank (for this extension you are bending elbow and bringing DB to the front)–each time you repeat this you subtract a rep from the overhead tricep extension until you are doing 3 reps then you just keep repeating this combo doing 3 reps of the side plank overhead tricep extensions (one 7# DB)
- In straight arm side plank w/ one end of band beneath hand on floor and the other end in top arm, do fast overhead tricep extensions; changes to band tricep kickbacks in full plank
- Repeat 15 & 16 on other side of body but this time you start only doing 3 reps of the DB plank overhead tricep extensions then she starts doing 4 reps
- Raise arms to side at shoulder height, elbows bent and DBs are at shoulders w/ palms facing behind you, straighten arms and when you bend them again, rotate palms so they are facing ceiling and do a bicep curl but with arms still held at shoulder height–alternate between these two moves; changes to pyramid style, but this time you start at the top of the pyramid–8 reps for each move then 4 reps then 2 reps then go back up the pyramid (3# DBs)
For more info on Barlates and other (free) streaming workouts I’ve sampled and reviewed, check out my Streaming page.
Holey moley! I can’t believe you finished this workout with the 100 rep challenge (1,000 reps!!!!!!)
I remember some years ago I did a low weight/high rep arm workout by PopSugar. Ana was present but not the main instructor. My arms (triceps and biceps from what I recall) were really sore for days.
You mentioned your arms were fried after doing both workouts. I know you did this workout nearly 2.5 years ago but did you have major DOMs? I assume the next day you probably worked your lower half rather than your arms again…….
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Oh no–the 100 rep challenges in this series are add ons that are all about 6 minutes each. In the add ons you do 100 reps of a single exercises. So I would do the Bicep & Triceps workout (which had lots of different exercises for those muscle groups but you did not do 100 reps of any of the exercises) then I would end the workout by doing the 100 rep add ons for biceps and triceps (so 200 reps total). And yes, I got DOMS the first time I did it. I always get DOMS the first time I try one of Cathe’s new programs. That’s because she finds new ways to hit your muscles and hit them hard. So even if I have consistently been lifting heavy and even doing all Cathe workouts, changing things up by doing one of her new programs works my muscles differently–so muscle confusion. A good thing!
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I wonder if I need some muscle confusion for my triceps, they aren’t nearly as toned or tightened as I’d like 😦 That’s my stubborn trouble area. Over the past week or so, when I’m done working out I’ve been tacking on some extra tricep exercises (with weights and bodyweight) but maybe each each day I should be changing up what tricep targeting exercises I’m doing so my triceps aren’t getting used to same ol’ same ol’?
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It is always a good idea to change things up in some fashion. Our muscles have “memory” so confusing them is how they grow. You can make change in lots of ways–increase the weight of your dumbbells, do more reps, change the rep tempo, do different exercises to work the muscle group in different ways, then there are more advanced techniques like drop sets, super sets, pyramids, partial reps, etc. That’s the reason I am always on the look out for different strength training workouts–I’m always trying to mix things up.
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Thanks for the tip, I was feeling like I plateaued but then I started doing 30 Day Shred workouts 2 and 3 back to back. I did that for a few days and was glad to be working harder but then my knees objected. Ironically my ankles rarely bother me now but my knees have been getting quite sore, not hurting or painful, just sore and stiff.
I have 2 Mike Donavanik DVDs I haven’t even done yet, I hope my knees can handle it.
I’ll have to try some of your suggestions with my targeted triceps exercises. Increasing the weight would probably help but I still don’t have anything between 5s and 8s, but I’ll figure something out……
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