STOP 🛑 Doing Push/Pull/Leg (If You Have SMALL Arms)

Summary

The video script advocates against the popular 'push-pull-legs' workout routine for those with average or small arms, arguing it can hinder arm growth. The speaker, a fitness expert, suggests that the routine's structure, which includes arm exercises after chest and shoulder workouts, leaves the arms too fatigued for effective training. Instead, he recommends dedicating a separate day for arm workouts to ensure they receive full attention and energy when fresh. The speaker also proposes a modified workout split that incorporates both 'push-pull-legs' and dedicated arm days for those who still prefer the former's structure.

Takeaways

• 💪 The speaker advises against the push-pull-legs workout routine for those with normal or small arms, as it may hinder arm growth.
• 🏋️‍♂️ Push-pull-legs is popular in bodybuilding and lifting communities, but the speaker has seen it lead to underdeveloped arms.
• 🔄 The routine involves doing a lot of pressing exercises that also work the arms, which might leave them too fatigued for effective arm training later.
• 🚫 The speaker emphasizes that training arms when already exhausted from chest and shoulder exercises is not ideal for growth.
• 🏋️‍♀️ It's suggested that training arms fresh, with full energy and focus, yields better results than training them fatigued.
• 📅 Having a dedicated arm day allows for a more focused and effective workout, which can be beneficial for those looking to grow their arms.
• 🔄 The speaker proposes an alternative training split that includes a dedicated arm day for better arm development.
• 🍽️ Arm training on a separate day can be part of an active recovery, which is less taxing on the central nervous system compared to leg or back training.
• 💡 For those who still want the push-pull-legs structure, the speaker suggests incorporating an additional arm day into the routine.
• 📈 The video script challenges the one-size-fits-all approach to workout routines, emphasizing the need for individualized training based on personal goals and physique.

Q & A

What is the main argument against doing push-pull-legs workouts for individuals with small arms?

The main argument is that if your arms are not massive compared to the rest of your physique, doing push-pull-legs workouts can lead to underdeveloped arms because the arms are not given enough dedicated energy and focus due to being trained after more demanding exercises like chest and shoulder presses.

Why does the speaker believe that training arms after chest and shoulders in a push-pull-legs routine is not effective?

The speaker believes that training arms after chest and shoulders is not effective because the arms are already fatigued from the pressing exercises, leading to a lack of energy and mental focus, which is crucial for effective arm training.

What is the recommended sweet spot for the number of sets per arm muscle group per week according to the speaker?

The speaker recommends 9 to 12 sets per arm muscle group per week as the sweet spot for optimal arm growth.

How does the speaker feel about the mind-muscle connection when training arms after a push day?

The speaker feels that the mind-muscle connection is significantly reduced when training arms after a push day, as the triceps feel 'dead' and not as connected or in tune compared to when they are trained fresh.

What alternative workout routine does the speaker suggest for those struggling to grow their arms?

The speaker suggests having a dedicated arm day, treating it as an active recovery day, which allows for a focused and energetic arm workout without the fatigue from previous exercises.

Why does the speaker consider an arm day as an active recovery day?

The speaker considers an arm day as an active recovery day because it does not neurologically beat him down or exhaust his central nervous system like other muscle groups do, allowing him to still function and feel refreshed after the workout.

What is the speaker's opinion on the push-pull-legs routine for those who have well-developed arms?

The speaker believes that the push-pull-legs routine can be effective for those who already have well-developed arms, but it may not be the best choice for those who are struggling to grow their arms.

What is the speaker's advice for individuals who still want to incorporate push-pull-legs into their routine while also focusing on arm growth?

The speaker advises those who enjoy push-pull-legs to incorporate a separate arm day into their routine, allowing them to get the benefits of both routines by having a push-pull-legs week followed by an arm day.

How does the speaker feel about the scientific and logical arguments for training arms after chest and shoulders?

The speaker acknowledges the scientific and logical arguments but dismisses them based on his personal experience and the 'bro in the trenches' perspective, stating that it doesn't feel the same and doesn't lead to the desired results.

What is the speaker's stance on workout routines being one-size-fits-all?

The speaker's stance is that workout routines should not be one-size-fits-all, as every individual responds differently to exercise, nutrition, and supplements, and therefore, workout plans should be tailored to the individual's needs.

Outlines

00:00

💪 The Case Against Push-Pull Legs for Small Arms

The speaker passionately argues against the popular push-pull legs workout routine for individuals with average or small arms. They contend that this routine, despite being favored in bodybuilding and lifting circles, often results in underdeveloped arms relative to the rest of the physique. The speaker's experience suggests that after exhausting workouts targeting the chest and shoulders, the arms, particularly the triceps, feel depleted and lack the energy and connection needed for effective training. They propose that training arms on a separate day, when fresh and focused, is more beneficial for growth. The speaker emphasizes the importance of mental and physical readiness, suggesting that the 'bro science' from personal experience outweighs theoretical benefits.

05:01

🏋️‍♂️ Alternative Training Splits for Arm Growth

Frustrated by the advice given to young, eager trainees, the speaker advocates for a change in workout routines for those struggling with arm development. They suggest abandoning the push-pull legs split if it's not yielding results and instead recommend dedicating a separate day for arm training. This approach is described as an 'active recovery' day, which is less taxing on the body and allows for a more focused and effective arm workout. The speaker also proposes a hybrid approach that combines elements of push-pull legs with dedicated arm days, allowing for both variety and targeted growth. They emphasize the importance of individualized training programs that account for personal goals and responses to exercise, and they encourage experimentation with different splits to find what works best for growing arms.

Keywords

💡Push-Pull Legs

Push-Pull Legs is a workout routine where push exercises (focusing on chest, shoulders, and triceps) and pull exercises (focusing on back and biceps) are alternated with leg workouts. In the video, the speaker argues against this routine for individuals with smaller arms, suggesting it may not provide adequate focus and energy for arm development, as it spreads arm training across multiple days rather than concentrating it on a single 'Arm Day'.

💡Arm Day

An 'Arm Day' refers to a dedicated day in a workout routine where exercises specifically targeting the arm muscles are performed. The speaker in the video recommends having a separate 'Arm Day' for those who have smaller arms and wish to develop them, as it allows for focused energy and attention on arm muscles without the fatigue from other muscle groups.

💡Underdeveloped Arms

Underdeveloped arms refer to arms that are smaller or less developed compared to the rest of the body. The video discusses the issue of individuals with underdeveloped arms following the popular Push-Pull Legs routine, which may not be optimal for their specific needs, as it may lead to arms 'getting worse' instead of growing.

💡Workout Split

A workout split is the organization of different muscle groups to be trained on specific days of the week. The video critiques the Push-Pull Legs split for those with underdeveloped arms and suggests an alternative approach that prioritizes arm development by giving them their own dedicated day.

💡Mind-Muscle Connection

Mind-muscle connection refers to the mental focus and awareness one has on the muscle being trained during an exercise. The speaker mentions that when training arms after a chest workout, the mind-muscle connection is not as strong, leading to a less effective workout. This concept is used to argue for the importance of training arms when fresh and focused.

💡Active Recovery

Active recovery involves light exercise to aid in recovery from more intense workouts. The video suggests that having a separate 'Arm Day' can serve as an active recovery day, allowing for lighter, more focused training that doesn't overly tax the body, especially if legs or back were trained recently.

💡Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are a key energy source for workouts. The speaker mentions that after training hard on chest, shoulders, and legs, the body's carbohydrate stores are depleted, which may affect the energy available for subsequent arm training. This is used as an argument for why arm training might be less effective when done after other muscle groups.

💡Pre-Workout

A pre-workout is a supplement taken before exercising to enhance energy and performance. The video discusses how even with pre-workout consumption, the energy levels and effectiveness for arm training might still be compromised if arms are trained after other muscle groups due to the overall fatigue and depletion of energy resources.

💡Set and Rep Range

A set is a group of consecutive repetitions of an exercise, and rep range refers to the number of repetitions performed. The speaker mentions that while 9 to 12 sets per side for arms might be ideal when fresh, the effectiveness of these sets can be diminished if performed after other muscle groups, due to fatigue.

💡Blood Flow

Blood flow is the circulation of blood in the body, which is crucial for delivering oxygen and nutrients to muscles during exercise. The video suggests that when training arms after other muscle groups, blood flow might be reduced, leading to a 'dead' feeling in the arms and less effective workouts.

💡Nutrition

Nutrition refers to the intake of nutrients required for health and exercise performance. While not explicitly detailed in the video, the mention of pre-lift meals and the importance of diet in general implies that nutrition plays a role in the speaker's overall argument for the effectiveness of different workout routines and the development of underdeveloped arms.

Highlights

The push-pull-legs workout routine may not be optimal for those with normal or small arms.

The speaker challenges the popular belief that push-pull-legs is the best workout split for everyone.

Individuals with underdeveloped arms might see a decline in arm development when following push-pull-legs.

The speaker suggests that the arms may not receive adequate energy and focus when trained after chest and shoulders in a push-pull-legs routine.

Eight to twelve sets per week is recommended for optimal arm development, but the quality of these sets is crucial.

Training arms when fresh is more effective than when they are fatigued from previous exercises.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of mind-muscle connection, which is often lacking when training arms after an exhausting chest workout.

For those struggling to grow their arms, dedicating a separate day for arm training is advised.

Having a dedicated arm day can serve as active recovery and not overtax the central nervous system.

The speaker shares personal experience, suggesting that arm training feels more effective when done fresh rather than as an afterthought.

The video challenges viewers to reconsider their workout splits if they are not seeing desired results in arm development.

A potential alternative workout split is proposed: pull on Monday, push on Tuesday, legs on Thursday, and arms on Friday.

The speaker encourages viewers to experiment with different workout splits to find what works best for their individual needs.

The importance of individual response to exercise is highlighted, suggesting that one size does not fit all.

The video concludes with a call to action for viewers to prioritize their arm training if they are not satisfied with their current progress.

Transcripts

if you have normal or small arms stop

doing push-pull legs

okay I'm gonna piss a lot of people off

of this video and honestly I don't give

a [ __ ] because it's true if your arms

aren't massive compared to the rest of

your physique you cannot you should not

do push-pull legs and I know right now

it's like

extremely popular in the bodybuilding

community in the lifting community and

even in the Science World Push Pull legs

is optimal I can run through my twice my

body in one week and still have an off

day

I it just doesn't work I've seen it way

too many times guys have come to me with

like normal or underdeveloped arms in

comparison to the rest of their physique

they do push-pull legs and guess what

happens their arms literally get worse I

I just I don't understand it and they

keep banging their head against the wall

I'd like my arms to get bigger and like

stay doing push-pull legs it just

doesn't make sense to me and let me tell

you why

if I'm gonna do push let's say push

right if I'm going to do a shitload of

dumbbell pressing

incline barbell pressing flies

machine pressing then I'm going to get

in the shoulders I'm going to let's say

I'm going to do a bunch of rear laterals

a bunch of side laterals

and then you're telling me I have

adequate energy everyone's six exercises

to give my arms

I just don't understand and then you're

counting that as your arm day so let's

say for example we still do four sets of

push downs and four sets of Skull

Crushers that's eight total sets on a

push day for triceps and they and they

just aren't responding and you would say

to me Chris I'm doing eight sets for

tries in a week does that work

well if I just hit or I'm staying alone

I would say yeah you're exactly right

that would be more than enough

eight sets eight to twelve sets is a

good target range I really technically

like nine to twelve but you know it is

what it is nine to twelve in my mind is

kind of The Sweet Spot for arms

per side so nine for twelve for tries

nine to twelve for buys over the course

of a week right

but what you have to remember is that's

drastically different going at triceps

after training hard chest hard shoulders

and then tries versus come to the gym

when you're fresh when you hadn't burned

up any of those carbohydrates

from training and you have it all to go

to your arms that's a way different

scenario

than when I'm hitting them fresh or when

I'm hitting them when I'm exhausted or

tired or getting tired right now I know

some people say well Chris I've already

drank

a bunch of intro I still have some

energy I've had a pre-workout I had all

my food from the previous day

I do not care you can give me all the

science in the world you can give me all

the logic in the world I'm just telling

you from bro in the trenches it doesn't

feel the same when I hit tries fresh

I can give them tons of energy and

dialed into it mentally when I come to

the gym I'm already thinking about that

all morning long I train arms on

Saturday all morning long when I'm doing

my client work when I'm eating my two

pre-lift meals

I'm thinking arms arms arms I'm gonna

blow those [ __ ] up because I know

they need to grow on me

as opposed if I'm going into a push day

I'm like man I got to get through heavy

incline dumbbell press heavy incline

barbell press I gotta do a flag I had to

load that machine up I gotta burn the

piss out of my shoulders one rear and

side laterals

and then tries for me has always been an

afterthought and if I'm being brutally

honest by telling you the tries the

muscle kind of feels dead like it's not

nearly as connected and in tune I don't

have the Mind muscle connection that I

have when I start with Tris fresh or do

them after biceps

and I have zero science to prove that

in logically you're like oh man well

your tries for example have already got

a lot of blood in them from all the

pressing you did for chest right they

should feel good to tackle in some push

downs and Skull Crushers or dips

but these don't they feel dead they feel

tired mentally I'm already kind of like

[ __ ] I get 58 sets and I'm gonna go home

and eat I'm hungry let's just play devil

advocate there let's say you do push

pull legs and your arms grow great stick

with it ignore this video hit stop go to

the next one this isn't for you

for people like me who have bad arms

who need to grow their arms if you need

to grow arms making them a priority give

them their own day now let me talk to

you about the benefits of it

if you have your own arm day I kind of

do it as an active recovery it's not

going to neurologically beat you down

it's not going to attach your central

nervous system it's not going to leave

you feeling gassed like

I've pounded arms in the past With

Buddies

I mean we'll tag the video that I did

with Dave that was a hard arm workout

but it pales in comparison to what it

feels like when him and I train legs or

train back or train chest and shoulders

together

it's not the same I can still go home

and fully function if Andrew want me to

go let's say go to a Christmas tree farm

and look around and Shop I'd be down

after legs if she asked me to do that

sorry my ass is sitting on the couch

good luck and even she like listen at

this point in our life she knows when

back in leg day you don't ask me to do

that [ __ ] I'm gonna sit my ass on the

couch I'm gonna work I'm gonna watch TV

I'm gonna sleep and eat in the story so

it's really frustrating me because I

have all these young guys that are so

hungry for knowledge and they study

study study and they're like oh

so-and-so tells me to do push-pull legs

it's the best split and I'm always like

it might be the best split for them it

might be the best split for someone with

great arms

but not someone who needs to grow their

arms

and I really love the fact that in my

opinion when I had an arm day I'd view

it as an active recover like I said

earlier

it's not going to beat me into the

ground I can do arms hit some calves I'm

in and out of the gym and 60 to on it

well more if I'm gonna be a full window

50 to 70 minutes

it's easy it's quick it's a huge pump it

feels great I leave the gym feeling

refreshed it got some blood moving if

I'm sore and beat the [ __ ] from legs and

back row in a week it actually gets

blood moving makes me feel better

so I challenge you guys out there right

now if you have weak struggling arms

give up the push-pull leg split it's

garbage or or here is the ultimate right

let's say for example I do push pull

legs

and then have an arm day

wow mind blown

I can do that why the [ __ ] not there is

no reason you couldn't do pull on Monday

push on Tuesday off on Wednesday legs on

Thursday arms on Friday

wow I just hit arms twice that week

so then what I can do when I hit arms

early in the week on the push and pull

portions

I can do like six sets of cable work for

arms pump the piss out of them 15 to 20

rep range and then come back later and

hit a full arm day later in the week so

I get a little bit of blood in there so

if you really like and enjoy mentally

push-pull legs that's a great way to

implement we can get Best of Both Worlds

right Push Pull legs early in the week

have your own off day then a rest day or

two and then come right back to Arms

has gave you the secrets right I know

sometimes it's really hard to like wrap

your mind around thinking about things

outside of the box right so that split I

just gave you pull push off legs arms

off off repeat

but Chris why didn't you just repeat

Push Pull legs you could but if it's not

working we have to chain something if

it's not Optimum we have to change

something and when I say authoring

optimal for you

for me for every client I have every

person is a unique individual they

respond to exercise nutrition

supplements different so we have to

treat it that way

if you like this video guys like share

and subscribe until next time you better

have bigger [ __ ] arms