Selective Growth Gaining muscle isn't that difficult if you know how to do it. What's much more changeling than gaining 10 pounds is gaining muscle in the right places. It's all about selective growth, growth in the right places. It can't be accessed by physical measurements, not by tape nor scale, but only by photographs. That's where you can see what's what, what needs more development, what needs reduction. It's sculpting and it happens when exercise form is perfect. That's the main thing, there are other factors too like nutrition and rest, but if you don't have good form, if you don't get a pump in your workouts in the parts of the body intended, then you are not getting the job done.
Think of yourself as a sculptor, carving the shape and proportion to your body that you feel is ideal. How do you know what is ideal for you? It's about knowing what or who you want to look like. It's best to pick a role model you resemble in some respect whether is physical structure or attitude, there are plenty of images out there from which to choose. Many are interested in attaining the development I did, so if you are one of them you should be able to learn how to do this because everything I write is about what I did, how I train now, and all through my bodybuilding history.
When you have your role model or 'idol' as we say in bodybuilding, study each bodypart comparing yours to idol's. Now work that bodypart in your workout and check yourself out in the mirror after you pump up. Didn't pump up? Then forget it. You gotta get a pump in the target body part. Now, once you get your pump, compare it to the idol's as it looks in various photos.
Need help?
Let's take triceps for example. It's not too hard to get a pump in your triceps. Here's a quick super set routine that guarantees a pump if you do it right. First exercise is close grip bench press done with a barbell or on a Smith Machine. Thumbs should be 12 to 18 inches apart with elbows sticking slight outward to the sides. Be careful to get your grip width just right because too narrow is hard on the outer wrist. Lower the weight slowly and then push it up to a 'soft' lockout (in other words do not lock out with force, gently ease into it) and then lower the weight to the pecs and push back up immediately. Get a gently rhythm going letting the bar down slowly and pushing it up with as much force as necessary to go to an easy lockout. Do 10 to 12 reps and then go immediately to dumbbell kickbacks face down on an incline bench. On your way over to the dumbbells do arms back stretch which you can do as you walk and hold it for 15 seconds.
Now it's face down on a 45 degree incline bench, pull the dumbbells up to your shoulders and keeping elbows in this position, kick them back to a complete soft lockout. 12 to 15 reps should lead to a burning sensation which will turn into a full blow pump after you do the stretch again. Rest a good two minutes before your next set, increasing the weight slightly. And then do your last set with the same weight and reps.
Pumped? The close grip bench press is a compound exercise which not only hits triceps but gets pecs and front deltoids as welll. When combined with an isolation movement which works all heads of the triceps along with rear deltoids you can get a terrific triceps pump along with some nice pec and deltoid work. It's a concise triceps routine.