TRAIN INSANE BY JERRY KINDELA WHAT KIND OF LUNATIC GOES TO THE GYM TO TRAIN CALVES, TRAPS AND FOREARMS? ONE WHO WANTS A MIND-BLOWING PHYSIQUE Though you've seen it a dozen times, suddenly that Girls Gone Wild video seems to beckon as you drive home, and you seriously want to postpone going to the gym. Yet your anxiety over missing a workout begins to rise in your gorge. No excuse seems to work — not "I'll make it up tomorrow", or "I don't want to overtrain", or even "I feel a cold coming on, no need to stress the immune system". The little voice inside your noggin continues to insist that you just gotta train. So what's a guy to do when his spirits aren't quite up to going though an entire workout? After talking to several top pros — Günter Schlierkamp, Jay Cutler and Craig Titus — muscle & fitness came up with a solution, or rather, a few solutions, if you like experimenting with your training. Called, for lack of a better name, the Oddball Workout, this approach allows you to alleviate your anxiety about skipping a session, gets you in and out of the gym fast and lets you hit muscles that normally may receive only nominal training despite being crucial components to overall muscle growth, symmetry and balance. In the Oddball routine, you target your forearm, calf and trapezius muscles in a furious attack that should have you in and out of the gym in no more than 30 minutes. But before we give you the workout, let's see how the pros view training these bodyparts. FOREARMED Günter, at a competition weight nearing 300 pounds, admits that his genetic structure has allowed him to skip forearm training. "Honestly, I've never done forearms, and mine look pretty good," he says. For many bodybuilders, forearm growth is a by-product of determined biceps and back training. However, for those who wish to train forearms, it's no surprise that Günter recommends sticking to the basics — nothing fancy, just dumbbell and barbell wrist curls for four sets of 8–15 reps. Craig agrees: "Forearms get a lot of attention from training back and biceps." As a complement to basic forearm movements, he offers up a particularly intense exercise: Smith-machine wrist curls done behind the back. Utilised by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lee Haney, two Mr. Olympias of particular longevity, Craig's version calls for 5–6 sets to failure, each rep done quickly with a pumping action. "This approach will make 'em feel super-congested!" he laughs. And if you really want to go balls-out on the intensity meter, try Jay's suggestion for burning out forearms. In addition to Smith-machine wrist curls to the rear, he recommends performing reverse-grip EZ-bar curls. Instead of keeping the reps high, though, Jay suggests doing 3–4 sets of 8–9 reps for each movement. With this approach, he advises, "Use solid weight, do full contractions, and you'll get your forearms fried to a crisp." MILK YOUR CALVES Depending on your genetic predisposition, you may not need to spend a lot of time working on your calves. If you're lucky, maybe this Oddball training session will provide your lower legs with all the attention they require. However, if you're like most trainees, your calves must be urged, forced and pummelled to grow effectively. In that case, perform this routine in addition to your other weekly calf workouts — it's the perfect way to give your calves the extra shock they need to reach their full potential. As someone who had trouble bringing up his calves, Jay now keeps his shredded by prioritising them in his training. "I always do them first in the workout, when the muscles are fresh and full of energy," he says. "Saving them for the end of a workout often results in skipping them because you're too tired. You know the old promise: ‘I'll do them next time.'" Sound familiar? Jay uses "a tried and true formula: seated and standing calf raises, for three sets of 10–12 reps each." The key to his training is focus. Jay ensures that each rep is done using a full range of motion, from deep extension to absolute contraction high up on the ball of the foot. "None of that half-rep, quarter-rep stuff did the job in my case," he comments. This approach is particularly good for calves that are resistant to growth. If you really want to slap your muscles awake, Craig offers up this compound set: do standing calf raises followed immediately by seated calf raises, each for five sets to failure. Use a weight that allows you to get a minimum of 10 reps before you reach failure. Craig says his approach results in a serious burn, the kind that makes you hobble away from the equipment feeling as though you've just pounded the gastrocs with your fists. Who wouldn't love that feeling? GET TRAPPED As with the other bodyparts in this workout, each of the bodybuilders we talked to had his own take on trapezius training. Günter, ever the purist, doesn't support performing assorted variations of shrugs. "Forget palms facing rearward when you're training with dumbbells, or the use of barbells since you have to use an overhand grip, which limits the range of motion," he says. For traps, he recommends holding a pair of dumbbells with a neutral grip for a winning exercise. "Pull your shoulders up toward your ears and slightly to the rear, then lower them slowly back to the starting position." As he suggests with forearms, go for four sets of 8–15 reps. On the other side of the trap training spectrum, you'll find Craig's compound set. "If you want to get in and out of the gym and still get an effective trap workout, try doing Smith-machine shrugs with dumbbell shrugs. This hits the traps for a complete burn, as long as you squeeze the muscle at the top of each rep." He recommends five supersets of 9–12 reps per exercise to get your traps fired up. M&F SMITH-MACHINE SHRUG (BEHIND THE BACK) Load the bar of a Smith machine with ample weight and stand facing away from the bar yet right up against it. Grasp the bar with a shoulder-width grip and unhook it from the safety catch. With your knees slightly bent, extend your arms fully and depress your shoulders. Explosively shrug your shoulders up as high possible, imagining them touching your ears at the peak of the movement. Hold that position and squeeze your traps for a count or two, then return to the start position and repeat for reps. • TIP If your calves are a weakness, your best bet is to begin your Oddball Workout session with calf training, since your energy reserves are highest at that point. SEATED CALF RAISE Sit in a seated calf raise machine, position the balls of your feet on the foot plate and fit the pad snugly against your thighs just above your knees. Place your hands lightly on the machine and try to keep your torso upright. Release the safety catch. Slowly press the weight up as far as possible with the balls and toes of your feet (plantarflexion), pausing briefly at the top before lowering the weight in the opposite direction (dorsiflexion). At the bottom of the movement, your heels should go slightly past the plane of the foot plate. Pause, then repeat for reps. ODD TIPS HERE ARE A FEW POINTERS TO CONSIDER WHEN YOU PERFORM THIS WORKOUT. • When working calves, include a seated version in your routine, which allows you to hit the deeper muscle layers of the soleus buried beneath the gastrocnemius. And while it's not listed in this workout, throw the donkey calf raise into the mix occasionally, in place of the standing calf raise. • Drop sets are a great technique to use when training calves to up the intensity. You can even do drop sets in addition to the compound sets we recommend — try doing them on the last set or two of the second exercise. Stretch between sets of calf exercises to keep your muscles supple and growing. • For a variation that speeds you through the workout, stagger your sets to alternate bodyparts, giving them equal attention. For example, after doing a set of seated calf raises, immediately do a set of dumbbell or barbell shrugs, then repeat after a 45-second rest. Do this 3–4 times. Next, after completing a set of standing calf raises, immediately do a set of reverse EZ-bar curls or barbell wrist curls off the end of a bench (or any other forearm movement). Rest 45 seconds and repeat two more times. Finish off the workout with five sets of any shrug variation. • TIP Vary your reps ranges often. The workout presented here contains moderate rep ranges only; however, calves, traps and forearms all respond well to high-rep training, so don't be afraid to lighten the weight at times and do sets of 20–30 reps. REVERSE EZ-BAR CURL Grasp an EZ-bar at the second segment away from the plates. With your palms facing rearward, allow your arms to hang straight down at your thighs. Slowly curl the bar toward your chest, pausing at the top of the motion before slowly returning to the bottom position. Throughout the movement, keep your elbows tucked close against your sides. In addition to your forearm muscles, this exercise hits your biceps to some degree. • TIP Keep in mind, the Oddball Workout is only one way to split your training. Traps are a great bodypart to train on shoulder day; likewise, forearms pair up nicely with biceps, as do calves with quads and hamstrings. SMITH-MACHINE WRIST CURL (BEHIND THE BACK) A movement utilised by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lee Haney — Mr. Olympias must know something, eh? — the Smith-machine wrist curl affords little range of motion but generates tremendous force on your forearms. Stand with your glutes against the Smith-machine bar, grasping the bar with your hands, palms facing behind you. Lift the bar from its safety catch and allow your arms to hang extended. Curl your wrists as far as possible away from your glutes. You can perform these methodically and steadily, or, as Craig recommends, you can use a pumping action.