Each lift is done with as much intensity as possible, but volume is low. This is an admittedly minimalistic lifting schedule, but I’m cutting pretty hard and just looking to maintain muscle mass for now. But, are Triceps recruited enough through the spread of these lifts?
I think most people can drop direct arm work altogether and be fine, while reducing risk of common tendon issues that arise due to over use and save time in the gym. I have gone as long as 6 months without any direct arm work with no loss of strength or muscle. You could throw in a few sets of close grip bench press and reverse grip chins for added bi/tri activation on occasion also.
Currently at my strongest right now with a 510 bench at 315bw, my arm work is very limited. I bench fairly narrow (pinkies on the rings) and overhead press frequently. I limit myself to JM presses and higher rep curls just for tendon prehab. Dips leave me with severe tendinitis so I completely avoid them.
Dips are the king of shoulder injury producers and I tell people to avoid them or do them sparingly and well warmed up. I’m getting injury averse in my old age, but I feel longevity is the true name of the game in lifting and exercise in general and if there’s a less injury producing movement I can do for the same muscle group or effect, I’ll choose that/recommend that.
Personally, I do dips at BW only often at the end of the workout for a few sets of 20 or so, but I don’t do them often and the days of hanging all kinds of weights off belts for dips, long gone.
I just moved to Squat 2X/week. In the Squat thread you will see I recently discovered my form was shit (not getting low enough), so three weeks ago I changed my routine. I had to drop weight drastically to get below parallel with good form, but yes it is still intense.
One Close grip bench press on the weeks I bench twice sounds like a great idea then, thanks. I’ll have to look the Fat Gripz link, never heard of them before.
JM presses are awesome. I’ve been running two week mini cycles for awhile now where I’ll alternate between those and Incline bench following my main ME or DE barbell move. Good stuff
