The formula for developing muscular arms—the kind that garner as much attention in a sport coat as they do in a form-fitting tee—is simple: curl, curl, and curl some more. But don’t confuse simple with easy. Curling your way to a pair of 20-inch pythons takes work, and a lot of time, but don’t think you need freaky genetics or illegal drugs to assist you on your journey to monstrous guns.
Take Larry Scott—the first-ever Mr. Olympia winner (1965-66)—as an example. At a time when bodybuilding was still in its infancy, Scott had 20-inch sleeve stretchers before anyone else—proof that you don’t need newfangled training techniques or equipment to stretch the tape.
To achieve this fullness in his bi’s, tri’s, and forearms—which leaped out of his forearm and balanced on a triceps of equal size—Scott performed curls from a variety of angles and kept a substantial amount of volume in his arm routine. He curled often, and he curled heavy, regularly lifting weight for six reps and not breaking 10.
The result was a dense arm that, even by today’s standards, would provoke a reaction from modern bodybuilding judges and bystanders on the beach. And you can build your arms up like that, too.
To help you, we outline Scott’s arm routine—which sees you through 34 grueling sets of curls and extensions.
Fun fact: The two aspects of Scott’s training that helped him to forge his sizeable arms were significant volume and working his bi’s from all angles. He performed his favorite exercise, the preacher curl, so often that they’re also known as “Scott curls” in his honor. He would do them with his arms hanging off both ends of the bench, for a better stretch, for six sets of six reps each.
