The bodybuilder and Mr. Universe title holder reveals his top tips for building award-winning biceps. Anyone looking to improve needs small adjustments to get big results.
International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation (IFBB) legend Tony Pearson, 66, recently took to social media to reveal a key method for creating a solid arm that has won several titles.
Known as “The Jetman,” Pearson had a storied professional career in the sport, competing with Arnold Schwarzenegger in the late 1970s and reportedly winning competitions until the late 1990s. best physique.
In 2020, Pearson, 63, even won the AAU Masters Mr. Universe competition, 40 years after his first appearance. fitness bolt report.
Now, through his latest workout, he’s shown the average gym-goer what it takes to build a solid biceps foundation. clip Escape Fitness on YouTube (@EscapeFitness).
Pearson first assisted lifter Matthew Januszek with one of the classic biceps exercises, the standing dumbbell curl.
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But the IFBB champion explained that most lifters make the critical mistake of not allowing their biceps to peak contraction as soon as they start practicing, leaving their elbows forward.
Without this adjustment in place, the average gym-goer could roll the weight up on their chin and use their chest and torso to rest the weight, he noted.
Extending your elbow and arm forward forces the top of your biceps to contract to support the weight just above your chin.
“So if we don’t lock out the biceps peak here, how can we get the biceps peak?” Pearson asked.
“The only way to peak is to put it in front of you, and then you will peak.”
Additionally, the fitness enthusiast, 66-year-old recommender at any age leans forward slightly to take the pressure off his lower back when performing standing curls.
Then, from the top of the curl down, Pearson stressed that lifters should fully extend their arms to stretch their muscles.
“You can contract, lean forward, and fully extend,” he said.
He also warned lifters to keep their elbows close to their bodies so that their forearms, shoulders, and other muscles don’t support their biceps.
Pearson’s tricks that helped his biceps gain attention from the competition judges included an action he took when releasing a dumbbell curl mid-down.
“One of my tricks when dropping weight is to soften the grip,” Pearson told Januszek.
“Keep your grip soft so you don’t strain your forearms.”
Not gripping the dumbbells too tightly, especially in the descending motion, allowed Pearson to keep the tension in just the biceps rather than squeezing and moving the forearms.
Most of the decisions and tricks Pearson detailed were made to prevent other muscles from helping the biceps.
The nine-time world champion emphasizes forward elbows and full body weight above all else, and criticizes other exercises such as drag curls, which are gaining popularity in the modern fitness arena.
Pearson argued that drag curls, which are pulled backwards in a rowing motion, have the least impact on the back, traps, shoulders, and biceps.
Either way, the rule of thumb for Mr. Universe winners is if you want “magnificent” biceps, keep everything forward. Isolating the muscles as much as possible actually makes them grow.
For more related content, check out The US Sun’s coverage of the three-time Mr. Olympia runner-up’s secrets to staying fit at age 60.
The US Sun also published an article about the former Mr. Universe’s “best ever” body and how he still maintains his chiseled physique at age 65.
