Exercise spotlight: Bicep curl 28’s

TFM WEEKLY NUT
This week's highlights and best content in a nutshell

Hey there!

Today I thought I'd shine a spotlight on an exercise that I was one of the first to popularise. I call them bicep curl 28's, and as the name states they train your biceps. Here's a video featuring a younger version of me.

Perform 7 partial reps in the bottom half of the movement
Perform 7 full-range of motion reps
Perform a 7-second pause (isometric hold) in the mid-range position
Perform 7 partial reps at the top half of the movement to finish

About Bicep Curl 28's

You might have heard of the 21's method for bicep curls. You perform 7 reps at the bottom range of a curl, 7 at the top, and then 7 full reps to finish. It's pretty exhausting!

When I came up with 28's back in about 2012, it was because these 21's just didn't make sense to me. Don't get me wrong they're hard, but as an exercise they don't make much sense mechanically.

21's as they are traditionally performed are in the wrong order - it would surely make sense to perform the exercise in the hardest range of motion FIRST before finishing with the easiest (by this time your biceps are pretty fried anyway). This way it becomes a little like a drop-set, as the muscles become fatigued further in each change in movement.

That's exactly what 28's are - 21's done in a better order.

But where does the extra 7 come from? It's from the extra nastiness I threw in there. The 7 second isometric hold before the partial top reps to finish. Again, this also makes good sense mechanically.

Try 28's in your next arm workout, or just to get a quick biceps pump before the beach, night club, Vegas, Vegas, or Vegas……

If you have any questions about this exercise, or your own training then feel free to reach out as always.

Gareth

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5 abs exercises I'm loving right now (and so will you)

TFM WEEKLY NUT
This week's highlights and best content in a nutshell

Hey!

This weekend I'm mixing things up a little by sharing some of my current favourite abs exercises. If you're anything like me you both love and loathe abs training. We all want a good midsection, but for some reason direct abs work is often a half-assed effort at the end of a workout.

Here are five moves I'm enjoying right now, and I think you will too. I hope you find some abs-piration (bad pun) with these.

Gareth

5 ABS EXERCISES YOU SHOULD TRY TODAY!

Banded Ab Rollouts - Try these if ab rollouts have you falling asleep. If you've nailed nose to floor technique with the basic rollout then adding a band can be a good way to progress you to the next level. I like sets of 10-15 reps with these.

Decline Eccentric Cable Crunch - These work to overload you more during the eccentric (lowering) portion of the movement. These are brutally hard and will have your abs in pieces for days. You're welcome. Start with 6-10 reps and keep it slow on the lower for the biggest benefit.

Garhammer Raise Drop Set - Garhammer Raises are one of the most effective exercises for targeting the lower fibres of your rectus abdominis (lower abs), and working them through their active range (through posterior pelvic tilt). In simple terms, this drop set which combines two variations of Garhammer Raise, are a real burner. Try 8-12 of each of the two movements to start.

Low Pulley Knee-In - Alongside the Garhammer Raise these are another great 'lower' abs exercise which work them hard through their active range. Just focus on butt off the floor, and resist lowering fully. A cable adds weight comfortably and in the right direction. I like sets of 12-20 here.

Finally, here's a Maverick exercise if you'll ever see one. Hanging knee raises using a Smith machine have a different feel to them versus a roman chair bench. Versus say a hanging version of the same exercise they aren't limited by your grip strength either.

Be sure to use a pad on the smith machine so your arm pits don't get a beating with the bar. I'm using a bench in this video as a target, but it's not essential. You can raise straight up and down, or more towards the side for some emphasis on your obliques (as in the video). Anywhere around 10-20 reps work well.

Give them a try and let me know how you get along.