Tip: Punch the Barbell for Bigger Biceps

You've heard the term "shocking the muscle" for years in the bodybuilding world, right? Well, this routine, taught to us by coach Charles Poliquin, might be the most shocking method we've tried.

Step #1: Set up the pins in a power rack so that you can only curl the bar about 4 inches before it comes into contact with the bottom of the pins. (This should be just under the mid-range point of the curl.)

Step #2: Curl the bar, make contact with the pins, and maintain an isometric contraction. In other words, curl up against the bar and try to push through it. After 8 seconds, have your partner "punch" the bar down once as you try to hold it in place against the pins.

This punch causes the biceps to stretch rapidly under a forced contraction, thereby causing "survival fibers" to come into play to protect the biceps from damage. More fibers fire up than needed, and more fiber recruitment equals more growth.

Step #3: Rest and then add 2-5% to what you would normally do for full-range curls. Because of post-tetanic facilitation, Poliquin says you'll be able to curl more than you could ordinarily. Now, perform a set of full-range curls (no pins, no punch).

Step #4: Rest and repeat the "punch" set in the power rack.

Step #5: Rest and do another full-range set, again using more weight than you would ordinarily.

Warning! Make sure the pins allow you to perform a range of motion that's only about 4 inches. You don't want to have someone punch the bar down when it's in mid-range position because it might cause the biceps to be damaged. And not in a good way!