Can Adding Squats & Deadlifts Actually Build Your Arms- The Experiment

[Ryan Leal]

Throughout my time of weight training I have always heard these claims:
1. You got to do squats and deadlifts to gain as much muscle as possible.
2. Doing squats and deadlifts will make your arms grow much more than just training your arms directly and not including squats and deadlifts.

However I have never heard of anyone putting these theories to the test, and thats exactly what I am going to do.

I have not trained my legs or done deadlifts for about 6 months. So that thereby makes me a perfect candidate for this experiment. Over the course of a month I will not be directly training my arms at all. Weight training will go as follows:

Sunday- Off

Monday- Chest
1. Barbell Bench Presses- 3 sets
2. Incline Dumbbell Bench Presses- 3 sets
3. Machine Press- 3 sets

Tuesday- Legs
1. Barbell Squats- 4 sets
2. Lying Leg Curls- 2 sets
3. Leg Presses- 2 sets

Wednesday- Off

Thursday- Shoulders
1. Dumbbell Shoulder Presses- 4 sets
2. Lateral Dumbbell Raises- 2 sets
3. Front Dumbbell Raises- 2 sets

Friday- Back
1. Pull-Downs- 3 sets
2. Dumbbell Rows- 3 sets
3. Deadlifts- 3 sets

Saturday- Off

*Sets of 4-12 reps. Each set to positive failure.

Before starting this training routine I was working my entire body (including arms and excluding legs) every other day. I worked my back but I never did deadlifts.

~I will post current pictures and current arm circumference later tonight. In one month I will post new circumference and new pictures of body compositional changes that have accured over the course of the experiment. Thanks for reading.

 

[VolcomX311]

(edit) nevermind

 

[waynaferd]

(edit) nevermind

werd LOL

 

[Joshua86]

Those exercises target certain areas, but they're great for overall growth because heavy compound lifts stimulate your body to produce more growth hormones. Squats and deadlifts are talked about so much because they require so many muscle groups to come into play. So yeah, squats and deadlifts are great exercises to incorporate in your program if you're wanting to add overall strength and mass (including arms). However, you'll still want to add in some quality arm-specific work if you want good looking arms.

 

[lilsugaro6490]

subbed...interesting idea!

 

[Chub]

my forearms get bigger from deads

 

[seanlambo]

ADD SOME PULL UPS AND CHINS and i think you got an experiment, i think pull ups and chins + dips could work instead of curls and skull crushers for your bi's and tri's

 

[carpee]

ADD SOME PULL UPS AND CHINS and i think you got an experiment, i think pull ups and chins + dips could work instead of curls and skull crushers for your bi's and tri's

yes i would add these in too...

 

[lilsugaro6490]

yes i would add these in too...

agreed

 

[brownstown89]

when its said squats would increase arm size does it mean because more GH and test is realesed or because of the actual squat movement? because i dont see how it could be because of the movement.. Now deadlift uses the arms i can see how that would directly lead to arm growth but not squats

 

[carpee]

when its said squats would increase arm size does it mean because more GH and test is realesed or because of the actual squat movement? because i dont see how it could be because of the movement.. Now deadlift uses the arms i can see how that would directly lead to arm growth but not squats

yes and no.

bottom line is that your body grows proportionally.

When you were a child and grew to an adult size, did your upper body get taller while your legs stayed child size?
NO, so in the same sense, to keep adding muscle to your arms, chest, shoulders back, you MUST add muscle to your quads and hams, etc...

 

[brownstown89]

ok that makes sense now kind off lol, but i guess i was asking would the growth from squats be related to the hormones being realesed by the body? cuz im thinking yes

 

[carpee]

ok that makes sense now kind off lol, but i guess i was asking would the growth from squats be related to the hormones being realesed by the body? cuz im thinking yes

and i answered, yes and no.
the hormones will certainly help somewhat but not on a huge basis as you may think...people who do 5 day splits with one muscle group a day lift arms on a day separate from legs and they still have growth.

like i said the bottom line is your body grows proportionately, use compound movements for legs, chest, back, etc. and you will see growth.

 

[brownstown89]

and i answered, yes and no.
the hormones will certainly help somewhat but not on a huge basis as you may think...people who do 5 day splits with one muscle group a day lift arms on a day separate from legs and they still have growth.

like i said the bottom line is your body grows proportionately, use compound movements for legs, chest, back, etc. and you will see growth.

i know that, i just said i dont see how your arms will grow directly because of squats i dont think thats true. maybe u will see some growth from hormones being realesed. but thats it.

 

[carpee]

yea but the point is DO squats. or your upper body will plateau

 

[jcp2]

ok that makes sense now kind off lol, but i guess i was asking would the growth from squats be related to the hormones being realesed by the body? cuz im thinking yes

you need to gain weight for your arms to get bigger. It is much easier to gain muscle by squatting and deadlifting. Even an intermediate trainer is going to have a problem putting an inch on his arms and staying the same wegiht. That is why people say that. I doubt their are few if any guys on this baord who are not on gear who have any appreciable size and don't squat and deadlift, or at least did not get big doing them.

 

[brownstown89]

i always squat and deadlift but i just didnt think it would directly add arm size. but i feel u on how gaining weight makes u get bigger in general...

but anyways i noticed the heavier i squat and DL i can have more cheat meals and still stay leaN? vs a light weight hytrophy type routine