Got this from elsewhere-it is talking about calves but the same
idea applies to arms.
Ever see a 350lbs fat guy
with stick legs? Pretty rare. Sometimes I wonder how someone
doesn't rip themselves apart at the knee because all that squatting
and pulling makes the upper legs so big and strong and if they
don't train their calves directly on the uber-cybex machine those
muscles will be held in a suspended animation-like state and
prevented from developing even though bearing significant weight.
(do what you want with them, it won't matter unless you do far too
much and if it staves off lingering anxiety that in 10 weeks you
will develop totally screwed up without them, it serves some
purpose)
The big lifts that drive full body gains load the body's entire
musculature and load it proportionately. The mindset that each and
every muscle needs to be isolated and trained specifically is
incorrect and considering that isolation exercises are
comparatively very ineffective at adding muscle makes it very
inefficient unless you identify a specific need (basically, don't
shotgun blast exercises - focus on core lifts and increasing
capacity). Put 100lbs on your dead and squat. 50lbs on your bench
and barbell row. Your traps, shoulders, and calves will reflect the
hard work as will your whole body. How many guys over at
elitefitness' board used the 5x5 and were amazed that their rear
delts started growing and biceps grew all from core exercises and
rows. No direct biceps or delt work. Hmmm.
Of course, you do need to eat enough. Got to love all the guys who
are so worried about their abs they don't gain any weight (fat or
muscle). No fat or muscle gain = not enough calories to support any
growth. Eat big, lift big and muscle you will have. The body does a
fairly good job of staying in proportion so worry about it 20lbs of
muscle down the road when you see a problem (you likely
won't).
