Dana Linn Bailey is one of the most popular American fitness figure competitors, and her bicep workouts have become popular lately.
I decided to undergo a heavy 25-hour research and learn about her bicep workout, diet, and supplementation.
Based on my observations and more than two decades of experience in the fitness field, I singled out only the best workout exercises that will produce maximal results.
After reading the article, you will be ready to implement Dana Linn's bicep workout, diet, supplementation, and more.
Dana Linn Bailey's Stats
- Age: 39
- Height: 5'5"
- Weight: 125 - 135 lbs
- Waist: 24 inches
- Chest: 31 inches
Bicep Workout Routine
Dana Linn Bailey uses a popular superset technique for her biceps workouts.
This is because she prefers to have a compound or complex exercise first and then add biceps curl variations as a supper set.
In my professional experience, I've found that the superset technique, similar to Dana Linn Bailey's approach for biceps workouts, is highly effective for maximizing muscle engagement and endurance.
Here is what the workout looks like:
- Overhead rope cable extension + Ez bar biceps curl
- Barbell stiff leg deadlift + alternating dumbbell curls
- Seated cable overhead press + reverse grip cable curl
- Incline dumbbell rear fly + dumbbell hammer curl
- Standing dumbbell lateral raise + preacher curls
- Seated dumbbell overhead press + barbell curls
- Elevated dumbbell sumo squat + single-arm dumbbell curls
- Lying leg curl + concentration curls
- Seated leg curl + barbell cheat curls
However, you may select one of the exercises below to change the first one if you feel like it is too much or want to change the structure of the compound exercise at the beginning:
- Wagon wheel barbell deadlift
- Incline cable fly
- Seated cable front raise
- Cable cross-fly
She advocates for tailoring workouts to individual capabilities and progress, ensuring everyone, from novices to seasoned lifters, can benefit and grow stronger.
Dana Linn Bailey's Workout Principles
The most important workout principle of Dana Linn Bailey’s workout is progressive overload.
You must increase the volume or intensity each following workout session to keep experiencing strength and muscle-building effects.
The second principle is supersets. Supersets can be extremely useful when you need to hit two body parts on the same day.
Pairing exercises close to the relation of agonist-antagonists are excellent because one muscle group can rest while the other is working.
Dana uses moderate reps and sets that target the development of hypertrophy the most.
Generally, you want to stay in the range of 60 to 87.5% of 1RM (1 repetition max), 6–12 rep range, and 2-4 sets.
This volume and intensity pattern has been the best for developing hypertrophy and even strength in the beginner phases.
"Big biceps signal to the world that you’ve put in some serious sweat equity at the gym. The biceps are small muscles, but growing them takes time, knowledge, and intelligent programming. But the biceps don’t just look good — they serve a real function."
- Mike Dewar, Certified Personal Trainer
Lastly, she emphasizes the mind-muscle connection in her bicep workouts, focusing intensely on each contraction and release.
Related: Dana Linn Bailey Shoulder Workout
Diet Plan
Like Dana Linn Bailey, I advocate for focusing on nutrient-rich whole foods over strict calorie counting, a principle I emphasize in my holistic nutrition coaching.
The meals are straightforward to prepare and take about 30 minutes before each workout.
Dana Linn Bailey opts for a high-protein diet to build strength and muscle mass, as well as to manage cravings and hunger, in line with findings from a study in the Nutrients journal [1].
Here is what her meals look like throughout the day:
- First meal - A cup of egg whites, oatmeal with fruits, 1 egg, and almond milk.
- Second meal - Almonds and Greek yogurt.
- Third meal - Grilled chicken breast, white rice, and Frank's red hot sauce.
- Fourth meal - Sweet potatoes, broccoli, and tuna or grilled chicken breasts.
- Fifth meal - Rice cakes, low-sugar cereal, whey protein, and almond milk.
Diet / Nutrition Principles
The first diet principle is to get enough protein into each meal.
Protein supports your muscle-building journey and helps recover damaged muscle fibers after an intense workout.
Generally, you should aim to have at least 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, and you may increase those numbers when you start more advanced training regimes [2].
Dana’s second dieting principle is to avoid counting all the calories and instead focus on consuming nutrient-rich whole foods.
She would generally start counting calories only when necessary and before some competitions.
However, she usually focuses on getting enough protein and high-quality fibrous carbohydrate sources, which help sustain her during those hard workout sessions.
Supplements
In line with Dana Linn Bailey's approach, I also recommend protein powder post-workout to my clients for optimal hypertrophy and recovery.
She also uses protein powder with almond milk as one of her meals during the day.
Lately, she avoided taking pre-workouts and only stayed consistent with protein powders and sometimes creatine monohydrate.
However, she takes high-quality multivitamins for women and the best omega-3 supplements to support her overall health and keep the pace high during the season.
If you're thinking about adding protein powder to your diet, I recommend checking out our guide on the best options to find a high-quality product tailored to your personal needs and fitness goals:
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