Phil Heath, "The Gift", is the greatest bodybuilder of all time whose shoulders, forearms, and arms have not been matched.
He has the best arms in bodybuilding, achieved from numerous hours of training in the gym.
As a fitness trainer, I went through Phil Heath's workout plan, interviews, and Youtube videos to learn how he trains his arms.
In this article, I will detail my findings on Phil Heath's arm workouts, his diet, and the supplements he uses for his extraordinary physique.
Celebrity Stats/Career Highlights
- Age: 44 years
- Height: 5ft 9in
- Weight: 245 - 255 lbs
- Waist: 29in
- Chest: 54in
Arm Workout Routine
Phil Heath's upper body training program is constructed in a way that is suitably challenging for him, at least in my experience.
As a result, he can make excellent growth. Let's take a look at Heath's arm exercise routine.
Bicep Workouts
- Seated curl machine: Heath begins with a full warm-up on the seated curl machine with single and dual-arm curls, attempting to maximize blood volume by limiting resting intervals.
- Standing concentration cable curl: Heath moves from the seated curl machine to the cable machine, setting the grip at roughly hip height. He bends forward as he stands to the side of the cable machine, then takes the handle and curls his arm over his body till his fist touches his opposite chest.
- Preacher curls on the cable machine: Heath then uses a rickety preacher curl bench with a cable machine and EZ curl bar extension.
- Standing high cable curls: After a few rounds on the preacher curl machine, he moves on to standing curls. Heath visualizes himself hitting the back or front double biceps shot, constantly supinating his wrists to obtain a more noticeable biceps peak.
- EZ bar curls: Heath returns to the preacher bench to pound his biceps with narrow and wide grip curl supersets.
- Seated dumbbell curls: Beginning with double-biceps-arm curls as his biceps are pumped, he progresses to single-arm seated curls. He suggests taking this bicep exercise as a baseline and experimenting with the speed, sets, and alternate reps.
- Seated hammer curls: Heath smashes his biceps with this last exercise, passing the weight back and forth between both hands as he progresses to the next set. He maintains this level of effort until he is entirely drained.
Related: Best Long Head Bicep Exercises For Massive Arms
The Biceps Routines
Warm-up:
- 2 sets of 12 to 15 repetitions of high cable biceps curls
- 2 sets of 10 repetitions of concentration curls
Working sets and repetitions:
- 3 sets of 10 repetitions of preacher curls (superset wide and narrow grip of the same exercise)
- 3 sets of 10 to 12 repetitions of seated dumbbell curls (first set both arms; the next sets single arm curls)
- 4 sets of 10 repetitions of seated hammer curls
Tricep Workouts
- Rope pushdowns: Heath starts his triceps workout with rope pushdowns, which target the triceps lateral heads. Tricep pushdowns improve muscular endurance and strength by working the core, shoulders, and back. Don’t let the weight pull your arms up.
- Incline two-dumbbell extension: From the triceps pushdown station, Heath then moves to the incline two-dumbbell extension to isolate the triceps. He takes the dumbbells from the top class dumbbell rack and does the exercise to expand the range of motion, allowing him to acquire a greater stretch on the triceps at the bottom of the action.
- One-arm cable extension: After completing the sets of the incline extension, Heath then attaches a single grip handle to the pulley for the one-arm cable extension. This exercise targets the medial head and provides continuous tension to build muscular and bigger triceps.
- Machine dips: Phil feels the ideal end to his tricep training is dips. Dips are an excellent compound tricep exercise to execute after the triceps are pre-exhausted with isolated exercises since they involve the delts and pecs.
Related: Best Tricep Cable Exercises to Build Strength and Muscle
The Triceps Routines
- 3 sets of 12 to 15 repetitions of rope pushdowns
- 3 sets of 12 to 15 repetitions of incline two-dumbbell extension
- 3 sets of 12 to 15 repetitions of one-arm cable extension
- 3 sets of 12 to 15 repetitions of machine dips
Arm Workout Principles
Heath last won the Mr. Olympia title in 2017.
The seven times Mr. Olympia Phil Heath discusses his most useful training tips gleaned from numerous hours spent in the gym.
"The most important thing I've learned is that you don't have to reinvent the wheel. You don't need to develop novel motions if what you're doing now is effective. The objective is to determine what works. There are days when I do not count sets at all, and then there are days when I remember I don't want to overload since I still have an hour of cardiovascular exercise or another training program later that day."
- Phil Heath, American IFBB Professional Bodybuilder
Heath works out under the supervision of Hany Rambod, the man of the FST-7 (Fascia Stretch Training) regimen. It refers to a workout regimen that maximizes hormonal response and muscle growth.
Based on my research, Phil works out three to five top exercises for each muscle group.
His exercises can go up to two hours. He admires numerous old-school bodybuilding icons, such as Ronnie Coleman and Arnold Schwarzenegger, and, like them, places a higher focus on workout technique.
Heath states that the field of professional bodybuilding is expanding and that he must overcome his weaknesses to maintain his top position.
He says he prefers to adhere to fundamental bodybuilding workouts rather than include too many fancy motions in his workout program.
Heath tackles every one of his muscle groups from various angles, which helps to improve his weaknesses on one hand while also working on his roundness on the other.
Phil says a big fat arm is not as impressive as a built lean smaller arm.
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Diet Plan
Phil eats roughly 400 g of protein daily, 600 g of carbs, and 5000 calories.
During his pre-contest days, he reduces his calorie intake a bit.
Here's a look at Phil Heath's diet:
- Meal 1: 2½ cups of egg whites and 1 cup of oatmeal
- Meal 2: Steamed vegetables, 12 oz chicken breast and 1 cup of brown rice
- Meal 3: Medium-sized sweet potato and 12 oz beef tenderloin
- Meal 4: 12 oz beef tenderloin and Medium-sized sweet potato
- Meal 5: 1 cup of brown rice and 12 oz chicken breast
- Meal 6: 12 oz tilapia or halibut and Steamed broccoli
- Meal 7: Steamed broccoli and 12 oz tilapia or halibut
Diet / Nutrition Principles
Phill Heath's diet is high in whey protein and carbs. Phill eats about 400 g of protein and 600 g of carbohydrates daily.
Heath follows a high-calorie diet. This equates to 5,000+ calories daily during the peak training period, which is more than double the normal consumption.
He restricts his calorie intake throughout the days leading up to the competition.
Phil consumes very little fat, including beneficial fats from vegetables and seafood.
Supplements
Heath incorporates the following supplements into his arm workout to fuel his gains.
- Multivitamin: Phil uses multivitamins to get the nutrients he requires to regulate his body's energy levels for the day. According to one of the articles from the National Center for Biotechnology Information website, bodybuilding multivitamins are also beneficial for lowering stress and pressure on your body during training [1].
- Branched-chain amino acids (BCAA): According to another study found on the PubMed website, top-class BCAA supplements have been shown to increase muscle mass, decrease fatigue, and reduce muscle soreness [2].
- Creatine: Good creatine supplement improves workout performance and recovery after intense training. It also reduces the severity of an injury and helps tolerate heavy exercise loads [3].
- Pre-workout: Pre-workouts help increase energy during a workout, stay focused, increase blood flow to muscles, enhance fat loss, and boost recovery [4].
- Whey protein: Whey protein includes various necessary amino acids that are easily absorbed. Studies demonstrate that it may assist you in growing muscle, boost your strength, and burn a considerable amount of body fat [5].
FAQs
How Many Hours Does Phil Heath Workout?
Phil Heath works out for approximately 2 hours, focusing on three to five movements per muscle group and emphasizing technical performance, akin to the approaches of renowned Mr. Olympia winners.
How Do I Get My Forearms Like Phil Heath?
To get forearms like Phil Heath, perform high-volume arm exercises and use the time-under-tension approach, including workouts such as Heath curls, concentration curls, dips, rope pushdowns, and incline two-dumbbell extensions.
Why Is Flexibility and Mobility Important in Arm Workouts?
Flexibility and mobility are important in arm workouts as they promote muscle growth and prevent injuries by enhancing joint movement and increasing blood flow, leading to more balanced and effective arm development.
What Nutritional Strategies Should Be Followed for Optimal Arm Development?
Nutritional strategies that should be followed for optimal arm development include a balanced diet rich in protein, timing meals effectively around workouts, and considering supplements like whey protein or BCAAs to support muscle repair and growth.
How Do Rest and Recovery Contribute to Arm Muscle Growth?
Rest and recovery contribute significantly to arm muscle growth by allowing muscles to repair and strengthen post-workout, with adequate sleep and scheduled rest days being key to preventing overtraining and enhancing muscle development.
What Are the Psychological Aspects of Training for Arm Development?
The psychological aspects of training for arm development include setting realistic goals, maintaining motivation, and managing training plateaus, as a strong mental approach is essential for consistent progress and long-term development.
How Can Advanced Techniques Help Overcome Training Plateaus in Arm Workouts?
Advanced techniques like drop sets, supersets, and eccentric loading help overcome training plateaus in arm workouts by introducing new challenges and stimuli, fostering continued muscle growth, and preventing stagnation in training progress.
References:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8125933/
- https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-bcaas
- https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/creatine
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27429596/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5537849/
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