Build Arms Like 14-Time WWE Champion Randy Orton

Ask any wrestling fan to carve their Mount Rushmore of icons, and WWE superstar Randy Orton likely makes the cut. Love or hate him, Orton’s villainous persona and signature “RKO” finisher have been pillars of the brand for decades.

After a near career-ending back injury in 2022, Orton returned at War Games in 2023, though with diminished confidence, he admitted during an arm workout with fellow WWE superstar Sheamus for Celtic Warrior Workouts in late October.

The Viper’s Arm Workout

The arm workout consisted of a three-exercise circuit, rotating a set of each variation, followed by a superset:

Circuit

• Barbell Reverse Curl: 3 Sets, 15-20 Reps
• Dumbbell Skullcrusher: 3 Sets, 15-20 Reps
• Band Lateral Raise: 3 Sets, 15-20 Reps

Superset

• Dumbbell Incline Curl: 3 Sets x 15-20 Reps
• Triceps Pushdown: 3 Sets x 15-20 Reps

Afterward, Orton led Sheamus through a superset leg finisher, alternating single-leg and sissy squats for two sets of 6-8 reps. 

[Related: Best Pre-Workouts]

Form Cues & Isolating 

Orton ran Sheamus through a brief anatomy lesson, describing which muscles they’ll target with each exercise. The latter was awed by Orton’s training knowledge, unable to mask his grin, “I thought you were laughing because I sound like a moron,” Orton responded. Orton isn’t too detailed when training, “I’m not a big rep counter,” nor does he always move through his full range of motion. 

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They started with reverse curls to bias the forearms and brachialis, or as Orton called it, the “second head of the biceps.” However, the brachialis is a separate upper arm muscle that, when well-developed, pushes the biceps higher and broader. The goal was to fill the biceps with blood. 

“Scapula back, chest out, try to keep the elbows in one spot…flex the triceps at the top,” Orton cued while performing skull crushers. 

Curl Hack for Better Biceps

During dumbbell incline curls, Sheamus suggested keeping tension on the biceps. “Every time you switch, it allows the muscle to rest too long,” he advised. Brief rest between reps, such as during alternating curls, may shortchange gains. (1)

Orton kept one arm flexed at 90 degrees while curling the opposite dumbbell, alternating to keep the non-working arm active. “A curl is a curl is a curl,” Orton believes, although not entirely true, as recent research shows that exercise can influence muscle growth and varying grip also affects the stimulus. (2)(3)

For triceps pushdowns, Orton promotes slow, controlled reps, “Take your time on those negative reps, squeeze at the bottom, and flex the triceps,” he guides. “The time it takes to complete the set really matters.” 

Kickstand/Sissy Squat Finisher

“It’s a deep pump in the quad…my leg development has definitely changed,” Orton claims after incorporating his squat finishers. 

“10 percent of my weight is on that back leg,” Orton demonstrated using the Smith machine bar for support in a split-stance squat. You’re not using [the bar] to pull you up.” He leans forward to engage his glutes rather than being upright to hit more quad before a slow eccentric.

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The WWE stars alternated sissy squats, “Tighten your glutes, scaps back, and let the knees slide forward, Orton instructed. “You’ll get cuts that go real deep,” describing the separation between the quads. 

More Training Content

• The Arnold Schwarzenegger Workout Split (and How to Modify It)
• Stop Doing Deadlifts if You Want To Build Muscle
• 5 Reasons You Can’t Skip Barbell Squats on Leg Day

Featured image: @randyorton on Instagram

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