Breon Ansley’s Training Shift for Bigger Arms Is a Game Changer

Two-time Classic Physique Olympia champion Breon Ansley is moving up a sleeve size to the 212 division. After completely revamping his training regime, only to drop to fifth place at the 2024 Olympia, Ansley feels outsized by the taller athletes.

In a recent vlog, Ansley revealed how he’s bringing up his triceps, an admitted weak point, by training his biceps first and using better triceps exercises. Since the triceps oppose the biceps, there’s no overlap between exercises, allowing him to hit them with full intensity. 

Breon Ansley’s Improved Arm Workout

• Dumbbell Alternating Curls: 8 reps x 50 Pounds Each Arm
• EZ bar Cable Curls: 3 x 12+
• Cable One-Arm Isolation Curls: 3 x 12+
• Dumbbell Hammer Curls: 3 Sets 
• One-Arm Cable Triceps Pushdowns: 3 Sets 
• Dumbbell Triceps Kickbacks: 3 Sets 
• Close-Grip Incline Push-Ups: 4 Sets
• Dumbbell Skullcrusher: 3 Sets 

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Alternating dumbbell curls led the session. Ansley trains with full strength to maximize growth during his arm training, a key strategy backed by studies. “I expended too much energy walking [with the heavy weights]; I got to gather and regroup.” Standing dumbbell curls have their limitations:

• A study by Goto and Colleagues determined that long pauses with minimal tension on a muscle, as seen during alternating curls, may limit muscle gains. (1) However, alternating curls could enhance mind-muscle connection.
• Science-based bodybuilder Jeff Nippard referenced this literature in his biceps exercise tier list, recommending curling dumbbells with both arms simultaneously for best results.

Ansley kept his palms forward or supinated to lift the heavy dumbbells, noting how challenging yet beneficial it is for size. He demonstrated the advantage of cables with standing one-arm concentration curls, extending his arms forward, causing more elbow strain and better lower biceps activation. (2)

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A post shared by Breon Ansley “The Black Swan” (@breonma_)

“We’ve done enough unilateral and isolation work.” Ansley transitioned to two-arm hammer curls, where palms face each other, aiming to grow his brachialis and brachioradialis — upper arm and forearm muscles crucial for higher biceps peaks and bigger arms. Ansley employed a little body English and flared his elbows for leverage. 

“I’m going to measure, and hopefully, they’re 22 [inches],” Ansley said, aiming for the holy grail of arm circumference. “You can’t have big enough arms,” he proclaimed. Ansley plans to experiment with 4 sets per muscle as he enters the 2025 IFBB pro season, where he will need to enter and win a pro show in the 212 division to qualify for the 2025 Olympia to challenge reigning two-time 212 Olympia champion Keone Pearson.

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References

1. Goto, K., Ishii, N., Kizuka, T., & Takamatsu, K. (2005). The impact of metabolic stress on hormonal responses and muscular adaptations. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 37(6), 955–963.
2. Zabaleta-Korta A, Fernández-Peña E, Torres-Unda J, Francés M, Zubillaga A, Santos-Concejero J. Regional Hypertrophy: The Effect of Exercises at Long and Short Muscle Lengths in Recreationally Trained Women. J Hum Kinet. 2023 Jul 15;87:259-270. doi: 10.5114/jhk/163561. PMID: 37559762; PMCID: PMC10407320.

Featured image: @breonma_ on Instagram

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