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Tip: The 6-12-25 Protocol for Biceps

Back in 2005, Charles Poliquin popularized something called "lactic acid training" with his German Body Composition programs. The basic idea was to train in a way that produced lactate, which in turn increased growth hormone to boost fat loss and protect muscle mass.

The more advanced rep scheme involved doing 6, 12, and 25 reps with short rest periods between exercises. Yeah, it burned.

Lactate is commonly associated with that local burning sensation in the muscles, but "lactate burn" is a misnomer. In reality, lactate actually consumes those H+ ions associated with the burn.

All that aside, we can use some of the same set and rep scheme in German Body Composition to attack a weak or underdeveloped muscle group. Try this for lagging biceps:




Important: Take no rest periods between movements! Your "rest" is just the amount of time it takes to move between exercises.

After the hammer curls, rest two to three minutes and repeat this giant set three to four more times.

Yep, just follow these guidelines for exercise selection:

  • 1st Exercise: Multi-Joint Movement, 6 reps
  • 2nd Exercise: Multi-Joint Movement, 12 reps
  • 3rd Exercise: Single-Joint Movement, 25 reps

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