Brad Castleberry doesn’t consume powers and only eats raw, whole foods, he does collabs with Larry Wheels for Arm day workout.
The first month of the new year is almost behind us. How has your arm day been treating you? Suppose you need extra motivation to keep tugging away at fitness goals in 2024. In that case, you’ll want to experience the arm workout collaboration, including reverse curls between powerlifter turned bodybuilder Larry Wheels and Brad Castleberry.
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| Full Name: Larry Wheels | ||
| Weight | Height | Date of Birth |
| 244-255 lbs | 6’1” | 12/3/1994 |
| Division | Era | Nationality |
| Classic Physique and Powerlifting | 2010s – Till Date | American |
Larry Wheels has an impressive physique and caught the world’s attention by setting a world record, totaling 2,275 lbs — 810 lbs squat, 610 lbs bench press, and 855 lbs deadlifts — in the 275 lbs weight class. For a self-made athlete who received his pro card in 2018, Wheels has done great for himself and inspires many.
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| Full Name: Brad Castleberry | ||
| Weight | Height | Date of Birth |
| 244-255 lbs | 5’10” | 06/10/1989 |
| Division | Era | Nationality |
| Bodybuilding and Powerlifting | 2000s – Till Date | American |
Brad Castleberry is another online fitness sensation famous for his athletic abilities. He started weightlifting as early as age 15 and is also an ex-football player. Castleberry is also into powerlifting but is controversial for some of his record lifts, with some claiming he’s using fake weights.
Brad Castleberry and Larry Wheels tackle seven arm exercises in this workout collaboration. Both men also try poses in between and discuss dieting and their typical day of eating. Here are some of the details they shared and their arm-building exercises.
Larry Wheels’ & Brad Castleberry’s Arm Workout
Below is a video of Larry Wheels’ and Brad Castleberry’s arm workout:
For their training, Larry Wheels and Brad Castleberry did multiple sets of seven exercises, starting with a superset. Most sets followed standard pyramid training, increasing their weights and lifting the heaviest during the final set. Wheels also talk about getting inspiration from Castleberry,
“Brad, you were my inspiration for a long time. I remember like a decade ago seeing your videos throwing up heavy weights and dumbbells and being jacked while you did it.”
During most of the routine, Brad Castleberry also wears a weightlifting belt. This is an efficient way to maintain form, and this study on six subjects shows that using them can improve efficiency during training (1). Here are the exercises they did for this arm workout.
| Exercises | Set | Reps |
| Triceps Rope Pushdowns | 3 | 8-12 |
| Reverse Curls | 3 | 20-27 |
| Close Grip Bench Presses | 4 | 5-10 |
| Barbell Curls | 3 | 6-30 |
| Lying Triceps Extensions | 2 | 11-14 |
| Dumbbell Hammer Curls | 1 | 7 |
| Machine Bicep Curls | 1 | 13 |
Triceps Rope Pushdowns & Reverse Curls
Larry Wheels and Brad Castleberry started their arm training by doing a superset of triceps rope pushdowns and reverse curls. The goal, they said, is to get the blood flowing to help with the rest of their routines. Castleberry also talks about hitting the forearms during this movement.
Triceps rope pushdowns isolate and build your triceps, leading to an increase in your arm size. Using the rope attachment on the cable machine for this exercise increases your range of motion. This works your triceps and arms thoroughly, leading to better muscle growth.
Reverse curls, on the other hand, activate your biceps. In addition, they also work on the brachialis and brachioradialis, which are in the forearms and improve grip strength. Plus, this routine can fix any imbalances between your extensors and flexors.
Close Grip Bench Presses
Next, in the exercise, Larry Wheels and Brad Castleberry did some close-grip bench presses, starting with 135 lbs and ending with 400 lbs.
The close grip bench press primarily works on your triceps, chest, and shoulders. Due to the closeness of your arms, your triceps are engaged more to press the load. This routine is also a great way to improve your bench press lockout.
Barbell Curls
The barbell curl was the next arm-building exercise by Larry Wheels and Brad Castleberry. They did pyramid training here, starting with a weight of 95 lbs before ending with multiple sets using 135 lbs. Both men also take turns hyping each other as they do their reps.
The barbell curl is an isolation exercise for your biceps and helps to increase their size. However, your brachialis and brachioradialis also play a role in stabilizing your arm during this routine, so they get some work, too. Using a barbell for curls helps you lift more than other arm exercises and improves your grip strength.
Lying Triceps Extensions & Dumbbell Hammer Curls
Next on Larry Wheels and Brad Castleberry’s itinerary was another superset. This time, they paired an isolation exercise with a compound one to blast their arm muscles. Research shows that supersets are effective for building muscle and can help reduce the duration of your exercise (2).
The lying tricep extension is one of the best isolation exercises for your triceps. This routine is also called a skull crusher, and both men did it using an EZ bar. Lying triceps extensions can improve your strength for other pressing moves, such as bench presses and pushups.
On the other hand, dumbbell hammer curls effectively hit your biceps and brachialis muscles. The neutral grip this movement requires allows them to curl heavier loads and engage their forearms more. While doing this superset, Brad Castleberry also talks about his day of eating.
“Honestly, it’s the same thing every day. Breakfast, egg whites, I do no powders, it’s all raw foods. I don’t believe in the powders. Bananas, egg whites, in the morning I’ll have a lunch, rice and some kind of protein. Same meal at dinner and then maybe a protein shake at the end of the day, the same one I had in the morning. Four solid meals, each one is about 800-1500 calories.”
Machine Bicep Curls
Larry Wheels and Brad Castleberry did machine bicep curls for their final exercise. They then compared the size of each other’s hands before doing a posing session. It was evident by the end of this training that both men had done significant work on their arms due to their massive pumps.
Machine bicep curls are great for your biceps and other upper arm muscles. Rounding up with this routine is an excellent idea as the machine helps to keep good form despite fatigue.
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References
- Lander, J. E., Simonton, R. L., & Giacobbe, J. K. (1990). The effectiveness of weight-belts during the squat exercise. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 22(1), 117–126.
- Realzola, R. A., Mang, Z. A., Millender, D. J., Beam, J. R., Bellovary, B. N., Wells, A. D., Houck, J. M., & Kravitz, L. (2022). Metabolic Profile of Reciprocal Supersets in Young, Recreationally Active Women and Men. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 36(10), 2709–2716. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000003920
