Men’s Physique bodybuilder Zac Aynsley reveals the only two movements you’ll need to supercharge arm girth for Generation Iron.
Men’s Physique bodybuilder and Generation Iron athlete Zac Aynsley underwent a couple of movements to explode the arms in this Generation Iron exclusive arm workout. “Mr. Biceps” doesn’t get his nickname from nothing. He performed the cable hammer curl and tricep extension in the video below for Generation Iron. Watch the British bodybuilder do them here:
Zac Aynsley is a renowned British bodybuilder who has taken the fitness world by storm. Born July 2, 1994, in Northumberland, England, Aynsley was always interested in sports and fitness. Initially, Anysley got his confidence after reaping some success from DJing — even releasing an EDM single. However, this music lifestyle that came with partying (indulging in alcohol and drugs) and other unhealthy habits took a toll on his body. In addition, he suffered from mental health issues growing up and was featured discussing Muscle Dysmorphia in the documentary film titled, Bigorexia by Generation Iron. Aynsley stated:
“Between [the ages of ] 10 and 15, I had suicidal thoughts. I’d regularly climb to the top of water towers thinking, ‘Is this the day I’m going to jump?’”
As many others have found serenity in the gym, the same can be said for this Brit fitness influencer.
“I got a gym membership, and that was that. I was addicted. My priority in life was not money or fame; it was happiness, simple happiness…in reality, the gym is just a place where people want to better themselves. The gym taught me to become the person I am.”
He discovered bodybuilding after changing his life for the better, and of course, he ended up a pretty successful bodybuilder and fitness influencer.
Working out at his local gym forged his confidence and passion for bodybuilding. He started posting his fitness journey on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, gaining a massive following. Today, Aynsley is one of the most popular fitness influencers in the UK, inspiring millions worldwide to lead a healthy lifestyle. In 2020, Aynsley was featured on GQ.
| Full Name: Zac Aynsley | ||
| Weight | Height | Date of Birth |
| 185- 195 lbs | 6’0” | 7/2/1994 |
| Division | Era | Nationality |
| Men’s Physique | 2010s | British |
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Cable Rope Hammer Curls and Cable Rope Triceps Extension
In the video above, Zac Aynsley performs a couple of arm movements in an exclusive arm workout for Generation Iron. With these movements alone, you can build massive arms with no flab.
The Brit starts by performing cable hammer curls to target his biceps and then moves on to cable rope tricep pushdowns — a great exercise to target your triceps.
Cable Rope Hammer Curls
This exercise focuses on developing the biceps, giving your biceps an overall muscular appearance. It’s what builds the peak of the arms during an arm flex.
To perform this exercise, stand close to a cable weight stack with your feet shoulder-width apart; grip the handles firmly and keep your elbows close to your sides. Then slowly curl the weights up towards your shoulders before lowering them back down.
Cable Rope Triceps Extension
The cable tricep extension is the second movement captured in Aynsley’s private arm routine. This exercise focuses on the biceps’ antagonistic muscles, helping build horseshoe triceps.
Stand close to a cable machine, gripping the handles firmly. Then extend your arms at the elbow and slowly pull the weight down. Hold for a second and then release before repeating. Keep your elbows pinned tightly by your side throughout the entire range of motion to prevent swaying. Aynsley bent his torso forward on this movement, allowing him to use heavier weights.
Zac Aynsley Arm Workout
We dove deeper to decipher other key movements in Aynsley’s arm workout routine, which we’ll unveil below.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Machine Preacher Curl | 3 | 10-15 |
| EZ Bar Curl | 3 | 10-15 |
| Single-arm Machine Bicep Curl | 3 | 12-15 |
Aynsley incorporates supersets and short rest periods of 30 seconds between sets. This ramps up the intensity of his arm workout and gives him a massive arm pump.
Machine Preacher Curl
This exercise explicitly targets the bicep muscle and helps increase strength and size. Not only that, but the machine preacher curl also reduces the chance of injury that can come with other forms of bicep exercises.
To perform the machine preacher curl:
- Position yourself in the machine with your arms resting on the pad and your chest against the support.
- Grasp the handles with a shoulder-width grip and curl the weight up.
- Remember to keep your elbows pinned to the pad to target the biceps.
EZ Bar Curl
The EZ bar curl is an excellent exercise with numerous benefits for your biceps. Not only does it help you build strength and size, but it targets different parts of your arms that contribute to well-rounded biceps. One of the best things about EZ bar curls is that they don’t stress as much on the wrists as a straight bar. In addition, this study found it to activate the biceps more effectively than the dumbbell curls (1).
Grab an EZ bar with an underhand grip (palms facing up), keeping your elbows close to your sides and your shoulders down. Curl the bar towards your shoulders while contracting your biceps, then lower the weight to your starting position.
Single-arm Machine Bicep Curl
The single-arm machine bicep curl is an excellent exercise for building strength and definition in your biceps. Unlike traditional bicep curls with dumbbells or barbells, the single-arm machine bicep curl provides constant resistance throughout the entire range of motion, which can help prevent injury and improve overall muscle activation. In addition, incorporating the single-arm machine bicep curl into your workout routine can help you correct any imbalances in your arms since it’s a unilateral exercise.
Sit at the machine with your feet flat on the ground and grip the handle with one hand. Slowly lift the handle towards your shoulder while keeping your elbow close to your side. Pause momentarily at the top of the movement before slowly lowering the weight to the starting position. Repeat for several repetitions on one arm before switching to the other side.
If you want to build muscle in your arms while defining them, try Mr. Biceps’ arm workout. You can blast those guns quickly with cable hammer curls and tricep extensions combined! Remember to properly warm up and stretch before starting any new workout routine — of course, we want those gains, but safety always comes first!
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Reference
Marcolin, G., Panizzolo, F. A., Petrone, N., Moro, T., Grigoletto, D., Piccolo, D., & Paoli, A. (2018). Differences in electromyographic activity of biceps brachii and brachioradialis while performing three variants of curl. PeerJ, 6, e5165. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.5165
