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I have a question about the chest/arms workout of the Ideal routine. Which exercise do you all do for the arms? Palms up pulldowns, or the barbell curl? I personally do the Pulldowns on my routine, but I see that most everyone on here that does the Ideal, does the Barbell curl? I also got the HIT video, and he says to do the Barbell curl. I started doing the pulldowns because it was recommended in HIT the MM way. That is the only book that I have from Mike. He said that the pulldown is the best bicep exercise that there is. I havent done curls since I started HIT about 6 months ago. The pulldowns seems like it makes more since from a logical standpoint because it works the back too on the chest/arms day, whereas the curls don′t. I know that it will give the back more rest, but I am currently doing a workout every 7 days, so my back gets 2 weeks rest between the workout 1 and 3 right now. Should I replace the pulldowns with the curls, or keep it the same. Here is my exact routine I do

Workout 1: Incline press 6-10 till failure
Pulddowns 6-10 till failure
Shrugs or rows 6-10 till failure. (I used to do DL, and I will still do them every once in awhile, but I have a hard time doing them, and I feel that I am overworking my legs when I do the DL, and I feel it causes overlap anywhere I do them in my legs OR back routines).

Rest 7 days

Workout 2: Leg Press or squats, mostly Leg press. 8-15 till failure
Leg curls: 8-15 till failure( I just started doing these in the absence of the DL)
Calf Raises: 12-20 till faliure. (Sometimes I do these everyother leg workout. I may eliminate these from my routine)
Machine Crunches: 12-20 till failure
rest 7 days

Workout 3: Lateral raises: 6-10 till failure
Bent over raises: 6-10 till failure
Pulldowns: 6-10 till failure
Dips: 6-10 till failure
rest 7 and repeat workout 2, rest 7 repeat cycle..

I do the ideal minus the pre exhausts. Is there any other exercises that I can eliminate in my routine? What about the bent over raises? Do the dips hit the same muscles? What about the leg curls, and calf raises? Or are the leg curls a must because of me not doing the DL? I would like to get each workout to no more then 3 exercises a session.. I still wanna do this routine over a consolidated because I am still gaining from it. And it is almost a consolidated as it is..

Jarrells,

With regards to biceps stimulation I agree with Mike that rev-grip pulldowns also stimulate the biceps as with curls BUT I don′t think pulldowns are superior in stimulating the biceps as curls. Mike use to say that rev. grip Pulldowns is much superior because it pulls the biceps in 2 pivot points which is accomplished by bending the elbows and by retracting the shoulder blade. I think he made a mistake on the second point because if you review muscle physiology RETRACTION of the upper arm is in fact the function of the TRICEPS and not the biceps ! Biceps function are supination and curling of the lower arm at the elbow . Triceps functions are RETRACTION of the upper arm towards the rear, extension of the forearm at the elbow and pronation. Furthermore the arm curling part in the pulldowns is very EFFICEINT leverage-wise because in prforming the movement you are simulataneously contracting biceps, triceps and shoulders and BACK altogether which is GOOD for the STRONGER BIGGER bodyparts but not for the smaller, weaker ones. Biceps curl on the other hand is much more ISOLATED and has perfect LEVERAGE to efficeintly and EFFECTIVELY stimulate the biceps muscles. PEACE.