Building 20-inch arms the Larry Scott way. By Tony DeFrancisco

Whenever I get in a conversation with bodybuilders about Larry Scott, the first thing I will hear is , "Oh he is the guy with the arms." It's as though he had no chest, back,  legs or even a head, just arms!  I believe without question that Larry Scott's arms were his best bodypart. Possibly the greatest arms of all time. Most say at least the best biceps ever. In addition, he had in most peoples minds, the best overall arm development, biceps, triceps, forearms, size, peak, shape and fullness. To this day and even by todays standards, perhaps the best ever.

And the rest of his physique was pretty good too! One of the greatest of all time. Good enough to beat many past and future Mr. Universe and Mr. Olympia winners like Sergio Oliva! 

As Larry went through his seminar in Philly way back in  1978, this was the most anticipated part. Everyone wanted to know how he developed those monster arms and wanted to see first hand how he really trained. Not the stuff in the magazines. We were pleased to see Larry not just talk but do his actual routine with pretty heavy weights and form.

"When I first started training, I wanted big arms. I remember seeing that old magazine with George Paine, one arm extended showing a incredible horseshoe triceps and the other arm flexed showing an amazing biceps. The magazine said YOU TOO CAN HAVE ARMS LIKE THIS IN 30 DAYS!. I thought WOW. Holy cow. So I brought the magazine home and devoured it. Studying it and carefully examining George Paine's routine."

George Paine. America's most muscular man multiple times in the AAU Mr. America in the 1950s, runnerup to Reg Park in the 1965 NABBA Pro Mr. Universe. Winner 1966 NABBA PRO Mr. Universe 1966.  And Larry Scott's first hero. 

"But I had a big problem. We didn't have any weights nor did we have the money to buy a set of weights. So I went to a local junkyard and grabbed a tracter wheel and axle and that was my first barbell. I then did the exercises in the magazine and then came back in the house and couldn't believe it. This was the first time I experienced the pump. I felt so huge. My sisters were laughing at me when they caught me in the bathroom flexing."

"I was especially impressed with George's triceps. They looked like horseshoes. I wanted that look. I read that his favorite exercise was called Barbell Kickbacks so I immediately did that. Couldn't believe the burn and the pump I got. Was amazing."

There in Larry's own words you see how to do this. I remember buying this course back in 1964 and doing this exercise in our parents attic in the small gym put together by my older brother Jim. It was easy to do, only required a barbell and some plates which we had. I had a better start than Scott, all he had to begin with with a axle rod and wheel.

"I continued to use the exercise even when I was training for the Mr. Olympia. Sometimes I would use just one dumbell. This movement along with tricep pressdowns creates that horseshoe look. "

"When finishing pressdowns I would switch my hand position and do what looked like a close grip bench press on the lat machine.  I would use a close grip and push straight down. The triceps has three heads, hence the name tri-ceps. These exercises work all three heads.

"I also did a lying dumbell tricep ext holding some old parts of a tractor which I referred to as dumbbells.. I couldn't wait to get a set of weights. I did this in my early days and occasionally when I was training for the Olympia. Usually at that point I did the kneeling tricep ext using a v-handle."

 

 

 

Larry Scott demonstrates the lying 2 db  tricep ext.  

"When I first developed my courses back in 1964, people thought these exercises were too basic. But, this is how I started and in 1964 there were not that many commercial gyms around with advanced equipment like I was using at Vince's in North Hollywood, CA.  I don't teach that what I don't do."

"This gave me a start. I also did the basic moves like the french press. Never got much from that. But I saw it in all the magazines. Ditto for biceps, regular curls gave me marginal gains."

"When I started training at Vince's, I started doing the kneeling tricep ext with a pulley and a v-handle. This is similiar to the lying two db tricep ext only much better.  This one caused my triceps to blow up in size and works the outer head of the triceps." 

Larry demonstrates the kneeling tricep ext. with a pulley and special v-handle 2 inches thick.

"A lot of bodybuilders blowout their elbows with french presses, and especially 2 and 1 dumbell tricep moves. I have been doing the kneeling tricep ext for over 20 years and work with many bodybuilders. Never have  any of us had any elbow issues and we all really made some spectacular gains."

"When doing the kneeling tricep ext, it is important to get your elbows way back keep your hands above your head and also to use a handle at least 2 1/2 inches thick.  Smaller handles don't work as well.  Use a full range of motion. This is the #1 tricep exercise. Unlike dumbells, the tension on the triceps is constant and no elbow issues" 

"Most bodybuilders go for a peak on their biceps.  My goal was to go for a peak on the triceps as well.  Due to time constraints, a lot of times I would superset 2 tricep exercises like the lying tricep press with a ez curl bar (also called Skull Crushers today) with the kneeling tricep ext.  with heavy poundages. On lying tricep ext using an ez curl bar I worked up to 300 lbs. This was more less a combination lying tricep ext and close grip bench press. I said time constraints because I was working a full time 8 hr job, going to school 3 hours every night and squeezing in a 2 hr workout while training for Mr. Universe and Mr. Olympia. So I had to move fast in my workouts."

"When I was very young I saw a man delivering newspapers and he just stuck his arm out straight. I was impressed on how thick his lower biceps was and I liked that pose and how his arm looked extended all the way out. So I set a goal on really developing lower bi's and adapted that pose which became my signature pose. One arm bent, one arm extended.

 

 

 

Larry Scott's  signature pose. Often imitated. Never duplicated

"When I first came to California, I trained at the old Bert Goodrich's gym in LA. There I met Lou Degni who  went on to make Hercules movies under the name of Mark Forrest. He had an incredible physique and in particular very thick lower biceps. He showed me his favorite exercise. It was the lying db curl. I never heard of it before. But when I  started doing it, I couldn't believe the pump I got and I made huge arm gains. This exercise really started to thicken my biceps."

"The key to make this exercise work is to keep the elbows in close to the bench and the dumbells out wide."

Larry indicated that he did this exercise even as an advanced trainee and this is also a favorite of Leroy Colbert and Dave Draper. Two other great bodybuilders with huge arms and great shaped biceps.

The lying DB curl. Larry says this really thickens the lower biceps.

Lou Degni aka Mark Forrest from the movies. Was a top bodybuilder in southern california competitions before going to Italy and making Hercules movies. Incredibly thick lower biceps. He was a proponent of the lying db curl.

"After Lou went to Italy, I then went to Vince's Gym in Studio City, CA. and started training quite differently. It was here that I was introduced to the Preacher Bench and Preach Curls and wow what a difference that made in my arm training!"

"I remember asking Vince about doing basic exercises and why he didn't recommend them. Vince's reply was classic: 

BASIC EXERCISES GIVE YOU BASIC RESULTS. SUPERIOR EXERCISES GIVE YOU SUPERIOR RESULTS. WHICH DO YOU WANT?"

"Before training with Vince I was still doing a lot of basic stuff along with other things I learned from Lou Degni. The real gains came from training with Vince. As soon as I started doing preacher curls, I feel in love with this exercise and my arms blew up. I never burned out on this exercise. Incredible biceps developer when done properly."

Incredible arms. Biceps, triceps, forearms, peak and look at the peak on his tricep!

Larry circa 1965 doing the Preacher or 'Scott Curl" with a pair of heavy dumbells. He did these to failure then moved right into BB Scott curls as part of a superset.

Larry would superset DB Scott Curls with BB Scott Curls. Incredible intensity.

Larry said the proper way to do the Scott Curl was with elbows in close, wide grip and a straight barbell, never an ez curl bar except for reverse curls. He said this develops the lower biceps and full shape.

When asked how he could use such heavy weights in a superset, Scott replied:

'Well I didn't start off that way. I started with relatively light weights and worked up to the point where I could handle 80 lb dumbells and a 140 lbs barbell in a superset. Note I would do the db curls to failure and then do 4-6 burns (half reps) at the end before going on to the barbell curls.  Supersets are as much a matter of endurance and conditioning as strength. As you do them and get in better condition, they will become easier for you. The key is intensity. Use heavy poundages and  go to failure."

Larry demonstrated his technique on what he called "Cheating Preacher DB Curls" He did these standing and would use a lot of body motion, swinging his body to get the weights up while his elbows were secured to the bench.  He used a similiar motion for BB Preacher Curls and Spider curls (see below)

A question came up that a top bodybuilder who is known for his heavy duty training system said you should never superset biceps or triceps because it is a small muscle group. 

Scott smiled, posed showing his biceps and then his triceps. The audience went crazy. Then Scott said,

"I superset my biceps and triceps. Do you think it has inhibited muscle growth on me?" Everyone laughed hysterically.

"Another key to building massive arms is to develop the braichialus muscle which lies between the biceps and the triceps. There are two exercises I use for this, Spider Curls and Reverse Curls on the preacher bench.

Larry demonstrates proper technique on Scott Reverse Curls under the watchful eye of Joe Weider. 

"Be aware that there are a lot of theories  and opinions out there but very few facts. I am telling you what I have done. It has worked for me and many others. I didn't sit home and concoct some crap on how to train, this is how I did it. It works."

 

Larry demonstrates "Spider Curls" on the preacher or "Scott Bench" 

 

 

 

The braichilus muscle and the biceps extend from the shoulder all the way  down into the forearm. Braichilus muscle lies just under the biceps. By building this muscle, your biceps will grow faster. "Spider Curls" also adds a peak to your biceps.  These are different than the regular preacher  curls in that in this case, with spider curls the bench is perpendicular or about a 90 degree angle or straight up and down depending on the bench you use. The regular preacher bench is at a 45 degree angle. I have to admit, I used the regular preacher bench most. Both will give you more complete biceps size and shape."

Larry heard a rumbling among the audience. And looked out.

"What? You wondering why I refer to this bench as the "Preacher Bench" and not something else? There is a good reason for that. While I am flattered that some people have renamed this exercise after me, it will be forever the Preacher Curl in my mind.  Vince Gironda invented the bench and the exercise. He called it the "Preacher Bench" and "Preacher Curl" 1956 Mr. Universe, Jack Delinger did a similar movement off the end of a leg ext bench in the 1950s. You can call it the "Preacher Curl", "Scott Curl" "Smith Curl" "Weider Curl" "Olympia Curl" or whatever. Doesn't matter what you call them, just do them. Great exercises."

Larry showed incredible humility here. 

Larry winning the Mr. Universe in 1964. Absolutely incredible physique, unbelievable arms and not even close to his peak.

As I mentioned in the first article of this series, I have met all the top bodybuilders with the exception of Steve Reeves. And while I admired all of them, none impressed me as much as Larry Scott. He was a regular guy. Family man, businessman, christian and world class bodybuilder. He had a wealth of knowledge far beyond that of any top bodybuilder that I ever met and showed a real passion for the sport and helping the hard gainers.  

When I was a teenager, this guy was my hero for his bodybuilding accomplishments. 14 years later as a young man and even now as a much older man, I  still admire this guy for being a great man, not just a bodybuilder. 

When asked why he retired after only two Mr. Olympia wins and at such a young age. Larry replied:

"I spent 10 years building my muscles and 6 years competing. I love bodybuilding. I won Mr. America, Mr. Universe and Mr. Olympia twice. I came I saw. I conquered and moved on. Now it was time for me to build a family. I am glad I did and never looked back. But I never lost my love for the sport of bodybuilding."

A photo of Larry with his beautiful wife Rachel and family circa early 1970s. Larry Scott the family man. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Larry Scott passed away in March, 2014 at the age of 75. RIP Larry!!!!