IFBB Pro League Men’s Open bodybuilders Brett Wilkin and Martin Fitzwater have paired up during the 2024 Olympia qualifying season. Wilkin qualified for the 2023 Olympia but withdrew due to digestive issues during prep. He aims to right that ship in 2024.
Wilkin and Fitzwater’s Arm Workout
Here is a summary of the training session:
- Cross-Cable Triceps Extension
- Rope Triceps Pushdown
- Cable Prime Spreader Bar Pushdown
- Single-Arm Cable Biceps Curls
- Nautilus High Curls
- Seated Incline Dumbbell Curls
- Machine Dips
- Superset: Overhead Cable Triceps
- Extensions & Single-Arm Cable Kickbacks
- EZ-Bar Curls
- Reverse Barbell Curls
Check out the video of the session below from Wilkin’s YouTube channel:
[Related: The Stomach Vacuum: What It Is, Benefits, & More From Bodybuilding Experts]
Cross-Cable Triceps Extension
Wilkin set the cable pulleys at the highest pin and attached wrist cuffs to both ends. He grabbed the right cuff with his left hand and vice versa. Wilkin retracted the scapula, pushed out his chest, and kept his arms tight to his torso. He went to full extension and paused in the fully shortened position.
Rope Tricep Pushdown & Cable Spreader Bar Pushdown
The rope triceps pushdowns load the medial tricep heads. Wilkin maintained his torso at approximately 70 degrees throughout the exercise.
The focus is to push til the very end of the movement and press the pinkies out.
Wilkin’s lower arms broke parallel on the eccentric to achieve a deeper triceps stretch. Wilkin and Fitzwater moved to a pushdown variation involving the spreader bar attachment — specialized equipment that allows extension behind the midline to further bias the long triceps heads.
The duo employed stretch-pause reps — pausing in the fully lengthened position for 15 seconds — on the final set to increase time under tension (TUT), thereby promoting hypertrophy. They closed with a set to failure.
Single-Arm Cable Bicep Curls & Nautilus High Curl
Wilkin grabbed the D-handle attachment with an underhand grip and limited elbow movement to achieve peak biceps contraction. He grabbed the cable at waist height for added stability.
Wilkin favors unilateral exercises for biceps training. He placed his elbow flat against the machine’s arm pad to perform high curls with a supinated grip. The duo incorporated a partial-rep complex on the final set — Fitzwater executed five reps with full range of motion, then five top-half partials. He repeated this full-partial sequence, finishing with three full reps and partials to muscle failure.
Seated Incline Dumbbell Curls
Wilkin set the back of the incline bench at 70 degrees, placed his mid back flat against the pad, retracted his shoulder blades, and kept his chest proud. He grabbed the dumbbells with a supinated grip, extended the elbows at the bottom, and paused in the fully shortened position.
Machine Dips
Wilkin strategically places compound movements last on arm days to ensure his muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints are fully warmed to handle heavier weights. He kept his chest upright and elbows tight to maximize the stimulation in the triceps.
Superset: Overhead Cable Tricep Extensions & Single-Arm Cable Kickbacks
Wilkin performed the overhead cable extensions with a rope attachment while seated on a utility bench to minimize core engagement and isolate the triceps. Fitzwater set the cable to the lowest setting for the kickbacks and maintained his torso parallel to the floor. He kept his upper working arm parallel when extending at the elbow.
EZ-Bar Curls & Reverse Barbell Curls
The duo performed a partner-pyramid set of EZ-bar curls. Fitzwater began with 10 reps, handed the bar to Wilkin, and completed one less rep with each pass.
The pair concluded the training session with EZ-bar reverse curls to target the forearms. Wilkin paused in the fully shortened position for a second and used slow eccentrics to increase the TUT and promote hypertrophy.
Wilkin and Fitzwater must win an IFBB Pro show to punch their ticket to the 2024 Olympia, scheduled for Oct. 10-13 in Las Vegas, NV. They have until Sept. 15, 2024, to secure their spot.
Featured image: @brett_wilkin on Instagram
