Former Women’s Physique Olympia champion Dana Linn Bailey met with bodybuilder Kristen Nun and powerlifter Jake “Big Boy” Johns at Bailey’s home base, the Warhouse Gym, in St. Lawrence, PA, for a heavy arm workout. Bailey and Nun, a model for Bailey’s fitness apparel company, Flag Nor Fail, collaborate often, and Big Boy joined them to test out Nun’s programming.
I don’t really train arms, but when I do, I train them with Kristen Nun, and she’s in charge.
Nun struck a most muscular pose for the camera to demonstrate how she earned the nickname “The Queen of Arms” that Bailey dubbed on her. Nun explained they would hit three to four sets per exercise in a rep range of 10-12 each. The workout was published on Bailey’s YouTube channel on Aug. 22, 2022. Check it out below:
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Warm-Up
Nun at the helm guided Bailey and Big Boy through a group biceps warm-up with three lighter sets of alternating dumbbell biceps curls for three sets.
I like the feel of it…the squeeze, the pumping, and the drive. Your body is inner connected.
They calibrated the weights based on feel to ensure their biceps were warm for the forthcoming heavier sets.
Single Arm Upper Cable Curls
Nun kicked off the session with single-arm cable curls. Unilateral exercises train both sides evenly. The movement trained each biceps in the fully lengthened position via slow and controlled repetitions. Nun and Big Boy completed three sets of 10-12 reps on each side, moving slowly through the full range of motion, squeezing at the top of each rep. Bailey performed a rep sequence of 12, 10, eight, and six on each side.
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[Related: Chris Bumstead Uses Mind-Muscle Connection to Build a Dense, Muscular Back]
E-Z Barbell Curls 21’s superset Hammer Curls
For the second exercise, the trio loaded an EZ bar and got to work with the bread and butter of the biceps routine: standing barbell curls.
Teamwork makes the dream work.
They hit three sets with a 21-rep variation — completing seven reps in the lengthened position, seven from the midrange, and seven through the full range of motion. The added stimulation of the entire biceps gave them a thick pump. Once complete, they performed dumbbell hammer curls to failure to work forearms.
Nun Set
They finished the biceps with a Frankenstein dumbbell variation designed by Nun.
This is one I’ve done for like 15 years. This will make your arms drop super quickly.
The completed six curls with the right arm while holding the left arm static in the midrange of the curl. They switched, then completed six reps. Then they curled with both arms and superset those with 12 swinging hammer curls. The burnout was so intense that they called for an end to the workout, saving their triceps for another day.
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[Read More: The Best Biceps Exercises for a Muscle-Building Workout]
Kristen Nun, Dana Linn Bailey, & Big Boy’s Bicep Workout
Below are the exercises performed by Nun, Bailey, and Big Boy during their workout:
- Standing Alternating Dumbbell Curls
- Single Arm Upper Cable Curls
- E-Z Barbell 21s superset Dumbbell Hammer Curls
- Nun Set
Bailey is currently on a hiatus from competitive bodybuilding and did not state in this video if there were any current plans for her return. She could return to the Olympia stage at any time in the Women’s Physique division as she holds a lifetime invite as a former Olympia champion.
Featured image: @kristen_nun on Instagram
