Iain Valliere is one of the world’s top professional bodybuilders. Some of his career highlights include winning the 2021 Texas Pro and the 2021 Tampa Pro bodybuilding shows.

If you want to learn how Iain Valliere trains his arms then this article is for you!

Introduction

• Part 1: The Iain Valliere Training Split
• Part 2: The Iain Valliere Arm Workouts

In this comprehensive guide I will teach you exactly how Iain Valliere trains his massive arms.

Iain Valliere trains 6 days per week using a traditional bodybuilding bro split. He trains each muscle group on its own separate training day using a lot of volume and intensity. Check it out:

Iain Valliere’s Training Split

• Day 1: Chest
• Day 2: Back
• Day 3: Quads
• Day 4: Shoulders
• Day 5: Arms
• Day 6: Hamstrings
• Day 7: Off

Talk about a brutal training split! Iain uses a modified version of the 5-day bodybuilding bro split that many bodybuilders use to build muscle. Iain likes to train his quads and hamstrings on separate training days which turns this into a 6-day split rather than a 5-day split.

Iain Valliere picks 4-6 exercises for his chest and performs 2 working sets to failure on each exercise.

First he performs as many warm up sets as he needs to get ready for his heavy sets. Then he performs one heavy set to failure in the 7-10 rep range, then one lighter set to failure in the 12-15 rep range.

Iain also likes to use different high-intensity techniques like forced reps, drop sets and rest-pause sets on his 2 main sets per exercise.

Here is one of Iain Valliere’s typical high-volume chest workouts. Check it out:

Chest Workout #1

• Exercise #1: 30 degree incline smith machine press, 2 sets of 3-5 reps**
• Exercise #2: Incline machine press, 2 sets of 7-15 reps**
• Exercise #3: Supine machine fly, 2 sets of 7-15 reps****
• Exercise #4: Machine chest press, 2 sets of 7-15 reps**
• Exercise #5: Machine fly, 2 sets of 7-15 reps
• Exercise #6: V-bar dips, 2 sets of 7-15 reps

**On both sets train to failure, then perform several forced reps with the help of your training partner.

****On your second set train to failure, then perform several partial reps, then perform a double drop set with the same strategy on each attempt.

Here is the training video:

Talk about an intense workout! Iain picks 6 different exercises for his chest and performs 2 working sets to failure per exercise. Iain’s favorite high-intensity technique is forced reps. This technique was popularized by the 6x Mr. Olympia winner Dorian Yates.

Forced reps is a technique where you train to failure and then you perform 1-3 extra reps with the help of a training partner. Your partner helps you lift the weight up and then you slowly lower the weight back down on your own.

Forced reps are so effective because they help you overload the eccentric or lowering part of the rep. They also increase the time under tension of the set and force your muscles to work longer with a given weight.

Here is another one of Iain Valliere’s chest workouts. Check it out:

Chest Workout #2

• Exercise #1: 30 degree incline DB press, 2 sets of 7-15 reps**
• Exercise #2: Flat machine press, 2 sets of 7-15 reps**
• Exercise #3: Machine fly, 2 sets of 7-15 reps****
• Exercise #4: Machine chest press, 2 sets of 7-15 reps
• Exercise #5: Machine pec dec, 2 sets of 7-15 reps

**On both sets train to failure, then perform several forced reps with the help of your training partner.

****On your second set train to failure, then perform several partial reps, then perform a double drop set with the same strategy on each attempt.

Here is the training video:

This is another one of Iain Valliere’s high-volume chest workouts. Once again Iain uses forced reps on the first few exercises in his workout.

Iain says that he likes to cycle them in and out of his training depending on how he is feeling.

When he is in his offseason phase of training he likes to use high-intensity techniques on almost every exercise. However, when he starts dieting down to get ready for his bodybuilding competition he slowly drops the post-failure techniques from his training.

As he gets closer to his show his priorities are maintaining muscle mass and avoiding injuries.

Here is a good example of what Iain’s chest workouts look like when he is just a few weeks out from his bodybuilding contests. Check it out:

Chest Workout #3

• Exercise #1: 30 degree incline bench press, 2 sets of 7-15 reps
• Exercise #2: 30 degree incline cable fly, 2 sets of 7-15 reps
• Exercise #3: Hammer strength decline press, 2 sets of 7-15 reps
• Exercise #4: Flat DB fly, 2 sets of 7-15 reps
• Exercise #5: Incline machine press, 2 sets of 7-15 reps
• Exercise #6: V-bar dips, 2 sets of 7-15 reps

Here is the training video:

This chest workout looks very similar to the first two workouts that we looked at in this guide. The main difference is he drops the high-intensity techniques. This is done to improve his recovery ability and minimize his risk of injury.

One interesting thing that Iain does in his chest routines is he alternates between compound and isolation exercises. He always starts his chest workouts with a heavy, compound exercise like the incline bench press, incline smith machine press or the incline dumbbell press.

After that he alternates between compound and isolation exercises. Finally he likes to finish his chest off with v-bar dips.

Many other pro bodybuilders like Jay Cutler use a similar strategy in their high-volume chest workouts.

Conclusion

Iain Valliere trains arms using traditional high-volume bodybuilding style workouts. He trains his biceps and triceps using about 3 exercises each and he performs most of his sets in the 8-15 rep range.

One interesting thing about Iain’s arm program is he only performs 2 working sets to failure per exercise. He also likes to perform high-intensity techniques on these exercises to blast through training plateaus.

If you respond well to high-volume workouts I highly recommend you give Iain’s arm workouts a shot..

If you enjoyed this content then make sure you check out my article “The Iain Valliere Training Program!”

“The mind is the limit. As long as the mind can envision the fact that you can do something, you can do it, as long as you really believe 100%.”

Thank you for reading and I wish you the best of luck on your strength training journey!