NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Titans wrap practice today and, like clockwork, many will drift toward the mirrors for the weekly arm-day ritual that doubles as a team-building exercise and a collective vanity project and final psyche up.
Cody Barton wants to tag it Armageddon – which is what his old friend Eric Weddle called his version -- but I’m not sure his PR push has worked, because the name doesn’t seem to have taken. (Perhaps he needs shirts? Those always tend to get a locker room behind a theme. Or maybe stickers.) Others call it Arm Farm. Barton’s even heard Cinderella Arms.
It’s a common thing around the NFL, on the shortest practice day before players jump to some freedom and rest, they run through about 10 weight lifting stations lined up as a gauntlet to pump, them up.
“It’s been good,” Barton said. “Every week there are more guys that show up. I think it’s something that most teams do. I try to make it more of a culture thing. It’s really just to get guys together more and just have fun with it. From the field right into the weight room.”
Guys aren’t maxing out. Barton said the work includes curls with 25 pound plates on the bar (95 pounds), a dumbbell station for shoulders, dumbbell curls, shrugs, dips, cable curls, cable triceps and some grip work.
“One set of 15 on every single thing and you’re out,” he said.
Joey Slye, a rare kicker with a top-flight physique, jokes he doesn’t want to embarrass guys so he gets his Friday workout in in the morning before there is a crowd.
Lloyd Cushenberry is a devoted participant.
“It’s just post practice, you go in and get a quick pump of your arms,” said Cushenberry, who got a strong ranking from some teammates for having some of the team’s best arms. “I’m not sure why Friday became an arm day, but I’ve done this since my rookie year.”
“It’s all I’ve been used to and I thought every team did it.”
With the Broncos he felt like the strength staff set things up, but he and 2020 draftmate Netani Muti really made a habit out if it.
It’s not a central piece to Cushenberry’s arm work. It’s an extra to get feeling good for game day, he said.
“Twenty minutes, in and out, get a nice little pump, last thing of the day,” he said.
And what does he curl? He lumped himself in With Kevin Zeitler, Peter Skoronski and Jeffery Simmons.
“A lot,” he said. “I’m not going to put a number out there. Quite a bit. I’m probably up there top five for sure. Probably with Zeit, Peter’s pretty strong, I’m sure Jeff.”
Barton likes his arms, and gave props to Cushenberry, Femi Oladejo (who was in range to 
hear the praise), Cedric Gray and Simmons.
Zeitler, a 14-year veteran, said he used to be a participant in Arm Farms by whatever name they has in some of his previous four stops, but is no longer.
“I’m gifted genetically on that front,” he joked. “It’s a tradition all around, it’s a great time. Even when I was in college (at Wisconsin), Beach Body Friday was always a thing.”
Barton thinks he’s most into arms, giving Slye second.
Zeitler leans the other way.
“I can see Cody starting his own faction, he’s pretty of wild and he loves that stuff,” he said. “Slye might be the most obsessed I’ve ever seen. It’s kind of awesome.”