Two-Arm Cable Curl

Attach a straight bar handle to the end of a long cable. Take a shoulder-width under-grip on the pulley handle. Stand erect with the arms hanging straight down at the sides and the pulley handle resting across your upper thighs. Keep your elbows motionless for the entire set. Use your bicep strength to curl the pulley handle in a semicircular motion from the front of your thighs to a point beneath your chin. Hold this peak-contracted position and then slowly return to the starting point.

Shaun Karp is a certified personal trainer in Vancouver. For further information call his office at 604-420-7800.

Standing Barbell Curl

Stand erect and grasp a barbell with a shoulder-width under-grip on the bar (palms facing away from the body). Your feet should be set comfortably at shoulder-width distance and the barbell should be resting across your upper thighs. Without swaying your torso, use your bicep strength to curl the weight upward in a semicircular arc to a position just beneath your chin. Hold for 1-2 seconds at this peak contracted position and then slowly lower back to the starting position.

(primary muscles: biceps, brachialis, and forearm flexors)

Shaun Karp is a certified personal trainer in Vancouver. For further information call his office at 604-420-7800.

Standing Dumbbell Alternated Curl

Grasp two dumbbells, stand erect, feet at shoulder-width distance, and the palms facing forward. Press the upper arms against the sides of your torso and keep them in this position throughout the set. Use the strength of your left biceps to slowly curl the dumbbell upward and forward in a semicircular arc to shoulder level. As you begin to lower the dumbbell in your left hand, slowly begin curling the weight in your right hand up to your shoulder. Continue curling in a seesaw-like fashion until fatigued.

Note: For variation, this exercise can be performed while seated at the end of a flat bench.

(primary muscles: biceps, brachialis, and forearm flexors)

Shaun Karp is a certified personal trainer in Vancouver. For further information call his office at 604-420-7800.

One Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curl

Grasp a moderately weighted dumbbell in one hand and place the upper arm along the angled surface of the preacher bench, with the upper edge of the bench wedged beneath your armpit. Slowly lower the weight to straighten the arm. Use biceps strength to slowly curl the dumbbell from the starting point on the bench up to shoulder level. Hold this peak-contracted position for a moment, intensely tensing your biceps and then slowly return to the starting point. Repeat with the other arm.

(primary muscles: biceps, brachialis, and forearm flexors)

Shaun Karp is a certified personal trainer in Vancouver. For further information call his office at 604-420-7800

Incline Dumbbell Curl Workout

Grasp two moderately weighted dumbbells and lie back on a 30-45 degree incline bench. Allow the arms to hang downward from your shoulders with the wrists facing inward at the beginning of the movement. Hold the upper arms motionless throughout the set. Use biceps strength to curl the dumbbells directly forward and upward to shoulder level. Hold this peak contracted-position for a moment while intensely squeezing your biceps and then slowly return to the starting position. It is effective to twist the dumbbells on the way up so that the thumbs rotate away from the body and then rotate towards the body on the way down.

(primary muscles: biceps, brachialis, and forearm flexors)

Shaun Karp is a certified personal trainer in Vancouver. For further information call his office at 604-420-7800.

Hammer Curls

Grasp two dumbbells with the arms hanging straight down at your sides. Your palms should be facing inward toward each other and your elbows should be stationary throughout the entire set. The palms face each other during the entire movement. Curl the dumbbells directly forward and upward in a semi-circular arc to shoulder level. Hold this peak-contracted position for a moment, intensely tensing your biceps and forearms and then slowly return to the starting point.

(primary muscles: biceps, brachialis, and forearm flexors)

Shaun Karp is a certified personal trainer in Vancouver. For further information call his office at 604-420-7800.

Close-grip Chin-ups

Take a narrow under-grip on the chinning bar with only 6-8 inches of space between your hands. Fully straighten your arms and bend the legs. Slowly pull yourself up until your chin is above the bar. Hold this peak contracted position and then slowly lower yourself back to the starting point.

Note: This is an advanced exercise that is hard to do on your own. If you have a training partner, he/she can provide a spot and you can do negatives by lowering yourself down slowly for the eccentric contraction.

Shaun Karp is a certified personal trainer in Vancouver. For further information call his office at 604-420-7800.