the movement.
Tip: Try not to grip the bar too tightly as this will cause pain in the forearms. Also keep your shoulders back and head up.
This exercise stretches the biceps and also works the forearms.
Standing, take two dumbbells and holding them down at your side ensure the palms are facing inward. Lock your elbows into your sides. Alternating each arm bring one up at a time in semi-circle towards your shoulder. Contract the biceps at the top of the movement and then slowly lower the weight back down before bringing the other arm up. Your palms should remain facing inward throughout the whole of the exercise.
Tip: Where possible use a hammer curl bar, as shown in the photo, as this piece of apparatus locks your arms in for stricter form.

4. 45° BENCH DUMBBELL CURL
Grab yourself a bench and make sure it is set at 45°. Sitting back on the bench, grasp two dumbbells, letting them hang down by your side, palms facing inward.
Pinning your elbows in at your sides, curl one of the dumbbells up towards your shoulder, ensuring the wrists are kept straight. At the top of the movement squeeze the bicep before returning the dumbbell to the starting position. Alternate with the other arm.
Tip: Start with a light weight, firstly to warm up the muscles, but also to ensure the full range of movement is followed.

5. Standing Cable Bicep Curl- Holywoods
Stand in the centre of the cables. Grip the cable with palms facing up and wrists straight. Begin with the arms outstretched level with the shoulders. Bring the cables towards your ears only moving the lower arms. The upper arms should remain stationary! At the top of the motion squeeze the biceps, resisting back until you feel a gentle stretch at the starting position. Tip: Choose a light weight, as strict form is vital here. Also, avoid gripping the cables too tightly.

Bulging Bicep workout
Increase weight as you decrease the reps.
Extra: How often should you work each body part? You should not work the same body part within 72 hours. Your body needs time to rest and recover. It is during the rest period that the muscles see growth. Working the same muscle too often will reduce the required results and lead to over-training.
Weight training should only be attempted after being cleared by a qualified healthcare practitioner.
Shot at Josh's gym, The Third Space. For membership call: 020 7439 7332 www.thethirdspace.com www.joshrafter.com
attitude 89

Everyone loves a bulge in the right place and none more than in the upper region of a man's arm. Thick upper arms are a sure sign of a gym worked body and nothing seems sexier than an enlarged bicep protruding from the edges of the sleeve of a T-shirt. In fact, rippling biceps are such an iconic gay image of testosterone virility that boys to men, across the world, pump out hour upon hour of arm wrenching exercises. Arm exercises are, in fact, only superseded as the number one body part workout by the obsessed occupation of trying to build the infamous disco chest or perfect pectorals. When planning this month's fitness column, I had originally intended putting you guys through a standard arms routine involving both biceps and triceps in the same workout. However, with such an array of possible exercises for each muscle group I decided to split it across two months. This then gives space for a whole variety of bicep and tricep exercises, which can be solely worked as a one-part muscle group or added together in your workout.
Building bigger biceps can be hard work and unless exercises are performed properly then the results for your hard work may be disappointing and minimal. It is important to focus on proper form with slow controlled movements. Avoid using overly heavy weights where you will be enticed into cheating by using body leverage and momentum to perform the reps, and, in doing so will shift the focus of the exercise onto a different muscle group. Hint: go lighter and keep to strict form to create real growth producing burn!

1. Bicep Preacher Curl

This piece of apparatus is great for those who find it difficult to isolate the movement of their elbows. However, make sure you do not rock the weight at the beginning of the movement to get the bar moving.
Take a seated position with your chest against the bench and your arms extended over it. Grasp a barbell, or EZ-bar with an underhand grip (palms facing up) and about shoulder width apart. Curl the bar up slowly towards your chin, pausing at the top and squeezing the biceps. Slowly lower the bar to the start position, really concentrating on this, the eccentric part of the exercise, ensuring you resist all the way. Tip: As with all exercises breathing plays an important role in obtaining the most from your workout. Remember here to exhale with exertion.

2. wide grip Standing Bicep Curl

Stand with a straight back against a wall. In having your back against the wall you give it support, preventing it from coming into play throughout the exercise and thus enabling stricter form. Grab a light barbell ensuring you have a wide grip, with palms facing upwards and wrists locked out straight.
Start the bar level with the upper chest. Slowly lower down until you feel a gentle stretch in your biceps at the bottom of the movement. Bring the bar back up squeezing the biceps at the top of