How to Get Beautiful Biceps

Toned arms are beautiful arms, but most people don’t know where to start when it comes to toning the biceps muscles. The biceps muscles are the muscles at the front of the upper arm and are the muscles you use when you lift objects up. However, if toned arms are what you seek, biceps are just part of the equation.

Instructions

1. Lose the fat with fabulous nutrition. Whether they are big or small, strong or weak, you already have the muscles you need to appear toned, but fat might be hiding the muscles. In order to show off the muscles, you need to lose the fat that hides them. The first step to losing fat is stellar nutrition. A plant-based diet that is low in fat, sodium and animal products is a great way to start.

2. Burn more fat using cardiovascular exercise. When it comes to beautiful biceps, there is more to the exercise equation than simple weight training. In fact, cardiovascular exercise is your best bet, next to nutrition, for burning off the fat that hides those muscles. So run, walk, dance, box or do whatever it takes to get your heart pumping.

3. Try concentration curls for the biceps muscles. Perform concentration curls in a seated position on a chair or bench. Place one hand on your knee and place a dumbbell in your working hand. Place the back of your upper arm against your inner thigh, and then curl the dumbbell up to your shoulder, and return to the fully extended position. Do one to three sets with each arm.

4. Perform barbell or dumbbell curls to strengthen the biceps muscles. To perform a barbell curl, take the barbell in your hands, palms up, and raise the barbell while keeping your elbows stationary. You can do this one of three ways. First, you can start with arms almost straight and, bending at the elbow bring the barbell up to shoulder level. Alternatively, you can start at the mid-position, with the arms bent 90 degrees, and roll the barbell up to shoulder level. Finally, you can start at the original position, but only roll the barbell up to 90 degrees. Make sure that you place your hands in such a way as to maximize the work you perform using your biceps only, and not your shoulders. You can perform this exercise with a pair of dumbbells as well, alternating arms. Keep the weight light enough so that you can get through one to three sets, depending on your preference.

5. Do some hammer curls to tone the biceps muscles. These are just like barbell or dumbbell curls, except you can only use dumbbells, and you do them with your palms facing into your thighs. Then use the same motion as you would for biceps curls, alternating arms.

6. Don’t forget the rest of the arm muscles. Shoulders (tone with lateral side raises, military press, upright row, rear deltoid row) and triceps (tone with overhead triceps extensions, bent triceps extensions, close grip pushups) are important pieces of the beautiful arm puzzle, as are the forearms. Performing back exercises can go a long way toward making your upper body look beautiful as well.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember to warm up; take it slow; and stretch before, during and after you exercise your biceps muscles. By taking it slow, you will be more likely to maintain the proper form.

• Do not rest at the top and bottom of each exercise, however; keep a rhythm to your reps.