To make sure you’re ready for the summer, I cooked up a little arm workout for you to build muscle and enhance your natural shape. Sun’s out, guns out! The warmer months (at least for those of us suffering in the colder regions) will be approaching before you know it, and soon it will be time to rock T-shirts and tank tops!

This arm workout incorporates six of my favourite exercises to build your biceps and triceps.

Keys to success with this program are strict form, paying attention to your rest intervals (don’t socialize in the gym) and intensity (go as heavy as possible while using good technique).

In no particular order, my six favourite arm exercises are:

Close-Grip Chin Ups: While traditionally thought of as a back exercise, this chin up variation overloads the biceps extremely well. You can scale this exercise by using bands to assist or by adding weight attached to a belt. For this program you will do sets of eight to ten reps. Click here for a video demo of this exercise.

E-Z Barbell Curls: One of the classic exercises to build the biceps, this variation is much easier on the wrists than the straight bar version, and just as effective. Keep your elbows tight to your body. A little known trick that will help you get an extra rep or two is to flex your glutes and quads throughout the set. This will help to ensure your foundation is strong during the exercise. Click herefor a video demo of this exercise.

Incline Hammer Curls: This is a great finishing exercise that works the biceps as well as the brachialis muscle. The incline position prevents you from using any momentum and forces the biceps to work even harder. Click here for a video demo of this exercise.

Dips: This exercise is to the upper body what the squat is to the lower body. It’s hands down one of the best arm workout and overall exercises you can do to build your triceps, chest and shoulders. You can also scale this exercise by using bands to assist or by adding weight attached to a belt. Click here for a video demo of this exercise.

Lying Barbell Extensions (aka Skullcrushers): Another classic exercise to build the triceps. I prefer to lower the barbell just behind the head as opposed to the forehead. This variation is easier on the elbows than the true “skullcrusher” and provides a better stretch. Click here for a video demo of this exercise.

Incline Rope Extensions: This is my all-time favourite arm workout for triceps. The stretch on the triceps is intense and the pump you will get is unbelievable. You’ll use incline rope extensions as a finisher on this program – sets of 15 reps will do the trick. Click here for a video demo of this exercise.

Welcome to the Gun Show

Add the following workout to your program once a week for the next 4-6 weeks to forge a set of guns worthy of the beach:

A1. Close-Grip Chin Ups: 8-10 reps; rest 30 seconds and proceed to
A2. Dips: 8-10 reps, rest 60 seconds

Alternate the above exercises until you have completed 4 sets of each. Your rep tempo is 2/0/1/0, which means you will take 2 seconds to lower the weight, no pause at the bottom, 1 second to lift the weight and no pause at the top.

B1. E-Z Barbell Curl: 10-12 reps; rest 30 seconds and then proceed to
B2. Skullcrushers: 10-12 reps, rest 60 seconds

Alternate the above exercises until you have completed 4 sets of each. Your rep tempo is 3/0/1/0, which means you will take 3 seconds to lower the weight, no pause at the bottom, 1 second to lift the weight and no pause at the top.

C1. Incline Hammer Curls: 15 reps; rest 30 seconds and proceed to
C2. Incline Rope Extensions: 15 reps, rest 60 seconds

Alternate the above exercises until you have completed 4 sets of each. Your rep tempo is 1/0/1/0, which means you will take 1 second to lower the weight, no pause at the bottom, 1 second to lift the weight and no pause at the top.

You should strive to gradually increase the weights you are using from week to week (always remember the law of Progressive Overload), without sacrificing form.

Coach PK, Team Strong Athlete