Sun's Out, Guns Out!

Use one or both these biceps exercises to build a strong, buff set of pipes — just in time for tank-top season.

- Lara McGlashan

FORM: TWO ARM INCLINE DUMBBELL BICEPS CURL

It’s safe to say that men are the arm-obsessed gender, but a great set of girl guns definitely turns heads. This exercise targets the long head of your biceps, which is responsible for the “peak” — that little mountain of muscle that pops up when you flex your elbow. Because it’s done with dumbbells, it also helps equalise any strength imbalances you have between your two sides.

Set the bench incline between 30 and 45 degrees, which places your arms slightly behind you when they’re extended. This activates the stretch-shortening cycle, a phenomenon in which a muscle stores elastic energy when it lengthens, then uses that stored energy when the muscle shortens immediately afterward. Studies have found this can lead to a more powerful concentric contraction and better results long term.

Allow your arms to hang down completely straight from your shoulders to the floor with your palms turned forward and slightly outward. Pin your upper arms to the sides of the bench to keep the focus on your biceps by eliminating the assistance of your shoulders and the possibility of momentum.