For the next few weekly columns "Let's get physical" - although sadly for you fans of the diminutive Aussie crooner, this will be a lot more curly than Kylie!
With the vaguest hint of summer on the horizon, with the promise/advent of T-shirts, crop tops, vests and the like. Plus with you all now fully understanding, despite the lunatic fringe suggesting otherwise, there is sadly no such thing as a quick fix, this means starting to train to get into shape, Now!
So it's biceps and triceps time.
These are the muscles best suited and seen when wearing a T-shirt, bikini or crop top.
Do this session in the exact order I have set out below and although you will feel the burn, very soon you will be handing out your own "gun show" passes.
Chin Ups
Despite being hated by lots of the gym fraternity because after only about 3 reps you are in a horrible place, I love chins-ups. They are great for building your upper body and can really hit the biceps. Try to execute an under or neutral grip.
3 sets of 10 reps with full body weight.
You can add weight on a harness if you feel it's too easy. Remember to fully extend down - no half measures!
Dips
Another great exercise often over-looked for the arms. You can do this either off a bench or on special dip bars. Most gyms have them, but a park bench is good enough. Again make sure you get full extension down. Aim to move your body straight down to really hit your triceps.
3 sets of 10 reps full bodyweight. Again as with the "chins" you can hang some additional weight to experience that maximum effort.
Bicep Curls
The first port of call for any gym bunny. Try these either seated or standing. Have one foot in front of the other, to make sure you don't rock forwards or back when doing them.
Extend all the way down and finish with the dumb bell high. Remember the lowering phase is as important as the curling up motion.
You can do alternate or double depending on your mood. 3 sets of 10/12 double or 10 each arm, if you opt to go alternate.
Hammer Curls
The same as the bicep curl, but turn the dumbbells round so they are end-on.
Just like you are holding Thor's hammer or indeed any old hammer. Full extension down and touch the end of the dumbbell onto the front of your shoulder - so you are getting the maximum curl up.
Alternate or double, it's your choice. 2 sets of 10 reps for this exercise. Use a good weight and keep going-up if it feels too easy.
Remember the last 2 reps should always be hard.
Triceps Push Downs
You can do this with the rope grip or small straight bar; in fact any attachment you fancy in the gym. Stand one foot in front of the other, facing a cable machine or syncro - anything that has a cable to pull down on. You then keep your arms tucked into your sides, push the weight full down - so you feel it in your triceps. Then keeping the bar close to you - let it come back up as far as you can without your elbows coming up. Then push down again.
3 sets - 10 reps. As with the other exercise keep going-up in weight as you work.
21's
This is a killer and a good finisher. Find a Z bar. This is the weird shaped, shorter bar they have in most gyms. Put a good weight on it - so that you could do say 10 or 12 reps.
Stand one foot in front of the other or better still with your back flat against a wall, your feet a little out from you and your knees slightly bent. So you are using just your arms.
This is a three-part process. You start to bicep curl but only to half way - you do 7 reps. Then without rest, you do another 7 reps, moving this time from the top of your extension down to the middle point.
To finish the set you then do 7 complete full curls from bottom to top. You only need to do this once through as your arms should now be cooked!
Once finished - make sure you get your nutrition on board.
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