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Which way to the gun show? The explosive arm workout to help fill out those t-shirt sleeves

Try these five explosive exercises this summer.

IT’S SUMMER TIME and the gun show has begun. Whether you want to say goodbye to arm jiggle or you want to fill out those t-shirt sleeves, this arm workout overloads your biceps and triceps for guaranteed results.

Get seriously impressive guns with these five exercises, all of which are ideal additions to your regular compound exercises, like deadlifts, pull ups or squats.

So pick two or three of these and add them to your regular workout routine. Complete three-four sets of 10 to 12 reps per set.

shutterstock_269304317 Shutterstock / Syda Productions Shutterstock / Syda Productions / Syda Productions

Twisting dumbbell curl

Grip a dumbbell in each hand and let your arms hang at your side so that your palms are facing each other. Use your biceps to curl the dumbbells up towards your shoulders alternating each arm.

As you lift the dumbbell, twist your palms so that they face your chest. Slowly lower the dumbbells back down to your side and repeat. While this exercise won’t target your biceps as much as a regular curl, it does bring your forearm into play.

One arm tricep extension

Grip a dumbbell in one hand directly behind your head, with your elbow bent and pointing towards the ceiling. Now try to extend through the elbow so that your arm is completely straight above your shoulders and dumbbell is above you.

Lower your arm back to the starting position and repeat. Again this exercise builds on your arm strength as well as adds stability to your shoulders and elbows.

Skull crushers

Lie on a matt or a flat incline bench. Extend both arms overhead, gripping one weight or is you prefer, 2 smaller weights.

Bend your elbows so that your forearms are parallel to the floor. Slowly straighten up your arms, so that the weights are directly above your head, and then lower them back to the starting position.

Close grip barbell curl

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The barbell curl is king when it comes to building mass. Grip the barbell with both hands, a few inches apart, palms facing upwards. Stand with your torso straight and your head up.

Keep your feet about shoulders width apart and your elbows tight to you torso. Ensure that you are keeping your upper arms and elbows stationary throughout the exercise.

Curl the bar up towards your chest until your forearms touch your biceps, exhaling as you perform this part of the exercise.

Then slowly lower the bar back to your starting position. This exercise really isolates and targets your biceps.

Close grip barbell bench press

shutterstock_69079681 Shutterstock / Skydive Erick Shutterstock / Skydive Erick / Skydive Erick

This classic exercise is one of my favourites.

The movement really targets your triceps and since the movement requires the use of more than one joint, you can increase the weight you use much faster than if you were doing a single joint movement, which means you can continue to challenge yourself.

Lie on the incline bench and grip the barbell, with your hands about shoulder width apart and your palms facing away from your face.

Press the bar in a straight line so that your arms are fully extended and the bar is above your chest.

Then lower the bar straight down and pause before repeating. Your upper arm should be at a 45-degree angle with your body in the down position.

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