The arch...

So there was the guy working out today and I saw my (2nd) pet peeve hard at work. This guy was hammering away at his biceps (no pun intended) and he was actually taking more away from his biceps then he was adding to them. What I am getting at is the guy was curling the dumbbell and arching his back. I can't stress enough how bad this really is for the work out. Now many people will say that it is okay to cheat by arching your back. Sure every now and then it is okay but for the most part it is not recommended by me for any one to do it. The biggest problem here is that when you arch your back you are not only risking a back injury but you are also taking away from the stress you are supposed to be placing on your arms. In addition to the back injury, less stress on the bicep, you are working your deltoids more than anything. I know it is hard to imagine this with out images I know but please try.

The bicep curl:

1. Start by placing your feet firmly on the ground about shoulder width apart
2. With a straight tight core (mid section/abs) curl your arm(s) palms facing up toward your face
3. Squeezing your biceps tight at the peak of the movement and then lower your arms back to the starting position.
4. If you feel yourself coming to your sticking point, Bend forward slightly. This decreases your range of motion (ROM) and makes the last few reps easier.