For growth, sometimes you need to go through hell. That goes double for your muscles — to really pump them up, you have to put them through the ringer.
Men’s Health Fitness Director Ebenezer Samuel, CSCS, uses this punishing finishing circuit to blast his biceps in just a little over 10 minutes. You won’t just pump though endless reps, either. The key to this workout is tension — and keeping up the work even when you feel like you can’t push any harder.
To perform the circuit, you’ll need a set of dumbbells, an E-Z bar, and an adjustable weight bench, so this workout is best for the gym.
The 11-Minute Biceps Tension Hell Circuit
Left Arm Preacher Curl
1 minute
Set up an adjustable bench to an angle at which your can rest your left arm, holding a dumbbell. Maintain constant tension on the biceps by switching randomly between the following four positions, holding each for 2 seconds at a time:
Cycle through the four positions for 1 minute.
Right Arm Preacher Curl
1 minute
Set up an adjustable bench to an angle at which your can rest your right arm, holding a dumbbell. Maintain constant tension on the biceps by switching randomly between the following four positions, holding each for 2 seconds at a time:
Cycle through the four positions for 1 minute.
Constant-Tension Spider Curl
1 minute
Flip positions on the incline bench, resting your chest against the back pad, holding an E-Z curl bar. Cycle through the following two positions in order, holding each for 2 seconds at a time.
Repeat for 1 minute.
Rest for 1 minute to finish the circuit, then repeat the circuit twice for a total of 3 rounds. Use the routine either as an arm day finisher or a standalone workout.
The key to surviving this trip through arm hell is making the most of your rest. “There’s just enough rest to get you through the circuit,” says Samuel. “Your left arm rests while your right is on the one-minute preacher and vice versa, and then you get a 1-minute rest after the spiders. For each minute that you’re training, there’s no relief for your biceps.”
You’re constantly under pressure — so it’s important to stay in shape. “Key is form,” Samuel says. “On the preacher portion, nail your entire upper arm to the pad, and work to only move at the elbow joint. On the spider curls, fight to keep your upper arms perpendicular to the ground. Go lighter on the spider curls, too; your arms are already fatigued by this point, and we’re just trying to finish with a few more strong squeezes.”
For more tips and routines from Samuel, check out our full set of Eb and Swole workouts.
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