A
MUSCLE
50 mens
ILLUSTRATION: INFOMEN
health.com.au
UP
CHIN TO WIN
There’s no need for
heavy metal if you
want to build iron
muscle. Activate your
biceps with chin-ups.
Journal of Strength
and Conditioning
Research
UP
HEADS
TOGETHER
Your biceps each
have two “heads” –
long and short. Incline
curls stimulate
maximal growth in
both. Lie back, but
don’t relax.
Journal of Sports
Science and Medicine
UP
MENTAL
GYMNASTICS
Imagining flexing
your arms five times a
week translates to a
13.5 per cent strength
increase in real life.
Jedi mind-trick
your muscles.
Cleveland Clinic
Foundation
DOWN
DEAD DROPS
Lowering your
weights slowly is as
essential for building
big arms as lifting
them. For the most
eicient results,
become a control
freak. Journal of
Applied Physiology
HOLD
STAY ON
TARG E T
Focus your fire: science
shows that dumbbell
concentration curls
beat barbells for bicep
activity. Isolate and
then concentrate.
American Council
on Exercise
DOWN
BI-FOCUS
Your upper arms are
two-thirds triceps.
Take a break from
curls and employ
triangle push-ups to
achieve tighter
sleeves. American
Council on Exercise
DOWN
CARB
CUTTING
Use starch to stack.
Triple your pasta
intake for three days
and swell your biceps
by 5 per cent.
Journal of Sports
Medicine and
Physical Fitness
DOWN
BIG BREAKS
Between-set periods of
less than a minute
result in an acute
growth hormone boost
- which means less
time in the gym and
more on the beach.
Sports Medicine
UP
GET A GRIP
Work on your grip to
target a wider range
of forearm muscles.
Try a hand gripper, or
use fat grips to
thicken your bar for
deadlifts.
International Journal
of Industrial
Ergonomics
DOWN
SQUATS, BRO
Legs day is not the
only way to incinerate
fat at speed. Using
battle ropes burns
through 40kJ per
minute – and it builds
your arms, too.
College of
New Jersey
UP
PERFECT
TIMING
Fuelling up on protein
immediately pre- and
post-workout
improves your
one-rep max more
than spacing out your
intake across the day.
Medicine and Science
in Sports and Exercise
Build last-minute muscle with our tips
to make your training pay out fast
WIN THE RACE
FOR BIG ARMS
RISERS
AND
FALLERS
UP
Bonus boosts
HOLD
Steady earners
DOWN
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