It's the fitness guy's dirty little secret that sometimes - OK, a lot of the time - workouts are not for deep, solid, intrinsic gains in my cardiovascular capability, static, reactive or tensile strength, flexibility or agility. I go to the gym because I can hang out with the boys, talk trash and finish not only feeling better, but also looking better. Fitness or vanity, shape or "shape," I don't care what drives you to the gym.

I just want you in the gym.

As a fitness professional, I am so committed to getting you up and moving that I occasionally get trapped in the importance of weights for strength, stability and insurance for a lifetime of activity. I forget to remind you to have fun. I encourage you to go to the weight room with promises of balance, stability and bone density. All these are valid points, but it makes hitting the weight room a lot like eating your vegetables - good for you, but fun like kissing your sister. Straight up, this one is all about fun. It is a Saturday afternoon summer's workout that will have you screaming out of the gym, grabbing a tight T-shirt and heading to the nearest barbecue.

This workout is old school, nothing new: plain old muscular hypertrophy. Do four sets of the three exercises for eight to 10 reps, using weights that bring you to the brink of failure.

Tips:

1. These are compound sets. Go from one exercise to the next, to the next and then rest a minute and repeat.

2. Grab two friends to join you, one person per exercise, and go hard.

3. Don't kid yourself with inadequate resistance. Use heavy enough weights to
go to fatigue, muscle failure.

Fingerless Curls

(Of course you have fingers, just don't rely on your forearm flexors for help)

• Stand with perfect posture, a dumbbell in each hand, elbows at your sides, your arms extended at about 45 degrees, palms out and facing up.

• Flex your arm, bending at the elbow, balancing the dumbbells at the base of your fingers, wrists completely extended.

• Draw the dumbbells level to your shoulders.

• Snap your hands into a hammer curl (palms facing in) position and slowly lower the dumbbells to the start position.

Repeat.

Diamond Push-up

• Assume a normal pushup position complete with perfect heel, knee, hip, shoulder and head alignment.

• Move your hands close together underneath your chest, the thumbs and forefingers of each hand touching each other (forming a diamond).

• Lower yourself until your chest touches your hands or your postural alignment becomes corrupt.

• Exhale, and then push yourself back up to the start position.

Kneeling Cable Curls

• Stand with your back to a high cable pulley. Grasp cable rope attachment with both hands, pulling your hands to your chest (rope behind your neck).

• Drop down to your knees (on a mat or pad).

• Tucking your pelvis slightly forward and keeping your hips stationary, exhale, flex at the waist and "crunch" your way down to the floor, tucking your chin to chest at the end.

• Slowly straighten your spine vertebrae by vertebrae, until you are in your upright position.

Repeat.

Single-Arm Cable Curl

• Stand with your back to the cable with a fully extended arm, holding the handle with an underhand grip.

• Exhale as you flex/bend the arm without moving the position of your elbow, and draw your hand toward your shoulder.

• Return to start in a controlled fashion.

Repeat with the other arm.

Single-Arm Underhand Triceps Extension

• Stand facing the cable machine with a fully flexed arm, holding a handle with your palm facing in toward to your shoulder.

• Exhale as you extend/straighten the arm, bringing them straight down until your wrist, elbow and shoulder are in a straight line and your hand is beside your thigh.

• Return to start in a controlled fashion.

Repeat with the other arm.

Weighted Obliques

• Begin by standing with perfect posture, feet flat on the floor and about shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in one hand and the other arm extended palm forward and thumb down above your head.

• Bend laterally and lower the dumbbell down your leg, and reach the other arm laterally over your head.

• Return to the original position by the strength of your obliques.

• Repeat for the appropriate number of reps.

Change sides.

Double-Arm Cable Curl

• Stand with perfect posture between two high cables, arms extended wide, a handle in each hand, palms up.

• Keeping your elbows fixed in position, exhale and bend your arms, bringing the handles toward your head, ring finger to the top of your ear.

• Return to start in a controlled fashion.

Overhead Cable Triceps Extension

• Place a rope attachment on the low side of cable machine.

• Stand with your back to the cable and the rope behind your head.

• Hold the rope attachment with your palms facing together, and position the rope directly behind your head with your elbows in. Straighten your arms, keeping your elbows in close until shoulders, elbows and wrists are aligned.

• Lower your arms back into the starting position while keeping your elbow in throughout the range of the movement.

Fitball/Dumbbell Crunch

• Sit on a Fitball and walk your hips forward, leaning back until the ball supports your lower back (the closer the ball to your butt, the harder the crunch).

• Hold a dumbbell with one or two hands across your collarbone.

• Extend your spine and (keeping your head in line with your spine) and lower your torso behind the Fitball.

• Exhale and return to a flat level position.

Repeat

About the Author:
Pete Estabrooks is a Calgary-based personal trainer, marathoner, and author of 6 Weeks to Start Your 6 Pack.

"Arms and Abs" first appeared in the 2010 July-August Summer Sports Issue of IMACT Magazine.