Killer Arms in 10 Minutes

By Glenn Mueller

eDiets Contributor

Does the very thought of wearing a short-sleeved shirt in public make you cringe? Well, there's no need to get up in arms about it. eDiets Chief Fitness Pro Raphael Calzadilla has a killer workout that will help you wave goodbye to that extra flab forever. And best of all, these exercises only take about 10 minutes to complete. Incorporate this workout into your fitness regimen, and you'll be "armed and dangerous" in no time.

"People are always asking me how they can get great-looking arms," Raphael says. "In order to get killer arms, you need a good nutrition program combined with a slight caloric deficit, cardiovascular exercise and weight training."

According to Raphael, a healthy eating program will send just the right amount of protein, carbohydrates and monounsaturated fats into your body to help your arms look leaner. Cardiovascular exercise will accelerate the fat-burning process, and the weight training will stimulate and develop your muscles. When the fat comes off, you'll be left with a lean and tight body and beautifully sculpted arms.

In order to get you on your way to those beautifully sculpted arms, Raphael has designed a killer workout that only takes about 10 minutes. He recommends completing this workout about twice a week and reminds people that any muscle group responds best to being done first in the workout or having its own day. To produce maximum results, Raphael has put together something known as an "antagonist workout."

"Antagonist training refers to working opposing muscle groups in the same workout," Raphael explains. "There are many methods to manipulate a workout, but I've had great success performing a biceps exercise immediately followed by a triceps exercise. This is my all-time favorite way to work arms, and I've had my best success with clients using this method."

The key to the effectiveness of the 10-minute killer workout is the time between sets. According to Raphael, your arms should respond quite well with only a 45 to 60-second rest between sets.

"People tend to wait a lot longer than they realize or they repeat a set too soon," Raphael says. "There has to be some time allotted for recovery, but not so much that you begin to get stale. This allows you to do more work in less time and pumps blood volume into the arm."

The 10-Minute Workout:

Dumbbell Double Biceps Curl
(12 reps)
Sit on a bench or chair with both feet in front of your body and your back straight. Hold your arms at your sides with the palms facing forward and place a dumbbell in each hand. Contracting the biceps muscles, raise the weights toward your shoulders, stopping just short of the weights touching the shoulders. Slowly return to the starting position. Exhale while lifting the weights and inhale while returning to the starting position.

"Your upper arms should remain stationary throughout this exercise," Raphael says.

Dumbbell Behind-the-Head Triceps Extension
(12 reps)
Stand with a dumbbell in your right hand and your left hand on your hip. Press the weight over your head until your right arm is almost straight, with a slight bend in the elbow at the top position. Do not allow the weight to touch your head or neck area. Slowly bend your elbow, lowering the weight until your arm forms a 90-degree angle behind your head and stopping before the weight touches your back. Contracting the triceps muscles, slowly return to the starting position. Exhale while returning to the starting position and inhale while lowering the weight. After completing the set on the right side, repeat on the left side.

"You can also perform this exercise while seated on a bench," Raphael says. "It isn't necessary to use large dumbbells because the technique is more important than the weight."

After performing the biceps curl and triceps extension, wait no more then 45 seconds and then repeat the cycle (two complete cycles).

Machine Biceps Curl
(12 reps)
Follow the proper instructions for using this machine. Contracting the biceps muscles, lift the handles toward your ears, stopping as soon as they get close to the ears. Use caution to be sure that the handles don't hit your face. Slowly return to the starting position, stopping just short of the weight stack touching but keeping a slight bend in the elbows. Exhale while lifting the weight and inhale while returning to the starting position.

"Try to maintain a neutral spine throughout the entire range of motion," Raphael says. "Do not round the upper back or let the chest cave in."

Cable Triceps Push Down
(12 reps)
Stand and face the cable machine (about 18-24 inches away) with your feet shoulder-width apart. Grip a straight bar from the upper cable attachment with your palms facing down. Place your upper arm against your body with both elbows at a 90-degree angle. Relax your shoulders and maintain a neutral spine. Contracting the triceps muscles, lower the bar toward your hips, stopping just short of your elbows becoming fully extended. Slowly return to the starting position, stopping just short of the weight stack touching. Exhale while moving the bar down and inhale while returning to the starting position.

"Your upper arms should remain stationary throughout the exercise," Raphael says. "For variety, choose different handles, like the ropes or an angled bar."

After performing the biceps curl and the triceps push down, wait no more then 45 seconds and then repeat the cycle (two complete cycles).

If you haven't been doing any arm exercises, Raphael says you may want to take up to a minute between cycles. And, if you consider yourself an advanced exerciser, he recommends trying to complete three sets of one of the cycles. By using this killer workout, Raphael says you will see a major difference in your arms.

<>Looking for more information of this sort? Join eDiets and visit Raphael's support group (Fitness for You) for interactive support! We all know fitness is a vital part of living a healthy lifestyle -- let Raphael and eDiets help you on your way!

A drug-free competitive bodybuilder and 2005 winner of the prestigious WNBF (World Natural Bodybuilding Federation) Pro Card, Raphael Calzadilla is a veteran of the health-and-fitness industry. He specializes in a holistic approach to body transformation, nutrition programs and personal training. He earned his B.A. in communications from Southern Connecticut State University and is certified as a personal trainer with ACE and APEX. In addition, he successfully completed the RTS1 program based on biomechanics