Arm workout: biceps and triceps in 30 minutes

Arms get a lot of work from presses and rows, but direct work is what fills the sleeves. The biceps bend the elbow; the triceps, which make up most of the upper arm, straighten it. Pairing them as supersets gets a full arm workout done in half an hour.

The workout (as three supersets)

1. A1. Barbell curl: 3 sets of 8 to 12. A2. Close-grip bench press: 3 sets of 6 to 10.
2. B1. Incline dumbbell curl: 3 sets of 10 to 12. B2. Overhead cable extension: 3 sets of 10 to 12.
3. C1. Hammer curl: 2 sets of 10 to 15. C2. Cable pushdown: 2 sets of 12 to 15.

• Barbell curlBiceps
• Close-grip bench pressTriceps
• Incline dumbbell curlBiceps
• Cable overhead triceps extensionTriceps
• Hammer curlBiceps, Forearms
• Cable pushdownTriceps

Do one set of the first exercise, rest about 30 seconds, do one set of the second, then rest a minute or so before the next round. More in supersets explained.

Why these exercises

• Overhead extensions stretch the long head of the triceps, which pushdowns train less.
• Incline curls work the biceps in a long stretch.
• Hammer curls add the brachialis and forearms, which make the arm look thicker.

How often

Arms recover quickly. Two short arm sessions a week, or a few sets at the end of upper-body days, beats one long arm day. Count the work your arms already do in rows and presses.