Bicep Curls

Muscles Involved: main mover, biceps; agonist, brachioradialis; antagonist, triceps

Directions: Stand with feet shoulder to hip width apart. Grasp a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing forward. Exhale, bend elbows and bring dumbbells up to shoulders. Inhale and return to start.

Types of Equipment: dumbbells, kettlebells, V bar, straight bar, therabands

Contraindications: Elbow pain or injury. Shoulder pain or injury.

Alternatives for Safety: Complete the exercise using therabands or an unweighted stick.

Alternatives for Challenge: Progress to using kettlebells, V bar, or straight bar. Complete curls by alternating sides. Change hand position (palms can face body for hammer curls or palms can face thighs for reverse curls). Sit on an incline bench to perform exercise.

Overhead Tricep Extensions

Muscles Involved: main mover, triceps; agonist, none; antagonists, biceps; synergist, trapezius

Directions: Stand with feet shoulder to hip width apart. Grasp a single dumbbell with both hands under one weighted end and carefully maneuver it behind the head. With elbows pointing upwards and tucked close to ears, begin motion. Exhale and extend elbows to draw dumbbell up. Make sure to maintain shoulders down. Inhale and return to start.

Types of Equipment: dumbbells, kettlebell, V bar, cable pulley with attachments, theraband

Contraindications: Elbow pain or injury. Shoulder pain or injury.

Alternatives for Safety: Can perform exercise one handed if maintaining shoulders is problematic. Can perform exercise with a cable pulley machine. Can perform exercise lying down (skullcrushers). Can perform tricep kickbacks.

Alternatives for Challenge: Can progress to kettlebells or V bar to perform. Skullcrusher variation can usually be more heavily weighted.

Tricep Kickbacks

Muscles Involved: main mover, triceps; agonist, none; antagonists, biceps, rear deltoid; synergists, abdominals and spine extensors

Directions: Bend left knee and place it on top of a chair height stable surface. Anchor left hand on surface in front of knee and maintain the right foot on the ground in line with the left knee. If no surface is available, can take a staggered stance (pictured). Grasp a dumbbell in right hand and bend right elbow so upper arm is in line with torso. Exhale and extend right elbow, kicking dumbbell out behind body. Keep the rest of the body, including the upper arm, still. Inhale and return to start. Repeat on left.

Types of Equipment: dumbbells, kettlebells, theraband

Contraindications: Elbow pain or injury.

Alternatives for Safety: Complete exercise using a theraband anchored under the right foot.

Alternatives for Challenge: Progress to kettlebells and tricep extensions. Can perform exercise two handed by omitting the prop, standing with feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent and hinging forward from the hips.