5 Tips for Bigger Biceps

By Nick Tumminello

Here’s your step-by-step guide through 5 battle-tested biceps workout tips and training strategies we've used with athletes and bodybuilders to help them pump up their arms and build bigger biceps

1. Mix up your Force Angles to target the Biceps Peak

We all know that using a variety of exercises helps make our arm workouts (and all other weight training workouts for that matter) more versatile and more effective. But, it’s important to understand that simply changing the exercises doesn’t always mean you’re hitting your biceps in a different way.

You see, to thoroughly hit your biceps (or any other muscle group you’re training) you need to mix up the force angles, which changes the point of exercise (within the range of motion) where the muscle(s) is being maximally loaded, within a given workout.

Many lifters are under the impression that each time you change the exercise you’re changing the force angle. But this is not so, as many biceps curl exercises may look different - Example: Barbell biceps curls, EZ-bar curls and dumbbell biceps curls – but they may create the same force angle, which, therefore, hits your biceps in basically the same way.

Here’s a quick lesson on Biomechanics to help you better understand force angles:

All exercises that involve free weights and cables have a point within the range of motion (ROM) where the exercise is hardest on the muscle(s) involved, and where the exercise is the easiest. The point at which the exercise is most difficult is where the lever arm becomes the longest, which makes the muscles involved work the hardest.

During any style of biceps curl with a free weight (dumbbell, barbell or EZ-bar) the point at which your biceps is being maximally loaded (stimulated) is the point in the ROM in which your forearm is at a 90-degree angle with the load vector, which in the case of free-weights, gravity is your load vector.

In other words, when using free weights the point of maximal loading on your biceps (during a biceps curl) is when your elbow reaches 90 degrees of flexion or when your forearm is parallel to the floor.

When doing biceps curls using a cable column, the cable itself is the load vector and the point of maximal loading to your biceps here is when your forearm makes a 90-degree angle with the cable.

The nice thing about the cable column is that you can manipulate the force vector to make your biceps work the hardest in ranges of motion (of the biceps curl) that free weights miss.

Here’s a way we use a cable column to create a maximal force angle at the top point in the range of motion. In this video you’ll see how the 90-degree angle is created much higher in the ROM, which we use to maximally stimulate the biceps at the "peak" of the contraction.

Now, don’t get it twisted as I'm not saying you can isolate out any particular portion of your biceps (upper, middle or lower) when doing curls; you can't do that with any exercise for any muscle. But, as I’ve demonstrated in the video above, you certainly can manipulate the force angles during exercises to cause the point of maximal loading (on the biceps) to be at different points within the range of motion of a biceps curl.

2. Use an Offset Grip

Basic anatomy tells us that our biceps are not only elbow flexors, but they’re also forearm supinators. Based on this, we’ve found the best way to ensure maximal biceps recruitment when doing dumbbell biceps curls is to hit both (resisted) elbow flexion and forearm supination by holding the handle in a unique way.

Here’s a new gripping strategy we use, which I can promise will give you a much better biceps pump!

Instead of gripping the dumbbell from the middle (in the traditional manner), grip toward the thumb side with your hand as far to this side as possible.

Doing this will force you to resist forearm pronation by using more of your biceps as supinators while you perform the biceps dumbbell curl exercise as long as you perform them in the manner.

3. 60/30 Biceps Blaster

This biceps protocol has been one our favorites because it only takes 30 seconds to get your biceps swollen and pumped. And, its effectiveness surprises many lifters who when they first see it think it’s “gimmicky” because it’s so different than any biceps training methods they’ve seen before. We then explain to them A) if you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got. And, we also teach them that B) there are three ways to increase muscle: Lift heavy (max effort), lift fast  (dynamic effort) or lift a lot (repetitive effort) – Our 30/60 Biceps protocol combines both moving fast (to create high intensity) and moving a lot (to create high work volume).

You're going to need a heavy-duty band for this workout.

Coaching Tips:

• We use a band because it allows you to move fast without gaining its own momentum
   
• We recommend using a 1/2-inch band for weaker individuals and a 1-inch band for stronger folks
   
• Perform 60 reps in 30 seconds x 2- 4 sets with 1-2 minute rest

If you can't complete all 60 reps in the given time frame of 30 seconds, the band is too heavy.

4. Biceps 28s

Most lifters are already familiar with the classic biceps training method of using biceps curl 21s, which was popularized by bodybuilding legends like Arnold Schwarzenegger and adopted by virtually every young lifter looking to get bigger biceps. We developed our Performance U 28s rep protocol as a way to take 21s concept to create more time under-tension, a better biceps pump and add a new twist to classic method.

If you don’t already know: Biceps 21’s are where you perform 7 reps of partial range biceps curls going halfway down. Then you do 7 partial reps only going halfway up. Then, you finish with 7 more reps using a full range of motion. Totaling 21 reps.

How to Do the Performance U Biceps 28s Protocol

Perform the following four biceps curl variations seated, standing, or on a preacher bench (using either a barbell, dumbbell or EZ-bar) back-to-back, without rest:

1. Perform 7 partial reps in the most difficult 1/3-1/2 of the range of motion
    
2. Perform 7 full-range of motion reps
    
3. Perform an isometric hold (pause) in the mid-range for 7 seconds
    
4. Perform 7 partial reps in the easiest 1/3-1/2 of the range of motion

Now, there IS a method to the madness behind the way we perform our Biceps 28s protocol, which is based on the Force Vector concepts I shared earlier.

Here’s the thought process we used to designed our Biceps 28s protocol:

We begin with the most difficult part of the range when you’re most fresh.

The first 7 reps serve as a nice pre-fatigue before we hit 7 full range of motion reps. Plus, getting some movement started from the bottom can help you power through the end range you just focused on in the first 7 reps.

Muscle mechanics dictate that our muscles are strongest in their mid-range. That’s why we do an isometric hold in this range for 7 seconds. Plus, isometrics are a great way to increase time under tension. And, help bodybuilders better hold flexed positions, which is what they have to do when they pose in competition.

We finish with the easiest part of the exercise at the end, when you’re at your weakest and most fatigued from the previous 21 reps.

Now, what I've just explained is certainly not the one and only “magic order.” Occasionally, to create training variety, we’ll mix up the order a bit and perform our Biceps 28s like this:

• 7 reps half way down curls w/ Pronated (palm down) grip
   
• 7 reps half way up curls w/ Neutral grip (palms facing each other)
   
• 7 reps full ROM supinated grip (palms up)
   
• 7 seconds midrange isometric hold (any grip you wish)

Of course, these are all done in the same manner as the above, back-to-back, without putting the weight down.

5. Constant Tension, Mid-Range Biceps Curls

One of the fundamental concepts in muscle physiology is the length-tension relationship, which is: how much force a muscle can generate relative to its length.

Muscles tend to have the lowest potential to generate force when they're either fully elongated (stretched) or fully shortened (contracted). And, as I stated above, muscles tend to generate the highest possible force in the middle — halfway through the range of motion (aka. The mid-range).

Not only are muscles able to produce the most force in the midrange, they also have the potential to activate the highest percentage of motor units. (A motor unit is a nerve cell and the set of muscle fibers it's responsible for activating).

Put simply, more motor unit recruitment means you’re able to bring more muscle into the game on each rep, provided the effort is high enough, as shown in the following graph.

Now that you understand that muscles produce the most force in the midrange, where they also have the potential to activate the highest percentage of motor units, you can better appreciate how to exploit these concepts and transform exercise science into practical exercise application with what we call Constant Tension Mid-Range Biceps Curls.

Instead of doing full range of motion biceps curls (standing with Dumbbells, a Barbell for an EZ-Bar), we begin from a 90 degree elbow bend (i.e. the mid-range) and perform partial rep curls in the middle of the range.

In other words, with elbows by your sides, you perform biceps curls without ever fully going to the bottom or the top of the range of motion.

We prefer to do our Constant Tension Mid-Range Biceps Curls for time instead of for reps, as it doesn't matter how fast you move because you’re always under tension and using a timed interval ensures that you get our desired time under tension, which is 40 to 60 seconds, regardless of the tempo you perform each mid-range curl at.

Closing Comments

The traditional biceps exercises we all know and love are still just as great and effective as ever before. Heck, most of the biceps training strategies I shared above are simply new twists on classic biceps building concepts. While we embrace old-school wisdom, as you've seen, we also use some new school biceps building protocols, which you can now to add to your own biceps-training toolbox.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Coach Nick Tumminello has become known as “the trainer of trainers.” He’s the owner of owner of Performance University International, which provides practical, No B.S., personal trainer continuing education.

Original Source: http://www.schwarzenegger.com/fitness/post/5-tips-for-bigger-biceps

Are Kettlebells Or Dumbbells Superior For Gym Based Strength Gains?

By Russ Howe

It's a war which has raged on for the best part of ten years but, thanks to recent scientific research, today you will get a definite answer to the question: Kettlebells vs dumbbells - which method will give you the best results?

Before we do that, it is important to point out that using both approaches is always going to be far superior to limiting yourself to just one style. You will often hear people swearing by the use of just one protocol, all this does is limit your ability on the gym floor as each style comes with it's own plus points and negatives, therefore a combination of the two styles alongside other forms of training, such as yoga, interval training and body weight movements, would be optimal for achieving the goals set by most individuals.

However, a recent study pitted the kettlebell against free weights in a study to determine which method would return the greatest strength gains overall. The results were quite profound.

In the study, researchers ordered their first group of subjects to perform a six week course of swings, goblet squats and accelerated swings using a 35 pound weight. Improvements of squat ability, vertical leap and power clean strength were documented.

The free weights group performed a six week program of barbell squat, power clean and high pull using around 80% of their one rep max on each exercise.

At the end of the six week study, the results of the two groups were compiled and compared. The overwhelming winner was the second group - the free weight group. These individuals boasted improvements of a 15% higher squat compared to group A's 5% increase. They also noticed a 10% power clean and 4% vertical leap boost.

Their kettlebell counterparts, on the other hand, could only manage a 4% increase to their power clean and added just 1% to their vertical leap. Those results were quite surprising, given the explosive nature of kettlebell training in general.

If you want to base your training program purely on the scientific findings, then free weights clearly return the greatest strength gains.

However, the optimal method for building a better body through effective fat loss and lean muscle building should include a variety of techniques. Although this particular study from California State University, Fullerton returned results heavily in favor of resistance training, this does not mean you should eliminate every other type of exercise from your program.

While free weights have now been shown to trump other equipment in the strength category, that doesn't mean they are the only method you should use. For instance, there are a number of exercises which can be performed using a kettlebell which are simply more functional than using conventional dumbbells and barbells. The swing is a perfect example of that.

The battle between kettlebells vs dumbbells will be one that undoubtedly cuts most gyms down the middle depending upon personal choice. However, the latest scientific research clearly documents one winner.

Original Source: http://weight-loss012.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/are-kettlebells-or-dumbbells-superior.html

Muscle Building Techniques: A Super-Hero Inspired Body Building Routines

by Bernice Eker

Give your muscle building workout some twist and let these superhero-inspired routines take you to enjoyable sessions. Here are muscle building techniques to shun boring exercises away and welcome a hero training in sculpting the body.

You may not have the extra strong faculty to fly, hurdle, jump and leap skyscraping buildings, but you will certainly look and feel as if you can with these muscle building techniques and routines. Now, to the gym!

1. Superman Back Extension - From the name itself, you can easily discern how this type of exercise is employed. But for the benefit of those wondering how this muscle building workout is executed, you simply have to lie facedown at a back-extension position with both feet secured and anchored. The lower hips are supported with a leaning and inclined platform to keep you from falling face down. Next, grab a pair of dumbbells keeping the abs and the midsection tight for optimal outcome as you raise both arms until the body comes to a straight line position making you look like superman flying. Hold to the position for few seconds and finally, lower yourself down. This will help you achieve a well trained and defined core, works the lower back and other targeted muscles. Do 10 reps with this type of superman-enthused routine.

2. Spiderman Pull up - This type of muscle building routine is stirred by the superhero, Spiderman. All you have to do is grab a pull up bar with a handle grip. Raise your arms at a distance a bit apart from the shoulder width. Pull up with the use of your right hand with the right leg and knee bent concurrently. This workout routine gives a perfect picture of Spiderman climbing a wall - but this time one knee is lifted towards the bar. Once done and your chin reaches the top of the bar, you can repeat the same procedure with your left hand and knee in motion. This kind of body building routine helps strengthens the torso, arms and legs.

3. Thor's Hammer - This is considered as an excellent complete workout in building muscles specifically the biceps. This is done in a standing position with a barbell and your palm facing up. Start the routine by curling the weight up the shoulder and lifting the bar overhead. Next, you need to rotate your palm from a face up position to face forward as you try to push the weights as high as you can reach. It is important to note, that in a routine like this, twisting the wrists plays a major role in shaping and sculpting the forearms and the biceps all at the same time. Once done, you can switch arms and repeat the routine for a maximum of 10 reps on each side.

4. Hulk Super Leap - This position does not need any kinds of equipment. All you do is stand on a mat with the hips and knees bent in a halfway squat position and both hands arch on the side. Swing both hands overhead as you blow up upwardly. Upon the blast, immediately go back and land to your original half squat position.

These are some of the muscle building techniques one can perform in making your seemingly ordinary workout an extra-ordinary and hero-like body building training.

Original Source: http://goarticles.com/article/Muscle-Building-Techniques-A-Super-Hero-Inspired-Body-Building-Routines/1487146/

Awesome Exercises For Building Lean Muscle Mass

by Tim Ryan

There are hundreds of different exercises you can do with free weights and resistance machines or with just your body weight to build muscle mass. You should include mainly multi-joint compound exercises in your workout as they build muscle fastest. The most popular and effective of these are: dead lifts, squats, bench press, pull ups, shoulder presses and rows.

Whilst they are very effective your body needs to be constantly challenged in new and different ways if your goal is building lean muscle mass. Here are a few awesome exercises that are often overlooked yet work really well. From time to time try and include these exercises in your workouts. Variety prevents boredom setting in and provides new reasons for your muscles to grow.

Try running on the sand, donkey raises or a jump rope for getting big calves. Running on the sand is very taxing and the bouncing motion in skipping will provide a real burn. as your calf muscles are generally used to endurance activities like walking all day they tend to respond better to longer endurance type exercises when seeking muscle growth. Donkey raises are when you place your toes on the edge of a 3-4 inch high block bend over to 90 degrees at the waist and rest your hands on a bard or bench at that height. have a training buddy jump on to your back so that you can pump your calve muscles up and down shifting two lots of body weight. stabiliser muscles all around the calve have to be used in order to perform these correctly making them more difficult.

Can you remember the last time you performed dips to hit your chest muscles? A great mass builder for the chest muscle is dips which are great for triceps also. Many older gyms have two long bars that run parallel to each other for exactly this. Often a v shape is formed which provides scope for different grips. This means you can really hit different areas of the chest and triceps effectively.

Try performing stiff legged deadlifts to nail your hamstrings. These are an awesome hamstring exercise seen very infrequently. Simply do deadlifts but you legs have to remain straight throughout meaning you bend at the waist and keep a straight back to lift the barbell or dumbbell. Maintain control of the weight by keeping it close to your legs whilst raising it and be warned that this exercise can leave your hamstrings very sore the next day.

Try hammer curls if you want big arms! The pal of your hand is kept facing in towards your body at all times, this is the only difference from regular curls. This places great stress on the inner bicep muscle that gives it thickness and size throughout called the brachialis muscle whilst also still developing the main bicep too. Stand with your back straight and flat against the corner of a wall to prevent yourself from using moment to assist the movement for a real burn.

How long is it since you saw someone do lunges at the fitness centre? These are awesome for your quads providing both mass and shape. With a pair of dumb bells in your hands take a decent stride forwardsand bend both knees down to 90 degress step backwards and repeat with the other leg. A superb workout alternative to squats.

For creating muscle definition and for a superb aerobic workout why not try boxing padwork it is very effective for the hitting the entire upper body or do uphill sprints to shred your leg muscles or even get on an exercise bike for uphill intervals immediately following a leg workout. That is a real killer!

With those group of classic exercises in your thoughts change your routine around a bit to gain more lean muscle mass.

Original Source: http://goarticles.com/article/Awesome-Exercises-For-Building-Lean-Muscle-Mass/1773720/

The Definitive Guide to Weight Lifting

What is Weight Lifting? Lifting barbells or dumbbells with the goal of increasing your strength and/or muscle size. Weight lifting can take several forms:

• Weightlifting Sport. The sport of Weightlifting is part of the Olympic Games. It consists of 2 lifts: the Snatch and the Clean & Jerk. The goal is to lift more weight than competitors in the same weight class.
• Strength Training. Lifting weights to increase your physical strength. More muscle & a lower body fat are byproducts of strength training.
• Bodybuilding. Weight lifting with the goal of increasing your muscle mass. Strength increases too, but isn't the primary goal.

Benefits of Weight Lifting. Lifting weights has several advantages over machines & body-weight exercises.

• Accessible. Pull-ups & Dips force you to lift your own body-weight. Weight lifting is easier: start with an empty bar, increase the weight by 2.5kg/5lbs each workout. You'll get stronger as the weight increases.
• Versatile. You can do plenty of exercises with only one barbell. No need for expensive machines.
• Builds Strength. You get stronger as the weight on the bar increases. Weight lifting also teaches you to balance the weight.
• Builds Muscle. The stronger you become, the more muscles you’ll have. Your muscle mass increases as the weight on the bar gets heavier.
• Burns Fat. Muscle burn calories. The more muscles you build, the more calories you’ll burn. Your body fat will decrease.
• Increases Health. Increased testosterone levels, increased flexibility, increased cardiovascular fitness, stronger joints, etc.
• Safe. Weight lifting is the safest sports. Machines are not safe: they force you into a fixed, unnatural movement pattern. Couple that with heavy weights & you risk injuries.

Weight Lifting Safety. Weight Lifting is the safest sport. Unlike soccer, rugby or football, no one will get you injured. You'll injure yourself. Statistics from Sports Injury Rates (Hamill 1994)

Injuries in weight lifting happen for 3 reasons:

• Bad Technique. Learn how to do the exercises correctly before adding weight. Start with an empty barbell & add weight gradually.
• Pre-existent Problems. Lack of flexibility & bad posture can prevent proper technique. Past injuries can rise up if not treaten correctly.
• Ego. Correct technique is hard to maintain with heavier weights. Learn correct exercise technique first, then add weight.

Weight Lifting. Image credit: Dehwang

Weight Lifting Exercises. Barbells are versatile: plenty of exercises you can do with 1 barbell. Most exercises can be done with dumbbells too. Here's a non definite list of weight lifting exercises:

• Squat. Should be part of any routine. Squats work your legs, but also the rest of your body. They are key to building strength & muscle.
• Front Squats. Variation of the Squat. Front Squats start with the bar on the front shoulders instead of on the back.
• Bench Press. The most popular exercise in the gym. The Bench Pressworks your chest & triceps muscles.
• Overhead Press. Push weight overhead while standing. The Overhead Press works your shoulders, triceps, back & abs.
• Deadlift. Besides working the legs, the Deadlift builds a strong back by teaching you to keep your spine rigid against a load.
• Barbell Row. Pulling weight from the floor against your lower chest. The Barbell Row works your back & biceps.
• Pendlay Row. Variation of the Barbell Row. Pendlay Row involve arching of the upper-back on the way up.
• Power Clean. Olympic Lift. The Power Clean is done by cleaning the barbell from the floor & putting it on your front shoulders.
• Jerk. Olympic Lift. The Jerk is done by lifting the weight from the front shoulders overhead while dipping under the weight.

Weight Lifting Equipment. Gyms like Fitness First don’t have the equipment you need for weight lifting. Build a home gym if you don't have access to:

• Barbells. Olympic barbells are 2m20 long, weigh 20kg, have knurling & 50mm sleeves. Barbells of 15kg exist for women with smaller hands.
• Dumbbells. Dumbbells with steel handles & knurling work best. Stay away from dumbbells with plastic handles.
• Plates. Plates have 50mm holes to fit the bar. Metric plates are 1.25, 2.5, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 & even 45kg. Smaller plates of 0.5kg exist.
• Squat Rack. Power Cage or Squat Rack or Squat Stands. Facilitate getting the barbell into proper position for the Squat & Front Squat.
• Bench. Necessary for the Bench Press. Standard upright support bench or one you can use in the Power Cage.

Weight Lifting Apparel. You don't need fancy stuff for weight lifting. Only a good pair of shoes, cotton t-shirt, stretchy pants & a notebook.

• No Gloves. Let grow calluses. Once you have calluses your hands won't hurt anymore. If grip is a problem use chalk.
• No Belts. Only useful for maximal attempts with heavy weights. Belts add abdominal support but are unnecessary for sub-maximal weights.
• Shoes. Running shoes with air/gel filling impair stability & cause power loss. Wear shoes with an incompressible sole, like Chuck Taylor's.
• Clothes. Cotton t-shirts & stretchy pants like gray sweats work best. Clothes can not restrict movement & mess with your technique.
• Training Journal. Necessary to track progress. Get a A4 notebook & start a training journal. Take it with you to the gym.

Getting Started into Weight Lifting. StrongLifts 5x5 is a strength training program that uses barbell exercises. It will help you build strength & muscle while decreasing your body fat.

 

Reference: http://stronglifts.com/weight-lifting-101-the-definitive-guide-to-weight-lifting/

Avoid these weightlifting mistakes

Looking out for these warning signs in your weights workout will lead to impressive results.

Lack of concentration
It's easy to let your mind wander when you are resting after a hard set. But relaxing for too long will see you lose your mental focus and let your muscles go off the boil, compromising your efforts to achieve muscle exhaustion.

Get it right: 'It's very important to time your rest periods with a stopwatch,' says Tom Crudgington, director of the Body Development Strength And Performance Centre. 'Aim to rest for 60-90 seconds, depending on the type of exercise.' Single-joint moves such as biceps curls require less time for recovery, while big whole-body moves such as deadlifts take longer.

Always doing the same
Grabbing the same set of dumb-bells each workout means that your programme is standing still. Eventually you'll lose ground and become less strong because you're always inside your comfort zone.

Get it right: 'Master the movement first to avoid muscle and ligament damage - for instance, do squats with an unloaded bar to learn the exercise and increase flexibility,' says James Wild of fitness company Premier Training. 'Then work up to lifting a bigger weight with an increased range of movement.' For muscle growth, you should work your way up to lifting 70 per cent of your one-rep maximum in a set.

Wrong warm-up
Jumping on the treadmill for a ten-minute blast before you hit the weights room might sound like an easy one-stop warm-up, but at best it's an inefficient way to heat up your core and at worst it leaves key muscles unprepared for action.

Get it right: 'Spending four to five minutes on a treadmill or rower to bring up your core temperature is OK, as long as you then warm up specific muscles by lifting a light load for warm-up sets of the exercises that you're actually about to do,' says Crudgington. 'This will help you to avoid injury and achieve the full range of motion.'

Machine obsession
Machines are useful for those new to lifting or returning from injury because their control lets you exercise safely. But spending too long on them will hold you back.

Get it right: 'There's a point on the machine's pulley where it takes over from you, so that you're not working 100 per cent of the muscle 100 per cent of the time,' says Lee Archer, director of Pro Fitness gym. 'Using free weights such as dumb-bells will keep both sides of your body under constant tension to develop your joint stabilisers and bigger muscles evenly.'

Doing too much
Extra workouts or 30 minutes longer in the gym 'just to make sure' won't make you stronger, fitter or leaner. Exercise breaks you down then builds you back up, so overdoing it puts your health and your fitness at risk.

Get it right: 'You get stronger while you're resting rather than when you're working out, so you need to allow time for repair,' says Wild. 'These days, we suggest that 45 minutes per workout is optimal for resistance training and the maximum is one hour.' Leave 48 hours between heavy workouts and every four to six weeks, have a "reduced training week" in which you cut the volume of your workouts by 50 per cent.'

Overdoing the crunches
Squeezing out hundreds of abs crunches won't get you a six-pack, and is more likely to give you neck or back problems than chiselled abs. Apart from that, crunches work the abs from only one angle and they won't burn fat.

Get it right: 'The abs are mostly made up of fast-twitch muscle fibres, so they need to be trained with added weight to make them grow,' says Wild. 'Doing exercises such as deadlifts, squats and multi-directional exercises on two feet activates your abdominals and core as much as a crunch.'

Too much standing around
We know queuing is the quintessential British pastime, but joining the line for the most popular weight station in the gym does more than rob you of time. It allows your muscles to cool, as well as eroding your focus, therefore making the exercise you're about to do an injury minefield.

Get it right: 'Always have alternative exercises in mind so that you can choose a different bit of equipment to achieve the same effect,' says Wild. For instance, a gym ball makes a good replacement bench while dumb-bells can safely stand in for a barbell.

Incorrect form
Pushing your head forwards, wobbling unsteadily from side to side, and lifting your feet off the floor to finish a rep all increase your risk of tearing something or you suffering long-term posture problems.

Get it right: 'You may not have the postural strength to hold a good position in bent-over rows and other exercises, especially if you're sitting behind a desk all day,' says Wild. 'Don't try to lift too much too early. If you work on getting your form right, you'll be able to lift more in the long run and avoid injury.'

Not getting off your arse
Sitting down to do a single-joint isolation exercise sometimes helps you to maximise the weight you're lifting. But if you do it all the time you're actually missing out on a chance to train your core and lower body to stabilise your torso, which is vital for bigger whole-body moves such as the clean and press.

Get it right: 'When you stand up to do exercises such as lateral raises or biceps curls, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent,' says Archer. 'If your feet are too far apart you can't bend your knees and when the exercise gets hard you'll lean back and sway your hips, which will increase the risk of straining your lower back.'

Rushing your workout
Flying through your sets in double-quick time may make you feel like Superman, but if you're lifting for muscle growth you're not saving time - you're wasting it.

Get it right: 'Sets need to last between 40 and 70 seconds for muscle growth,' says Crudgington. 'Using a repetition tempo of lifting for one second, lowering for three seconds, pausing for one second at the bottom and doing at least eight reps will easily help you achieve this.'

Reference: http://www.mensfitness.co.uk/exercise/exercise_tips/2142/perfect_your_weights_workout_to_build_muscle.html