H A R A T A N

* Attach D-handles to the pulleys on each side of a cable station and fix them to their highest point or at least 10-12 inches above your shoulders.

* Grasp the handles with a palms-up grip and stand equidistant between the stacks with your feet hip- to shoulder-width apart, keeping your knees bent slightly.

* Make sure your upper arms are angled slightly above parallel to the floor and that your wrists are slightly flexed and locked in that position.

* Keeping your abdominal muscles tight and elbows fixed in place, contract your biceps to bring the handles toward your head in a controlled movement, as if striking a front double-biceps pose.

* Hold the peak contraction for 1-2 seconds before slowly reversing the motion, stopping just before your arms are fully extended. Repeat for reps.

TIPS

* At the point of peak contraction, your hands should be in line with and just behind the tops of your ears.

* Keep your torso tight, and lock your shoulders and elbows into fixed positions to prevent cheating. This helps to ensure maximum isolation of the biceps.

* For variety, alternate reps for the left and right sides to work each arm independently.

* For an extra pump, contract your biceps hard in the finish position (biceps pose) for an additional 30-60 seconds after each set.

* Avoid the tendency to look to your left or right as you perform the exercise; doing so could injure your cervical spine.