Just arrived home after visiting the gym. Today my focus was on dumbbell curls, which work the muscles in the front of your arm. You can perform this exercise in many different ways, including performing the curl with both arms at the same time, alternating your arms, and using different grips to target different areas of your biceps. Always begin with a comfortable weight, one that will not force you to compromise your form while performing the exercise. Stand up straight and tall with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Be sure to keep your shoulders back. I have to remind myself to do this constantly since my shoulders tend to be rounded forward naturally. Make sure you are holding your dumbbells correctly with what is called a neutral grip (palms facing forward). To avoid placing too much strain on your wrists, avoid using a grip that's too tight. Then, as you lift the weight, keep your elbows close to your sides throughout the movement so as to prevent arm swinging. I like to curl one dumbbell at a time, keeping my elbow as close to my side as possible.
As you perform the lift, always be sure to focus on squeezing your biceps, especially at the top of the lift. Then lower the weight in a controlled manner. Never let the weight drop quickly as this will put unnecessary strain on your joints. As you lift, be sure to breathe properly -- exhaling as you curl the weight towards your shoulders, and inhaling as you lower the weight back down. The dumbbell curl primary targets the biceps muscles, though the brachialis and brachioradialis muscles are also activated. Dumbbell curls are a great exercise for building stronger, more defined arms.
That's it for now. It's hard to believe that a week from today I leave for Kentucky to spend time with family for the Christmas holiday. Wow, what a year it's been! May God bless you and your family as you celebrate both the humanity and divinity of Jesus. Because he is human, he can understand us completely. And because he is divine, he can help us perfectly. Hallelujah!
