Bollywood Fitness

Hrithik Roshan
'Big biceps' could have been Hrithik Roshan's middle name. The actor's spectacularly muscled arms are kept in epic-hero shape by his exercises with trainer Satyajit Chaurasia of Barbarian gym.

"We focus on different muscle groups on different days of the week, working the body parts in a cyclical order," says Chaurasia. Hrithik's big torso is balanced out with leg exercises like crunches and leg raises, done five days a week. Each exercise session is rounded off by 15 minutes cardio for compact musculature.

For arms like Hrithik Roshan
This is the full range of arm workouts that Chaurasia has done with Roshan. Do these workouts twice a week for 45-50 minutes a day. Each biceps workout is to be alternated with a triceps workout.

Biceps

Barbell curl: Stand straight and hold a barbell with an underhand grip, palms facing you, hands shoulder width apart. Lift using only the strength of your arms. Lower and repeat. Do 3 sets of increasing weights (10kg, 15kg, 20kg) and decreasing reps (12, 10, 8).

Preacher curl: Grip an EZ curl bar the same way you gripped the barbell. Rest your elbows on an incline pad. Lift and lower using only arm strength. Do 3 sets of increasing weights (10kg, 12.5kg, 15kg) and decreasing reps (12, 10, 8).

Concentration curl: Sit on a bench, feet apart. Holding a dumbbell in one hand, let your arm hang down the side of one leg. Letting your elbow lightly touch your leg, lift the weight, concentrating on the strength of your biceps. Lower and repeat.

Do 3 sets of increasing weights (10kg, 12.5kg, 15kg) and decreasing reps (12, 10, 8). Before moving up the weights, alternate with the other arm.

Dumbbell curl: Stand holding a dumbbell in each hand, arms hanging by your side, palms facing front. Bring up the dumbbell in one hand to shoulder height, then bring it down to the starting position. Alternate with the other hand. Do 2 sets of 10kg with 12 and 15 reps each.

Hammer curl: Stand in the same position as the dumbbell, but keep your palms facing each other. Follow the weights and reps of the dumbbell curl.

Triceps

Triceps pulldown: Stand at a cable extension machine. Holding the cables in a false grip (thumb resting above the bar), pull the cables down as far as you can. Do 3 sets of increasing weights (25kg, 35kg, 45kg) with decreasing reps (12, 10, 8).

Lying triceps extension: Lie on a bench, holding an EZ curl bar up over your head, arms straight. Keeping the upper arms still, bend your elbows, bringing the bar level with your forehead. Do 3 sets of increasing weights (10kg, 12.5kg, 15kg) with decreasing reps (12, 10, 8).

Single hand dumbbell triceps extension: You sit on a bench or stand, holding a dumbbell in your right hand, arms raised straight above your head, your upper right arm brushing your right ear. Without moving the upper arm, bend your right arm at the elbow, bringing the weight down to touch the back of your neck. Do 12-15 reps before using your left arm. Do 3 sets using a 10kg dumbbell.

Triceps kickback: Stand next to a bench, right knee resting on it. Hold a dumbbell in your right hand, outside your right thigh. Keeping your upper arm touching the lats, move your right arm back and forth in a pendulum motion. Do 12-15 reps and switch arms. Do 4 sets.