Ron Holland, owner of S.W.A.T. Personal Training, at 6127 N. La Cholla Blvd., 579-6791; and 700 E. Tanque Verde Loop Road, 886-7928; www.swatfitness.com.

Biceps curls.

Biceps curls may be a pretty common exercise, but Holland, a certified master trainer and owner of S.W.A.T. (Strength Wellness Athletic Training) Personal Training, said he still sees people doing them wrong all the time.

The most common mistake: trying to lift too much weight.

If you're swinging your arms, if your back is bent, if your body is leaning forward or backward or if you can't keep your core still while doing biceps curls, you're probably lifting too much, he said.

To avoid a back injury and concentrate on your biceps, try a lower weight and focus on form. While biceps curls are often associated with muscle-popping body builders, the exercise is helpful for anyone who wants to be toned and fit. It works the biceps and forearms primarily — the shoulders and triceps also benefit a bit — and those are muscles we use in everyday life, Holland pointed out.

"You use (those muscles) in almost everything you do," he said. "Opening a door, picking up a child or a bag of groceries. It's a functional thing."

The good news is that you don't have to lift super heavy weight to see positive results.

"With weight, it can be heavy or light and you can still get a great workout depending on the number of reps you do, the speed you do them and how you transition to other exercises," Holland said.

The biceps curl has many variations — and any particular one can be adjusted by changing the weight, the number of reps or the speed at which you do them. Doing the exercise slowly works the muscles more because they're under constant tension, Holland added. Try a "power up" by lifting quickly and then lowering the weight slowly. Then try the opposite.

"You modify so much because weight training is boring," Holland said, laughing.

Start position

If you're just starting out, experiment to find a weight that allows you to do 12-15 repetitions before your biceps are fatigued.

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, stomach and glute muscles tight.

If you're using heavy weights or need a little more stability, stagger your footing front and back to increase balance and further engage your core.

Hold a dumbbell in each hand, with your elbows tucked loosely at your sides.

Execution

With your palms facing up and your elbows at your sides, lift the weight with a slow and concentrated movement. Bring the weights as close as you can to your shoulders.

Reverse the direction and return the weights back down to your sides.

Don't swing the weight up or arch your back at the top of the biceps curl. If you find yourself doing this, you should consider a lower weight.

Modifications

Hammer curl

Begin with the standard starting position, but rather than hold the weights palm up, face your palms inward.

Lift and lower the weights with your palms facing inward, the way they would be if you were to pound a hammer.

Hammer curls put a little more emphasis on forearm muscles.

Overhand curl

Begin with the standard starting position, but hold the weights palm down as you lift and lower them. Keep your wrists firm through the motion.

Overhand curls put a little more emphasis on forearm muscles. To push them even more, at the bottom of the motion when your hands are at your sides, curl your wrists forward toward your palms.

Barbell curl

Begin with the standard starting position, but rather than hold dumbbells, use a barbell.

Grip the bar with your hands shoulder-width apart and lift with the standard curl movement. Pay attention to your hand placement, because if your wrists are too far apart it can strain your wrists.