The Real Spartan Workout

TO PREPARE FOR THEIR ROLES AS SPARTAN WARRIORS in ancient Greece, actors in the movie 300 went through vigorous physical and mental training at the famed Gym Jones facility in Salt Lake City, Utah. They were pushed to their limits — by Gym Jones trainers as well as fellow cast members — and the results were apparent onscreen in the form of sinewy physiques that none of the actors had ever before seen in the mirror. Sure, there was some makeup applied to the midsections for filming to give the appearance of perfectly carved-out six-packs (“painted-on abs,” they’ve been called), but, nevertheless, these Hollywood Spartans were in damn good shape.

But there was one man not in the 300 cast who perhaps should have been. He’s of Greek descent (born on the Greek island of Kos), is nicknamed The Spartan and has no need for body paint — his muscles are plenty shredded on their own. The man? Mike Kefalianos, IFBB pro and arguably the best bodybuilder to ever come out of Greece. He has better abs than Gerard Butler, the star of the movie, not to mention biceps peaks that are on a whole other level. So leave the Gym Jones workouts and painted-on abs for Hollywood. Kefalianos shows you how to build arms more reminiscent of Conan than King Leonidas.

E-Z Bar Curl

How-to:

Stand holding an EZ-bar in front of your thighs with your arms extended and your knees slightly bent. Moving only at the elbow joints—don’t lean back to help the weight up—curl the bar up until your forearms are just about perpendicular to the floor, then slowly lower the bar back down.

Mike’s Mantra:

“Make sure you choose an EZ-bar that will feel comfortable on your wrists. There is no point in using a bar just for the sake of it while your wrists and forearms feel uncomfortable. Choosing the right bar allows for mass gains, because you can use the most weight.”

Hammer Curl

How-to:

Stand holding a pair of dumbbells at your sides, arms extended, with your palms facing each other (neutral grip). From there, contract your biceps to curl the dumbbells straight up, keeping your palms facing each other instead of turning them up (which defines the hammer curls). At the top of the rep, the dumbbells should be right in front of your shoulders. Hammer curls can also be performed one arm at a time in alternating fashion.

Mike’s Mantra:

“For complete arm development, this is a great exercise for hitting the brachialis muscle and giving your arm a fuller look. I really squeeze at the top of every rep.”

Seated Dumbell Curls

How-to:

Sit on the edge of a flat bench or on a low-back seat holding a pair of dumbbells. Begin with your torso perpendicular to the floor and your arms hanging straight down, fully extended, palms facing each other. Curl one dumbbell up, turning your palm toward the ceiling as you do so. At the top of the rep, squeeze your biceps hard for a count or two, then slowly lower to the start position and repeat with the opposite arm. This exercise can also be performed both arms at a time.

Mikes Mantra:

“I like to get a nice stretch at the bottom and supinate at the top. This is another great mass builder.

And don't forget that after an intense workout, supplement properly to recover and grow.

**For a great way to boost muscle recovery, check out Growth Factor-9.