The routine outlined here will help you get incredible shoulders and arms by giving those muscles first priority in your workout schedule. Instead of doing a standard split-training routine where you might work chest, shoulders and triceps on one day and back and biceps on another, you'll train your arms and shoulders exclusively in one workout session, ensuring that they get the attention they need and translating into better results.

"Shoulders and arms can end up taking a backseat to the larger muscles, especially when you train chest or back first in your workout," says IFBB pro fitness competitor Shannon Meteraud of Charleston, South Carolina. "By the time you get around to your arms, you often don't have as much energy, and that can affect the quality of your workout. When I want to prioritize my arms, I train them first, when my strength and energy levels are high."

Our program was designed to be performed circuit-style, moving from one exercise to the next without pausing, until you complete every exercise listed. The exercise order is set so that some muscles will be resting while others are active. Take a look at the chart below (The Sleek & Sleeveless Workout) indicating which muscles are working during each exercise, and you'll see that the routine is designed to allow some recovery within each circuit. You'll rest briefly after you complete the last exercise before beginning the circuit again. Generally, compound exercises (which involve more than one muscle group) will be performed near the beginning of each circuit. At this time, your muscles will have more fuel available for moving the relatively heavier resistances associated with these multijoint movements. One advantage to circuit training is that workouts go by quickly - you get a lot done in a short period. Be warned, however: It won't be easy.

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