If you want strong, sculpted arms like Angela Bassett's, you need to get back to biceps. Many women believe they only need to zero in on their triceps, thinking that they're the answer to beautiful arms, says Michelle Nevidomsky-Dozois, co-owner of Breakthru Personal Fitness Studio in Pasadena, Calif. But your biceps need equal attention. "Balancing the opposing muscles is important for preventing injury and improving the look of your whole arm," she explains.

Like any muscle, the biceps will respond best if they are worked at a variety of angles using different exercises and equipment. Nevidomsky-Dozois' trio of biceps builders begins with a barbell curl ("a nice, basic exercise to warm up with," adds). Next up: a single-arm biceps curl using both a dumb and a resistance tube to create extra tension on your muscle the top of the movement. Last but not least is the prone dur bell curl, which positions your body on an incline bench so can hit your biceps from yet another body position.

Some women are afraid of working their upper arms because they want to look soft and feminine, not big and bulky. But strong biceps aren't just for the boys, says Michelle Nevidomsky-Dozois. "Most women don't have the genetic makeup needed to develop large muscles," she says. Instead, working your biceps will help make your arms lean and defined. "Strong, toned arms say, 'I'm in great shape,'" adds Nevidomsky-Dozois. "They make you feel confident and powerful. And they're sexy."

All three moves target the two main muscles of your up arm - the biceps brachii and the brachialis. Do them two three times per week, and you should notice improvement almost immediately. "Most women don't carry as much fat the front of their arms as they do on the back, so you can see results quickly," says Nevidomskt-Dozois. If you've already been doing biceps curls with little success, check your form. Nevidomsky-Dozois says, "You could be making a common mistake like curling your wrists or moving your elbows."

1 [BARBELL CURL] strengthens biceps brachii and brachialis. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and slightly staggered. Contract abdominals so pelvis is in a neutral position, tailbone pointing down to the floor. Hold an E-Z curl bar in front of you with an underhand grip at a natural carrying angle, elbows lined up under your shoulders, wrists straight. Keeping your wrists straight and without moving your elbows, squeeze shoulder blades together and down as you bend your elbows to bring the bar up and in toward your chest. Lower slowly and repeat.

Lift equally with both arms so the bar remains parallel to the floor

Make sure there's tension on the tube before you start the curl.

2 [SINGLE-ARM BICEPS CURL] strengthens biceps brachii and brachialis. Stand with your feet in a staggered stance, left foot in front of your right. Grasp both a dumbbell and the handle of a resistance tube in your right hand; place the tubing beneath your right foot so there is tension on it when your right arm is hanging by your side, palm facing forward. Line your elbow up under your shoulder. Squeeze shoulder blades together as you bend your right elbow to bring dumbbell up and in toward your right shoulder, keeping elbow at side and wrist straight. Lower and repeat for all reps, then switch sides and repeat.

Muscle Mechanics The biceps brachii and brachialis are the primary muscles on the front of your upper arms; they flex your elbows and rotate your forearms (so your palms face upward or downward). The biceps is the more visible muscle that gives your arm its shape. It has two heads - one long (1) and one short (2). - that cross the shoulder joint at different places and attach on the shoulder blade, then insert together on your forearm, just below your elbow joint. The brachialis (3), the larger of the two groups, lies deep under your biceps and is your strongest elbow flexor.

Trainer's Tips Stand tall with your abs pulled in tight before you start each exercise. Use your natural carrying angle without resting your elbows on your hips. (See Barbell Curl) Don't curt your wrists as you lift the weight toward you, or move your elbows when you raise the weights. Keep your elbows and shoulders stable during each movement. Move your target muscles through a full range of motion. Be sure not to swing the weight. Choose a weight that will feel very challenging by the final repetition. If your posture or form gets sloppy, switch to a lighter weight.

Don't let your elbow shift back behind your shoulder as you lift and lower the weight.

3 [PRONE DUMBBELL CURL] Strengthens biceps brachii and brachialis. Adjust an incline bench to a 45-degree angle, then lie face-down on the bench, so your chin is above the top edge of the bench and your toes touch the floor, one leg on each side of the bench. Contract your abs so the front of your body is flat against the bench and your spine, head and neck are in a neutral position. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward and arms hanging vertically and in line with your shoulders. Squeeze shoulder blades together, then bend your elbows to curl dumbbells up and in toward your shoulders, keeping elbows in place and wrists straight. Slowly straighten arms without moving your elbows and repeat.

Stacy Whitman is a free-lance health and fitness writer in San Francisco.