Top Ten Best Exercises for Your Biceps
Got your tickets to the Gun Show? Every man seems to want bigger arms and half of the equation is the bicep. Most gym goers are familiar with the "curls for the girls" mentality of working the arms but there are quite a few different exercises you can do to target different aspects of the biceps.You can choose between bodyweight exercises or lifting weights (dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, etc. ) and get great results. The major factor is determined by your goals. If you want to add size and muscle mass, you'll need to do a different set of exercises than if you are trying to add power or strength. Larger muscles don't always equate to stronger muscles.
Below are some of the best exercises for your biceps. I encourage you to mix and match these into your workout to get the best possible gains from your efforts.
Coined by Jeff Cavaliere from Athlean-X, these are dumbbell curls where you start in a regular hammer curl stance (palms in, little fingers the most behind you) but then curl the dumbbells up and away from you (your little fingers will end up closest to your face with your palms facing backward), preferably outside your shoulders. Lower in reverse and repeat.
For these, you hold the dumbbells with your palms facing in, then raise each arm leaving your palms facing the same direction. This works the outside of your arms for a fuller look.
Instead of leaning back on your bench and possibly overstretching your shoulders, try standing and leaning forward at a 30-degree angle or so. First raise the barbell along your thighs until you get to your waist (your elbows will be slightly behind your back). Then finish the curl by bringing the barbell to your chest/chin. Lower in reverse.
Hold the barbell with straight arms touching your thighs. Bend your arms slowly and drag the bar up your body to your chest without ever letting it lose contact with your torso.
Sit on a bench or chair with your knees apart. Grab a dumbbell with one arm and rest your elbow on the inside of your knee (right arm curl = right elbow on inside of right knee). Slowly curl the weight up, then release. Try to keep your upper arm stationary.
Sit backward on an incline bench so your chest is on the bench and you are leaning slightly forward with your arms hanging straight down at your sides. Grab your bar or dumbbells and curl up to your chest (the bottom of the bench).
Grab a bar with your palms facing backward/down and bend at the elbow to curl the bar up. Your palms should be facing the floor for the majority of the curl.
The standard bodyweight exercise. Grab a bar with your palms facing your face and curl your chin up and over the bar. Don't cheat by only lowering partway down. Lower to a completely straight arm without releasing tension from the muscle.
Hang with a straight body from a bar suspended about waist height. Keep just your heels on the floor and your arms straight. Then curl your body toward the bar until you touch your forehead to the bar. Lower to a straight arm and repeat.
The classic and best biceps exercise for mass.
Stand with your palms facing forward with a dumbbell in each hand. Curl the weight up until it's at shoulder height. Rotate your forearms so your palms are now facing forward and slowly lower. This is essentially a bicep curl up and a reverse curl down.