TRAINING
Building Biceps | The Best Exercises for Bigger Biceps


Which exercise types are best for building biceps?

Bicep-Building Exercises
1. Bicep Curl
- Start standing with a dumbbell in each hand. Your elbows should rest at your sides and your forearms should extend out in front of your body.
- Bring the dumbbells all the way up to your shoulders by bending your elbows.
- Reverse the curl slowly and repeat.
2. Concentration Curl
- Start by sitting on the edge of the bench, holding the dumbbell in your right hand.
- Let the right arm hang straight down with the elbow resting on the inside of the knee.
- Lean forward so your torso is over your legs, and place the left hand on the left knee.
- Bending at the elbow, curl the dumbbell up to shoulder level and pause momentarily before slowly lowering the weight to the starting position.
- Repeat until your set is finished, then switch sides and complete with the left arm.
3. Bentover Row
- Hold a barbell with a pronated grip (palms facing down). Your feet should be shoulder-width apart.
- Bend your knees and bring your torso forward slightly. Your back should be straight and almost parallel to the floor. This is your starting position.
- Lift the barbell up towards your sternum, keeping your elbows tucked in and close to the body.
- Pause and hold at the top of the movement, squeezing your back muscles.
- Slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired amount of reps.
4. Zottman Curl
- Hold a pair of dumbbells by your sides with your palms facing.
- Curl the weights up to your shoulders
- Keep your upper arms still and turn your hands so your palms face up as you lift.
- Pause at the top of the movement and slowly rotate your grip so your palms are facing downwards.
- Lower the weights back to the start position and rotate the hands to repeat.
5. Chin Up
- Leap up and grip the bar with your hands shoulder width apart and your palms facing away from you.
- Hang with your arms fully extended, you can bend your legs at the knee if they’re dragging on the ground.
- Keep your shoulders back and your core engaged throughout.
- Then pull up. Focus on enlisting every upper body muscle.
- Move slowly upward until your chin is above the bar
- Slowly downward until your arms are extended again.
6. Hammer Curl
- Stand up straight with a dumbbell in each hand, holding them alongside you. Your palms should face your body.
- Keep your biceps stationary and start bending at your elbows, lifting both dumbbells.
- Lift until the dumbbells reach shoulder-level, but don't touch your shoulders.
- Lower slowly and repeat.
7. Decline Dumbbell Hammer Curl
- Hang both your arms down holding the dumbbells with your palms facing out.
- Bend the elbows and without moving them, lifting your arms up to reach your chest.
- Curl your wrists as much as you can to put tension on both the biceps.
- Bring it down in the same motion, but slowly.
8. Crossbody Curl
- Keep your palms turned to face your body when at your sides.
- Work with one arm at a time.
- Curl your arm slowly as you would with any other form of a standard bicep curl, bringing it up and across your body to the opposite shoulder.
- A good tip is to not lock your legs in a straight position.
9. Dumbbell Row
- Bring the dumbbell up to your chest, concentrating on lifting it with your back and shoulder muscles rather than your arms.
- Keep your chest still as you lift.
- At the top of the movement, squeeze your shoulder and back muscles.
- Lower the dumbbell slowly until your arm is fully extended again.
10. Incline Bicep Curl
- Sit down against the workout bench, keeping your back straight and your abdominal muscles tight.
- Your weights should be at your sides to start, one in each hand.
- When you’ve gotten the starting position down, lift each dumbbell, palms up, toward your shoulders.
- It’s important to keep your upper arms tight so that you can isolate the biceps brachii muscle as you move your lower arms only.
- Slowly lower the dumbbells back down to your starting position.
- Don’t release the weights too fast or you could strain your muscles. This should be a controlled and slow movement.
Take Home Message
READ MORE HERE

14 Chest Exercises For Your Home Workout
If you thought you needed the gym to pump up your pecs, think again.
04/05/2020 By Chris Appleton

Bored Of Pull Ups? Pull Up Alternatives
Struggling to do a pull-up? Try these alternatives instead.
08/14/2020 By Isaac Syred

4 Barbell Deadlift Variations
04/25/2017 By Kevin Warren

Chris Appleton Author & Editor