Building big, round biceps is a goal for many gym-goers and bodybuilders. The biceps brachii, commonly known as the biceps, are a pair of muscles that flex the elbows. They play an important role in daily activities like carrying objects, lifting things overhead, and more. With regular bicep training, you can develop impressive peaks and give your arms a much more muscular and toned appearance. Here are the 9 best bicep exercises to help you pack on serious size and mass to these upper arm muscles.
The Barbell Curl
The barbell curl is one of the most classic and effective bicep builders. By using a barbell, you allow for heavier weight to be lifted compared to machines or other free weight options like dumbbells. Heavier weight forces the biceps to work harder and stimulates greater muscular hypertrophy over time. To do barbell curls, hold a barbell with an overhand, shoulder-width grip and keep your back straight against a bench or wall for support. Keeping your elbows tucked in close to your body, lift the weight up by contracting your biceps and fully curl the barbell towards your shoulders. Stick to a moderate weight that allows you to complete 3 sets of 8-12 reps while maintaining strict form.
The Dumbbell Curl
Another bicep staple is the dumbbell curl. Dumbbells allow you to work each arm individually for greater mind-muscle connection and development. It also helps protect the elbows compared to a barbell by allowing a wider range of motion. Stand with a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip and your arms down beside your hips. Lift one dumbbell towards your shoulder by contracting your bicep and fully curling it upwards. Slowly lower back down and repeat for the desired number of reps before switching arms. Keep your upper arm stationary against your torso for best bicep isolation. As with other exercises, 3 sets of 8-12 reps with a challenging but not fatiguing weight works well.
Adding Concentration and Preacher Curls to Target the Biceps
Adding concentration curls takes bicep training up a notch by placing mechanical advantage on the target muscle. To do these, sit on the edge of a bench holding a dumbbell in one hand with an underhand grip. Let your arm rest on the inside of your thigh for support and curling stability. Keeping your upper arm still, curl the weight upwards by contracting only your bicep. You’ll feel a much greater burn in the inner bicep head. Lower slowly back down and repeat for each set. Switch arms in between and really focus on squeezing your bicep at the top of each rep for maximum elongation of the muscle fibers. 3 sets of 12-15 reps per arm will effectively add mass to this region over time.
Preacher curls focus solely on isolation of your biceps without involving other muscles like the back. They force a slower tempo with a true full range of motion, both key aspects for muscle growth. Set up a preacher bench and take a seated position with your chest supported and upper arms resting on the angled pad in front of you. Your hands should be grasping dumbbells or an EZ-curl bar with an underhand, shoulder-width grip. From this stretched start position, slowly curl upwards by contracting only your biceps and squeeze at the peak. Lower with control back to the stretch. Preacher curls allow for heavier weight than other variations, so aim for 3 sets of 8-10 reps challenging your strength endurance.
Targeting Specific Bicep Heads and Adding Brachialis Work with Incline Curls and Hammer Curls
Incline Curls
Incline dumbbell curls target the peak or long head of the biceps more so than other movements. The incline angle of the bench places your upper arms at approximately a 45-degree angle to recruit the long head optimally. Lie back on an adjustable incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand and your arms extended down towards the floor. Keeping your upper arms stationary, curl the weights upwards towards your shoulders by contracting your biceps. Pause for a second at the top and squeeze tightly before slowly lowering. Incline curls add variety to your routine, so substitute them into your regular bicep training periodically.
Hammer Curl
The hammer curl targets the outer portion or brachialis muscle underneath the biceps giving your arms a wider look. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip where your palms face each other. Keeping your upper arms still, curl the weights upwards by bending at the elbows to bring your hands up towards your shoulders. Focus on squeezing the outer bicep area at the top. Lower with control back to the start. Maintain good form throughout by not using momentum or cheating the weight up. 3 sets of 12-15 reps performed regularly will produce results.
Incorporating Reverse Grip Curls and Single-Arm Cable Curls for Well-Rounded Bicep Development
Switching up your grips adds stimulation to different biceps heads. Reverse grip barbell curls target the long or inner bicep portion. Hold a straight barbell with an underhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart. Curl the barbell upwards towards your shoulders by contracting your biceps. Squeeze tightly at the top of the movement before lowering slowly. Go through 3 sets of 8-10 quality reps to feel the extra peak in this region over time. Concentrate on using only your biceps to lift the weight without momentum or swinging.
For a unique twist, try single-arm preacher cable curls. Attach a straight bar or D-handle to the low pulley cable station and take a seated position on an angled preacher bench. Support your upper arm on the pad and grip the handle with one hand, palm facing upwards. Keeping your upper arm still, curl the handle upwards by contracting just your bicep on that side. Focus on the stretch and squeeze at each end. Complete all reps for one arm then switch and finish the set. This challenges stabilizer muscles too for 3-D bicep development. Try 3 sets of 10-12 reps per arm.
Maximizing Bicep Growth Through Alternating Dumbbell Curls and a Progressive Training Approach
Lastly, alternating dumbbell curls combine multiple beneficial training principles for thick biceps. Stand holding a dumbbell in each hand with straight arms down by your sides. Curl one weight upwards with control as the other arm simultaneously lowers that dumbbell back down. Then switch to curl the other arm up while lowering the first one. Continue alternating in this pulsing fashion for 30-45 seconds per set. Perform 3 sets with lighter weight that allows for speedier reps and muscle failure. The constant tension and short rest periods effectively “shocks” muscle growth over time.
Following this bicep training blueprint provides all the angles to fully cover all heads of the biceps brachii muscle from different mechanical advantages. The key for maximal results is progressive overload by incrementally increasing weight or decreasing rest periods over a period of weeks and months. Be sure to give your biceps adequate rest between workouts so they can recover and grow. Don’t skimp on nutrition either – eating enough calories and grams of protein will supply the biological building blocks needed for new muscle tissue formation. Combining these fundamentals consistently will dramatically pack on size to your arms and give you impressive peaks to sculpt.
While the 9 key exercises outlined above should form the foundation of any effective bicep building program, there are some additional compounds that offer carryover growth as well. Chin-ups, pull-ups and seated cable rows work the biceps through a fuller range of motion than typical isolation exercises. This “functional” training method challenges your biceps in dynamic patterns more akin to real-world activities than strictly curl motions. Incorporating bodyweight or weighted chin/pull variations 2-3 times per week is a smart complement to your regular bicep focused sessions.
It’s also helpful to occasionally incorporate supersets, dropsets and intensity techniques into your bicep routine. For example, you could pair standing dumbbell curls with hammer curls with no rest in between, alternating back and forth for 2-3 rounds. The metabolic stress boosts fat loss and muscle “pump” to spike growth hormones. Or, on the last set of each workout, challenge yourself with a 15-20 rep dropset to complete muscular failure. Doing 8 reps of barbell curls, immediately dropping weight by 20% for 8 more reps, then dropping again for a final high rep set. Your biceps will scream in agony, but also shoot up in size much faster over the long haul.
Conclusion:
Lastly, don’t forget lower body and pressing work too for balanced development. Since your biceps act as secondary movers in many pressing and rowing patterns, heavy compounds like bench press, seated shoulder press and weighted dips continue working them indirectly. Overall strength underlies bigger arms as well. Squats, lunges and deadlifts build muscular and skeletal support for cross-functional adaptation. Your biceps will achieve their genetic limit faster with a total body approach rather than isolation mindset. Give both direct arm specialization and indirect training time under tension to maximize gains.
Sticking diligently to these arm sculpting strategies consistently over months and years is key to transforming your biceps into standout guns. Arms respond brilliantly to progressive overload when recovery is prioritized. With the 9 best exercises incorporated intelligently into your training, you’ll soon develop a biceps peak that turns heads. Don’t rush muscle maturity – respect the process, stay patient and let your bicep