Your Guide to the Best Bicep Workouts

Whether you are aiming to be a pro bodybuilder, or simply working hard to achieve a muscular and healthy body, bicep workouts will be a crucial stepping stone towards success. Well-defined arms are key for creating a proportional physique. And besides, they look fantastic in a fitted shirt!

Over the years, bicep workouts received a lot of deserved attention. The leading musclemen worked hard to implement new and effective exercises for creating mass and definition.

If you too are dreaming of having the iconic “mountain peaks” of seven-time Mr. Olympia, Arnold Schwarzenegger, try implementing some of these classic exercises into your gym routine. With plenty of hard work and dedication, great results are bound to follow!

Best Bicep Exercises

Hammer Curls

One popular misconception tells us that bicep workouts all require one simple motion – swinging weights up and down. But the truth is quite the opposite: success lies in the little details. The way you hold the weights, the position of your body and arms, and the strain you put on your muscles – are all key for building bigger biceps.

Hammer curls are a great example of this. This is a great exercise if you want to mix things up.

The starting position is the same as with standing dumbbell curls. So, stand upright, legs shoulder-width apart, and grasp two dumbbells, holding them at your sides. But instead of raising the dumbbells up frontally, you keep your arms sideways. This way, you place more emphasis on the brachialis muscle.

You’ll quickly notice that hammer curls require a lot more effort, and are a quick way towards thick and large biceps.

Barbell Curls

The contested king of all bicep workouts, barbell curls are a true heavy-duty exercise. Perfect for straining that muscle and pushing yourself to the limit, this simple movement is bound to create that sought-after bicep peak.

As a result, the barbell curl is bound to test your strength. So, you’ll have to work slowly, increasing weight over time. The positioning is similar to the classic dumbbell curl stance, but instead of individual dumbbells, you’ll be working with a barbell.

This exercise allows you to experiment with different placement of hands, which in turn hits different parts of your bicep.

One of the most important things to remember here is to always squeeze at the top. Push yourself to the limit and always try to go for maximum repetitions. But that hardest part at the end is the part that counts!

Concentration Curl

Most bicep workouts require a standing position. This makes them somewhat easier to perform, thanks to the activation of your core muscles that rush to help and keep your body rigid and strong. So, in order to get the maximum out of your bicep and to really push that muscle to the limit, you need to try a seated exercise.

The iconic concentration curl is a great example. It is perfect for isolating those arm flexors and placing all the emphasis on the bicep.

To do this you need to sit on the edge of a bench, rest your elbow on your leg and let the dumbbell hang down. Slow curls with squeezes at the top will quickly have that bicep burning up! One great aspect of this exercise is that it allows you to curl heavier dumbbells and really focus on performing the movement properly.

EZ Bar Curl

The EZ bar is a perfect mid-way solution that bridges the gap between barbell and dumbbell curls. It allows you to lift heavier weights more efficiently, but without placing too much strain on your elbows and forearms as a barbell does. Thanks to its unique “zig-zag” shape, the EZ bar offers several gripping angles and can really enhance your standard bicep workouts.

EZ bar curls allow you to experiment with different standing positions. So, you can try standing with closed feet or shoulder-width apart, and you can even put one foot forward. These positions can increase or decrease the intensity of the workout and place more or less emphasis on the bicep. Either way, you will notice that this bar helps you work with increased weight, which in turn guarantees the growth of the bicep and more mass.

Chin-Ups

Believe it or not, bicep workouts are not all about dumbbells and curls! Did you know that pulling exercises such as barbell rows, pull-ups, and chin-ups will also work your biceps?

As a result, chin-ups are the go-to exercise when you want a big, wide back. But that’s not the only muscle being worked. When you pull yourself up and squeeze at the top, your biceps will give you that extra push and get you there.

One great thing about chin-ups is the fact that you can do them wherever. All you need is a bar!

Most gyms have regular or assisted pull-up equipment, which helps you experiment and find the right exercise for you. And if you are dedicated to building that ultimate lat spread, don’t worry – you will quickly notice a change in your biceps as well!

How to Get the Most out of Your Bicep Workouts?

Weightlifting is so much more than what its name implies. There are tons of details you can incorporate into your exercises that make them more effective and enhance muscle growth. But when it comes to the biceps, there are several steps that you wouldn’t want to miss when working out.

Focus on the Warm Up

Warm-ups are super important in bicep workouts. Even if you don’t usually warm up, on arm day it’s almost a must. Getting the blood flowing makes the muscle more pliant and efficient and minimizes the risk of injury.

Jumping straight into the heavyweights without warming up is a sure way to tear your bicep. And that’s never a good thing.

One great way to get ready is simply curling with a set of lightweight dumbbells. One quick set will wake up the bicep and prepare it for the serious weights that follow.

Use a Bicep Isolator

A bicep isolator is a nifty gym accessory that can really ensure that you get the maximum out of your biceps. Strapped around your shoulders, this tool keeps your arms locked at your sides and isolates the bicep muscle in any standing curl exercise.

It was popularized in the Golden Era of bodybuilding by the world’s leading musclemen and for a reason. Thanks to the isolation of the muscle and the precise, effective movements, a bicep isolator is a sure stepping-stone towards huge and muscular arms.

Squeeze the Muscle in all Bicep Workouts!

The so-called “squeeze” is another invaluable trick of the trade that every bodybuilder will recommend.

When performing your bicep exercises, it is important to always aim for the squeeze at the end. This ensures that the movement is done in its full range of motion and that you place the muscle under strain. But most importantly, it ensures that you really give it your all when lifting the weights, taking every last ounce of strength out of your bicep.

Aiming for big and defined arms is a popular goal for many fitness enthusiasts. Without great arms and big biceps, you really can’t complete that ideal and proportioned look you desire.

The importance of working your arms cannot be overlooked – it is crucial that you include challenging bicep workouts into your weekly gym routine!