Train your biceps with these 5 power exercises
- Reading time: 10 min.
When you start training, there are many muscles and muscle groups that are important. One of these key muscles is the biceps. You can train your biceps in many different ways. In this article, we will show you five different exercises that will help you train your biceps at a high level and in the right way! But first, we’ll clearly explain what the biceps are, so you’ll understand why certain exercises are beneficial for this muscle group. Next, we will discuss five exercises to train your biceps, followed by a few tips for optimal training.
What is the biceps?
Before revealing the top five exercises, let's dive deeper into the following question: What is the biceps? The biceps is an upper arm muscle, which in Latin is called musculus biceps brachii. This muscle is also known as the two-headed upper arm muscle or, more commonly, the “muscle ball.”
The muscle has two heads, hence the name "two-headed." The long head originates from the supraglenoid tubercle of the scapula. This attachment is located above the socket of the shoulder joint. The short head originates from the coracoid process, which is at the top of the same shoulder joint. At the lower end, the muscle is attached to the tuberosity of the radius.
The biceps is an agonist muscle. This means that the contraction of the muscle enables movement in the joints. In this case, the biceps allows the elbow to perform a bending motion. When you extend your elbow, the biceps is assisted by the triceps. The latter muscle is an antagonist muscle, meaning it is an extensor muscle that returns the arm to a stretched or so-called resting position.
More clearly explained, the cooperation between the biceps and the triceps works as follows: the biceps contracts, and at that moment, the triceps is relaxed, allowing it to stretch. When you want to extend your arm again, the triceps contracts, and the contracted biceps stretches out.
So, when you want to train your biceps, it is essential to focus on the bending properties of the muscle and do exercises that train the muscle through this movement.
Training Biceps with Dumbbells or a Barbell?
If your goal is to build big biceps, you naturally want to achieve this sooner rather than later. However, it's wise to take it slow in the beginning. It's important to ensure your biceps are strong enough before you start using heavy weights and more challenging exercises. Are you a beginner or don't have much experience with arm training yet? Then we recommend starting with biceps training using a barbell. Since you use both arms simultaneously with a barbell, you have more control over the exercise.
Have years of experience training your biceps? Then you can opt to switch the barbell for dumbbells. Training biceps with dumbbells is very effective because you can work one arm at a time. This allows you to perform more repetitions in a row and forces you to execute the exercise correctly. This is because training with dumbbells is generally less stable than biceps training with a barbell.
The 5 Best Bicep Exercises
Those impressive guns on your arms don’t just appear out of nowhere. Ugur Cevher, Dutch bodybuilding champion and XXL Nutrition athlete, shares his thoughts: "When I go to the gym to train my biceps, I always make sure to target all the muscles in the biceps. Preacher curls are fantastic for working the short head, and incline curls are my favorite when you want to focus on the long head." Curious to know which exercises these are? You'll find them below!
Training your biceps is done with the following 5 exercises:
Biceps exercise 1: Concentration curls
Research conducted by ACE in collaboration with institutions like the University of Wisconsin has shown that concentration curls are the best exercise for the biceps. This is mainly because you can minimize the involvement of other muscle groups during this exercise. As a result, you are truly targeting just your biceps, which is reflected in the results.
To keep other muscle groups, such as the shoulder, out of the movement as much as possible, it is best to perform this exercise seated. When sitting, spread your legs, lean forward, and place the elbow of the arm holding the dumbbell against the inside of your thigh (see photo). This position isolates the biceps. Then, fully extend your arm and bring it up towards the shoulder of the arm holding the dumbbell. Once the muscle is fully contracted, hold your hand still for a moment. Be sure to keep your wrist as straight as possible. Lower the dumbbell again until your arm is fully extended.
You can incorporate concentration curls towards the end of your workout. Due to the isolation of the muscle, this exercise is ideal for exhausting your biceps and giving them that final touch.
Biceps exercise 2: Standing cable curl
In this exercise, you primarily train your biceps, but your brachialis muscle also plays a more prominent role. This muscle is located beneath the biceps and shares the same function. You'll train the brachialis regardless, but it will be activated more intensely in some exercises than in others. During the standing cable curl, you'll engage more muscles than just the biceps. This is because you aren't completely stable during the exercise due to the weight hanging from the cable. As a result, you'll also engage stabilizing muscles around the biceps. Nevertheless, it's a great exercise for your biceps.
Different attachments can be connected to the cable. As seen in the photo, you can attach a bar, but you can also use separate handles.
For this explanation, we'll focus on using the bar. Use a short, straight bar and attach it to the machine's cable. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and maintain a slight bend in your knees. Engage your core muscles and keep them tight throughout the entire exercise. Grip the bar with an underhand grip, keeping your fingers and thumbs facing upward. Lower the bar towards your thighs and then bring it back up to chest height. You can repeat the exercise as many times as desired.
By bending your knees, you automatically engage your core muscles, which helps you stand more firmly. When you're standing firmly, you're less likely to use your back muscles to assist with the exercise, which you want to avoid as it takes the load off your biceps. Additionally, it's better to choose a lighter weight rather than one that's too heavy. If the exercise is slightly too difficult for you, you're more likely to recruit other muscles in addition to your biceps.
Biceps exercise 3: Incline dumbbell curl
During this exercise, it is not possible to use your back muscles when it gets heavy. You are isolating your biceps, so this muscle does all the work. Additionally, you don’t have to worry about accidentally cheating by engaging the muscles in your back.
For this exercise, you’ll need a fitness bench so your back can rest against the backrest. Set the bench at an angle of 30 degrees. Then, sit on the bench and grab one or two dumbbells (you can train one or both biceps at the same time) and use an underhand grip. Let your arms hang down and bend them slightly, creating tension in the biceps. During the exercise, make sure your elbows remain stable as you lift the dumbbell(s) as high as possible. Then lower the weights back down and repeat the exercise.
You don’t need to start with the heaviest weights for this exercise. The movement is larger than in other exercises, which makes it a challenging workout, even without heavy weights. It's better to be able to repeat the exercise more often for optimal results.
Biceps exercise 4: Barbell curl
Barbell curls primarily target your biceps, but your forearms are also involved. While it is indeed an isolation exercise, it’s not as isolating as a concentration curl. Additionally, there's a chance you may engage your back during the movement. By performing the exercise correctly, you can avoid this and keep isolating the right muscle group.
To begin, stand with your feet hip-width apart. Then, grip the barbell with an underhand grip at shoulder-width. Make sure your upper body is upright and your arms are fully extended downward. This is your starting position. Next, lift the barbell up to shoulder height, hold it briefly, and focus on your biceps. You should really feel them working. Finally, slowly lower the barbell back down and repeat the exercise as needed.
It’s important to keep your back out of the movement during the barbell curl. To achieve this, make sure not to use overly heavy weights. It’s better to perform the exercise correctly and focus on your biceps than to use your back to lift the barbell.
Biceps exercise 5: Preacher curl
During the preacher curl, the biceps are fully isolated from other muscle groups. This is in contrast to exercises like the barbell curl and the standing cable curl, where other muscles tend to get involved.
The word "preacher" means minister, and the name of the exercise comes from the posture of a preacher. For this exercise, you will need to use a so-called preacher curl bench.
To begin, sit on the preacher curl bench and hold a barbell at shoulder-width in your hands. Make sure that your palms are facing forward. Ensure that your arms are comfortably resting on the support. If your arms are positioned awkwardly or if the posture feels off, you risk forcing the movement and overloading your wrists. So, take your time to get into a proper position. Once you're set, bring the barbell toward you with an underhand grip. Make sure to let the biceps do the work. Keep the biceps under constant tension, even when lowering the barbell. Be careful not to hyperextend your arms.
Perform the exercise slowly and in a controlled manner. Make sure that you are only using the biceps and that they are doing their job properly. Look straight ahead and don’t forget your back—always keep it straight!