Are you looking to build massive biceps that will have people asking you what your secret is? Well, you're in luck because I've got the scoop on the top bicep exercises that will help you do just that. In this blog, we'll dive into the details of five of the most effective bicep exercises for building muscle: reverse barbell curls, incline hammer curls, supinated barbell curls, wide grip EZ bar curls, and preacher curls.
Before we jump into the exercises themselves, it's important to understand the anatomy of the biceps. The biceps are made up of two heads, the long head and the short head. The long head makes up the bulk of the bicep and is responsible for the "peak" of the muscle, while the short head is located on the inner part of the arm and contributes to the overall size and thickness of the biceps. Now, let's get into the exercises!
Reverse Barbell Curls
The reverse barbell curl is a great exercise for targeting the brachialis muscle, which sits underneath the biceps and helps to push them up and out. This exercise is in my bulking workout plan, which puts an emphasis on gaining muscle mass. To perform this exercise, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell with an overhand grip (palms facing down). Keeping your elbows close to your body, curl the barbell up towards your shoulders, then lower it back down slowly.
Incline Hammer Curls
Incline hammer curls are a variation of the traditional hammer curl that targets the long head of the biceps. This is one of my favorite exercises, and a staple in my 5-day workout routine. To perform this exercise, sit on an incline bench with your feet flat on the ground and a dumbbell in each hand. With your palms facing each other, curl the dumbbells up towards your shoulders, then lower them back down slowly.
Supinated Barbell Curls
Supinated barbell curls, also known as regular barbell curls, are a classic bicep exercise that targets both the long and short heads of the muscle. To perform this exercise, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell with an underhand grip (palms facing up). Keeping your elbows close to your body, curl the barbell up towards your shoulders, then lower it back down slowly.
Wide Grip EZ Bar Curls
The wide grip EZ bar curl is a variation of the traditional EZ bar curl that places more emphasis on the outer head of the biceps. To perform this exercise, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold an EZ bar with a wide grip. If there aren’t any EZ bars accessible you perform this exercise with a T bar attached to a cable. Keeping your elbows close to your body, curl the bar up towards your shoulders, then lower it back down slowly.
Preacher Curls
Preacher curls are a great exercise for isolating the biceps and building overall size and thickness in the muscle. To perform this exercise, sit on a preacher bench with your armpits resting on the pad and a dumbbell in each hand. With your palms facing up, curl the dumbbells up towards your shoulders, then lower them back down slowly. Another variation, if there’s no preacher bench, is to stand behind an incline bench and perform isolated dumbbell curls with your arm pressed against the bench to replicate the isolation of the bicep.
In conclusion, incorporating these five bicep exercises into your workout routine will help you build strong, defined biceps that will turn heads. Remember to use proper form and gradually increase the weight as you progress to ensure maximum results. Happy lifting!
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