The 35 Best Biceps & Biceps Exercises In History

Today we welcome you to the gun show! If you want to put on a great ‘Gun Show’ for your gym bros and loved ones, you need great biceps! Biceps, one of the most popular muscle groups to get selected as a focus of your workout. Everyone wants a bicep workout that’s going to give them a nice peak, a full look to their arms, and something that will help build strength and power so they can show off at the gym lifting heavier dumbbells than the person next to them.

Want to know how the best biceps in the history of lifting were developed? Look no further! This feature contains 35 amazing biceps along with workouts.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

“When I was 15-years-old, I took off my clothes and looked in the mirror. When I stared at myself naked, I realized that to be perfectly proportioned I would need twenty-inch arms to match the rest of me.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger Bicep Workout
Exercise	Sets	Reps
Barbell Curls	6	6-10
Seated Dumbbell Curls	6	6-10
Concentration Curls	6	6-10

Joel Stubbs

“If you wanted to pick one biceps exercise no bodybuilder can do without, I’d say it’s the standing barbell curl. It’s all about increasing weight with proper form and technique and the barbell curl is the best way to do that. It allows you to move more weight, so do your best to master this move with strict form. Of course, if you have wrist issues, the EZ-bar curl is a perfectly acceptable substitute.” – Joel Stubbs

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Joel Stubbs Workout
Exercise	Sets	Reps
Barbell Curls	8	12
Dumbbell Curls	4	12
Machine Preacher Curl	5	12
Concentration Curl	3	12

Albert Beckles

“I like to place special emphasis on the peak contraction of curls. I often resist supinating until I get very close to contraction. Then I twist my wrists outward as far as they can go just as I reach the top of the curl. This creates a tremendous contraction and I hold it for a second or two.” – Albert Beckles

Albert Beckles Bicep Workout
Exercise	Sets	Reps
Seated Dumbbell Curls	4	8-10
Cable Curls	4	8-10
Concentration Curls	3	8-12
Single Arm Cable Curls	3	8-12

Robbie Robinson

“To up the intensity, I’ll do my concentration curls with a barbell, taking a close grip and leaning over so my torso is parallel to the floor. I will slowly curl the barbell upward, feeling resistance along each millimeter of the range of motion. At the top of the movement, I’ll hold the weight for several seconds, flexing and cramping my biceps. It’s hard and painful work, but it builds density.” – Robby Robinson

Robbie Robinson Bicep Workout
Exercise	Sets	Reps
Barbell Curls	4	6-10
Barbell Preacher Curls	4	8-10
Concentration Curls	4	8-10

Larry Scott

“I would probably use about 4 different exercises for the biceps and 5 to 6 sets for each exercise of 8 to 10 repetitions. This would make a total of 24 sets for the biceps. If I were working the Biceps, Triceps, and Deltoids today. I would have 4 exercises for each and say 5 sets of each exercise or a total of 60 sets for my workout today. This type of workout takes me about 2 hours. I do not rest too much between exercises or between sets but try to keep moving along pretty well.” – Larry Scott

Larry Scott Bicep Workout
Exercise	Sets	Reps
Two Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curl	3	6-10
EZ Bar Preacher Curl	3	6-10
Reverse Grip EZ Bar Curl	3	6-10
Spider Curl	3	6-10

Mike Matarazzo

“I idolized all of the bodybuilders who came from that old-school hardcore era. Those guys didn’t need any fancy equipment; they trained with intensity and focus, regardless of the gym or other limitations. These guys could do presses with pails full of cement and still get a great workout.” – Mike Matarazzo

Mike Matarazzo Bicep Workout
Exercise	Sets	Reps
EZ Bar Preacher Curl	4	10-12
Seated Alternating Dumbbell Curls	4	10-12
Concentration Curls	4	10-12
Sideways One Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curls	4	10-12
Reverse Grip EZ Bar Preacher Curls	4	10-12

Phil Heath

“Personally, I like one hand preacher curls with dumbbells. You don’t have to do 100-pound dumbbells to get a burn. Heck I can do 35- 45 dumbbells and get something out of it. It’s also great for guys that travel. It’s the one piece of equipment that most hotels always have.” – Phil Heath

Phil Heath Bicep Workout
Exercise	Sets	Reps
Barbell or Dumbbell Curls	4	10
Preacher Curls	4	10
Incline Curls	4	10
Hammer Curls	4	10

Freddy Ortiz

“I don’t count the repetitions. I just keep going until the body part gets tired.” – Freddy Ortiz

Freddy Ortiz Bicep Workout
Exercise	Sets	Reps
Barbell Curls	5	10
Seated Alternating Dumbbell Curls	5	10
Close Grip Barbell Curls	4	8
Pulley Concentration Curls	5	10

Lee Priest

“I had a guy come up to me once in the gym when I’m training arms and tell me that I should do curls this way. I looked at his arms and they were about fifteen inches. That would be like me walking up to Tom Platz and telling him how to squat!” – Lee Priest

Lee Priest Bicep Workout
Exercise	Sets	Reps
Barbell Curls	5	6-8
Dumbbell Curls	5	6-8
Preacher Curls	5	6-8
Cable Curls	5	6-8

Paul Demayo

Paul Demayo Bicep Workout
Exercise	Sets/Reps
Barbell Curls	Unknown
Seated Alternating Dumbbell Curls	Unknown
Machine Preacher Curls	Unknown

Leroy Colbert

“I Leroy Colbert was the first man to build 21 inch muscular arms, drug-free and I am proud of it.”- Leroy Colbert

Leroy Colbert Bicep Workout
Exercise	Sets	Reps
Leroy would perform 2 exercises from a pool
Alternating Dumbbell Curls	4-5	6-10
Concentration Curls	4-5	6-10
Seated Barbell Curls	4-5	6-10
Reverse Barbell Curls	4-5	6-10
21s	4-5	6-10

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This article is written by a member of the Fitness Volt Editorial Staff. If you have any questions or require further clarification about this article, please leave a comment below. The Fitness Volt team will get back to you as soon as possible.