Arnold Schwarzenegger‘s dedication to weightlifting and fitness shines through his iconic physique, which includes his sculpted biceps. In a recent Arnold’s Pump Club newsletter, Arnold Schwarzenegger shares why preacher curls are better than incline dumbbell curls for bicep development.
When it comes to pumping iron, Arnold Schwarzenegger is the champ of all champs. As a seven-time Mr. Olympia winner, Schwarzenegger eats, sleeps, and breathes the gym. That fact hasn’t changed even in retirement, considering Schwarzenegger has admitted to still being addicted to working out.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Discusses How to Build Biceps With Preacher Curls, ‘Not All Movements Are Created Equal’
Despite being well-versed in weightlifting, Schwarzenegger is still open to learning the mechanics behind diet and exercise. In his quest for knowledge, Schwarzenegger developed his newsletter, Arnold’s Pump Club. Through his newsletter, he has compiled his personal experience and combined it with scientific research to provide his fans with only the facts to further them on their fitness journeys.
In a recent Arnold’s Pump Club newsletter, Schwarzenegger revealed a study that suggests preacher curls are most effective for building bigger and better biceps.
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“How To Build Better Biceps”
“There are endless exercises to help you build bigger arms, but a new study suggests not all movements are created equal.”
“Recent research suggests that preacher curls are more effective at building bigger biceps than incline dumbbell curls.”
Schwarzenegger explains the mechanics behind how muscle is developed revealing that it is through progressive overload, range of motion, a complete stretch and flex, as well as challenging the muscle. He goes on to explain how the traditional incline curl doesn’t provide enough tension. However, the preacher curl keeps the muscle stretched more effectively.
“Increasing the size of your muscles is a matter of progressive overload, training through a full range of motion — a complete stretch and a flex — and loading the muscle where it is most challenged and has leverage. It’s the last one that most people often overlook when selecting exercises.”
“At the bottom of the incline curl, even though your muscle is stretched, the muscle is not under as much tension. On the other hand, with preacher curls, your bicep is completely loaded in the stretched position, which is why the preacher curl led to more growth.”
Schwarzenegger emphasizes that the stretch is most important for muscle growth and without it, you limit the amount it can grow.
“If you want to grow your biceps — or any muscle — you need to figure out where your muscles achieve peak force and how to maximize leverage.”
“It’s a reminder that while longer lengths — a stretch — are important for growth, if you don’t have enough tension when the muscle is stretched, you’re limiting how much it can grow.”
He reminds his followers that both exercises are still great for the bicep but when it comes to maximizing growth nothing trumps the preacher curl, which is also one of Schwarzenegger’s favorite bicep exercises.
“Both exercises are still great and can be incorporated into your workouts. But the preacher curl will be hard to top if you’re limiting your exercises and focusing on the biggest bang for your buck. And it just happens to be one of Arnold’s favorite biceps exercises.”
‘The Austrian Oak’ isn’t the only bodybuilding legend to discuss how to build better biceps. Jay Cutler recently revealed his top three dumbbell exercises for bigger biceps. These included seated alternate dumbbell curls, concentration curls, and of course, preacher curls. He recommends doing 12 repetitions for each arm.
In addition to building better biceps, Schwarzenegger previously shared a leg extension tip that helps with quad growth by 170%.
“If you want to build more muscle in your quads, new research suggests changing the angle to your torso and leaning back when doing leg extensions can help your legs grow like never before” Schwarzenegger explained.
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Regardless of whether you are interested in losing weight, eating healthier, or gaining more muscle, Arnold Schwarzenegger has a wealth of knowledge to provide you with the best strategies to achieve your fitness goals.
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