The 31 Best Biceps Exercises For Building Bigger and Stronger Guns (Workouts Included)

If you lift weights, it’s a safe bet that you have at least a passing interest in the size of your biceps. Go on, admit it; you even throw up the occasional biceps pose when you think no one is watching.

The biceps are arguably the most popular muscle in the human body. Ask even a child to show you a muscle, and they’ll probably raise their arms and start flexing like a bodybuilder.

In this article, we will reveal the 31 best biceps exercises. You may know some of them, but some of these exercises are unique. Use them to add some much-needed variety to your arm workouts. After all, studies tell us that exercise variety is every bit as important as sets, reps, and loads for building muscle and strength (1).

Basic Biceps Anatomy

While you don’t need a degree in anatomy to build bigger, stronger biceps, knowing a little more about this muscle will help explain why some exercises are better than others for sculpting impressive guns.

The biceps brachii consists of two muscles (2). The biceps have two origins, meaning they have two uppermost attachment sites. The short head originates on the scapula or shoulder blade, while the long head originates just above the shoulder joint. These two attachments merge to form a single muscle belly, which inserts onto the radius, which is the larger of your two forearm bones.

The biceps are a biarticular muscle which means it crosses two joints — the shoulder and the elbow. Because of this, it affects both of these joints, although its effect on the shoulder is relatively weak.

The biceps have three main functions:

• Elbow flexion: bending your arm
• Forearm supination: turning your palm upwards
• Shoulder flexion: raising your arm forward

The 31 Best Exercises For Your Biceps

Use 3-5 exercises from this exhaustive database to design your next upper arm workout. Switch up your workouts routinely to avoid a plateau and progressively overload your muscles.

1. Barbell Curl
2. Alternating Dumbbell Curl
3. Preacher Curl
4. Cable Curl
5. High Cable Curl
6. Concentration Curl
7. Crossbody Dumbbell Curl
8. Drag Curl
9. Spider Curl
10. Barbell Reverse Curl
11. Cheat Curl
12. Zottman Curl
13. Chin-up
14. Dumbbell Hammer Curl
15. Incline Curl
16. Lying Cable Curl
17. Arnold Curl
18. Facing Away Cable Curl
19. TRX Suspension Curl
20. Towel Biceps Curl
21. 21s
22. Strict Curl
23. Resistance Band Biceps Curl
24. Resistance Band Preacher Curl
25. Resistance Band Concentration Curl
26. Resistance Band Hammer Curl
27. Underhand Bent-Over Barbell Row
28. Underhand-Grip Inverted Row
29. Underhand-Grip Lat Pulldown
30. Waiter Curl
31. Biceps T Curl

1. Barbell Curl

Arguably the most popular biceps exercise around, use this move to build mass and strength in equal measure.

Steps:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent for balance.
2. Hold a barbell with an underhand, shoulder-width grip.
3. Pin your arms into your sides and do not let them move outward.
4. Bend your arms and curl the weight up to your shoulders.
5. Lower the weight and repeat.

Benefits of Barbell Curl:

1. One of the best biceps exercises to build muscle and strength.
2. Using an Olympic barbell for this exercise will help you build core stability and balance.

Barbell Curl Variations:

1. EZ Barbell Curl
2. Reverse Barbell Curl
3. Seated Barbell Curl

How To Program Barbell Curl in Your Workout

You should perform the barbell biceps curl at the beginning of your arm training routine. However, if you train your back and biceps on the same day, you should do it after you complete your back routine. Stick to 8-12 reps and 1-4 sets of this exercise. 

Check out our complete barbell curl guide here!

2. Alternating Dumbbell Curl

Using dumbbells means you can supinate or turn your forearms as you curl the weight. This involves the second function of the biceps and could help trigger greater muscle growth.

Steps:

1. Sit or stand with a dumbbell in each hand, arms by your sides. Your thumbs should point forwards.
2. Bend your elbows and curl the weights up to your shoulders. As your arms break 90 degrees, rotate your wrists, so your palms are facing the ceiling.
3. Lower the weights, unwinding your wrists as you do so.

Benefits of Alternating Dumbbell Curl:

1. Lifting one dumbbell at a time can help you fix muscle and strength imbalances.
2. The dumbbell curls are easier on your wrist and elbow joints than the barbell.
3. Rotating your pinky outward at the top helps focus on your biceps peak.

Alternating Dumbbell Curl Variations:

1. Dumbbell Hammer Curl
2. Dumbbell Reverse Curl
3. Dumbbell Incline Curl

How To Program Alternating Dumbbell Curl in Your Workout

Dumbbell curls are a staple in most biceps workouts. They are generally performed after the barbell curl; however, you can perform them at any point throughout your workout. Do 8-12 reps and 1-4 sets for optimizing hypertrophy. 

Check out our complete dumbbell curl guide here!

3. Preacher Curl

Also known as Scott curls and named after old-time bodybuilder Larry Scott, famed for his massive biceps, this exercise isolates your arms and eliminates the chances of cheating.

Steps:

1. Lean over and place the back of your upper arms against the sloping surface of the preacher bench. Extend your arms and grab the barbell.
2. Without lifting your upper arms off the bench, bend your elbows and curl the weight up until your forearms are vertical.
3. Lower the weight back down, stopping just short of full arm extension.

Benefits of Preacher Curl:

1. A must-have in your arm training arsenal if you want to build impressive biceps peaks.
2. Eliminates the use of momentum, helping you focus on your guns.
3. Helps establish a better mind-muscle connection by limiting the moving parts.

Preacher Curl Variations:

1. Cable Preacher Curl
2. Incline Bench Dumbbell Preacher Curl
3. Dumbbell Hammer Preacher Curl

How To Program Preacher Curl in Your Workout

 

Check out our complete preacher curl guide here!

4. Cable Curl

Cable curls are a great alternative to free weights. They tend to keep your biceps under tension throughout the range of motion. In contrast, free-weight biceps exercises have “dead spots’ where the tension on your muscles vanishes.

Steps:

1. Attach a straight or EZ bar to a low cable machine.
2. Grab the handle, stand up, and tuck your upper arms into your ribs. Bend your knees slightly for balance and stability.
3. Without leaning forward or back, bend your arms and curl the weight up to your shoulders.
4. Extend your arms and repeat.

Benefits of Cable Curl:

1. Cables exercises are incredibly effective for adding to supersets.
2. Helps keep constant tension on your pythons throughout the range of motion.
3. Cables lower the risk of injury while training.

Cable Curl Variations:

1. Cable Rope Hammer Curl
2. Cable Reverse Curl
3. EZ Bar Cable Curl

How To Program Cable Curl in Your Workout

You could do the cable curls at the beginning of a workout to pre-exhaust your biceps, in the middle, or at the end to burn out your target muscles. Use advanced training techniques like dropsets, supersets, and intraset stretching to make the most of this lift. 

Check out our complete cable curl guide here!

5. High Cable Curl

The cable crossover curl exercise mimics a double overhead biceps pose — just like a bodybuilder. Most cable crossover machines are in front of mirrors, so this exercise is an excellent way to check your biceps-building progress.

Steps:

1. Stand in the center of a cable crossover machine. Adjust the pulleys to the highest setting.
2. Reach out and up and grab the handles.
3. Bend your arms and curl your hands in toward your head.
4. Extend your arms and repeat.

Benefits of High Cable Curl:

1. A great exercise to master the front-double biceps pose.
2. Helps build the biceps peak.
3. Delivers a muscle-ripping pump.

High Cable Curl Variations:

1. Cable Curl
2. Lying Cable Curl
3. Machine Preacher Curl

How To Program High Cable Curl in Your Workout

The high cable curls (or overhead cable curls) are usually done at the end of a biceps training routine as a finisher. Perform 3-4 sets of this exercise to failure for optimal gains.

Check out our complete high cable curl guide here!

6. Concentration Curl

Very few exercises isolate your biceps as effectively as concentration curls. As the name implies, you can really focus on each biceps in this exercise. This can help strengthen your mind-muscle connection, which is crucial for building bigger muscles (3).

Steps:

1. Sit on an exercise bench with a dumbbell in one hand.
2. Lean forward and place your upper arm against the inside of your thigh. Let the weight hang down toward the floor.
3. Keeping your arm against your inner thigh, bend your elbow and curl the weight up to your shoulder.
4. Lower the arm and repeat.

Benefits of Concentration Curl:

1. The concentration curl removes the use of momentum, helping better isolate your biceps.
2. Puts you in a great spot to work through the biceps’ full range of motion.
3. Lower the risk of injury as you cannot go super heavy on this exercise.

Concentration Curl Variations:

1. Preacher Curl
2. Cable Curl
3. Overhead Cable Curl

How To Program Concentration Curl in Your Workout

Concentration curls are generally done toward the end of your workout. The onset of fatigue makes it harder to lift heavier, and you have to focus on following the perfect form and contract your muscles throughout the range of motion to get the most out of this exercise. 

Check out our complete concentration curl guide here!

7. Crossbody Dumbbell Curl

Crossbody dumbbell curls work your biceps and forearms at the same time. They also train your biceps from a very unusual angle, which may help increase muscle growth.

Steps:

1. Stand and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Bend one arm and curl the weight across the front of your body and up to your opposite shoulder.
3. Lower the weight and then do an identical rep with your other arm.
4. Keep alternating arms for the duration of your set.

Benefits of Crossbody Dumbbell Curl:

1. The crossbody dumbbell curl works on your biceps brachii, brachialis, and brachioradialis, helping you develop bigger and thicker biceps and forearms.
2. It is a great exercise to develop the outside of your upper arms.

Crossbody Dumbbell Curl Variations:

1. Dumbbell Hammer Curl
2. Cable Rope Hammer Curl
3. Alternating Dumbbell Curl

How To Program Crossbody Dumbbell Curl in Your Workout

You can perform the crossbody dumbbell curl at any point during the workout. Do 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps with a full range of motion to get the best bang for your buck. 

Check out our complete crossbody dumbbell curl guide here!

8. Drag Curl

This interesting curling exercise was a favorite of Hollywood bodybuilding coach Vince Gironda, who was very famous in the 1970s and 1980s.

Steps:

1. Stand and hold a barbell with a shoulder-width, underhand grip.
2. Bend your arms and curl your bar up the front of your body until it reaches your lower chest. Keep the bar as close to your torso as possible. Pull your elbows back as you raise the weight.
3. Lower the weight and repeat.

Benefits of Drag Curl:

1. The drag curl is easier on your wrists and elbows than the conventional barbell curl.
2. It is incredibly effective for stimulating the biceps peak.

Drag Curl Variations:

1. Dumbbell Drag Curl
2. Smith Machine Drag Curl
3. Cable Drag Curl

How To Program Drag Curl in Your Workout

Perform 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps of this exercise to stimulate muscle growth. Pair these with cable exercises to annihilate your pythons. 

Check out our complete drag curl guide here!

9. Spider Curl

This exercise is similar to preacher curls, but instead of preventing you from moving your upper arms, it holds your entire upper body still.

Steps:

1. Set an incline bench to about 45 degrees with the floor.
2. Lie face down on the bench and let your arms hang down toward the floor. Hold a dumbbell in each hand.
3. Bend your arms and curl the weights up toward your shoulders.
4. Extend your arms slowly and repeat.

Benefits of Spider Curl:

1. Helps isolate your biceps by eliminating momentum.
2. Using a barbell in this exercise works on your biceps peak by stimulating your long biceps head.

Spider Curl Variations:

1. Preacher Curl
2. Overhead Cable Curl
3. Cable Curl

How To Program Spider Curl in Your Workout

Ensure that you use a strict form on this exercise. Stay in the 8-12 rep range and do this movement while you’re fresh. Superset the spider curl with a resistance band exercise at the end of your workout for a muscle-ripping pump. 

Check out our complete spider curl guide here!

10. Barbell Reverse Curl

Reverse curls don’t just work your biceps; they also work your forearms and a muscle located directly under your biceps, the brachioradialis. This muscle helps lift your biceps, making your arms look bigger.

Steps:

1. Hold a barbell with an overhand, shoulder-width grip.
2. Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Tuck your upper arms into your sides and keep them there for the duration of your set.
3. Bend your arms and curl the weight up to your shoulders. Keep your wrists straight.
4. Lower the weight and repeat.

Benefits of Barbell Reverse Curl:

1. Besides biceps, the barbell reverse curl helps build thicker and girthier forearms.
2. It strengthens your grip, which carries over to compound movements like the deadlift and clean and jerk.

Barbell Reverse Curl Variations:

1. Dumbbell Reverse Curl
2. Crossbody Dumbbell Curl
3. EZ Bar Reverse Curl

How To Program Barbell Reverse Curl in Your Workout

Reserve the reverse curl exercises for the latter half of your workout, as they can tax your grip strength, hampering your performance in other exercises. Do 15-20 reps and 3-4 sets to hammer your forearms. 

Check out our complete barbell reverse curl guide here!

11. Cheat Curl

Cheating is generally a bad idea when you want to increase muscle size and build strength, but in this instance, it helps!

Steps:

1. Grab a barbell or EZ bar with an underhand grip.
2. Use your legs and back to help you curl the weight up to your shoulders.
3. Lower the weight slowly and under control. Focus on lowering it with perfect form.
4. Reset and repeat.

Benefits of Cheat Curl:

1. It helps you lift heavier than usual, which can help stimulate growth.
2. Cheat curls can help you improve your negatives.

Cheat Curl Variations:

1. Barbell Curl
2. Cable Curl

How To Program Cheat Curl in Your Workout

Cheat curls should be done early in your workout when you’re fresh and can handle heavier loads safely. Perform 3-5 sets of 1-5 reps to optimize strength gains. 

12. Zottman Curl

Zottman curls combine two exercises to create a brilliant biceps-building exercise. This move is good for both your biceps and forearms.

Steps:

1. Stand with a dumbbell in each hand, arms by your sides. Your palms should be facing your legs.
2. Bend your arms and curl the weights up to your shoulders.
3. At the top of the movement, rotate your wrists so that your palms are facing downward.
4. Lower the weights while keeping your palms facing the floor.
5. Turn your hands back to face your legs, and then do another rep.

Benefits of Zottman Curl:

1. The Zottman curl is one of the few lifts that optimally work your biceps and forearms in the same lift.
2. Besides building bigger upper and lower arms, it also improves your grip strength.

Zottman Curl Variations:

1. Dumbbell Curl
2. Reverse Dumbbell Curl

How To Program Zottman Curl in Your Workout

The Zottman curl is best done in the middle of your workout. You don’t need to superset them with any other exercise, as they provide enough stimulation on their own. Do 3-4 sets and 8-12 reps. 

Check out our complete Zottman curl guide here!

13. Chin-Up

Most exercisers confuse the chin-up with the pull-up. Chin-ups are performed with an underhand grip, whereas pull-ups involve an overhand grip. Using an underhand grip engages your biceps and will leave you with a nasty pump.

Steps:

1. Hang onto a pull-up bar using a shoulder-wide underhand grip.
2. While keeping your elbows pinned, raise your chest to the overhead bar while squeezing your biceps.
3. Pause and contract your biceps at the top.
4. Return to the start position and repeat for reps.

Benefits of Chin-Up:

1. A bodyweight biceps exercise that can be done anywhere, assuming you have access to a pull-up bar.
2. Chin-up is a functional movement that improves your performance in other exercises and daily activities.

Chin-Up Variations:

1. Underhand Inverted Row
2. Lying Cable Curl

How To Program Chin-Up in Your Workout

Chin-ups are a great compound (multi-joint) exercise usually done at the beginning of an upper-body workout. You could also do them as the second exercise in a superset to smoke your guns. Do 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps. 

Check out our complete chin-up guide here!

14. Dumbbell Hammer Curl

The dumbbell hammer curl is a great exercise to work the brachii, brachialis, and brachioradialis. It can help build bigger, stronger, and thicker arms. 

Steps:

1. Stand upright and grab a dumbbell in each hand using a neutral (palms facing inward grip).
2. Keeping your elbows pinned to your sides, curl the dumbbells to your shoulders.
3. Pause and contract at the top.
4. Return and repeat.

Benefits of Dumbbell Hammer Curl:

1. Most people find the hammer curls to be kinder on their joints than the conventional dumbbell curl.
2. It helps build thicker and fuller arms.

Dumbbell Hammer Curl Variations:

1. Cable Rope Hammer Curl
2. Alternating Dumbbell Curl
3. Dumbbell Reverse Curl

How To Program Dumbbell Hammer Curl in Your Workout

Perform 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps at any point in your arm training routine. 

Check out our complete dumbbell hammer curl guide here!

15. Incline Curl

The incline curl is one of those exercises that looks easy but will have you begging for mercy by the end of the first set. You could perform the incline curl using a supinated or neutral grip, depending on your training objective.

Steps:

1. Set an incline bench at 45 degrees with the floor.
2. Lay on the bench while holding a dumbbell in each hand.
3. Your shoulders and upper and lower back should be on the back pad throughout the exercise.
4. Keeping your elbows pinned, curl the dumbbells to your shoulders.
5. Reset and repeat.

Benefits of Incline Curl:

1. This exercise helps isolate the biceps better by eliminating momentum.
2. It helps build thicker and bigger upper and lower arms.

Incline Curl Variations:

1. Cable Curl
2. Lying Cable Curl
3. Machine Preacher Curl

How To Program Incline Curl in Your Workout

The incline curl is a very strict movement. You can use it to pre-exhaust your guns at the beginning of a workout or during any other point in the workout. Do 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps.

Check out our complete incline curl guide here!

16. Lying Cable Curl

The lying cable curl is an underutilized biceps exercise. It has a unique setup, and you almost get a weightless feeling in your arms while performing this exercise. It is a must-have in your biceps exercise arsenal. 

Steps:

1. Attach a straight bar to a pulley and adjust it at shoulder height.
2. Grab the bar with a supinated (underhand) grip and lie down on the floor with your forehead under the bar.
3. Your arms should be perpendicular to the floor at the start position.
4. Curl the bar to your forehead. Pause at the bottom and squeeze your pythons.
5. Rinse and repeat.

Benefits of Lying Cable Curl:

1. This a unique exercise to isolate your biceps.
2. It will give you a muscle-ripping pump without overloading your joints.

Lying Cable Curl Variations:

1. Cable Curl
2. Machine Preacher Curl
3. Drag Curl

How To Program Lying Cable Curl in Your Workout

Perform the lying cable curl at the end of your workout for a muscle-ripping pump. Use a weight that makes you hit failure at 8-12 reps. 

17. Arnold Curl

You cannot complete a biceps exercise list without mentioning Arnie. The Governator performed an advanced variation of the concentration curl in the cult-classic documentary Pumping Iron (1977). It has since found a place in each bodybuilding nerd’s training regimen. 

Steps:

1. Stand upright with a slightly wider than shoulder-width stance.
2. Maintain a slight bend in your knees, and hinge at your hips, so your torso is almost parallel to the floor.
3. Place your left hand on your left quad for support while you extend your right arm toward the floor.
4. Hold a dumbbell in your right hand while it is perpendicular to the floor.
5. Keeping your elbow pinned, curl the dumbbell until your lower arm break parallel to the floor.
6. Pause and contract at the top.

Benefits of Arnold Curl:

1. Since your arm is extended between your legs in front of your body, it helps isolate your biceps better.

Arnold Curl Variations:

1. Lying Cable Curl
2. Preacher Curl
3. Spider Curl

How To Program Arnold Curl in Your Workout

Since your arm is not at your sides, you’ll have to lift comparatively lightweight on this exercise. Use a weight that you can lift for 8-12 reps. Do 3-5 reps of this exercise. 

18. Facing Away Cable Curl

Facing away cable curl (or behind-the-back cable curl) is gaining popularity amongst fitness enthusiasts. Since your elbows are behind your body while performing this exercise, it helps isolate the brachialis muscle better.

Steps:

1. Set the pulleys of a functional cable trainer at the lowest setting and attach D-handle bars on both ends.
2. Grab the bars with a supinated grip while facing away from the machine.
3. Take a step forward. Your elbows should be behind your torso, and the cable should be taut at the starting position.
4. Keeping your elbows pinned to your sides, curl the handles to your chest level.

Benefits of Facing Away Cable Curl:

1. The behind-the-back cable curl helps build biceps thickness and size.
2. It delivers constant tension on your biceps throughout the range of motion.

Facing Away Cable Curl Variations:

1. Lying Cable Curl
2. Cable Curl
3. Machine Preacher Curl

How To Program Facing Away Cable Curl in Your Workout

Going too heavy on this lift will throw you off balance and pull you toward the cable machine. Use a moderate weight and focus on squeezing your biceps with each rep. Do 3-5 sets for 12-15 reps. 

19. TRX Suspension Curl

This exercise uses suspenders and your body weight instead of cables or free weights. You must keep your core engaged throughout this exercise to perform this exercise with the correct form. 

Steps:

1. Attach the TRX to a high anchor point.
2. Grab the handles with a supinated grip and take a couple of steps back.
3. Keeping your heels planted on the floor, lean back until your arms are extended.
4. Pull your upper body to your hands by bending at your elbows.
5. Contract your biceps at the top.
6. Return to the start position and repeat.

Benefits of TRX Suspension Curl:

1. Besides bigger and stronger biceps, the TRX Suspension curl helps build a stronger curl.
2. Since this is a bodyweight exercise, the chances of injury are minimal.

TRX Suspension Curl Variations:

1. Lying Cable Curl.
2. Machine Preacher Curl
3. Drag Curl

How To Program TRX Suspension Curl in Your Workout

Exercisers that train at home can do this exercise at any point in their workout. However, folks that hit the gym should do this at the beginning or end of their workout. Perform 3-5 sets of 15-20 reps. 

20. Towel Biceps Curl

Besides a towel, this exercise requires a kettlebell or a dumbbell. The towel biceps curl will help build bigger and thicker biceps and forearms. 

Steps:

1. Wrap the towel around the weight’s handle.
2. Grab each end of the towel with a neutral (palming facing each other) grip.
3. Stand upright with a shoulder-wide stance.
4. Keeping your elbows pinned to your sides, curl the weight until your hands are at shoulder level.
5. Return to the start.
6. Repeat.

Benefits of Towel Biceps Curl:

1. The towel biceps curl results in better biceps and forearm engagement.
2. Since the weight will be moving during the exercise, the towel biceps curl will help build a stronger core and improve stability.

Towel Biceps Curl Variations:

1. Arnold Curl
2. Preacher Curl
3. Spider Curl

How To Program Towel Biceps Curl in Your Workout

You could do the biceps curl at any point during the workout. Intermediate and advanced lifters should focus on going as heavy as possible. Aim for 3-4 sets of 10-15 reps.

21. 21s

21s is the 21st biceps exercise on this list. Coincidence or a masterstroke? You be the judge. 

21s is one of the best biceps exercises to achieve a muscle-ripping pump. It involves performing seven reps in the lower half of the range of motion, seven reps in the upper half, and seven full reps. 

Steps:

1. Stand upright while holding a straight bar with a shoulder-width supinated grip. 
2. Keeping your elbows pinned to your sides, curl the bar until your arms are parallel to the floor. Lower to the start position. Repeat for seven total reps in this ROM. 
3. After completing the seventh rep, curl the bar to your shoulder level, so your lower arms are perpendicular to the floor. 
4. Slowly lower the bar, so your lower arms are parallel to the floor. Do seven reps. 
5. Return to the start position after completing the seventh rep. 
6. Complete seven full reps.

Benefits of 21s:

1. It allows you to train your biceps in the full range of motion. 
2. 21s delivers optimal biceps stimulation. 

21s Variations:

1. Drag Curl
2. Cable Curl
3. Spider Curl

How To Program 21s in Your Workout

Perform the 21s at the end of your workout for a muscle-ripping pump. Use a lightweight, as you’ll be fatigued, to ensure you follow the correct form. Perform three sets of this exercise before calling it a day.

Check out our complete 21s guide here!

22. Strict Curl

The strict curl is a must-have in a training regimen to build stronger and bigger biceps. The strict curl competition is fast gaining popularity. 

Steps:

1. Grab an EZ bar with a wide supinated grip. 
2. Walk back to the wall. Your head, shoulders, upper back, and butt must stay in contact with the wall throughout the range of motion.
3. Your heels must be 12 inches from the wall or less.
4. Curl the bar to shoulder height. 
5. Pause at the top.
6. Slowly return to the start position.
7. Repeat for reps. 

Benefits of Strict Curl:

1. The strict curl optimally stimulates your biceps by eliminating momentum. 
2. During a competition, always check for the referee’s signals to ensure a clean rep. 

Strict Curl Variations:

1. Concentration Curl
2. Preacher Curl
3. Incline Bench Dumbbell Preacher Curl

How To Program Strict Curl in Your Workout

Program the strict curl in the middle of your workout. Since this is a strict movement, master the lift before attempting a one-rep-max.

Check out our complete strict curl guide here!

23. Resistance Band Biceps Curl

The next few exercises on this list will be game-changers for the folks that train at home. Contrary to what most people think, you can build decent pythons using resistance bands.  

Steps:

1. Place a loop resistance band on the floor.
2. Wrap each end around your hand and stand in the center of the band with a shoulder-wide stance.
3. Curl your hands to your shoulders with your elbows pinned to your sides.
4. Rinse and repeat.

Benefits of Resistance Band Biceps Curl:

1. It delivers a nasty pump while minimizing the risk of injury. 
2. Resistance bands keep a constant tension on your target muscles throughout the range of motion. 

Resistance Band Biceps Curl Variations:

1. Resistance Band Hammer Curl
2. Resistance Band Preacher Curl
3. Resistance Band Concentration Curl

How To Program Resistance Band Biceps Curl in Your Workout

Folks that train at home can perform the resistance band biceps curls at any point throughout their arm workout. Lifters that train at a gym should use this as a second exercise in a superset to annihilate their guns. Perform 3-5 sets of 15-20 reps. 

24. Resistance Band Preacher Curl

No, you don’t need a preacher bench to perform this exercise. Your legs are all you need. 

Get the best bang for your buck while performing this exercise by ensuring your elbows are pinned in place. 

Steps:

1. Wrap one end of a loop resistance band around a sturdy object like a cable pulley pole. 
2. Grab the other end with both hands using a supinated grip. 
3. Sit on the floor and plant your feet flat on the floor.
4. Place the bottom of your upper arms on your knees.
5. Keeping your elbows pinned, curl the band until your lower arms are perpendicular to the floor. 
6. Return to the start. Repeat for reps.

Benefits of Resistance Band Preacher Curl:

1. This exercise helps you better focus on your biceps, resulting in better stimulation. 
2. A great exercise to use as a superset. 

Resistance Band Preacher Curl Variations:

1. Resistance Band Biceps Curl
2. Resistance Band Hammer Curl
3. Resistance Band Concentration Curl

How To Program Resistance Band Preacher Curl in Your Workout

Perform 3-5 sets and 15-20 reps of this exercise at any point throughout your workout.

25. Resistance Band Concentration Curl

This is an advanced resistance band exercise. Perform this exercise with a slow and controlled motion for the best results.  

Steps:

1. Wrap one end of a resistance band around a sturdy object like a pole. 
2. Stand with your left side facing the pole. 
3. Grab the other end with a supinated grip.
4. Take a shoulder-wide stance and bend forward, so your torso is almost parallel to the floor. 
5. Place your left elbow on the inside of your left knee. 
6. Curl the band to your shoulder height. 
7. Pause at the top. 
8. Repeat for reps before switching sides. 

Benefits of Resistance Band Concentration Curl:

1. The resistance band concentration curl helps isolate your biceps better as it is a unilateral exercise. 
2. Resistance band exercises put less strain on your joints than free weights or cables. 

Resistance Band Concentration Curl Variations:

1. Resistance Band Biceps Curl
2. Resistance Band Hammer Curl
3. Resistance Band Preacher Curl

How To Program Resistance Band Concentration Curl in Your Workout

Superset the resistance band concentration curl with the resistance band biceps curl or hammer curl to smoke your guns. Do 3-5 sets of 15-20 reps. 

26. Resistance Band Hammer Curl

While all the other resistance band exercises on this list work the biceps brachii, the hammer curl also targets the brachialis and brachioradialis. 

Steps:

1. Stand in the center of the band with a shoulder-wide stance and grab each end of the band with a neutral (palms facing inward) grip. 
2. Curl your hands to your shoulders with your elbows pinned to your sides. 
3. Repeat for recommended reps. 

Benefits of Resistance Band Hammer Curl:

1. Resistance band hammer curl helps build biceps and forearm size and thickness. 

Resistance Band Hammer Curl Variations:

1. Resistance Band Biceps Curl
2. Resistance Band Preacher Curl
3. Resistance Band Concentration Curl

How To Program Resistance Band Hammer Curl in Your Workout

Perform 3-5 sets of 15-20 reps at any point during your arm workout.

27. Underhand Bent-Over Barbell Row

Although this is primarily a back exercise, minor tweaks can improve biceps engagement. Use a supinated (underhand) grip for building bigger guns. 

Steps:

1. Grab a barbell with a shoulder-wide supinated grip. 
2. Push your hips back and bend forward until your torso is almost parallel to the floor. 
3. Keeping your elbows close to your sides, pull the bar to your belly button while squeezing your biceps. 
4. Repeat for reps. 

Benefits of Underhand Bent-Over Barbell Row:

1. A compound movement that works your biceps. 
2. It is a drag-curl variation that streamlines your guns. 

Bent-Over Underhand Barbell Row Variations:

1. Drag Curl
2. Spider Curl
3. Preacher Curl

How To Program Undrhand Bent-Over Barbell Row in Your Workout

Since this is a compound exercise, you should do it at the beginning of a workout. Do 3-5 sets of 8-12 reps.

28. Underhand-Grip Inverted Row

The supinated-grip inverted row requires you to pull through your arms, which helps focus on the biceps brachii muscle. 

Steps:

1. Set a barbell in a squat rack at waist height. 
2. Lie supine on the floor with your upper abs under the bar. 
3. Grab the bar with a shoulder-wide underhand grip. 
4. At the start position, your torso should be off the floor and your body in a straight line from head to heels.
5. Keeping your elbows pinned to your sides, pull your chest to the bar while contracting your biceps. 
6. Rinse and repeat. 

Benefits of Underhand-Grip Inverted Row:

1. A low-impact exercise that helps build bigger and stronger biceps. 
2. It can help improve your biceps endurance and stamina. 

Underhand-Grip Inverted Row Variations:

1. Drag Curl
2. Underhand Bent-Over Barbell Row
3. Preacher Curl

How To Program Underhand-Grip Inverted Row in Your Workout

Perform the underhand-grip inverted row in the middle of your workout. Do 3-5 sets of 8-15 reps.

29. Underhand-Grip Lat Pulldown

Although primarily a back exercise, the underhand-grip lat pulldown is infamous for stimulating your pythons. Add this to your biceps training regimen for building bigger and stronger guns. 

Steps:

1. Adjust your legs under the leg pads. 
2. Grab the bar with an underhand grip about shoulder-width apart.
3. Pull the bar to your shoulder while maintaining an upright torso. 
4. Contract your biceps throughout the range of motion. 
5. Rinse and repeat.

Benefits of Underhand-Grip Lat Pulldown:

1. This exercise works your biceps through the full range of motion, delivering optimal stimulation. 
2. The cable keeps constant tension on your guns throughout the exercise. 

Underhand-Grip Lat Pulldown Row Variations:

1. Underhand-Grip Inverted Row
2. Underhand Bent-Over Barbell Row
3. Preacher Curl

How To Program Underhand-Grip Lat Pulldown in Your Workout

Perform this exercise in the first half of your workout while you’re still afresh to get the most out of it. Do 3-5 sets of 8-12 reps.

Check out our complete underhand-grip lat pulldown guide here!

30. Waiter Curl

The waiter curl is an underutilized biceps exercise that helps you work on the long biceps heads. Perform heavy waiter curls to improve your biceps peak. 

Steps:

1. Place your hands flat under the top plate of a dumbbell in a supinated position. 
2. Stand upright with a shoulder-width stance and hold the dumbbell before your thighs. 
3. Keeping your elbows pinned to your sides, curl the dumbbell until it is at your chest height. 
4. Pause and contract your pythons at the top. 

Benefits of Waiter Curl:

1. Eliminates your grip strength, allowing you to focus better on your biceps. 
2. Since it involves lifting one dumbbell with both hands, it lowers the risk of injury. 

Waiter Curl Variations:

1. Zottman Curl
2. Crossbody Dumbbell Curl
3. Dumbbell Hammer Curl

How To Program Waiter Curl in Your Workout

Waiter curls are a great finisher exercise. Do 3-5 sets of 12-15 reps at the end of your workouts for optimal biceps pump.

Check out our complete waiter curl guide here!

31. Biceps T Curl 

Bodybuilding icon CT Fletcher brought the biceps T curls to the mainstream. This exercise is performed on an incline bench, which helps isolate the short biceps head.

Steps:

1. Set the incline bench at a 45-degree angle with the floor. 
2. Grab a dumbbell in each hand. 
3. Place your elbows at your sides so your arms are in a straight line. 
4. Extend your arms slowly while keeping your back, shoulders, and head on the back pad. 
5. Curl the dumbbells so your upper arms are perpendicular to the floor.
6. Repeat for reps.

Benefits of Biceps T Curls:

1. It helps improve your short head separation. 
2. Biceps T curls enhance your arm thickness and size. 

Biceps T-Curls Variations:

1. Incline Curl
2. Spider Curl
3. Facing Away Curl

How To Program Biceps T Curls in Your Workout

Biceps T curls are a brutal exercise. Do them toward the end of your workout for a muscle-ripping pump. Perform 3-5 sets of 8-12 reps.

4 Best Biceps Workouts

Here are four biceps workouts that can be done by lifters of different experience levels:

Evergreen Biceps Workout

This workout includes a mix of compound and isolation exercises and focuses on both biceps heads. It is suitable for beginner and advanced lifters. 

Exercises	Sets	Reps
Barbell Curl	3-5	8-12
Dumbbell Preacher Curl	3-5	8-12
Incline Curl	3-5	8-12
Reverse Curl	3-5	8-12
High-Cable Curl	3-5	8-12

Beginner Biceps Workout

This workout is for beginners and folks that train at home. The beginner biceps workout only uses resistance bands. 

Exercises	Sets	Reps
Resistance Band Biceps Curl	4-5	15-20
Resistance Band Concentration Curl	4-5	15-20
Resistance Band Preacher Curl	4-5	15-20
Resistance Band Hammer Curl	4-5	15-20

Machine-Only Biceps Workout

Machine biceps workouts have a cult following. They help keep constant tension on your guns throughout the range of motion, leaving you with a sick pump. 

Exercises	Sets	Reps
Cable Curl	3-5	8-15
1a. Drag Curl	3-5	8-15
1b. Lying Cable Curl	3-5	8-15
Facing Away Cable Curl	3-5	8-15
Reverse-Grip Machine Preacher Curl	3-5	8-15
High Cable Curl	3-5	8-15

Note: Drag curl and lying cable (marked as “1a” and “1b”) curl are supersets. Perform lying cable curl after completing a set of drag curls without stopping for rest.

Hardcore Biceps Workout

This workout is for lifters that like pushing their limits during the biceps workout. It includes supersets, dropsets, and intraset stretching to annihilate your guns. 

Exercises	Sets	Reps
Alternating Dumbbell Curl	3-5	8-12
21s	3-5	21
2a. Dumbbell Hammer Curl	3-5	8-12
2b. Biceps T Curl	3-5	Failure
Zottman Curl (Dropsets)	3-5	8-12
Underhand Bent-Over Barbell Row (Intraset Stretching)	3-5	8-12
Facing Away Cable Curl	3	Failure

Notes: 

1. Dumbbell hammer curl and biceps T curl are supersets. 
2. For the Zottman curl, perform one set of 8-12 reps, use lighter weights, and perform a dropset to failure. This will be one set. 
3. Hold yourself in the extended position (at the bottom) for 10 seconds after completing 8-12 reps. Then perform another set to failure. This will be one set.

How To Train Your Biceps

Your biceps are a small muscle group. You must consider the following aspects while designing your arm training program:

Warm-Up

Many lifters make the mistake of heading right into their workout as soon as they step into the gym. Neglecting to warm up your target muscles increases your odds of injury. Biceps are especially prone to tears if you do too much too soon. 

Spend 5-10 minutes on dynamic biceps and upper body stretches to ensure optimal blood and oxygen flow to the target muscles. You could also perform 3-5 lightweight sets of the exercises in your workout to ensure your joints, tendons, and ligaments are warmed up. 

Balance

Every lifter has a favorite exercise, and many tend to stick to them in their workouts. Repeating the same movements for an extended period can lead you to a plateau. You must constantly switch up your training regimen to avoid hitting an overhead ceiling. 

An ideal biceps training routine should have a mix of free-weight and cable exercises. You must also train your biceps from different angles to ensure overall development. Include exercises you’re good at and the ones you have difficulty performing. Movements that make you cringe signal a weakness, which is holding your biceps from ballooning. 

Sets and Reps

Your biceps workout sets and reps will depend on your training objectives. Here is what they should look like:

• Hypertrophy: 3-5 sets of 8-12 reps
• Strength: 4-5 sets of 6-8 reps
• Endurance: 3-5 sets of 15-20 reps

Training Frequency

Going too crazy with your biceps workouts can be counterproductive. Since your biceps are a small muscle group, they need more time to recover than bigger muscles like quads. You must wait for at least 72 hours before training your biceps again. Furthermore, people with a balanced physique don’t need to train them more than twice a week. 

Remember, your biceps are also engaged while performing pulling exercises. Your guns are the secondary muscle groups in your back training day. Hold off training your pythons for 48 hours after a back day. 

Best Biceps Exercises Tips

Internalize the following biceps training techniques to ensure you don’t leave gains on the table:

Follow a Full Range of Motion

Whether you’re training for hypertrophy, strength, or endurance or using a machine or free weights, you must follow a full range of motion to get the best bang for your buck. Restricting your range of motion can weaken your muscles in a particular range, increasing your odds of injury. 

Don’t Move Your Elbows

Most biceps exercises are isolation movements, meaning they involve a single joint and focus on a single muscle group. Keeping your elbows pinned to your sides helps you better isolate and stimulate your biceps. 

Drop Your Ego at the Door

The biceps are the favorite muscle group to train for most lifters. However, some trainers let their egos take over their workouts and use heavier weights than they can handle safely. Not only does going too heavy increase your risk of injury, but it also hampers your results. 

Use a Strict Technique

If you need to swing your torso back and forth to lift the weight, it is a sign that you’re punching above your weight class. Using momentum removes tension from your biceps and puts it on your shoulders and back. 

With that said, you shouldn’t always write off momentum. Exercises like the cheat curl involve using momentum. Negative reps can help build strength and muscle mass, but you must first learn how to use them optimally.

Benefits of Biceps Training

Although most lifters don’t need convincing to train their guns, we’ll still go through the formalities. Here are the benefits of training your biceps: 

Improves Compound Lifts

Biceps workouts mostly consist of isolation exercises, which help build muscle size and strength that carry over to compound lifts. Multi-joint movements that involve pulling, such as the deadlift, bent-over row, seated row, etc., require biceps engagement. Stronger biceps can improve your compound lifts.

Boosts Performance in Daily Activities

Besides pulling big weights in the gym, stronger biceps can also improve your performance in daily chores, like lifting grocery bags, carrying around your kids in your arms, and moving furniture. 

Training your arms also improves your grip strength. Train your biceps for long enough, and you’ll start receiving unsurmountable requests to open jammed jar lids.

Aesthetics

This is the biggest reason why most people train their arms. Jacked arms make you stand out and add to your physique’s aesthetics. Big arms are the symbol of strength and masculinity; adding these 31 movements to your exercise arsenal will help you achieve them.

Conclusion

Variety is the spice of life, or so the old saying goes. And that’s especially true about biceps training. The more exercises you know, the more varied your arm-building workouts will be. These awesome biceps exercises will keep your training fresh, fun, and interesting.

Learn More About Biceps Training

Learn more about the bicep exercises and step up your biceps training even more. Check out the following articles.

• Simple Old-School Methods to Grow Your Biceps
• Bicep Curl vs. Hammer Curl – Which one is Best?
• Simple Old-School Methods To Grow Your Biceps
• Rules of Arms Workout by Lee Priest

References

1. Fonseca, Rodrigo M.; Roschel, Hamilton; Tricoli, Valmor; de Souza, Eduardo O.; Wilson, Jacob M.; Laurentino, Gilberto C.; Aihara, André Y.; de Souza Leão, Alberto R.; Ugrinowitsch, Carlos (2014-11). “Changes in exercises are more effective than in loading schemes to improve muscle strength”. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 28 (11): 3085–3092. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000000539. ISSN 1533-4287. PMID 24832974. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24832974
2. “Biceps muscle | anatomy”. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/biceps-muscle
3. Calatayud, Joaquin; Vinstrup, Jonas; Jakobsen, Markus D.; Sundstrup, Emil; Colado, Juan Carlos; Andersen, Lars L. (2017-07). “Mind-muscle connection training principle: influence of muscle strength and training experience during a pushing movement”. European Journal of Applied Physiology. 117 (7): 1445–1452. doi:10.1007/s00421-017-3637-6. ISSN 1439-6327. PMID 28500415. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28500415

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