7 Best Biceps Exercises According to Science! (Workout Included)

Most bodybuilders want bigger, more muscular biceps. Ask any bodybuilder to flex a muscle, and invariably, they’ll throw up their arms and do the classic front double biceps pose!

Since the biceps are such an important muscle, and training time and energy are so limited, knowing which exercises produce the best results can make a world of difference.

A study by the American Council on Exercise (ACE) in collaboration with scientists at the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse employed wireless electromyography (EMG) to measure biceps brachii activation during seven popular exercises to identify the most effective arm-building exercise. (1)

In this article, I reveal the study’s results and how to use this information to build your best biceps ever!

7 Best Biceps Exercises According to Science

Here are the seven best biceps exercises according to science, ranked in ascending order:

• Preacher Curl
• Incline Dumbbell Curl
• EZ Bar Curl
• Barbell Curl
• Chin-Up
• Cable Curl
• Concentration Curl

8. Preacher Curl

Sets & Reps	3 x 8-12
Equipment Needed	Preacher curl bench, dumbbells, or barbell
Target Muscles	Biceps brachii (short head), brachialis

The 1965-66 Mr. Olympia champ Larry Scott had some of the best biceps in bodybuilding history. He attributed much of his incredible arm development to preacher curls, an exercise he learned from golden-era bodybuilding coaching legend Vince Gironda.

In fact, Scott was photographed doing preacher curls so often that this exercise soon became known as Scott curls.

Preacher curls involve resting your upper arms on an inclined bench which stops you from cheating the weight up. The angle of your arm also decreases anterior deltoid activation. This makes preacher curls a very strict biceps exercise.

On the downside, biceps tension all-but vanishes as your forearms approach the vertical position, which is probably why this popular exercise came in at number seven on the ranking of best biceps exercises. Still, done using a cable instead of free-weights, preacher curls could be an even better biceps builder.

Difficulty	Intermediate
Progression	Concentration curl
Regression	Dumbbell curl

You can learn how to do the preacher curl here.

7. Incline Dumbbell Curl

Sets & Reps	3 x 8-12
Equipment Needed	Dumbbells, incline bench
Target Muscles	Biceps brachii (long head)

Incline dumbbell curls are a challenging exercise. Leaning back on an incline bench puts your biceps in a pre-stretched position, which means each rep starts from a place of weakness. This reduces the amount of weight you can lift.

However, because you can’t swing the weights up, and there is tension on the biceps from the start to the end of each rep, the incline curl is a popular and effective biceps isolation exercise. Like preacher curls, this exercise also decreases anterior deltoid activation, so your biceps end up doing more of the work. A 75-degree angle is apparently best for incline dumbbell curls.

Difficulty	Beginner
Progression	Incline T curls
Regression	Seated dumbbell curls

Read more about incline dumbbell curls here.

5. EZ Bar Curl

Sets & Reps	3 x 8-12 (each grip variation)
Equipment Needed	EZ curl bar
Target Muscles	Narrow grip: biceps brachii (long head), brachialis; Wide grip: biceps brachii (short head), brachialis

According to the ACE study, the wide-grip EZ bar curls are marginally better at recruiting the biceps brachii than the close-grip variation. 

EZ curls are done using a cambered or EZ bar with angled handles. Placing your hands in a semi-supinated position helps take the stress off your elbows and wrists so you can train your biceps in relative comfort. The EZ curl is a good option for anyone who finds straight barbell curls cause elbow or wrist pain.

As an added benefit, the semi-supinated grip increases biceps brachialis engagement which are muscles below the main biceps brachii. Building these muscles will enhance the size and shape of your upper arms.

Difficulty	Beginner
Progression	Cable curl
Regression	Dumbbell curl

Learn how to do EZ bar biceps curls here.

4. Barbell Curl

Sets & Reps	3 x 8-12
Equipment Needed	Barbell
Target Muscles	Biceps brachii, brachialis

The fourth best biceps exercise, according to science, is the standard barbell curl. This classic exercise allows you to lift plenty of weight and really overload your muscles. As such, it’s an excellent exercise for building muscle mass and strength.

However, if you go too heavy, you may find your anterior deltoids and lower back working harder than your biceps. Avoid using momentum as doing so takes tension off your biceps and transfers it to secondary muscles.

Some lifters find the fully supinated grip used for barbell curls causes elbow and wrist pain. Furthermore, barbell curls may be uncomfortable if you’ve stiff biceps or forearms. If that’s the case, doing curls with an EZ bar should alleviate discomfort, leaving you free to focus on building bulging biceps.

Difficulty	Beginner
Progression	Concentration curls
Regression	EZ bar curl

Read more about barbell biceps curls here.

3. Chin-up

Sets & Reps	3 sets to failure (aim for 8-12 reps if possible)
Equipment Needed	Chin-up bar
Target Muscles	Latissimus dorsi, biceps brachii, brachialis, posterior deltoids, rhomboids, trapezius, erector spinae (core)

No, you haven’t inadvertently wandered onto an article about the best back-building exercises! The chin-up is a great lat exercise, but it’s a very effective biceps builder, too. In fact, it’s number three on the list of best biceps exercises.

Analyze the chin-up exercise and it’s easy to see how they can be a valuable biceps builder. The movement is a lot like barbell curls, but instead of curling a barbell up to your shoulders, you have to curl your shoulders up to the bar.

So, short on time and want to build a bigger back and  biceps? Chin-ups are the exercise for you!

Difficulty	Advanced
Progression	Add weight (weighted vest, belt), do more reps, try weighted pull-ups
Regression	Use assisted chin-up machine or resistance band, negative chin-ups, underhand lat pulldowns

Learn how to build your biceps with chin-ups here.

2. Cable Curl

Sets & Reps	3 x 8-12
Equipment Needed	Cable machine (low pulley), straight or EZ curl bar attachment
Target Muscles	Biceps brachii, brachialis

The ACE study shows that this exercise could be a valuable move for building biceps size and strength.

Cable curls are effective because they keep your muscles under constant tension. They’re also ideal for doing pump-inducing drop sets as you can lower the weight quickly and train close to muscle failure.

Cable machines offer unique variable resistance. Instead of standing perfectly perpendicular, try a slight angle with your body. This shifts the resistance curve, making the peak contraction more challenging and stimulating growth in a new way.

Difficulty	Beginner
Progression	Single-arm variation, do drop sets
Regression	Machine preacher curl

Find out more about cable biceps curls here.

1. Concentration Curl

Sets & Reps	3 x 8-12
Equipment Needed	Dumbbell
Target Muscles	Biceps brachii (short head), brachialis

Concentration curls are one of those exercises that a lot of bodybuilders dismiss entirely or only use as workout finishers. Why? Because they don’t let you use a lot of weight.

When you do concentration curls, your upper arm is vertical and pressed against your inner thigh. This makes for a very strict movement with little opportunity to swing the weight up. With no chance to cheat and minimal anterior deltoid activation, all the work must be done by your biceps, resulting in an intense biceps contraction.

You can also use your free arm for assistance and crank out a couple of forced reps beyond failure, making this exercise even more effective. Concentration curls also reinforce the mind-muscle connection, which studies suggest is important for muscle growth. (2) 

Difficulty	Beginner
Progression	Increase weight, do more sets
Regression	Seated concentration curl

Read all about concentration curls here.

The Most Scientifically Proven Bicep Workout

Add the following workout to your training regime to blow up your pythons:

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest (seconds)
Barbell Curl	3	8-12	60-90
Chin-up (weighted if possible)	3	To failure	90-120
Incline Dumbbell Curl	3	8-12	60-90
Cable Curl	3	8-12	60-90
Concentration Curl	3	8-12	60-90

More Biceps Exercises and Workouts:

• Best Bicep Workouts
• Bicep Gains With Spider Curls
• Biceps Development with Curl Variations
• Bicep Exercises For Sleeve-Stretching Gains
• Bicep Curl vs. Hammer Curl
• Rules of Arms Workout By Lee Priest

Wrapping Up

Any of the seven exercises included in the ACE study will help you build bigger, more muscular biceps. There are  several other exercises that can be as effective for promoting hypertrophy, such as spider curls, alternating dumbbell curls, drag curls, and Zottman curls.

However, it seems that, in terms of bang for your buck, concentration curls, cable curls, chin-ups, and barbell curls are the best biceps builders, with EZ curls, incline curls, and preacher curls coming in close behind.

Building your biceps workouts around these exercises should ensure that you get the results you want from your training. However, even though they came out on top, don’t just do concentration curls and forget the rest.

Studies have shown that exercise variety is essential to avoid strength and hypertrophy plateaus (3), so make sure you include several different exercises in your biceps workouts and change exercises from one training cycle to the next.

References:

1. American Council on Exercise (ACE): ACE Study Reveals Best Biceps Exercises 

2. PubMed: Mind-Muscle Connection Training Principle: Influence of Muscle Strength and Training Experience During A Pushing Movement https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28500415/

3. PubMed: The Effects of Exercise Variation in Muscle Thickness, Maximal Strength and Motivation in Resistance Trained Men https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6934277/

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