Best Biceps Exercises You Can Do
Biceps have been the symbol of strength and masculinity for a long time. Gym bros love training biceps and are one of the most often trained muscle groups. Broscientists around the world hardly skip a bicep workout.
No two bicep exercises are the same. You need to have a balance between isolation (single-joint) and compound (multi-joint) exercises to ensure an overall development of your biceps. We will list the five best isolation and compound exercises each in this article.
Before we get into the exercises, here is the bicep anatomy to help you better understand the muscles recruited while performing these exercises.
Biceps Compound Exercises
Barbell Curls
Barbell Curls are the gold standard when it comes to biceps training. Using the Olympic bar on this lift will help you get the best results. Switching between the shoulder, narrow, and wide-grips will help you target your biceps from different angles.
Dumbbell Curls
Dumbbell curls help in building the peak (brachii) and the long head (brachialis) of your guns. Most people make the mistake of supinating their wrists at the bottom of the movement. You should rotate your wrist in the middle of the movement while curling the dumbbell.
Hammer Curls
Hammer curls work the long head (brachialis) and the brachioradialis which runs from your wrist across the inside portion of your elbow and into your upper arm bone. You can perform the hammer curls with your thumbs over the dumbbell handle to better recruit your brachioradialis muscle.
Zottman Curls
The Zottman curls are a complete bicep builder. Zottman curls have the same curling motion as the normal bicep curls but you have to rotate your wrists at the top of the movement so your palms are facing the floor while you perform the negative motion. The curling motion works the brachii while the negative motion works the brachialis and the brachioradialis.
EZ Bar Curls
EZ bar can be a lifesaver for people with wrist problems. The EZ bar takes off the tension from your wrists as you curl the bar. The EZ bar can also be used to focus on the long and short heads of your biceps.
Biceps Isolation Exercises
Machine Preacher Curls
Machine preacher curls can completely exhaust your pythons. You should maintain a full range of motion while performing the isolation exercises. Performing drop sets on these isolation exercises will fill your biceps with lactic acid.
Incline Bench Dumbbell Curls
Incline bench dumbbell curls are different as compared to the standard dumbbell curls as this exercise restricts you from using momentum to lift the dumbbells. You’ll be able to lift lighter weights than you lift while performing the normal dumbbell curls.
Cable Bicep Curls
Incorporating cables into your workouts is a great idea as they can completely smoke your muscles by putting constant tension on your muscles throughout the exercise. While using the cables, you will have tension on both the concentric and eccentric motions. On the other hand, you only have tension on the concentric movement while using dumbbells.
Concentration Dumbbell Curls
Isolation exercises primarily help you in building the peak and definition in your biceps. The concentration curls work your brachii. Maintaining a mind-muscle connection and squeezing your pythons at the top of the movements is a must to get the best results.
Overhead Cable Curls
The front double bicep is the most common pose and the overhead cable curls help you in shaping your guns for this pose. Keep your elbows pinned at a place and squeeze the living hell out of your biceps at the top of the movement.
Which is your favorite bicep exercise? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
