EZ Bar Curls Studies have proven that bicep curls, performed with the EZ bar, are one of the best exercises for big biceps [3]. Unlike a straight bar, the EZ bar only requires a semi-supinated grip due to the angle of the bar.
Arguably the most efficient exercise in yielding maximum bicep growth, a recent study by the American Council on Exercise found that the seated concentration curl yielded 97% bicep activity in contrast to EZ-bar curls (wide grip 75%; narrow grip, 71%), incline curls (70%), and preacher curls (69%).
Arguably the most efficient exercise in yielding maximum bicep growth a recent study by the American Council on Exercise found that the seated concentration curl yielded 97% bicep activity in contrast to EZ-bar curls wide grip 75% narrow grip 71% incline curls (70%), and preacher curls (69%).
Waiter Curl: Hold a dumbbell vertically, as if you were balancing a tray, and curl it upwards. This unusual position emphasizes the long head of the biceps due to the shoulder flexion involved, and also strongly activates the brachialis. It's great for building bicep peak and overall arm thickness.
Ultimately, it depends. While the straight bar does put your wrist in a greater amount of supination and thus better biases the biceps, some complain about wrist pain using a straight bar — which the EZ bar alleviates. Outfit from @ayblmen — C0DE “PATH” for 10% off. #fitness #gym #beaybl.
Campbell: To do a biceps curl with a dumbbell, hold a dumbbell with your palm facing upward. Slowly curl the weight up by bending your elbow, keeping your elbow close to your body. Then slowly lower the weight to the starting position. You'll feel tension in the muscles in the front of your upper arm.
This depends on your starting point. Our beginner gym workout plan suggests starting with one set of 20 reps and then increasing the reps or weight each week. For people with some training experience, three to four sets of 10 to 12 reps is commonly prescribed for hypertrophy training (building muscle).
The Weighted Chin Up is the best biceps exercise for hitting all three functions (elbow supination, elbow flexion and shoulder flexion) of the biceps with overload. This exercise will help you build strong arm muscles as well as build muscle mass and should be a mainstay in all your upper body workouts.
The best exercise for growing the bicep muscle is any variation of the curl. Curls are best done using a barbell and weights or a set of dumbbells. If you're training in the gym, sitting at a bench or using the preacher curl machine can help to further concentrate tension on the bicep muscle, leading to bigger gains.
For a typical pull day, we recommend starting with six total exercises, e.g. three compound exercises and one isolation movement for the muscles of the back, and two additional isolation exercises for the biceps.
Bicep Building Tips
If your goal is building muscle mass, lift heavier weights and perform six to eight repetitions. The last couple of reps should be difficult. If they aren't, you need to lift heavier weights. Rest 60-90 seconds between sets.
Within a single week (microcycle) of training, we recommend between 2 and 5 different biceps exercises. For example, if you train biceps 3x a week, you can do a heavy barbell curl on one day, a lighter barbell curl on the next day, and a machine one-arm curl on the last day for 2 total exercises in the week.
The average bicep size is around 13–14 inches for young adult males with big biceps measuring 15+ inches. That said, some professional bodybuilders' biceps have reached 20+ inches. Therefore, with regimented training and nutrition, 18-inch arms are achievable.
On the contrary, people with very long biceps (that come far down on the forearm) have an easier time developing the muscle. The only advantage of short biceps is that they have a better peak (the summit of your biceps when con-tracted). Long biceps have a less pronounced peak.
Big triceps make your arms look better, even with adequate biceps muscle. Don't neglect them. Build up your triceps with exercises like pushdowns, overhead extensions, and dips.
There are two main training errors people make that keep their biceps from growing. These are overtraining the biceps (often unintentionally) and a lack of variation in training techniques. Adding additional biceps focused workouts and trying multiple biceps exercises doesn't work.
Do Push Ups Work Biceps? Whilst the biceps help to stabilize the shoulder and elbow joints during the lowering phase of a push up, they don't directly work the biceps. If your goal is to build your biceps, you'd be better off focusing on bicep isolation exercises such as bicep curls, hammer curls, or chin ups.
The NSCA recommends doing 1-6 reps for strength, 6-12 for muscle growth, and more than 15 repetitions to build endurance. If lifting heavy weights to build strength or muscle mass, aim to lift heavier weights and complete fewer repetitions - anywhere from one to six per set.
Use a thumb-less grip, advises Edgley. 'Placing your thumb on the same side of the bar as your fingers increases peak contraction in the biceps at the top point of the movement,' he says. 'Hold the weight at shoulder height for a brief pause, then inhale as you slowly lower back to the start position.