The biceps brachii, which lies on the front of the upper arm between the shoulder and the elbow, is a hugely functional muscle. Strong biceps make it easier to lift things and maneuver during daily activities — say, while carrying groceries or pulling open a door.
This muscle is also engaged while performing many exercises (think pulling moves, like pull-ups, rows, and deadlifts) and while playing sports that involve grabbing or grappling with an opponent.
Biceps curls seem like an obvious choice to develop this important muscle. But curls isolate muscles that don’t work in isolation: The biceps, triceps, shoulders, traps, and lats work together to allow the shoulder and elbow to function optimally.
Without these other muscles, overtrained biceps can lead to painful, performance-inhibiting imbalances; poor posture; shoulder pain; and an inability to fully extend the elbows.
As such, biceps curls are best treated as an accessory movement — not a primary lift.
For the best results, perform curls in tandem with functional, multijoint movements, such as deadlifts, inverted and bent-over rows, carries, pull-ups, and chin-ups. Start your lifting routine with one of these full-body biceps builders, then incorporate curls toward the end of your session.
Choose moderate yet challenging weights that you can lift with utmost control. Play with different variations, implements, and angles to challenge these muscles appropriately.
Further refine your biceps-curl form with the following tips.
Instructions
Perform two or three sets of 10 to 15 reps.
1.
Stand tall with your feet about shoulder width apart. Hold one dumbbell in each hand with arms down at your sides and palms facing forward.
2.
Keeping your upper arms stable and tight to your torso, bend your elbows and raise the weights to your shoulders.
3.
Reverse the movement with control to lower the weights.
Additional Cues
- Engage your core.
- Keep your elbows tucked close to your body and your wrists straight.
- Don’t swing, twist, heave, or otherwise use momentum to lift and lower the weights.
- Use only as much weight as you can control for the desired number of reps.
- Maintain a slow, steady pace and avoid rushing your reps.
9 Biceps Curl Variations
1) Dumbbell Seated Biceps Curl
Taking a seat (on a bench or box) to perform biceps curls can help isolate the correct muscles and avoid possible swinging or swaying while standing. Focus on rooting your feet into the floor and sit bones into the seat, and avoid using momentum to lift the weights.
Perform two or three sets of 10 to 15 reps.
- Sit at the edge of a bench or chair with your hips and knees at 90 degrees, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
- Start with your arms extended at your sides with your palms facing forward.
- Bend your elbows, keeping them close to your side, until the dumbbells are at should height. Then lower with control
2) Hammer Curl
While standard biceps curls call for a supinated (palms-up) grip, hammer curls utilize a neutral grip with palms facing each other. This subtle form shift changes the area of biceps being worked: biceps curls isolate the peak of the biceps (the biceps brachii that supports elbow extension), while hammer curls primarily work the muscle underneath, the brachialis, which aids elbow flexion. Additionally, hammer curls engage and strengthen the forearm muscles.
Perform two or three sets of 10 to 15 reps.
- Stand with your feet shoulder width apart with a dumbbell in each hand, arms extended down at your sides with your palms facing each other.
- Keeping your palms facing each other, bend your elbows, keeping them close to your side, until the dumbbells are at shoulder height.
- Return to the starting position.
- Perform two or three sets of 10 to 15 reps.
3) EZ Bar Biceps Curl
An EZ bar is a type of barbell featuring a curved shape with multiple angled grip options. Performing biceps curls with an EZ bar can allow for a more comfortable grip than with a straight barbell. This can help reduce strain on the wrists, forearms, elbows, and shoulders.
Perform two or three sets of 10 to 15 reps.
- Start by standing with your legs shoulder width apart.
- Grip an EZ bar with your hands placed just outside of your thighs, arms extended down, and palms facing out.
- Keeping your torso still and elbows in place at your sides, bend your elbows to lift the bar to shoulder height, then lower with control to the bottom position while keeping your shoulders relaxed.
4) Reverse Curl
The pronated (palms-down) grip of reverse curls engages the brachioradialis, the muscle on the front of your forearm. Reverse-grip curls are less taxing on the biceps and great for strengthening the forearms.
Perform two or three sets of 10 to 15 reps.
- Stand with your feet shoulder width apart with a dumbbell in each hand, arms extended down at your sides with your palms facing in.
- Bend your elbows, keeping them close to your side, until the dumbbells are at shoulder height and your palms are facing away from you.
- Return to the starting position.
5) Concentration Curl
As the name suggests, the concentration curl concentrates focus on the biceps with a posture that eliminates momentum or assistance from swaying or swinging the arms. By supporting your upper arm against your inner thigh, you move only at the elbow joint. This classic bodybuilding move homes in on the peak of the biceps and is a good option for anyone struggling with maintaining good form or with rushing reps.
Perform two or three sets of 10 to 15 reps.
- Sit at the edge of a bench or chair with your hips and knees at 90 degrees, holding a dumbbell in your left hand.
- Lean forward to position the back of your left arm on the inside of your left thigh. Place your right hand on your right knee.
- Keeping your left arm firmly against your inner thigh, perform 10 curls.
- Switch sides and repeat with the right arm against your right inner thigh.
6) Iso-Hold Curl
An isometric hold, also known as a static contraction, is a powerful way to build tension and control in strength training. To perform an iso hold, flex a muscle and hold the contraction for a period of time, usually several seconds. In the case of curls, you’ll hold the flexed position (forearm parallel to the floor) with one arm for the duration it takes to complete a set of curls with the opposite arm.
Perform two or three sets of 10 each arm.
- Stand tall with your feet about shoulder width apart. Hold one dumbbell in each hand with arms down at your sides and palms facing forward.
- Hold one dumbbell with your arm at 90 degrees (an isometric contraction) while performing 10 full-range repetitions with the other arm.
- Without lowering the dumbbells, switch which arm is holding the isometric contraction and perform 10 reps with the other arm.
- Finally, perform 10 repetitions with both arms.
7) 3-Position Curl
This biceps-curl circuit switches up your arm position relative to your torso, thereby changing the stretch, range of motion, and the precise area of the biceps being targeted. Performing all three positions allows you to build the biceps in a more comprehensive manner.
Perform 10 repetitions with both arms.
- Set up an adjustable bench at a 45-degree incline and sit with your back against the incline bench, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Perform 10 repetitions in this first position.
- Then, without resting, turn over to rest your torso against the incline bench and perform 10 repetitions in this second position.
- Finally, stand up and immediately perform 10 curls in this third, standing position.
8) 3-Part Curl (a.k.a. 21s)
The “21s” protocol is a 21-rep set that combines full and partial reps without rest. This not only allows you to focus on each phase of the movement, but it increases time under tension, forcing muscles to work harder for longer. This is useful for building strength and working through training plateaus.
Perform 10 repetitions with both arms.
- Stand tall with your feet about shoulder width apart. Hold one dumbbell in each hand, with arms down at your sides and palms facing forward.
- Perform seven repetitions of the bottom portion of the curl only.
- Then, perform seven reps of the top portion only.
- Finally, perform seven full-range reps.
9) Zottman Curl
This two-part exercise combines a standard biceps curl to lift the weight with a reverse curl to lower the weight. This approach builds both the biceps and the forearms.
Perform two or three sets of 10 to 15 reps.
- Stand tall with your feet about shoulder width apart. Hold one dumbbell in each hand with arms down at your sides and palms facing forward.
- Keeping your upper arms stable and tight to your torso, bend your elbows and raise the weights to your shoulders.
- At the top of the movement, rotate at the elbows so that your palms face away from you. Lower the weights with control, palms facing down.
This Post Has 2 Comments
Excellent suggestions–somehow I didn’t know most
of them, in spite of lifting for 35 years. I’ll try them tomorrow
at the club.
Great thank you 😊