If I asked you what muscle stands out the most when you see people in the gym, what would you say?
You could say their chest. Maybe it's their quads, or it could be something else.
I'd argue that the first thing most people notice is your arms. To get more specific, they're probably looking at your biceps first.
Just about every guy in the gym has been trying to build arms like Arnold ever since his first Mr. Olympia. His massive biceps really set the world on fire.
Every guy wanted Arnold's biceps, so they became the glamour muscle every guy went after. Whenever I walk into any random gym today that's still the case.
If you're here because you want to build up your biceps, you've come to the right place!
I'm no different than any other person in the gym. I've been building up my biceps for years.
During the last 15 years, I've tested out tons of bicep exercises. I've found some that work really well, and others I don't get as much out of.
In this article, you'll learn everything you need to know about the most effective bicep exercises and how to create the perfect biceps workout routine.
In This Article:
• Proper Warm-Up for Bicep Exercises
• Tips to Maximize Growth in All Bicep Exercises
• Top 10 Bicep Exercises for Your Workout Routine
• How to Earn Better Results With These Bicep Exercises
Proper Warm-Up for Bicep Exercises
Before diving into any bicep exercises or starting your biceps workout, it's crucial to properly warm up these muscles. I've learned through years of training that a proper warm-up can make or break your bicep workout routine.
Here's my proven warm-up sequence for bicep exercises:
Arm Circles (2 sets of 20 seconds each)
Start with small circles forward and progress to larger circles. From here, reverse directions.
This increases blood flow to your arms and shoulders.
Light Band Work (2 sets of 15-20 reps)
Loop a resistance band under your feet, grabbing either side with a hand. Focus on slow and controlled bicep curls. This can help activate your biceps without much strain. Just make sure you're using a resistance band that doesn't create too much tension.
Remember: A proper warm-up isn't just about preventing injury. It's also about maximizing the effectiveness of your bicep exercises and overall bicep workout.
Tips to Maximize Growth in All Bicep Exercises
When it comes to training any muscle, there are different strategies you can take advantage of. Let's talk about a few of them before we jump into the exercises.
Tip #1: Slow Down the Eccentric Part of Every Bicep Exercise
There are two parts to every exercise: concentric & eccentric. The concentric part is when the muscle is actively shortening. For a bicep curl, this is when you're pulling the weight up.
The eccentric part is when the muscle is actively lengthening. So in a bicep curl, this is when you're lowering the weight back down.
There are more micro-tears created in your muscles during the eccentric portion. This may be one reason that eccentric muscle contractions seem to have a stronger effect on muscle growth (1).
Those micro-tears are a great stimulus to tell your body it needs to build more muscle. So slow down every rep, and you might just see better results!
Tip #2: Squeeze Your Biceps at the Top of Every Movement
This is a no-brainer for those of you who have been lifting weights for a while. If you want to build muscle, it's important that you contract your muscles hard.
One aspect of muscle growth has to do with something called mechanical tension (2). This term refers to how hard your muscles are squeezing during resistance training.
When your muscles have to squeeze really hard, it tells your body that your muscles need to grow in order to make it easier next time.
So when you get to the top of that bicep curl, squeeze your bicep hard at the top every rep!
Tip #3: Don’t Cheat Your Reps
This is also a no-brainer. If you cheat your reps, you're only cheating yourself.
When I say cheat your reps, I'm talking about using momentum to help you do the rep. If you need to use momentum, you're using weights that are too heavy for you.
Keep things slow and controlled with appropriate weights. If you don't do those things, you're only slowing down your own progress.
That's enough of that. Let's dive into my favorite bicep exercises!
Top 10 Bicep Exercises
These bicep exercises form the foundation of any effective biceps workout routine. Whether you're a beginner or an advanced lifter, these movements will help you build stronger, more defined arms.
Chin-Ups
I'm sure you thought I'd start with a standard bicep curl, but if that's the case you'd be wrong. Chin-ups are an excellent builder of the biceps!
To do a proper chin-up:
1. Find a pull-up bar higher off the ground than you can reach.
2. Jump up and grab it at shoulder width with an underhand grip.
3. Pull your shoulders back to engage your lats and stabilize your position.
4. Using your biceps and back muscles, pull yourself up until your chin clears the bar.
5. Squeeze your biceps hard at the top of the movement.
6. Lower yourself back down with control, maintaining tension throughout the negative portion.
7. Repeat for your target number of reps.
If you cannot do a chin-up unassisted, you can use a resistance band! Just wrap it around the bar, and put your knee through it for some added help.
Standing Barbell Bicep Curl
This is an old classic. If you go too heavy with this one, it's easy to cheat with a lot of leaning.
Make sure you use a weight that you can control slowly throughout the movement.
1. Select either a straight barbell or an EZ curl bar and grip it with an underhand grip at shoulder width.
2. Stand tall with the bar against your thighs, arms fully extended, core engaged. Keep your elbows pinned tightly to your sides throughout the entire movement.
3. Using pure bicep strength, curl the weight up with control, avoiding any swinging or momentum.
4. Squeeze your biceps as hard as possible at the top of the movement. Hold the contracted position for a full second to maximize tension.
5. Lower the weight back down slowly, maintaining control throughout the negative portion.
6. Repeat for your target number of reps, maintaining strict form.
TRX Curls
This exercise requires a set of TRX straps. The top end is either anchored to the wall or to a column of some sort. Using TRX straps allows for easy adjustment, and anyone can do them.
1. Grasp the TRX handles with an underhand grip, palms facing upward.
2. Walk backward until there's appropriate tension in the straps.
3. Position your feet forward to adjust resistance (the further forward, the more challenging).
4. Engage your core and maintain a straight body position from head to heels. Pull your shoulders back and down to create a stable starting position.
5. Keep your body rigid as you curl yourself up, focusing on using your biceps. Continue curling until your forehead approaches your hands.
6. Squeeze your biceps hard at the peak of the movement.
7. Lower yourself back down with control, maintaining body alignment.
8. Return to the starting position while keeping tension in the straps.
9. Repeat for your target number of reps.
Spider Curls
This is a curl variation that doesn't feel like a lot of the other curls. The reason for this is you won't have support for the back of your arms. Your arms will hang freely below you instead of having them at your sides.
1. Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle. Position yourself chest-down on the bench with your feet planted firmly on the ground. Let your arms hang freely to either side.
2. Grasp a pair of dumbbells with an underhand grip.
3. Starting with arms fully extended, curl the dumbbells up toward your shoulders. Keep your upper arms perpendicular to the ground throughout the movement.
4. Squeeze your biceps intensely at the top of the movement.
5. Lower the weights back down with control, maintaining form.
6. Allow your arms to fully extend at the bottom for a complete stretch.
7. Repeat for your target number of reps.
Barbell Drag Curls
This one was made famous by Vince Gironda, who also happened to be Arnold Schwarzenegger's first trainer. They're called drag curls because the bar will drag along your body the whole movement.
1. Take a wider-than-shoulder-width underhand grip on a barbell. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and keep a slight bend in your knees.
2. Lean forward slightly at your hips, bar resting against your mid-thighs.
3. Initiate the movement by pulling the bar up along your thighs. Continue dragging the bar up your body, keeping it in contact with your torso.
4. Squeeze your biceps hard at the peak of the movement.
5. Lower the weight slowly, maintaining contact with your body throughout.
6. Return to the starting position with full arm extension.
7. Repeat for your target number of reps.
Dumbbell Alternating Hammer Curls
This classic exercise works your biceps while also targeting the brachialis. This muscle lies beneath your bicep and adds thickness to your arms.
1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding dumbbells at your sides.
2. Position the dumbbells with palms facing each other (neutral grip). Keep your upper arms locked against your sides throughout the movement.
3. Starting with your right arm, curl the dumbbell up toward your shoulder. Maintain a neutral grip throughout the entire range of motion.
4. Squeeze your bicep hard at the top of the movement.
5. Lower the weight back down with control.
6. Repeat the movement with your left arm.
7. Continue alternating arms for your target number of reps.
Make sure to maintain strict form, avoiding any swinging or momentum.
Incline Dumbbell Curls
This variation creates an intense stretch on your biceps by allowing your arms to hang freely behind your body. This can help maximize the range of motion.
1. Set an adjustable bench to a 45-degree incline. Sit back on the bench with your feet firmly planted. Let your arms hang straight down, feeling the stretch in your biceps.
2. Hold dumbbells with an underhand grip, palms facing forward. Keep your upper arms stationary throughout the movement.
3. Curl both dumbbells up toward your shoulders with control. Focus on using pure bicep strength, avoiding momentum.
4. Squeeze your biceps hard at the top of the movement.
5. Lower the weights slowly back to the starting position.
6. Allow for a full stretch at the bottom of each rep.
7. Repeat for your target number of reps.
Preacher Curls
This exercise eliminates cheating by providing support for your upper arms. It will allow for maximum bicep isolation.
1. Adjust the preacher bench height so your armpits rest comfortably on the pad. Sit with your chest pressed firmly against the pad.
2. Grasp an EZ curl bar with an underhand grip at your preferred width.
3. Start with your arms fully extended, feeling a stretch in your biceps.
4. Keep your upper arms pressed firmly against the pad as you curl the weight up using pure bicep strength.
5. Focus on squeezing your biceps as you approach the top.
6. Hold the contracted position briefly for maximum tension.
7. Lower the weight back down with control.
8. Repeat for your target number of reps.
EZ Bar Reverse Curls
While still targeting your biceps, this variation emphasizes the brachialis and forearm muscles. These are crucial supporting muscles for overall arm development.
1. Grasp an EZ curl bar with an overhand grip on the wider angles. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, bar resting against your thighs. Keep your upper arms locked against your sides and keep your wrists fixed.
2. Curl the weight up using your forearms and biceps.
3. Focus on squeezing your forearms and biceps at the top.
4. Lower the weight back down with control, maintaining proper form.
5. Repeat for your target number of reps.
Bicep Cable Curls
This exercise provides constant tension throughout the movement, offering a unique stimulus for bicep growth. You can adjust the cable height to target different angles.
1. Set the cable pulley to its lowest position. Attach a straight bar or curl bar attachment.
2. Grasp the bar with an underhand grip at shoulder width and step back to create tension in the cable.
3. Position your feet shoulder-width apart and keep a slight bend in your knees. Keep your upper arms fixed against your sides.
4. Curl the weight up toward your shoulders with control.
5. Focus on squeezing your biceps at the peak of the movement.
6. Lower the weight back down slowly, maintaining tension.
11. Allow for a full stretch at the bottom before repeating for a target number of reps.
Pro Tip: For the best results, combine 3-4 of these bicep exercises into a focused biceps workout. Rotate through different exercises each session to keep your biceps workout routine fresh and challenging.
How to Earn Better Results With These Bicep Exercises
You can use these bicep exercises to make a pretty solid biceps workout! Knowing the right exercises to do is only half the battle though.
Actually, it's less than half the battle…
There's so much that goes into earning results outside of the workouts that we do. If all we needed were bicep workouts to get sleeve-busting arms, everyone would have them.
So what are the other ingredients in the recipe to earn great results from these bicep exercises?
Well, nutrition is a huge factor! You need plenty of protein, and enough calories to support muscle growth.
You also need the right vitamins and minerals necessary to help carry out all those processes. The nutrition aspect is arguably the most difficult.
You also need consistency in your workouts. They must also progress in difficulty, weight, and volume over time.
You also need plenty of quality sleep to recover from all those workouts.
The problem is, most people struggle with at least one or two of these. Maybe they train hard, but they don't know how to progress their workouts properly.
Unless they've studied nutrition, it's likely that they also fall short on their nutrition. If you feel like that describes you, don't worry. I've got a solution for you!
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References:
(1) da Silva, Luiz S. L., et al. "Comparison Between Eccentric vs. Concentric Muscle Actions On Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis." Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, vol. 39, no. 1, Jan. 2025, pp. 115-134.
(2) Krzysztofik, Michal, et al. "Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 16, no. 24, Dec. 2019, p. 4897.
