The 25 Best Bicep Exercises to Build Muscle
Most of us want bigger biceps. Therefore, most of us want to know what the best bicep exercises are to build muscle. Yes, some people will say exercising your biceps in isolation is stupid. We understand, but some days we just long for the pump. And you know what, there's no shame in that.
So let's get straight to it. If you want to build bigger biceps, these 25 exercises will help get you there. Perform them properly, and it won't just be your biceps that start to bulge, your overall health will see an improvement, too.
A study published in PLOS One states that low skeletal muscle mass is associated with a higher risk of illnesses and mortality, making our muscle building quest ever more important for longevity (regardless of whether we're bicep training or not).
Need we say more? Bulging biceps can actually improve your health. So tell that to the next person who smirks at you when they see you on your third set of curls.
Below you'll find the 25 best exercises to build bigger biceps plus a collection of the best bicep workouts. Your quest for bigger arms is all on this page. But, before we get into it, it's a good idea to understand just what the biceps are and the muscles that make up that part of the arm. Remember, knowledge is power.
What Are Your Biceps?
Your bicep is, essentially, the large muscle group that sits on the front section of your upper arm. You know the one we’re talking about. You stare at it often enough when flexing. In Latin, it’s known as the biceps brachii, which means two-headed muscle of the arm. And why’s that, well, your biceps are split into two sections: the long head and the short head. Both heads stem from the scapula – shoulder blade – and come together in the middle of the arm to form the muscle we’ve all come to love and know.
Short Head
The short head arises from a projection on the scapula called the coracoid. It runs alongside the long head of the inside of the arm.
Long Head
The long head originates from a cavity in the scapula called the glenoid, passing through the shoulder joint to the upper arm.
Building bigger biceps doesn't have to be difficult. It's just that you're probably doing it wrong – curls will only get you so far. Yes, we couldn't believe it at first, either. In fact, there are loads of bicep exercises out there, more than enough to make all of your training sessions unique, and we're going to show you the most effective ones.
How to Get Bigger Biceps: Attack From All Angles
One of the main reasons people's biceps don't grow as big (or as quick) as they would like them to, is that they fail to recognise that the bicep is actually broken down into more than one part. Most guys tend to only focus on the brachii. But if you want thicker, fuller looking arms, you need to work all areas of the bicep.
4 Rules That Are Key to Building Bigger Biceps
Follow these top tips to ensure you are maximising every rep and set in our list of best bicep exercises. After all, if you're going to work your biceps, you might as do them properly.
Build Bigger Biceps Rule 1: Warm Up
It sounds boring, but patience is a virtue, and besides, it’s bloody important. A warmed muscle is a more pliable one. In other words, it’ll work better. The increase in temperature will help reduce the risk of rips and tears and deliver more red blood cells – and therefore oxygen and nutrients – to the muscle while it is working. You’ll be able to lift more, too.
And if stretching sounds an easy way to gains, you could be right. Research published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology compared a stretching protocol to strength training and found that those in the stretching group built the same muscle thickness as those who underwent the lifting routine.
Build Bigger Biceps Rule 2: Change Up Your Workouts
Remember, every six workouts (give or take) your body has fully adapted and won’t get the same benefits. Quite simply, sitting there curling away each week won’t be doing much. Variety truly is the spice of life.
Build Bigger Biceps Rule 3: The Importance of Breathing
Think holding your breath during your big lift is helping? Think again. In fact, not breathing out can cause your blood pressure to spike and make you dizzy. Structured, rhythmic-like breathing will help you concentrate, calm you down and keep your tempo more controlled. An oxygenated body will also reduce the risk of passing out and help deliver that sweet, sweet air to your muscles, allowing them to 'breathe' and work harder.
But there’s more to breathing correctly than a few gasps of air. Engaging your diaphragm, a process known as ‘bracing’ by powerlifters, is key to explosive performances.
Bracing: Imagine you’re about to get gut-punched. Push your stomach into the belt as you breathe in, but also push out to the sides and back. This is how you need to brace when lifting.
This level of structured breathing may not be necessary for every bicep exercise – whereas for every compound move it’s a must – but keep this is mind when working out.
Build Bigger Biceps Rule 4: Rest More
It’s often preached that you should rest for 30 to 60 seconds between sets. This isn’t really long enough for your muscles to recover fully. 'Wait three or four minutes and your muscles will have a chance to return to full strength,' says exercise physiologist Ed Eyestone. 'Then you can use more weight on your next set for greater muscle growth.'
If you don’t want to hang around for four minutes – time is of the essence, after all – train a different group of muscles during the rest. Work on your triceps with push downs, then work your (rested biceps) as your triceps recover.
'This reciprocity training will induce exhaustion and build muscle quicker,' explains sports physio Jonathan Lewis.
Bicep Exercise Mistakes to Avoid
Avoid dropping... the eccentric phase (lowering) is just as important as the eccentric phase (lifting). Keep both parts of the movement – and don't forget to squeeze at the top – controlled, and maintaining tension throughout the entire movement.
Avoid swinging... a little momentum – towards the end of your set – is understandable, perhaps acceptable, but what we won't accept is lifting too big a weight and using your bodyweight to get the dumbbell up. Guys, you're faking it. Keep your body upright and still.
How Many Reps and Sets to Grow Biceps?
To grow your biceps, the rep ranges will depend on the weights you have available and your abilities. As supported by a review published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, for hypertrophy (building muscle) aiming for 6-12 reps should be sufficient. However you may see isolation exercises like bicep curls programmed with 10-15 reps. This is because working to higher rep ranges will result in more volume (a prerequisite for hypertrophy) and more of a pump — something we chase when training biceps.
As a rule of thumb, 3-4 sets of your chosen rep range can result in muscle growth. A recent systematic review found that the best hypertrophy results came from 30-40 sets per muscle per week. However, there was a minimum effective dose of 4 sets per muscle group per week. Somewhere around 10-20 sets per week still delivered good hypertrophy results which would perhaps be a more realistic goal for most.
It's important to incorporate progressive overload in your workouts by adjusting reps, sets, weight, and other variables over time. To work out the ideal rep range you can use the RPE scale to work to a level challenging enough to stimulate muscle growth. Aiming for an 8 out of 10 at the end of your sets should be sufficient to see hypertrophy:
10 Ultimate Bicep Workouts To Build Size
These are the best bicep workouts that MH has to offer. Why not give a few of them a go?
This 15-Minute Dumbbell Arm Workout Is Designed to Build Muscle, Fast
This No-frills Bi's and Tri's Workout Is Designed to Blow up Your Arms
25 of the Best Bicep Exercise For Building Muscle
1. Standing Dumbbell Curl
Why: We can’t start any bicep exercise list without including this classic; it’s a fan favourite for a reason. Nothing targets your biceps more than the curl. But it’s important to manage your weights accordingly. Wildly swinging and arching your back in order to lift the dumbbell is a waste of time, and could cause injury. Keep is slow, keep it controlled and focus on squeezing your bicep as you lift.
How:
Stand holding a dumbbell in each hand with your arms hanging by your sides.
Ensure your elbows are close to your torso and your palms facing forward.
Keeping your arms stationary, exhale as you curl the weights up to shoulder level while contracting your biceps.
2. Hammer Curl
Why: The difference is in the detail, specifically the way you hold the dumbbell. By flipping the dumbbell on its side helps transfer more of the work from your biceps brachii to your brachialis – that’s the muscle that makes your arms look thicker.
How:
Let a pair of dumbbells hang at arm’s length next to your sides with your palms facing your thighs.
Don’t move your arms. Instead, bend your elbows and curl the dumbbells as close to your shoulders as possible.
Pause at the top – remember to squeeze – before slowly lowering the weight back to the starting position.
3. Incline Dumbbell Curl
Why: Setting the bench to incline puts more pressure on the long head of your biceps brachii because you’re now working from a deficit. In other words, you’re starting from point where you have less leverage than normal. Note: as this exercise requires more effort, you will need to lighten the load.
How:
Start by lying with your back against a bench that is set to a 45-degree incline.
Bend your elbows and curl the dumbbells as close to your shoulders as you can.
Next, lower the weight (slowly) back to your starting position, ensuring you completely straighten your arms.
4. Zottman Curl
Why: There aren’t many exercises that target the three major muscles that make up the biceps – the biceps brachii, brachialis, and brachioradialis. By rotating from an underhand to an overhand grip halfway through the move, the zottman curl hits all areas of your bicep.
How:
With your dumbbells hanging by your side, turn your arms so your palms face forward.
Without moving your upper arms, bend your elbows and curl the dumbbells towards your shoulder.
Pause, then rotate the dumbbells so your palms face forward before slowly returning back to your starting position.
5. Barbell Bent-Over Row
Why: According to research, your muscles, specifically your biceps are most active when they are pulling. As the row requires many muscles to perform, you’ll be able to use a much heavier weight than you would curling while still maintaining good form and function.
How:
With slightly flexed knees, hinge over from the hips.
Maintain a neutral spine with your hands shoulder-width apart.
Think about pulling your elbows behind you and hold for one second before controlling the load back down.
Ensure the line of the pull is into the belly button not into the sternum.
6. Chin-up
Why: Chin-ups are not the easiest move to master but definitely one of the most effective. Do it properly, and, along with your arms, your shoulders and back will get a serious workout, too.
How:
Grab the bar with your palms facing towards you and a grip that is more narrow than shoulder width.
Pull yourself up until your head is above the bar. Slowly lower back to the start position.
7. Regular EZ Bar Curl
Why: The bar allows you to load more weight than you would with a curl while still maintaining good form and without putting too much pressure through your elbows and forearms.
How:
Hold the EZ bar in front of your thighs with an underhand, shoulder-width grip.
As you breathe in, curl the bar until your hands are at your shoulders.
Squeeze your bicep then lower under control.
8. Underhand Seated Row
Why: By sitting down and rowing, your biceps are in the direct line of the pull so they work extra hard during each rep. Do it properly and watch your biceps and your back grow.
How:
Bend your knees and hold the bar with an underhand grip, shoulder-width apart.
Lean slightly, keeping your back straight, then use your back to muscle to drive the bar towards your belly button.
Return the bar to the starting position.
9. Reverse Curl Straight Bar
Why: Often neglected because it works the brachialis, an invisible muscle lower down your upper arm — but one essential for bigger biceps. Train it well and the brachialis pushes the peak of your bicep muscle up higher, making for a more impressive flex and bigger looking arms.
How:
Stand and grip a barbell at shoulder width with an overhand grip.
Flex the elbows and rotate the barbell upwards, only using your forearms, until your palms face out and the barbell is in line with your shoulders.
Return it back down slowly and repeat.
10. Concentration Curl
Why: The concentration curl isolates the arm flexors and hits the lateral head of the biceps for peak performance.
How:
Sit on a bench and rest your right arm against your right leg, letting the weight hang down.
Curl the weight up, pause, then lower. Repeat with other arm.
11. Twisting Dumbbell Curl
Why: This exercise won't hit your biceps as hard as other arm moves, but will bring your forearms into play. Squeezing sets in over lunch, this move will hit more of your arm in less the time.
How:
Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your side with palms facing each other.
Use your bicep to curl the dumbbells up to your shoulders alternately, twisting your palms to face your chest as you lift them.
Slowly lower the dumbbells back down to your side and repeat.
12. Prone Dumbbell Spider Curl
Why: Lying against the bench helps you master the proper curling technique. If your chest lift off, that's cheating. Keep it flat for every rep and you know you've nailed another set in your quest for bigger biceps.
How:
Lie on an incline bench and hold a dumbbell in each hand, letting them hang underneath your shoulders.
Use your biceps to curl the dumbbells towards your shoulders. Slowly return to starting position and repeat.
13. Leant-Forward EZ Bar Curl
Why: The forward tilt means using your hips to swing up the final reps is a no-no. This requires full strength and perfect form for perfect gains.
How:
Hold the EZ bar in front of your thighs with an underhand, shoulder-width grip.
Lean forward slightly, so your torso's around 30-degrees to your hips. As you breathe in, curl the bar until your hands are at your shoulders.
Squeeze your biceps, then lower under control.
14. Inverted Row
Why: The calisthenics alternative to a bent-over row, the inverted row requires a straight back and considerable core control to hold your body in the correct form. For the bent-over row and pull-up exercises you can change your grip to alter the focus of your workout: overhand to hit your back and delts, underhand to focus on maxing out your biceps. An under-appreciated arms-and-core burner.
How:
Set up a bar in a rack at waist height. Hold it wider than shoulder-width apart, with an underhand grip, and hang underneath. Position yourself with heels out in front of you and arms fully extended.
Your body should be straight from shoulders to ankles. Flex at the elbows to pull your chest up to the bar. Lower yourself back to the start position under control.
15. Meadows Row
Why: Who says 'barbell' has to mean two hands? This tough rowing variation allows you to stack more weight on and grapple with an unfamiliar movement. Doing this T-bar style row to one side, as opposed to between the legs, forces your whole body to work overtime while you try and keep yourself balanced. This move is one of the fastest tickets to bigger arms. Just don't tell everybody or they will all be doing it.
How:
Put one end of a barbell in a heavy weight to stabilise it and lift the other end with one hand. Keep your arm extended and knees slightly bent.
Flex your elbow and use your shoulder muscle to pull the barbell up to your side, then lower it back down and repeat.
16. Barbell Curl
Why: Doesn't get more basic than this. Barbells allow you to work both arms simultaneously and evenly. By changing the position of your grip will enable you to work different parts of the muscle.
How:
Grab a barbell with a shoulder-width grip and let it hang in front of your thighs.
Brace your core as you curl the bar up to your chest, keeping your upper arms stationary. Return under control to the start position.
17. Decline Dumbbell Curl
Why: Lying down on the bench reduces tension in your legs and core helping isolate the biceps.
How:
Lie with your chest against a bench set to a 45-degree incline.
Without moving your arms, curl the dumbbell as close to your shoulders as possible.
Pause, then slowly lower the weight to the starting position.
18. Cable Rope Hammer Curl
Why: This move will hit your brachialis, building thickness in your arms. The movement is a bit like the dumbbell hammer curl, but the cable machine helps keep a steady and constant load on your biceps for longer, increasing time under tension and eliciting more growth.
How:
Feet shoulder-width apart, hold both ends of a rope attached to the low pulley of a cable machine.
Pressing your elbows in, palms facing each other, curl the rope toward your shoulders, before pausing and returning to your starting position.
19. Seated Cable Row
Why: Similar to the underhand seated row, with your biceps along the plane of the direction of the pull, they work extra hard during each rep.
How:
Feet on the platform with knees slightly bent, grab hold of a V-bar with your palms facing each other.
It's important to keep your back flat as you pull your shoulders back and the bar towards your body.
20. Overhead Press
Why: Although predominantly seen as a shoulder-building exercise, the overhead nature of the exercise is also effective at building bigger biceps.
How:
Position your feet close together and lift the barbel/dumbbell up to your shoulders, palms facing forward.
Press the barbell/dumbbell above your head explosively until your arms are fully extended, then lower the weight under control.
21. Towel Grip Pull-up
Why: Work on your grip strength while you score a bigger set of biceps and grab your gym towel to give this bicep burning pull-up variation a try.
How:
Hang a towel over a pull-up up bar, grip it in both hands and hang with straight arms.
Pull yourself up by flexing the elbows whilst pinching your shoulder blades together. When your chin passes your fists, pause before lowering to the starting position.
Repeat, alternating the side your head moves to with each rep.
22. Banded Bicep Curl
Why: You can build bulging biceps with just a resistance band. If your band is light, adjust the rep ranges so they are on the higher end to receive a T-shirt stretching arm pump.
How:
Loop the band under your feet and stand tall with your arms straight, gripping the band with an underhand grip.
Lock your elbows close to your waist and curl the arms upwards so your thumbs meet your collarbones.
Slowly reverse the movement under control so the band returns to the starting position.
23. Preacher Curls
Why: If you're prone to swinging and using momentum, the preacher curl ensures you isolate the bicep muscle. You can also vary the grip depending on which of the bicep heads you want to target.
How:
Begin seated on the preacher-curl bench, with your chest and arms in contact with the arm pad.
With an underhand grip and your arms straight, keep your elbows in place as you curl the bar upwards.
Squeeze the biceps before you reverse the movement under control.
24. TRX Bicep Curl
Why: You don't necessarily need weights to build your biceps, by simply using olympic rings or TRX straps you can isolate your biceps while also getting some additional core work in.
How:
Begin facing the TRX attachment with your heels planted and body at an angle. Your arms should be straight with your palms facing you.
Maintain a straight line from the top of your head to your heels. Keep your elbows in place, flex at the elbows and to lift your body upwards so that your fists are either side of your head.
Slowly release, ready to repeat.
25. Wall Strict Curl
Why: If you struggle with cheating your reps and swinging the weights up by using momentum, the wall strict curl will take all 'extra help' out of the equation and therefore result in more muscle gains.
How:
PROIRON 20kg Cast Iron Adjustable Dumbbell Set
20kg Adjustable Dumbbell Set
50kg Black Cast Iron Barbell/Dumbbell Set
Men's Health Adjustable Dumbbell - 25kg
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