Top Bicep Exercises You Should Include in Your Workout Routine
Bicep exercises are an essential component of any workout mix. Biceps are, of course, the muscles which tell the world that you've been working out.
Biceps exercises are not as simple as performing an absurd number of dumbbell curls. To build true blue biceps, you must incorporate various bicep exercises that work the muscle from all sides. That's precisely what we aim to do with the following exercise routine.
If you're looking to build bigger arms, you should also work out your triceps. Check out these best tricep workouts for men for stronger and bigger arms.
Top Bicep Exercises for Bigger Biceps
Check out the following top bicep exercises that target the biceps from different angles to give you an all-round workout:
1) Standing Dumbbell Curl
If there were a list of classic bicep exercises, this one would be at the top. An excellent exercise for beginners, the standing dumbbell curl is a basic bicep exercise that needs to be performed by everyone.
The main thing to remember is that the motion should happen only with the arms — the back, core and rest of the body should be as still as possible.
Instructions:
- With your arms by your sides and dumbbells in each hand, maintain a standing position.
- Ensure that your palms are pointing forward and the elbows are near the torso.
- Exhale as you raise the weights to shoulder level while squeezing your biceps, keeping your arms motionless.
2) Zottman Curl
One of the best bicep exercises, the Zottman curl targets all three major biceps muscles — brachii, brachialis, and brachioradialis — making it the perfect exercise to increase size.
The exercise targets all parts of the bicep by switching from an underhand to overhand grip midway through the movement.
Instructions:
- With dumbbells dangling by your sides, rotate your arms such that the palms face forward.
- Without moving your upper arms, curl the dumbbells towards your shoulder by bending your elbows.
- Pause, and rotate the dumbbells such that the palms are facing forward before returning slowly to the starting position.
3) Single Arm Incline Bench Preacher Curl
The single arm incline bench preacher curl is an incredible exercise for the biceps. As you will perform the exercise one arm at a time and your arm is fixed, the movement will make the bicep muscle incredibly isolated, making it of the best bicep workouts you can do.
Instructions:
- Install a 45-degree inclined bench.
- While standing, grasp a dumbbell, and extend your arm flat against the bench's back so that your palm faces upward.
- Maintaining a stationary upper arm, curl the dumbbell towards your shoulder.
- Squeeze your biceps at the apex of the movement, and slowly drop the weight.
- On one side, perform all the repetitions before moving to the other.
4) Concentration Curl
This is one of the bicep exercises that eliminates your ability to cheat with your curls. It's quite effective in isolating the biceps and targeting them.
Instructions:
- Set a bench so that the knees are bent at 90 degrees and feet are flat on the floor.
- Take a dumbbell in your right hand, and place the rear of your right upper arm against the inside of your right thigh.
- Your extended arm should hold the weight off the ground.
- Slowly curl the weight up using only your forearms. The position of your upper arm on your thigh will assist you in maintaining its stillness throughout the workout.
- Pause for a beat, and clench your biceps at the top of the movement. Slowly reduce the weight back to the starting position.
- Perform all repetitions with one arm before switching to the other.
5) Leant Forward EZ Bar Curl
The EZ bar has undulating handles, which stimulates greater muscle contraction in the biceps than a barbell or dumbbell.
Performing this bicep workout, one of the better bicep exercises, with good form can help you build bigger biceps. Don't use the forward tilt to swing your hips up during the final reps.
Instructions:
- Hold the EZ bar with an underhand, shoulder-width grip in front of your thighs.
- Lean forward so that the torso is approximately 30 degrees from the hips.
- As you take a deep breath in, curl the bar to your shoulders as you inhale.
- Compress your biceps, and slowly lower them.
6) Inverted Row
The inverted row is a calisthenics variation of the bent-over row and needs a straight back and significant core control to maintain proper form.
Use the underhand grip to make the movement focus on your biceps, as opposed to the overhand grip (focus on back and delts). This is one of the best intermediate-level biceps exercises for those who have been working out and need to up their biceps game.
Instructions:
- Set a bar at waist height in a rack. Hold it with an underhand grip wider than shoulder-width apart, and hang underneath.
- Place yourself with your heels facing front and arms fully extended.
- From your shoulders to your ankles, the body should be straight.
- Flex your elbows as you pull your chest to the bar.
- Control your descent back to the starting position.
Takeaway
Bicep exercises can help build functional strength in the arms that can make your daily life easier. Strong arms can help you easily carry or lift things, prevent injury, and enable you to have an overall better quality of life.
To build all around strength in your arms, check out these effective forearm exercises with equipment.
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