5 Best Exercises for Men to Get Super-sized Biceps

Strong biceps have aesthetic as well as functional value (Image via Pexels @Mahmood Sufiyan)
Strong biceps have aesthetic as well as functional value. (Image via Pexels/Mahmood Sufiyan)

Biceps are naturally the most noticeable muscles a man can flaunt. Big and muscular biceps are an unmistakable sign that you've been putting in the hours at the gym.

Although the biceps brachii is a small muscle, it plays a significant role in both aesthetics and daily activities. The biceps along with the triceps make the arms thick and muscular, but that's not all they do. With every pound of muscle that you build, you also build lifting strength in the arms.

As the biceps are an essential muscle in any exercise that demands lifting or pressing something overhead, training them can increase your functional fitness to some extent. In this article, we will cover some excellent exercises that can help you get super-sized biceps.

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Best Exercises for Super-sized Biceps

The following five exercises for men when performed regularly can give you the biceps of your dreams. However, remember to pair them with a protein rich diet if you're looking for the best and fastest results:

1) Barbell Curl

Any list of bicep exercises is incomplete without this classic exercise for flexing the biceps.

As the biceps' primary function is elbow flexion, the natural activity for stimulating the most muscle in this region is the curl. The most fundamental of all curling exercises is the standing barbell version, unanimously regarded as the finest biceps exercise.

To do the exercise:

  • Begin by placing your desired amount of weight on your barbell. If this is your first time doing the exercise, avoid using a heavy weight.
  • Grab the barbell with an underhand grip, with palms up, and hands little wider than shoulder width.
  • Bring your shoulders back and chest up, putting your elbows under your shoulder joint.
  • Engage your biceps, and curl the barbell up while bracing your core.
  • Your body must maintain the proper posture — torso up straight, shoulders back, and elbows slightly in front of the shoulders.
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2) Chin-Up

Chin-ups are among the most difficult and well-known bodyweight exercises. Chin-ups are different from pull-ups in that they use an underhand grip, with your hands facing you.

While the chin-up still uses a lot of back muscles, the rotation of the arms means you will be depending on your biceps a lot more in this exercise.

Instructions:

  • Jump to the pull-up bar, or reach for it with an underhand grip. Hands should be shoulder-width apart or slightly narrower.
  • Straighten your arms and pull your shoulder blades back to relieve any unwanted pressure on them.
  • Engage your core to avoid swinging, and lift yourself up till your chin is either above or in line with the bar.
  • Pause for a few seconds before gradually lowering yourself back down.
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3) Hammer Curl

Although it's not exactly a biceps workout, the hammer curl can help grow the brachialis, boosting the size of the biceps area. The brachialis, the strongest elbow flexor, runs along the side of the upper arm and makes up a large portion of the lower bicep.

Instructions:

  • Begin by keeping your legs straight but not locked and knees aligned with the hips.
  • With a dumbbell in each hand and palms facing the body, hang your arms by your sides. Begin by relaxing your shoulders.
  • Bend at the elbow, bringing the weights up towards your shoulders while keeping your palms and wrists in place.
  • The upper arm should remain stationary as the lower arm moves.
  • Hold the position with your thumbs near your shoulders once you've reached the top of the raise.
  • Lower the weights slowly back to their starting position by your sides.
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4) Preacher Curl

Preacher curls and ordinary bicep curls appear to be identical actions at first glance, but they have their own place in the gym and in bicep workout. The main distinction is that a preacher curl requires a preacher bench.

For one thing, they put you into a longer negative movement (or eccentric contraction), which engages and develops more muscle. Another advantage is that the bench limits your ability to deceive with momentum.

Instructions:

  • Look for a preacher's seat and an EZ bar. Because of the form of the handle, you will want to use an underhand grip on the inner handle, with your palms facing up and slightly inward.
  • Hold the EZ bar at about shoulder length, and rest your upper arms and chest against the bench pad.
  • Exhale and flex your biceps to raise the weight. Continue till your biceps are fully tensed, and the bar is at shoulder height.
  • After fully contracting the biceps, progressively reverse the movement, enabling the eccentric motion to engage the biceps. Perform the appropriate number of reps.
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5) Concentration Curl

The concentration curl eliminates all the elbow movement that occurs during a standard curl, allowing for a greater focus on the bicep muscle during the lift.

As you will be bent at the torso, and upper arm will be perpendicular to the ground, you won't be able to cheat using momentum.

Instructions:

  • Sit on a bench with your knees bent at 90 degrees and feet flat on the ground.
  • Place the top part of your arm on your inner thigh while holding a dumbbell in your hand. Holding the dumbbell, extend your arm out.
  • Slowly curl the dumbbell up with proper form. As your upper arm rests on your thigh, it will remain stationary during the workout, while only your forearm will move.
  • At the height of the lift, squeeze your bicep before carefully lowering it back to the starting position.
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Takeaway

Perform the aforementioned exercises on alternate days (or as directed by your trainer). Remember that it’s also important to rest your muscles. Pair them with a healthy, protein-rich diet to see quicker results.

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