Big and strong biceps are not just flattering, but strengthening them is actually very important for everyday life and for allowing you to handle more weight for your compound exercises, and improve your overall quality of training.
Strong biceps also limits the risk of injuries like bicepital tendonitis and elbow tendonitis, and it will decrease the possibility of complete muscle rupture from heavy lifts. Triceps are known to be the weak-link, so everyone trains them hard, but biceps if not trained, can become just as much of a weak-link as weak triceps. Strong biceps will help you lift more and it will boost your performance. In addition, it will boost your upper back’ strength too.
Standing Barbell Curl
This strength, isolation exercise will hit your biceps. Make sure you keep your body still and allow only your biceps to move the weight. Control the movement throughout the exercise.
- Stand upright and hold a barbell with a shoulder-width grip, with the palms facing forward, and your elbows close to your upper body.
- Curl the weight forward while contracting your biceps. Keep your entire body fixed and only allow your forearms to move.
- Continue moving the weight until your biceps are fully contracted and barbell reaches shoulder level.
- Hold at the top and squeeze your biceps.
- Do a controlled negative and repeat!
Dumbbell Curl
Another isolated exercise that uses the force of your pull, the dumbbell curl is quite famous and while it looks easy, remember to contract your bicep throughout the exercise and feel the burn!
- Hold two dumbbells in each hand, with palms facing in and arms straight.
- Keeping your elbows to the sides, raise one dumbbell and rotate your forearm until it is vertical and you palm is facing your shoulder.
- Lower the forearm back into the starting position with a controlled movement.
- Switch sides and repeat!
Weighted Chin-Up
This compound movement uses the force of your pull to recruit your lats, delts, traps, pects, triceps and it hits your biceps as well. This is a full upper-body exercises that is very effective.
- Adjust a weight to your dip belt or hold a dumbbell in between your ankles.
- Grasp a bar with an underhand, shoulder-width grip.
- Pull your body up until your elbows are to your sides.
- Lower your body until your arms and shoulders are fully extended.
- Repeat!
Incline-Bench Curl
This strength exercise hits your biceps and recruits your delts and wrists flexors. It is a very effective exercise because it eliminates the potential of body movement even more than the dumbbell curl.
- Sit on an incline bench and hold a dumbbell in each hand, while keeping your elbows close to your torso and rotate your palms until they are facing forward.
- Curl the weight forward until your biceps are fully contracted and your dumbbells reach shoulder level.
- Hold the position at the top and then do a controlled negative.
- Repeat!
Cable Hammer Curl
This is another isolated strength exercises that hits your biceps by targeting your forearms and recruiting your delts, traps, and other muscles in the movement.
- Stand upright, grasp a cable rope with your palms facing inward, and place your arms straight down to the sides.
- Keeping your elbows to the sides, raise the rope forward and upwards until both of your forearms are vertical.
- Lower your arms until they are fully extended.
- Repeat!
Be mindful of your form and posture as you perform these exercises. Maintain your back neutral to prevent the risk of injuries, and maintain form in order to ensure effective results. Squeeze and contract your biceps throughout the movement and remember to control the acceleration of your lifts and drops.
Your biceps are more than just ‘cool looking’, they are meant to link with other muscles and support your movements. If you want to boost your deadlift, it’s necessary that you strengthen your biceps. This will allow you to progressively overload as well, because the amount of weight you lift is important too.
You can only increase the amount of weight you lift over time, in order to avoid any muscle damage. In order to do that, train your biceps and continue to progressively increase your weights. You’ll be able to boost your deadlift, lift heavier weights and improve your performance!