How to build biceps - exercises and techniques

Author: Timko Ilya - master of the whole project and fitness trainer.
2011-12-20

This article will discuss various exercises for the biceps of the shoulder. Some subtleties and nuances of training this muscle will be covered.

To start with the basics, basic exercises for the biceps – in my opinion – are pull-ups with an underhand grip to the chest and barbell curls while standing. Pull-ups have a more global impact on the biceps and the whole body overall. In general, if you want big arms, these two exercises should be included in your training.

Now, a few words on how to grip the barbell. It is known that the biceps has two heads – the inner and outer. The wider your grip on the barbell, the more load is placed on the outer head. Conversely, a narrow grip engages the inner head of the biceps more.

The same can be said about the position of the wrist. An underhand grip increases the impact on the outer head of the biceps. As the wrist pronates (turns inward), the load shifts to the inner head. A striking example is the exercise “hammer curls”. When performing curls with a cambered bar, the load is evenly distributed on both heads since the wrist is slightly turned inward.

Various static exercises are excellent for training bicep strength. For example, holding a barbell at half-bent arms or the same hold while hanging from a pull-up bar with a weight on your waist. These two exercises are analogous to the basic exercises mentioned at the beginning of the article. Simply pause in the middle of the movement and do not let the barbell or your body drop down.

Many guys want their biceps to be not only big but also bulging. The exercise “seated bicep curls over the knee” works well for achieving that shape. This exercise is also called concentrated bicep curls. In the final phase, it is preferable to slightly turn the wrist inward with the little finger.

I'd also like to mention the exercise “seated dumbbell curls at a 50–70-degree angle”. In this position, your muscles are significantly stretched in the lower phase, which promotes the appearance of micro-tears in the muscle tissue, leading to growth.

Additionally, in arm training, there’s a variation of the superset called reducing the weight of the barbell during a set. In other words, you perform repetitions to failure, then assistants immediately remove part of the weight from the barbell, and you continue without breaks. This can be done several times within one set. It's a very tough but quite effective option.

Another superset variation involves alternating exercises for the biceps and triceps. That is, you perform one set for the biceps and one for the triceps without resting in between. Only after that do you take a break. An example program with such superset variations is described here. This approach results in a very strong pump of blood into the muscles of the arms, aiding recovery between both sets and training sessions.

You can also try “curls from the low pulley in the crossover”. The primary distinction from the barbell is that in the upper part, the arms are not at rest since the cable is directed not strictly downward but also forward. In other words, the biceps fatigue more quickly than with a barbell.

So, that's all. Train your arms, but remember the words of Stuart McRobert: “If you want big arms, train your legs.” But that’s a different story altogether. Good luck!