On June 27, 2023, Cutler shared a video to his YouTube channel where he ran through a high-volume arm workout. Based on how he chose to title the video, the routine is helping the former champion build an impressive pair of 20-inch arms. Usually, such a claim might be hyperbolic. Coming from Cutler, the goal is entirely believable and worth diving more into.

Here’s an overview of Cutler’s workout, which features nine different exercises to address both the triceps and biceps. Note: The precise working and warm-up weights for each movement were not disclosed. The same holds true for the exact number of repetitions on occasion.

Jay Cutler | “20-Inch Arm” Workout

• Straight-bar triceps pushdown: Two warm-up sets, three working sets (increase weight each set)
• Kneeling rope pressdown: 3-4 x 10-12
• Overhead dumbbell extension: Three sets
• Seated dip machine: Three sets (increase weight each set)
• Two-arm dumbbell kickback: 3 x 10-12 
• Nautilus biceps curl machine: Three sets
• Alternate dumbbell curl: 3 x 8-10
• Barbell spider curl: 3 x 10-12
• Machine preacher curl: Three sets

Some of the more notable tidbits featured in this video include Cutler revealing that his current body weight was 243 pounds. When discussing some of his closing exercises, Cutler said he wants to weigh at least 250 pounds within two months of the video’s filming. The icon explained he’s been doing two-a-day cardio sessions as part of his ongoing “Fit for 50” transformation. These additional workouts, including a 25-minute session the morning of the arm workout with a bike session planned for later that same evening, seemingly haven’t hampered his mass-gaining progress.

Cutler maintained that he chose to do an arm workout on camera after noticing the preference of his fans and social media channel subscribers. For someone nearing 50 years old, the legend’s ease in this arm workout made it seem as if he had a lot left in the tank on a competitive level. However, this fit luminary has said he will not be returning to the stage any time soon.

With no plans to compete again in the near future, Cutler is free to build his fitness-influencing empire and simultaneously leave the ladder behind for those who want to make a climb up. It’s arm workouts like this that are emblematic of everything Cutler has to teach when it comes to the gym.

Featured Image: JayCutlerTV on YouTube

The post Jay Cutler Breaks Down His Workout to Build 20-Inch Arms appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

On May 24, 2023, Schwarzenegger appeared in a video partnering with Men’s Health. The clip features the fitness legend dispensing a short arm workout, shoulder workout, and some of his favorite training secrets.

While working out at the famous Gold’s Gym in Venice Beach, CA, Schwarzenegger broke down an arms and shoulders routine typical of what he does every day.

“This is what I do every morning. I come in here [Gold’s Gym] and do 25 to 30 sets in a half an hour,” Schwarzenegger said. “In the old days we did 30 sets for shoulders. Now I do 15 sets.”

Arnold Schwarzenegger | Arm and Shoulder Workout May 2023

Here is an overview of both of Schwarzenegger’s arm and shoulder workouts:

Arm Workout

• Machine Preacher Curl: One set of 30 reps, four sets of 10-12 reps
• Machine Dip: One set of 30 reps, four sets of 10-12 reps

Shoulder Workout

• Machine Overhead Press: Five sets of 10-12 reps
• Machine Lateral Raise: Five sets of 10-12 reps
• Machine Rear Delt Fly: Five sets of 10-12 reps

Schwarzenegger explained he ends every set with a five-second hold on the last rep.

As for Schwarzenegger’s advice on a proper approach to training, he maintained it’s about consistent dedication and all the benefits that it can provide. Provided an athlete stays committed to their routine, Schwarzenegger says they’ll eventually see results. He told an anecdote about his peak fitness days to use as proof.

“When you train it is not just that your body gets pumped up and gets stimulated with blood but it’s also your mind and you have a much more positive kind of outlook on the day and on life when you’ve had a pump behind you,” Schwarzenegger started. “I was in good shape [in the 1980s]. I worked out two hours a day. Because after having had several heart surgeries and then having had surgeries on my shoulders and knees and all those kind of things, it’s important to protect my body and do therapy training at the same time. 

In other words, Schwarzenegger said not to overthink it and keep chugging along in the gym, no matter your adversity.

“If you want to go to the gym every day and do your bike ride, train every day, then you roll out of bed and you don’t think,” Schwarzenegger said. “The important thing is don’t think, just do.”

Featured image: Men’s Health on YouTube

The post Arnold Schwarzenegger Shares His Recent Killer Arm and Shoulder Workout  appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Just a few problems there. The high intensity, high volume programs used by the pros do not tend to be sustainable for the rest of us due to some physiological (and often pharmaceutical) reasons. Most people also aren’t ready to trust their potential gains to an algorithm-fueled robot, so that leaves you creating a program for yourself.

Consider a time-tested axiom before diving in: It’s not hard to create a good bodybuilding workout program, but it’s also not hard to create a bad one. Fortunately, we’ve got your back. And your chest, shoulders, arms, and legs.

Here you will find evidence-based workouts to build every major area of an aesthetic physique. These workouts assume you’re a relatively healthy lifter with at least some experience in the gym (i.e. not a true beginner who could benefit from a more generalized approach). These plans work best with a body part split across the week.

Bookmark these workouts for your next hypertrophy training block and support the workouts with enough food to fuel performance, recovery, and growth so you can get started adding size. 

Best Bodybuilding Workouts for Each Body Part

• Chest Workout
• Back Workout
• Shoulder Workout
• Arm Workout
• Leg Workout

Best Bodybuilding Workout for Chest

The chest muscles play a prominent role in our physique. They are most often trained by multi-joint, upper body pushing exercises. The angle the “push” can be used to bias certain portions of the chest, allowing us to fully develop this region. In addition to pushing exercises, single joint exercises can also be used to target the chest. Single-joint exercise serves as “icing on the cake,” providing a touch of additional training stimulus. 

The Complete Chest Workout

Just about any repetition range can build muscle. (1)(2) This engaging workout begins with the heaviest exercise. As the workout progresses, moderate repetition, moderate weight exercises are introduced as compound sets — a time-efficient superset technique that pairs movements targeting the same muscles back-to-back without rest. The workout ends with high repetition “pump work,” leaning into the metabolic mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy. (3) This general format is repeated for workouts for all body parts. 

This chest workout is designed to be performed once per week. Select weights that allow completion of repetitions is near the lower end of the repetition range. Sets need not be taken to failure but should flirt with it. Meaning, sets must reach a high level of effort. (4)(5) When you end the set, you should feel like you have three or fewer repetitions remaining “in the tank.”

When you’re able to complete sets at the top end of the repetition range, add five to 10 pounds. This progression method “resets” your sets back toward the lower bound of the repetition range, allowing your to progress repetition volume once again in subsequent weeks. 

Barbell Bench Press

• How to Do it: Lie on a bench with your back arched and shoulder blades pulled down and together (“in your back pockets”). Unrack the bar and lower it to your chest. Press the bar upward until your elbows are straight but not locked.
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 6-8
• Rest time: Rest three minutes seconds between sets.

Dip

• How to Do it: Support your body from a dip bar and lean slightly forward. Lower yourself until you feel a stretch across the front of your chest and shoulders or until your upper arms break parallel. Add weight or assistance as needed to achieve the target repetition range.
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12
• Rest time: Move immediately to the next exercise without rest.

Incline Dumbbell Flye Press

• How to Do it: Lie on a 30- to-45-degree incline bench and begin with the dumbbells pressed locked out above your chest. Face your palms together and lower the weights in a flye, keeping a slight bend in your arms. From the bottom position, pull the weights in toward your shoulders and press the weights up to lockout.
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 12-16
• Rest time: Rest two minutes before repeating the previous exercise.

Machine Incline Press

• How to Do it: Sit with your back and buttocks supported on an incline press machine. Push the handles along the arc of the machine’s path until your elbows are straight but not locked. Control back to the start position.
• Sets and Reps: 2 x 16-20
• Rest time: Rest 90 seconds between sets.

Muscles Trained on Chest Day

Chest day often draws added attention because the pecs are featured so prominently when you check the mirror, even more so once you get an awesome pump going mid-session. The majority of chest movements will also recruit “the pressing muscles” — your shoulders and triceps — for assistance.

Pectorals

When viewed from the front, the upper bodies of modern bodybuilders are dominated by well-developed chest muscles. The pectoralis major is the largest and most superficial chest muscle. All parts of the pectoralis major act to draw the arms toward the body, pull the arms together in front of the body, and internally rotate the arms. The upper portion of the pectoralis major also raises the arm. Therefore, a wide variety of exercises target the pecs. 

Anterior Deltoids

The anterior deltoids, or “front delts,” share the same actions as the pectoralis major. Conveniently, this means that anterior deltoids are trained during chest workouts, such as the one above, and during direct shoulder workouts. 

Triceps

The triceps brachii primarily serve to extend your elbows (straighten your arms). Because of this, compound movements such as pressing and dips can be counted toward total triceps training volume. This aesthetic “three-headed” muscle fills t-shirt sleeves more readily than any other arm muscle.

How to Warm-Up Your Chest

A traditional warm-up has two components: 1) the “general warm-up” and 2) the “specific warm-up.” The general warm-up elevates body temperature, improves oxygen delivery to muscle and other body tissues, and improves joint freedom of motion. It typically consists of short duration, low-to-moderate intensity cardiovascular exercise (e.g. air bike, rowing, jogging, or jumping rope).  

The specific warm-up primes areas of the body and movement patterns to be used in the subsequent workout for improved technique and performance. It is also a good time for dedicated mobility exercises and/or exercises intended to reduce risk of injury.

A specific warm-up for the chest may consist of exercises to prepare the upper body and spine for proper positions during pressing, stimulate muscle contractions of the muscles to be trained, and reinforce shoulder stability. It is wise to include lower intensity sets of the workout’s first exercise at the tail end of the specific warm-up.  

Chest Warm-Up

• Cardio: Five minutes, low-to-moderate intensity effort
• Band Pull-Apart: 2 x 15 
• Foam Roller Thoracic (Upper Back) Extensions: 2 x 10
• Push-Up: 2 x 10
• Bench Press: 3 x 6–10, work-up sets at light to moderate weight (e.g. approximately 40%, 60%, and 80% of the weight to be used for the first set of the workout’s first exercise).

Best Bodybuilding Workout for Back

A muscular back supports a confident posture, adds width to your upper body, and provides visual interest for those who happen to be walking behind your statuesque physique. That visual interest will come from the various muscles of the back, which converge on the shoulder blades and shoulders.

To create desirable definition and size, training the back from multiple angles using a variety of exercises may be useful. each exercise variation biases certain areas of the back and may result in distinct patterns of muscular development. (6)(7)

Back Width and Thickness Workout

Complete this full back workout once per week. Select weights that allow you to complete repetitions on the lower end of the repetition range. Sets to failure are not necessary to build muscle. (8) However, each set should reach a high level of effort. (4) When you’re able to complete all sets at the top end of the repetition range, add five to 10 pounds. 

Three-Point Dumbbell Row

• How to Do it: Perform the three-point dumbbell row with the knee and hand of your non-working side on a flat bench. Initiate the movement by pulling your shoulder blade toward your spine, and row toward the outside of your hip. Lower to a full stretch without rotating or sinking your hips
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 6-8
• Rest time: No rest between sides. Rest three minutes between sets.

Neutral-Grip Lat Pulldown

• How to Do it: As the name implies, the neutral-grip lat pulldown is performing using a handles attachment that faces your palms toward each other. Begin in a full overhead position and pull your elbows down to the midline of your ribcage — don’t force the bar to reach your chin or chest.
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12
• Rest time: Rest two and a half minutes between sets.

Machine Wide Row

• How to Do it: Set up on a machine with a chest support, grasping the handles with a wide, overhand grip. Initiate movement with your shoulder blades and pull toward your chest. Return to a fully stretched position.
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 12-16
• Rest time: Move immediately to the next exercise without rest.

Cable Flexion Row

• How to Do it: Perform this seated row variation on a low cable machine. Allow resistance to pull your trunk and shoulder blades toward the machine — your spine should round forward, promoting a massive stretch through your back muscles. Begin by pulling the shoulder blades together and down. As you row the bar toward your torso, extend your spine but do not use momentum from the trunk to drive the movement. Reverse the movement and repeat.
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 16-20
• Rest time: Rest two minutes before repeating the previous exercise.

Muscles Trained on Back Day

Your back is one of the largest muscle groups on your body because a number of various individual muscles coordinate during each movement. This comprehensive workout will address and train a large number of muscles on your posterior torso including the lats, rear shoulders, and upper and mid-back. Your biceps and gripping muscles are also recruited during most exercises.

Mid-Back and Lats

Mid-back muscles, which act on the shoulder blades, create the appearance of a raised, central diamond-shape. Your latissimus dorsi (lats) sweep from the small of the back toward the outsides of your armpits and enhances the appearance of a “V-shaped” torso. These muscles comprise the bulk of the back musculature and are trained by upper-body pulling exercises. 

Rear Deltoids

While your rear deltoids are traditionally trained via shoulder-specific exercises (e.g. reverse flyes and cable external rotations), wide and narrow-grip pulling movements also hit the rear deltoids. When considering total weekly training volume for the rear deltoids, it is appropriate to include pulldowns, pullovers, and rows. 

Biceps and Other Elbow Flexors

Drawing a resistance toward your body, as performed during pulldowns, trains your elbow flexors. As the most visible elbow flexor, the biceps brachii gets all the glory; however, the brachialis is a deep elbow flexor that boosts the appearance of the biceps by pushing it up — kind of like the supportive parent or friend whom you should probably call and thank (after your workout, of course). 

How to Warm-Up Your Back

Once again, it’s a good policy to raise the body’s temperature with some general movement and prime the areas of the body to be trained before jumping into the workout. On top of that, “back day” is a great time to incorporate some direct exercise for the midsection, as many workout splits don’t allocate ab training to one specific day. 

Back Warm-Up

• Cardio: Five minutes, low-to-moderate intensity effort
• Abdominal Crunches: 3 x 15-20 
• Medicine Ball or Landmine Rotations: 3 x 10-12
• Band Over and Backs: 2 x 10-12
• Three-Point Dumbbell Row: 3 x 6–10, work-up sets at light to moderate weight (e.g. approximately 40%, 60%, and 80% of the weight to be used for the first set of the workout’s first exercise).

Best Bodybuilding Workout for Shoulders

The deltoids are the muscles that envelop your shoulders. Well-developed deltoids appear full and rounded, “capping” the shoulders. The deltoid has three functional parts — anterior, middle, and posterior.

The anterior deltoid is primarily responsible for raising the arms in front of the body (e.g. pressing), pulling the raised arms in toward your midline, and internally rotating the arms. The middle deltoid raises the arms out the sides (e.g. lateral raises and overhead presses) and assists with pulling the raised arms away from your midline (e.g. reverse flye). The posterior deltoid assists with the reverse flye movement in addition to external rotation and driving your arms behind your body (e.g. rows).

While your shoulders clearly get some work on chest day and back day, a dedicated shoulder workout helps to ensure each part receives adequate training. The diverse actions of the deltoids open the door for efficient use of supersets on shoulder day. 

The 3D Delt Workout

Perform once per week using weights that allow repetitions at or near the lower boundary of the stated repetition range. Once again, the majority of working sets should be high level of effort with three or fewer repetitions remaining before failure. Machine-based overhead pressing is included to allow lifters to safely approach or achieve failure without a spotter.

Once you reach the top of any repetition range, add five to 10 pounds to the exercise. Be vigilant for stagnating progress or drops in performance, as these features might indicate that it’s time for a deload. 

Seated Dumbbell Overhead Press

• How to Do it: Sit on a bench with a vertical back support. Rest a dumbbell on each thigh before “kicking” each weight into position at shoulder-level with your palms facing forward or angled slightly in. Press both weights overhead to full lockout before returning to shoulder-level.
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 6-8
• Rest time: Move immediately to the next exercise without rest.

Dumbbell Reverse Flye

• How to Do it: Stand with a dumbbell in each hand at arm’s length by your sides. Hinge forward at the waist and slightly bend your legs. Slightly bend your elbows and maintain the arm angle throughout the set. Draw your upper arms toward the ceiling, stopping the your elbows are roughly in line with your shoulders. Lower under control — don’t allow the weights to build momentum in the bottom position.
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 12-16
• Rest time: Rest three minutes before repeating the previous exercise.

Machine Shoulder Press

• How to Do it: Sit in an shoulder press machine and adjust the seat height to allow you hands to reach shoulder-height in the bottom position. Take a palms-forward grip and drive the weight up to near-lockout before lowering with control. Aim to move at a steady pace and maintain continuous tension through each repetition.
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 12-16
• Rest time: Rest two minutes between sets.

Face Pull

• How to Do it: Set a resistance band or cable pulley at roughly eye-level. Take a palm-down grip and step back to create tension in the stretched position. Begin the face pull by driving your elbows back in line with your shoulders while pulling your hands in line with your eyes or ears. From the contracted position, reach forward until full lockout.
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 12-16
• Rest time: Move immediately to the next exercise without rest.

Lateral Raise

• How to Do it: Stand with a dumbbell in each hand at arm’s length, resting the weights on the front of your thighs. Keep a slight bend in your arms and raise the weights “up and out” until your hands are slightly above shoulder-height. Maintain a tight core and stable torso — don’t allow your hips or back to swing. Lower to the starting position with your hands in front of your thighs.
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 20-24
• Rest time: Rest two minutes before repeating the previous exercise.

Dumbbell Shrug

• How to Do it: Stand with a pair of dumbbells at arm’s length by your sides. Drive your shoulders toward the ceiling as high as possible — move vertically without “rolling” your shoulders or pulling your shoulder blades together. Lower to a full stretch.
• Sets and Reps: 2 x 20-24
• Rest time: Rest 90 seconds between sets.

Muscles Trained on Shoulder Day

The shoulder joint is arguably one of the most precarious joints in the body, responsible for a long range of motion in a variety of directions. The deltoids may be your primary “shoulder muscle,” but several muscle groups play a role in completing most shoulder-focused movements.

Shoulders

The middle deltoids widen the appearance of the shoulders, so they are an important target for physique-focused bodybuilding training. Your middle and anterior deltoids are trained by the presses in this workout. Middle deltoids get direct, high-repetition work during the lateral raises.

As previously discussed, it is fair to consider rows, pulldowns, and pullovers as rear deltoid exercises; however, these exercises alone may not result in adequate stimulation of this relatively small part of the shoulder — reverse flyes can be superior in that regard. (9) As a bonus for shoulder health, face pulls hit the rear deltoids, middle deltoids, rotator cuff, and some of the muscles acting on the scapula. 

Trapezius

The traps are a diamond-shaped muscle of your mid- and upper back. The upper and lower fibers of trapezius (e.g. the top and bottom portions of the “diamond”) are trained during presses, as they act to upwardly rotate your shoulder blades. Shrugs are included in the shoulder workout to further develop the upper trapezius. 

Triceps

Your triceps brachii receive additional training volume during the shoulder workout, owing to the muscle’s role as an elbow extensor. These extra sets are beneficial, especially if you’re reasonably well-trained. Recent research suggests the triceps brachii are among the muscles that grow more rapidly with higher training volumes. (10)

How to Warm-Up Your Shoulders

Prepare your shoulders for peak performance by increasing your body temperature with a small dose of rhythmic cardiovascular exercise, such as rowing, jumping rope (ideally with a heavy rope to further activate your upper body), or riding an air bike. Then, perform exercises to mobilize your shoulder joints, shoulder blades, and spine through essential ranges of motion. Wrap up the warm-up with light sets of the first exercise of the workout.

Shoulder Warm-Up

• Cardio: Five minutes, low-to-moderate intensity effort
• Band Pull-Apart: 2 x 15 
• Foam Roller Thoracic (Upper Back) Extensions: 2 x 10
• Band Over and Backs: 2 x 10-12
• Seated Dumbbell Overhead Press: 3 x 6–10, work-up sets at light to moderate weight (e.g. approximately 40%, 60%, and 80% of the weight to be used for the first set of the workout’s first exercise).

Best Bodybuilding Workout for Arms

Although your arms undoubtedly receive training during chest, back, and shoulder workouts, a dedicated arm day may help to accelerate muscle gain. But arm day need not be exclusively single-joint (isolation) exercises. In this workout, a pull-up variation is used as the first exercise, because it targets your biceps with the bonus of additional training volume for your lats and rear deltoids. (11)

Single-joint exercises for your biceps and triceps come next in the workout. These are performed back-to-back on the same incline bench to promote a searing stretch and enhanced growth. (12)(13) The workout concludes with training for lesser-appreciated muscles for arm thickness.

Gun Day Isn’t Only Sunday

Complete the arm workout once per week. Use weights that allow you to complete of repetitions on the lower end of the repetition range. When you’re able to complete all sets with repetitions at or exceeding the repetition range, add five pounds.

Neutral-Grip Pull-Up

• How to Do it: Hang from a neutral-grip pull-up bar or freely moving handles with palms facing each other. Pull your chest toward the bar by driving your shoulders back and flexing your elbows. Lower with control.  
• Sets and Reps: 2 x 6-8
• Rest time: Rest three minutes between sets.

Incline Dumbbell Curls

• How to Do it: Perform incline dumbbell curls on a bench set at an approximately 45-degree angle. With underhanded grips on the dumbbells, allow your arms to hang vertically beneath your shoulders. Without swinging your upper arms forward, curl the dumbbells. 
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 12-16
• Rest time: Move immediately to the next exercise without rest.

Incline Skull Crusher

• How to Do it: Take a palms-down grip on the inner handles of an EZ-bar and lie on a 45-degree incline bench. Point your elbows toward the ceiling and allow the bar to lower just behind your head without moving your upper arms. Feel your triceps stretch and then straighten your arms to return to the start position.
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 16-20
• Rest time: Rest two minutes before repeating the previous exercise.

Reverse Biceps Curl

• How to Do it: Perform the standing reverse biceps curl with an overhand grip on an EZ-bar or straight bar. Keeping your arms at your sides, curl the weight by bringing your knuckles toward your shoulders. Return to the start position. 
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 12-16
• Rest time: Move immediately to the next exercise without rest.

Gripper

• How to Do it: Hold grip trainers, or the handles of a grip machine, using a power grip with the fingers and thumb of each hand wrapped fully around each handle. Close your hands against the resistance, then slowly control the opening of the grip trainers or machine as far as possible without losing control of the implements.
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 20-24
• Rest time: Rest 90 second before repeating the previous exercise.

Muscles Trained on Arm Day

Arm training has a misconception of being only for vanity and appearance, but well-developed biceps and triceps can contribute to overall strength as well as shoulder and elbow joint health.

Biceps and Elbow Flexors

Your biceps brachii and brachialis add upper arm size, while the brachioradialis adds dimension to the forearm. All three of these muscles are trained via elbow flexion (bending your arms against resistance), whether in single-joint fashion as in the curl variations, or within compound pulling movements like the neutral-grip pull-up. 

Triceps

The three heads of your triceps brachii can be trained via resisted elbow extension (arm straightening). Since the long head of the triceps crosses behind the shoulder, triceps exercises that place the shoulder in flexion (e.g. overhead movements including incline skull crushers) may expose the triceps to more mechanical tension. Ultimately, this can result in enhanced growth. (12)(13)

Forearms

When you train your grip, forearm muscles that flex the fingers contract forcefully. These muscles tend to bend your wrists as well. To counteract wrist flexion, the muscles on the opposite side of the forearm (i.e. wrist extensors along the top of your forearm) contract. The result is a robust forearm-training stimulus. 

How to Warm-Up Your Arms

Your arm day warm-up can be straightforward: Simply get your body moving. Special attention is given to the wrists, forearms, and elbows. The exercises should be non-fatiguing. 

Arm Warm-Up

• Cardio: Five minutes, low-to-moderate intensity effort
• Push-Up: 2 x 8-12
• Zottman Curl: 2 x 8-12
• Dumbbell Wrist Flexion (Wrist Curl): 1 x 8-12
• Dumbbell Wrist Extension (Reverse Wrist Curl): 1 x 8-12
• Neutral-Grip Pull-Up: 2 x 6–10, work-up sets at light to moderate difficulty (e.g. on an assisted pull-up machine if necessary, using a greater amount of assistance than you’d use for your working sets).

Best Bodybuilding Workout for Legs

Leg day is a longer, often more grueling workout compared to other body parts, and rightfully so. If you’re only going to train lower body once per week, you’d better make it count.

While there is debate regarding whether deadlifts belong with back day or leg day, the hamstring-dominant Romanian deadlift (RDL) is programmed in this leg workout, as this variation reduces the overall load required by reducing leg drive without sacrificing training stimulus to the target muscles. Supersets and compound sets are used extensively during this 24-set workout to save time. 

The Ultimate Leg Day

Complete once per week. Select weights that allow you to complete repetitions on the lower end of the repetition range. Each set should reach a high level of effort. If you are accustomed to high-volume leg training (e.g. 25+ sets), you may consider adding a set or two to front squats, the squat machine exercise, or leg extensions, as the quadriceps have been shown to respond favorably to higher training volume among well-trained lifters. (10) When you’re able to complete all sets at the top end of the repetition range, add 10 to 20 pounds. 

Front Squat

• How to Do it: Support a barbell across the front of your shoulders with a palms-up or cross-arm grip. Keep your trunk as upright as possible as you squat to a comfortable depth. 
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 6-8
• Rest time: Move immediately to the next exercise without rest.

Prone Hamstring Curl

• How to Do it: Lie on a prone hamstring machine with the roller pad contacting just above your heels. Flex your knees through the longest range of motion you can achieve, then control back to the stretched starting position.
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12
• Rest time: Rest three minutes before repeating the previous exercise.

Romanian Deadlift

• How to Do it: Hold a barbell in front of your thighs. Begin by lowering from the hips, keeping your knees slightly bent throughout the exercise. Aim to feel a strong stretch in your hamstrings before returning to standing upright.
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12
• Rest time: Move immediately to the next exercise without rest.

Leg Extension

• How to Do it: Sit in a leg extension machine with your knee joint aligned with the pivot point of the moving part of the machine. Straighten your knees, pause very briefly at lockout and then lower slowly with control. Keeping your feet pulled up toward your shins (ankle dorsiflexion) may help you feel a stronger quadriceps contraction. 
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 12-16
• Rest time: Rest two and a half minutes before repeating the previous exercise.

Machine Squat

• How to Do it: Pendulum or lever-style squat machines are becoming more popular in gyms; however, if your gym does not have one, a hack squat or leg press machine is an acceptable substitute. Set up under the padded “yoke” of the squat machine, keep your feet flat as you lower into a deep squat. Use a controlled motion at your hips, knees, and ankles. Push back to a nearly locked out position. 
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 12-16
• Rest time: Move immediately to the next exercise without rest.

Calf Machine

• How to Do it: Locate a calf machine that allows a relatively straight knee position during operation (e.g. standing calf machine or leg press). Lower slowly through your entire ankle range of motion. Without bouncing out of the bottom position, push through the ball of your foot and big toe until you’ve reached the top of your available ankle range of motion. Pause briefly in both the fully stretched and fully contracted positions.
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 16–20
• Rest time: Rest two and a half minutes before repeating the previous exercise.

Back Extension

• How to Do it: Hit your lower back, hamstrings, and glutes by setting up in a glute-ham developer (GHD), as shown, or in a 45-degree Roman chair (back extension) with the top of the pad set just below your hip joints. Lower and raise your trunk primarily from the hips; however, it is acceptable to permit some low back movement as well. 
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 12-16
• Rest time: Move immediately to the next exercise.

Seated Calf Machine

• How to Do it: Set the pads atop your thighs with your knees bent approximately 90-degrees. Lower to the bottom position by allowing your ankles to full dorsiflex. Without bouncing out of the bottom position, raise to the top position of full plantar flexion (rising onto the ball of your foot).
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 20-24
• Rest time: Rest 90 seconds before repeating the previous exercise.

Muscles Trained on Leg Day

Working entire lower body, leg day involves a significant number of separate body parts working in unison for many movements. Targeted isolation exercises will emphasize your quadriceps, hamstrings, or calves for further muscle-building stimulus.

Quadriceps

The quadriceps femoris, or “quads,” refers to the four muscles on the front of your thigh. All four act to extend your knee, and the centermost quadriceps muscle also contributes to hip flexion. You can train these muscles with squats, squat-type movements, and isolated knee extension exercises. For safety and confidence, machine-based exercises may be helpful, especially toward the end of the workout as fatigue sets in.

Glutes

Few muscle groups enhance the image of athleticism like the glutes. Therefore, the glutes are a common target for physique-based training. Although the glutes have various actions at the hip, all three “glutes” — gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus — act to extend your hips.  

Hamstrings

While your quadriceps are prominent when the legs are viewed from the front, well-developed hamstrings steal the show when the legs are viewed from the side. Composed of four muscles, the hamstrings act to flex the knee, and three of them act to extend the hip. Leg curls train the hamstrings as knee flexors, while the Romanian deadlift and back extension are the primary exercises in the workout for training hamstrings as hip extensors.  

Calves

Even if you favor baggy cargo shorts as your go-to warm weather attire, your calves are likely to be the most readily visible lower body muscle group. Although they may receive a modest training stimulus during squats and other squat-like movements, direct calf exercises are typically needed to stimulate meaningful growth.  

How to Warm-Up Your Legs

Prepare your lower body for this leg workout with a warm-up that mobilizes stiff hips and lengthens tight muscles. Use front squat warm-up sets to hone technique and dial-in a strong squat stance. 

Leg Warm-Up

• Cardio: Five minutes, low-to-moderate intensity effort
• Walking Lunge: 2 x 10 per leg 
• Hamstring Sweep: 2 x 10 per leg
• Deep Squat plus Trunk Rotations: 2 x 10
• Front Squat: 3 x 6–10, work-up sets at light to moderate weight (e.g. approximately 40%, 60%, and 80% of the weight to be used for the first set of the workout’s first exercise).

On the Road to Ripped

You’ve probably heard of the “Stairway to Heaven” and the “Highway to Hell,” but the roadmap provided here gets you on the Road to Ripped. When all five workouts are performed once per week, total training per major muscle group is consistent with current best practice recommendations for building muscle. (1)(14) Those accustomed to lengthy or convoluted training sessions will find this program to be refreshingly simple. Simple, but not easy.

References

1. Schoenfeld, B., et al. (2021). Resistance training recommendations to maximize muscle hypertrophy in an athletic population: Position stand of the IUSCA. International Journal of Strength and Conditioning, 1(1).
2. Lacio, M., et al. (2021). Effects of resistance training performed with different loads in untrained and trained male adult individuals on maximal strength and muscle hypertrophy: a systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(21), 11237.
3. Schoenfeld, B. J. (2013). Potential mechanisms for a role of metabolic stress in hypertrophic adaptations to resistance training. Sports Medicine, 43, 179-194.
4. Helms, E. R., et al. (2016). Application of the repetitions in reserve-based rating of perceived exertion scale for resistance training. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 38(4), 42-49.
5. Refalo, M. C., et al. (2022). Influence of resistance training proximity-to-failure on skeletal muscle hypertrophy: A systematic review with meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 1-17.
6. Lehman, G. J., et al. (2004). Variations in muscle activation levels during traditional latissimus dorsi weight training exercises: An experimental study. Dynamic Medicine, 3, 1-5.
7. Wakahara, T., et al. (2012). Association between regional differences in muscle activation in one session of resistance exercise and in muscle hypertrophy after resistance training. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 112, 1569-1576.
8. Grgic, J., et al. (2022). Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 11(2), 202-211.
9. Franke, A. R., et al. (2015). Analysis of anterior, middle and posterior deltoid activation during single and multijoint exercises. J Sports Med Phys Fitness, 55, 714-721.
10. Brigatto, F. A., et al. (2022). High resistance-training volume enhances muscle thickness in resistance-trained men. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 36(1), 22-30.
11. Youdas, J. W., et al. (2010). Surface electromyographic activation patterns and elbow joint motion during a pull-up, chin-up, or perfect-pullup rotational exercise. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 24(12), 3404-3414.
12. Wackerhage, H., et al. (2019). Stimuli and sensors that initiate skeletal muscle hypertrophy following resistance exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology, 126(1):30-43.
13. Maeo, S., et al. (2022). Triceps brachii hypertrophy is substantially greater after elbow extension training performed in the overhead versus neutral arm position. European Journal of Sport Science, 1-11.
14. Schoenfeld, B. J., et al. (2019). Calculating set-volume for the limb muscles with the performance of multi-joint exercises: implications for resistance training prescription. Sports, 7(7), 177.

Featured Image: Prostock-studio / Shutterstock

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Even when your biceps aren’t getting a major stimulus from some back exercises, they’re getting warmed up and slightly pre-fatigued for the latter part of the workout, when you can finish them off with some direct biceps training.

It’s a match made in heaven and many body part split programs would be incomplete without a solid back and biceps day. Here are some of the best back and biceps workouts to add size and strength whether you’re new to the gym or think you’ve tried it all.

Back and Biceps Workouts

• For Beginners
• For Intermediate Lifters
• For Advanced Lifters
• Benefits of Back and Biceps Training
• Muscles Trained During Back and Biceps Workouts

Beginner Back and Biceps Workout

The goal with beginner-level training is to get strong and do so with a low barrier of entry, using exercises that can be relatively easily mastered. Many lifters who are new to the gym gravitate toward training their back using barbell rows. While the barbell can be a great tool for back training, it’s often skill-intensive and highly fatiguing, especially for beginners.

Base-Building Back and Biceps

This back and biceps workout routine uses exercises that are relatively simple to learn and more appropriate for establishing a base of strength and muscle. When you focus on the target muscles and apply strict technique, you’ll also give your  pulling muscles a gnarly pump by the end of the session. Technically, if you had to label your workout in detail, it could be considered a “back, biceps, and shoulders workout” because you’re also giving some direct attention to the rear head of the shoulder muscle.

Bent-Over Dumbbell Row

The bent-over dumbbell row delivers a strong back-building stimulus without taxing your spinal erectors (lower back) like a barbell row often can. Avoid swinging your torso to move the weight.

How to Do it: Stand with a dumbbell in each hand, with your arms straight down by your sides. Bend your legs slightly and hinge forward at your hips while keeping your back neutral, not rounded. Let the weights reach toward your toes with your hands facing each other. Drive your elbow back past your ribs and try to feel a contraction in your back muscles. Return the weights to the stretched position before repeating. Maintain the same hip angle throughout the exercise.

Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12

Rest Time: 60 to 90 seconds between sets

Close-Grip Lat Pulldown

The close-grip lat pulldown will help stretch your lats and hit them in a way the row didn’t. Mixing vertical pulling (like the lat pulldown) with horizontal pulling (like rows) is a very effective way to target the multiple muscles of your back.

How to Do it: Attach a neutral-grip (palms facing each other) to the pulldown cable. Grab the handles and sit, allowing your arms to straighten and stretch overhead. Plant your feet flat and secure your knees under any available pad. Keep your upper body nearly vertical, with a slight backward lean. Drive your elbows down until the bar is generally near your face or chin. Control the stretch as you return to the arms-overhead position.

Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12

Rest Time: 60 to 90 seconds between sets

Machine Reverse Flye

The machine reverse flye will torch your rear deltoids. Although the rear delts are technically part of your shoulder muscle, the rear muscle head is involved in many back exercises. Training them directly as part of a back and biceps routine makes sense because your rear delts, like your biceps, are pre-fatigued after training your back.

How to Do it: Sit with your chest braced against the pad in a reverse flye (or “reverse pec-deck”) machine. Grab the handles with a thumbs-up grip with your hands at shoulder-level in front of you. Keep a slight bend in your elbows. Pull your hands back until they’re in line with your shoulders to the side. Don’t “overpull” to reach your hands behind your body. Return your hands to the forward position without letting the weights slam onto the stack.

Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12

Rest Time: One minute between sets

Alternating Dumbbell Curl

The alternating dumbbell curl lets you focus on each arm individually, so you get some serious bang for your biceps training buck. The slight supination (turning of the wrist) helps to recruit more overall biceps muscle, including your brachioradialis, making the exercise a top notch biceps-builder.

How to Do it: Stand with a dumbbell in each hand with your arms hanging down at your sides. Bring your left hand up in a thumbs-up position. As your hand passes your hips, turn your hand palm up and continue curling until the weight is near shoulder-level. Reverse the motion to return the weight to your side. Repeat the movement with your right hand. Alternate arms with each repetition.

Sets and Reps: 3 x 10-20 per arm

Rest Time: 45 to 60 seconds between sets

How to Progress

As a beginner, your goal is to learn proper form with simple movements while getting stronger. As long as your compound (multi-joint) exercises get stronger while using good technique, you should be building muscle in all the right places.

Keep pushing each set until you eventually reach the end of the rep range. Once you reach that ceiling, increase the load and repeat the process, but only do so if your form remains strict. Don’t develop a habit of cheating just to move the weight. Once your loads have increased significantly, roughly 30% or more, you can jump into the next program.

Intermediate Back and Biceps Workout

Once you’ve reached the intermediate stage — you’re feeling more skilled in the gym and your shirts have filled out with a bit of muscle — it can be tempting to start “ego lifting,” especially if you start to notice the bigger lifters in the gym swinging around weights when they row. Don’t do that. It can get you injured and, actually, doesn’t stimulate your back well as using crisp, strict technique.

Keep your form dialed in and you should feel your back working deeply across the targeted muscle fibers, allowing you to trigger growth. The same principle applies to your biceps — no swinging. Let your biceps do the work, not your ego. Elbow flexion, not momentum, will grow arms.

Back and Biceps Workout with New Angles

As you transition to an intermediate lifter, you can likely handle some more volume as long as you’re eating enough nutrients to recover and grow. It’s also a good time to introduce some variety to prevent overuse injuries while also stimulating muscle regions in different ways. (1) This back and biceps gym workout uses a few different movements to target your muscles.

The chest-supported row is a great first exercise of the day. It’s stable and doesn’t require as much warming up as a free-standing row. The stability helps you focus on your back. The single-arm rows allow you to take advantage of unilateral (single-arm) strength-building, because you can lift more with one arm than trying to lift two dumbbells together. This unilateral focus also helps to correct any imbalances you may have.

The incline dumbbell curl stretches your biceps more than the standing movement, which elicits a large growth response. (2) The stretched movement may also impose more soreness due to the increased range of motion, but you should be able to handle that now that you’ve got more experience under your belt.

Chest-Supported Row

This movement fully supports your upper body and essentially removes your lower back from the equation, making it a strict back-building exercise with few limitations. The chest-supported row is an excellent way to begin a back-focused training day because your lats and larger back muscles are doing the work without fatiguing your low back.

How to Do it: Lay chest-down on a supported bench and grab the handles with a palm-down grip. Unrack the weight before pulling the bar up as high as possible. Pause briefly in the contracted position before lowering the weight to a full stretch.

Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12

Rest Time: 60 to 90 seconds between sets

Wide-Grip Pulldown

This movement is one of the most fundamental pulldown variations. The emphasis on a long overhead stretch with a strong contraction makes the wide-grip pulldown an essential player is many back workouts.

How to Do it: Attach a long bar to a pulldown station. Take a grip slightly wider than shoulder-width and sit down. Secure your knees under any pads and allow your arms to extend straight overhead. Keep your torso mostly upright and drive your elbows down, pulling the bar to nearly chin level. Pause briefly before returning to an overhead position.

Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12

Rest Time: 60 to 90 seconds between sets

Single-Arm Dumbbell Row

The single-arm dumbbell row is a classic back-training exercise. Mastering this movement is an essential for long-term back development. It allows you to target your back muscles, one side at at time, while drastically reducing lower back stress.

How to Do it: Grab a dumbbell in one hand, with your palm facing in toward your body. Brace your non-working hand on a flat bench or on the same side knee. Drive your arm up and back until the dumbbell is near your ribs. Pause briefly for a maximum contraction before lowering to a full stretch. Perform all reps with one arm before switching sides.

Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12

Rest Time: No rest between arms, one minute between sets

Cable Rear Delt Flye

Targeting your rear delts with cables instead of a machine increases the time under tension, which can improve the muscle-building stimulus. (3) This unique movement lets you get more benefit from relatively less weight.

How to Do it: Stand in the middle of a double cable station with a high pulley with each hand grabbing the cable from the opposite side. Flex your abs and bend your knees slightly. Keep a slight bend in your arms as you draw your elbows down and back. In the full contraction, your arms should be slightly behind your torso. Return to the stretched position, with your arms crossed in front of your body.

Sets and Reps: 3 x 10-15

Rest Time: 45 to 60 seconds between sets

Incline Dumbbell Curl

The incline dumbbell curl is a powerful choice for a biceps exercise. The intense stretch and focused contraction creates a major trigger for muscle growth. Be sure to prioritize technique over heavy loads — if done properly, relatively light weights can feel extremely heavy. Resist the urge to cheat.

How to Do it: Set an adjustable bench to roughly 45-degrees. Lay back while holding a dumbbell in each hand. Rest your head, shoulders, and back on the bench pad. Allow your arms to hang straight with your palms facing forward. Curl the weight up while moving only your hand and the dumbbell — don’t let your elbow, upper arm, or head move. When you’ve reach the highest position possible without moving your elbow or upper arm, slower lower the weight to a full stretch.

Sets and Reps: 3 x 10-15

Rest Time: 45 to 60 seconds between sets

How to Progress 

Once you are able to hit the end of the rep range for an exercise, increase the load in the next workout. It’s basic, bread and butter progression. There’s no need to overcomplicate things. You keep form strict and, as long as you eat enough while getting stronger, your arms will expand and your back will eventually get its own zip code.

Advanced Back and Biceps Workout

Now that you are even stronger, you need to periodize to new variations along with adding lifting straps. What often happens with advanced lifters is that their grip and forearms can become a limiting factor during back exercises, leaving progress-building reps untapped in each set.

At this stage of development, your back should be significantly stronger than your smaller forearm muscles. Strategically using lifting straps can prevent your forearms from fatiguing while allowing you to impose more stimulating reps to your back and biceps.

Back and Bi’s for Experienced Lifters

As an advanced lifter, you need to be more specific about hitting all regions of your back. The barbell row is extremely comprehensive and skill-intensive, so it becomes the first exercise in the workout. Vertical pulling is next to more thoroughly target your lats. At this point, you should be strong enough to do at least five strict pull-ups. If not, stick to lat pulldowns and figure out whether it’s a lack of strength or an excess of body weight hindering your pull-up progress.

The Jefferson curl is a unique movement added to train your spinal erectors from top to bottom. This unconventional exercise sometimes gets a bad rap because it requires a rounded back, which is usually warned against, but your spine was designed to move and these types of controlled, dynamic contractions grow your muscles best.

If you want a thick, back-dominant look in both your upper and lower back, Jefferson curls can be a secret weapon. It should go without saying, do them with control and don’t load your ego. The workout wraps up with the addition of the barbell wrist curl. Since you’ll be using straps, which supplements your gripping strength, your forearms will benefit from some isolation to keep them growing.

Barbell Row

Sometimes considered the definitive back exercise, the bent-over barbell row can be a key player in building size and strength. Don’t let the ability to move heavy weight tempt you into cheating the technique. Keep your form strict and don’t bounce or swing weight.

How to Do it: Stand in front of a loaded barbell with a stable shoulder-width stance. Hinge at your hips and grab the bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width. Brace your core and explode the weight up toward your lower ab region, below your belly button. Try to pause very briefly before lowering the weight with control.

Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12

Rest Time: Two minutes between sets

Pull-Up

The pull-up is a classic bodyweight exercise. In many training circles, your pull-up performance is second only to your bench press ability as a measure of your true experience and aptitude in the gym.

How to Do it: Grab an overhead pull-up bar using a shoulder-width grip, with your palms facing away from your body. Flex your abs and keep your body in a generally straight line — resist the urge to “kick” your legs up as you lift. Pull your chest toward the bar and lean slightly back. When your mouth or chin is near bar-level, lower yourself to full extension (a straight-arm stretched position) with control. Don’t free fall into the bottom.

Sets and Reps: 3 x 5-10

Rest Time: Two minutes between sets

Jefferson Curl

The Jeferson curl is performed contrary to one overriding weight training rule — here, you’re supposed to allow your back to round during the exercise. During most other movements like squats, deadlifts, and rows, proper technique usually involves keeping a stiff and neutral spine. During the Jefferson curl, the goal is to deliberately round your spine (under full control, of course).

How to Do it: Stand with a light barbell in your hands, with straight arms resting in front of your body. Lean forward at the waist and imagine curling each individual vertebrae down as you reach toward your feet. Keep your arms straight and keep the bar close to your legs. When you’ve reached the end of your flexibility, “uncurl” slowly to return to a standing position.

Sets and Reps: 3 x 5-10

Rest Time: One minute between sets

Cable Rear Delt Flye

The cable rear delt flye remains a reliable, high-intensity way to finish off your rear deltoids at the end of your workout for back and biceps. Keep your form strict and focus on feeling your delts doing the work.

How to Do it: Stand in the middle of a double cable station with a high pulley with each hand grabbing the cable from the opposite side. Flex your abs and bend your knees slightly. Keep a slight bend in your arms as you draw your elbows down and back. In the full contraction, your arms should be slightly behind your torso. Return to the stretched position, with your arms crossed in front of your body.

Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12

Rest Time: One minute between sets

Incline Dumbbell Curl

Blast your biceps with the incline dumbbell curl. The intense stretch and hard contraction make it an excellent choice for zeroing in on your arms.

How to Do it: Set an adjustable bench to roughly 45-degrees. Lay back while holding a dumbbell in each hand. Rest your head, shoulders, and back on the bench pad. Allow your arms to hang straight with your palms facing forward. Curl the weight up while moving only your hand and the dumbbell — don’t let your elbow, upper arm, or head move. When you’ve reach the highest position possible without moving your elbow or upper arm, slower lower the weight to a full stretch.

Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12

Rest Time: One minute between sets

Barbell Wrist Curl

Work your forearms (specifically, your wrist flexors) with the barbell wrist curl. The targeted movement will give some attention to your forearm muscles, which could potentially be understimulated when using lifting straps during heavier back exercises.

How to Do it: Set up on a flat bench with an underhand (palm-up) grip on a barbell. Support your forearms across the bench. Extend your wrists down to lower the weight, allowing the bar to roll toward your fingertips. Curl your hand closed and bring your wrists up without lifting your forearms from the bench. It’s a relatively short range of motion, so focus on applying tension without swinging.

Sets and Reps: 3 x 10-15

Rest Time: 45 to 60 seconds between sets

How to Progress 

Progression is the same as before — Train hard, don’t swing any weights, and add reps or load each week.

If you can match or beat your rep performance, that’s great. Once you get to the highest end of the rep range, add load the following week. If you’re lifting heavy, but find yourself getting fatigued and losing performance, you may need to deload at some point.

But for the most part, continual growth comes down to continual strength increase with constant nutrient intake. Just be cautious when it comes to progressing pull-ups. It’s tempting to justify reps that swing around, which can end up adding load hastily.

Focus on your form most weeks and only count reps that are performed under controlled. Once you get to 10 strict pull-up reps, add five to 10 pounds, reduce the reps back to five, and keep going.

Benefits of a Back and Biceps Workout

While each type of body part split or potential workout setup can have its own benefits, there are a few distinct reasons to consider planning a back and biceps day in your weekly training split.

Happier Joints and Better Posture

People with strong backs who do more pulling exercises have happier, healthier joints. When you bench or overhead press excessively and don’t balance your musculature with rows, pulldowns, or pull-ups, your shoulders can get cranky. (4)

Your joints and connective tissues begin to beg for more rowing and a stronger back. This can create a healthier spine, improve joint function, and promote better posture.

You Get Good at Moving Stuff

Sure, nobody wants to be “that friend” everyone in the group hits up when they need help moving, but the alternative is worse — being the friend nobody contacts to help them move because they’re scared you’ll snap in half.

That’s where a consistent back and biceps day comes in. You’ll simply be more capable through everyday life, and moving furniture will feel like child’s play. Beyond the practical benefits, building strength in your back, biceps, and grip can carry over to boost performance in the gym — everything from more obvious exercises like farmer’s walks and deadlifts to overhead pressing, where a stronger back helps to provide upper body stability.

Build Some Eye-Catching Muscle

Many people rightly associate biceps training as being essential for a more aesthetic physique. While the chest, abs, and even shoulders are often considered other contenders for attention-grabbing body parts, a well-muscled back can take your muscularity to the next level and create an undeniably athletic and powerful look.

By training your back and arms, you fill out any T-shirt better, as opposed to looking like a malnourished college freshman swimming in baggy clothes. A big back can also make your waist look relatively smaller in comparison, in case you’re still working to shed a bit of extra fluff.

Back and Biceps Basic Anatomy

Here’s a brief rundown of all the muscles you’ll be hitting with each back and biceps workout. Yes, you’re training “the back” and “the biceps,” but there’s a bit more detail to consider.

Trapezius

The traps are a diamond-shaped muscle that takes up a large part of your upper back. It spans from your mid-neck to just below your shoulder blades. The trapezius has many muscle fibers and several “sections” — the upper traps, mid-traps and lower traps — but a variety of horizontal and vertical pulling will hit the muscle in its entirety. The main function is scapular retraction (pulling your shoulder blades together), so rowing exercises will be particularly useful.

Lats

The latissimus dorsi, or lats, are another big muscle group. It takes up the outer parts of your mid-back, spanning up to your armpits and down toward the start of your lower back. The lats are often notorious for giving you that wide look.

Some lifters regard the lats as the wingspan muscle because people can see your back gains from the front thanks to your lats. Not to mention, it makes your waist look smaller as well. Any vertical pulling exercises, like all pulldown exercises, hit the lats with a strong contraction and long stretch.

Spinal Erectors

These are two long, thick beams that run from the top of your back to the bottom, including what’s typically referred to as your “lower back”. Similar to the traps, your spinal erectors get stimulated with nearly every back exercise because they’re involved in controlling posture near the hips. They’re trained directly as the primary focus during Jefferson curls or any pulling or hip hinging exercise where you are actively arching your back.

Rhomboids

Your rhomboids are relatively smaller back muscles that attach at your mid-spine and sit partially under your scapula, creating part of your upper back musculature. The rhomboids aid in scapular retraction, in a similar role to the traps, and they help your posture look better. All horizontal rowing will hit the rhomboids well, especially if you focus on pulling your elbows back to allow your scapulae to squeeze together.

Rear Deltoids 

The rear deltoids are the back head of your shoulders. Developing this relatively smaller muscle can makes your overall back look more complete, along with “rounding out” the appearance of your shoulders.

People who often ignore or underappreciate back training usually have lagging shoulders, as well. All pulling exercises where your elbow travels behind your body, like many types of rows, will hit the rear delts.

Some lifters argue that the rear delts don’t really need direct training as long as you have enough back volume each week, but well-planned isolation work never hurts, especially if you want to focus on building a specific body part.

Biceps

Your “biceps” actually consists of three related muscles: the biceps brachii, brachialis, and brachioradialis.

The biceps brachii is the spotlight “biceps” muscle consisting of two heads, a long head and short head. Both are visible and create what most people consider the biceps on their upper arm. You can’t see any distinct separation between the two heads unless you’re incredibly lean or incredibly muscled.

The brachialis is a smaller muscle that sits between your biceps and triceps. It’s rarely ever visible due to its anatomical location, but it creates arm size by “lifting” your biceps. Unless you’re very heavily muscles or as lean as a competitive bodybuilder, you’re not likely to see the muscle itself.

The last big player in the biceps game is the brachioradialis. It sits at the top of your upper forearms and rotates your wrists to a neutral (thumbs up) position, along with helping to flex your elbows. It’s more visible than the brachialis and, when developed, can help to fill out your sleeves, especially near the forearm area.

All of the aforementioned biceps muscles primarily work at elbow flexion (bending your arms), so these muscles get trained with every row and pulldown, as well as with any type of curl. This is why, if you’re getting stronger on a variety of back exercises and adding some hard curls, you don’t need many sets of biceps training to see big results.

Time For Some Back and Biceps

Time to start applying these workouts for back and biceps. Take an honest assessment of your experience level and get working on your rows, pulldowns, and curls. You’ve seen the most efficient ways to plan these back and biceps exercises, so get into the gym and get growing. Your back will widen and your arms will expand. Your upper body will look more impressive, and you might even notice that your physique is getting a few you extra admirers as a side effect.

References 

1. Kassiano, Witalo1; Nunes, João Pedro1; Costa, Bruna1; Ribeiro, Alex S.1,2; Schoenfeld, Brad J.3; Cyrino, Edilson S.1. Does Varying Resistance Exercises Promote Superior Muscle Hypertrophy and Strength Gains? A Systematic Review. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 36(6):p 1753-1762, June 2022. | DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000004258
2. Oranchuk, D. J., Storey, A. G., Nelson, A. R., & Cronin, J. B. (2019). Isometric training and long-term adaptations: Effects of muscle length, intensity, and intent: A systematic review. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports, 29(4), 484–503. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.13375
3. Burd, N. A., Andrews, R. J., West, D. W., Little, J. P., Cochran, A. J., Hector, A. J., Cashaback, J. G., Gibala, M. J., Potvin, J. R., Baker, S. K., & Phillips, S. M. (2012). Muscle time under tension during resistance exercise stimulates differential muscle protein sub-fractional synthetic responses in men. The Journal of physiology, 590(2), 351–362. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2011.221200
4. Cools, A. M., Witvrouw, E. E., Mahieu, N. N., & Danneels, L. A. (2005). Isokinetic Scapular Muscle Performance in Overhead Athletes With and Without Impingement Symptoms. Journal of athletic training, 40(2), 104–110.

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Arm training doesn’t need to be overly complicated, however, it’s important to understand the anatomy of the working muscles in order to properly focus on complete development.

When it comes to arm size, the biceps and triceps will be the two key players, but using the standard curl for biceps development is only half the answer, since curls are typically performed with a supinated (palm-up) grip which emphasizes most, but not all, of the biceps muscles.

For total arm development, it’s important to involve the forearms, which is why the reverse biceps curl should be part of your arm-training arsenal. Here’s a breakdown of this seemingly simple, but incredibly useful, curl variation. 

Reverse Biceps Curl

• How to Do the Reverse Biceps Curl
• Reverse Biceps Curl Mistakes to Avoid
• How to Progress the Reverse Biceps Curl
• Benefits of the Reverse Biceps Curl
• Muscles Worked by the Reverse Biceps Curl
• How to Program the Reverse Biceps Curl
• Reverse Biceps Curl Variations
• Frequently Asked Questions

How to Do the Reverse Biceps Curl

The most common types of biceps curls involve a supinated, aka underhand or palm-up, hand position. In the standard curl, your palms will be facing away from your body at the bottom of the curl and facing toward your body in the top position.

To do reverse curls, however, you “reverse” your grip and take a pronated, aka overhand or palm-down, hand position. Your palms will face toward your body at the bottom of the rep and away from your body at the top. Take a second to simply make fists and discretely perform both curling movements without holding any weights. You may notice a difference in how your arms feel, and maybe even how they look when they’re fully flexed at the top. 

Step 1 — Choose Your Implement Wisely 

Like most curl exercises, you have the option to use a variety of bars or dumbbells when performing reverse biceps curls. Using dumbbells will require a bit more stability at your shoulder joint so your arms can stay in the right proximity to one another while curling. Poor wrist mobility can also turn the reverse biceps curl into a hammer curl, which change the exercise and muscle recruitment.

Holding on to a traditional barbell asks the most of a lifter’s wrist mobility because of the straight angle. Some lifters, especially if they have a bigger frame, may not possess the joint range of motion needed to fully pronate their hands onto a barbell. Over time, forcing yourself into the position can lead to chronic wrist pain and detract from the benefits of the reverse curl movement.

Using an EZ-curl bar (which is a bar specifically designed with ergonomic curves) can help a lifter find the comfortable degree of pronation without placing your hands completely “flat” the way a standard barbell will ask. This is typically the most popular and most effective option.

Form Tip: Assess for yourself by trying barbell reverse curls with a light weight. If your gym has a rack of short, fixed-weight barbells, you may be able to go as light as 10 or 20 pounds. If the movement still isn’t comfortable, stick with the EZ-curl bar.

Step 2 — Establish Your Stance

Hold the bar slightly closer than shoulder-width, using the required overhand grip. Your hands should be resting on the front of your thighs. Stand with your chest “proud” and up, your shoulders pulled back, and your neck long and tall.

Look straight ahead — Performing the exercise from a slouched position with forward head posture doesn’t help anything. Engage your glutes and abs by flexing both muscles while standing.

Form Tip: Don’t just think about keeping your arms straight in the bottom position. Think about contracting your triceps to fully straighten your arms and activate more muscles.

Step 3 — Curl

Grip the weight tightly and bring your hands up toward shoulder-level. Don’t let your elbows flare out to the sides or drift significantly forward. Your elbows shouldn’t need to move more than a couple of inches to accommodate different body types and arm lengths.

As you approach the top position, you’ll notice your arms reach a natural point where they can’t flex any more. That’s a natural and effective place to stop the lift, rather than trying to force your hands as high as possible. Return the weight to the straight-arm starting position under control.

Form Tip: Be aware of what your elbows and shoulders are doing during the movement. If your shoulders shrug up or your elbows come too far forward during the lift, it’s a clue that the weight is too heavy and you’re recruiting too many extra muscles to move the load. Keep the movement strict to keep tension exclusively on the target muscles.

Reverse Biceps Curl Mistakes to Avoid

Curls often get disrespected and performed casually, with a lack of focus, which can lead to technical errors. These mistakes can lead to poor muscle activation and potential injury. Take the exercise seriously and approach it with a good mindset to get better overall results.

Swinging Your Hips

Using “body English” to start the movement means your hips, core, and lower back are driving the weight upward instead of your biceps. That’s not the best approach when your goal is to actually train your biceps.

Swinging and heaving the weights up without muscular tension also puts your lower back at risk by forcing it to move the weight in an unstable and awkward position.

Avoid it: Before lifting the weight, tighten your core and flex your legs to ensure a stable base. Consciously focus on curling the weight by bending your arms to get the weight moving. If your hips are bouncing into the bar, you’re off to a bad start.

Missing Full Extension

Failing to fully straighten your arm into the stretched position could be a technique to maintain muscular tension and trigger more growth. (1) However, more often than not, lifters skip the lower portion of the repetition out of bad habit rather than deliberate action.

By not using a full range of motion, you shortchange potential improvements in flexibility and mobility in your wrists, elbows, and shoulders. (2) This means, if you’re having trouble achieving a fully pronated grip, you’re not making any strides toward fixing the problem if you perform half-reps.

Avoid it: Begin and end each repetition with your arms straight and your hands touching, or nearly touching, the front of your thighs. Contracting your triceps can also be a cue to check for a good straight-arm position.

How to Progress the Reverse Biceps Curl

Some lifters might consider the reverse biceps curl to be a simple exercise, but it’s actually an intermediate variation of an otherwise simple exercise — the classic biceps curl. For this reason, it’s effective to use the reverse biceps curl after developing a foundation with traditional movements. The reverse biceps curl isn’t a movement to neglect, but it needs to be tackled at the right time in your overall program for maximum benefit.

Biceps Curl

Before going in “reverse,” make sure you can handle the standard movement. Like the reverse biceps curl, the supinated curl can be performed with dumbbells, a barbell, or, if your wrist mobility restricts a comfortable supinated hand position, an EZ-curl bar.

The overall body position and technique should nearly mimic the reverse biceps curl, with the sole exception being the hand and grip placement. The range of motion and other performance factors will also be identical with either movement.

Thick Bar Reverse Curl

You can increase the grip-building benefits by making the bar more difficult to hold. While this may sound counterintuitive — “make the exercise harder, not easier” — a larger diameter handle will increase the demands on your gripping and forearm muscles. (3) While it may, in the short-term, lead to performing fewer repetitions or using slightly lighter weights, you’ll benefit in the long-term with improved results, a stronger grip, and more overall strength.

These benefits are especially noticeable when you revert back to using standard-sized handles which will feel significantly smaller (and relatively easier) in comparison. This movement can be performed on a specially designed thick bar manufactured with a larger overall diameter or you can attach individual, removable handles to any bar.

Benefits of the Reverse Biceps Curl

Curl variations often get lumped into the “for looks only” category, but that’s a relatively short-sighted outlook that misses the bigger benefits of training your arms directly with the reverse biceps curl.

Grip and Arm Strength

The pronated grip emphasizes the gripping muscles of your forearm because you need to apply a constant “crushing” grip to prevent the bar from falling out of your hands. This makes the reverse biceps curl an efficient way to increase strength in your grip, forearms, and upper arms.

This improved strength can carry over to many compound (multi-joint) exercises like farmer’s carries, chin-ups, rows, and deadlifts.

Arm Size

If bigger arms are on your wish list, the reverse biceps curl can be a major player in adding size to your upper and lower arms. The unique hand supinate hand position emphasizes the brachioradialis muscle, which isn’t often targeted with other curl variations.

While your primary biceps muscles are also highly active during the reverse biceps curl, the brachioradialis takes up a relatively large amount of space on your arm, and increasing its size with the reverse biceps curl will pay dividends for your total arm size.

Healthier Wrists and Elbows

If you’re a lifter who suffers with recurring pain around your wrists or elbow joints, tries to work around weak wrists, or has general grip-strength issues, it’s worth incorporating the reverse biceps curl into your training plan.

The increased activation of the forearm muscles can help to improve wrist and elbow health by developing the muscles around both joints, leading to improved joint stability and strength.

Muscle Worked in the Reverse Biceps Curl

The reverse biceps curl doesn’t “only” train your biceps. The pronated hand position creates unique muscle recruitment that activates muscles not typically trained during many other curl variations.

Brachioradialis

What makes the pronated (reverse) curl so different from a supinated (classic) curl is the fact that now a huge player in arm strength and size gets to enter the picture: The brachioradialis muscle. (4) This relatively large muscle runs from your wrist, along the thumb-side of your forearm, crosses over the elbow joint, and attaches near the bottom portion of your biceps.

It plays a role in turning your wrist (pronating and supinating), while also flexing your arm at the elbow joint. Using a pronated hand position is the only way to specifically emphasize the brachioradialis.

Biceps Brachii

The biceps brachii are “the biceps” that get all the attention, front and center on your upper arms. The biceps are still the prime movers for this exercise since elbow flexion, the biceps’ primary function, is still the fundamental movement.

How to Program the Reverse Biceps Curl

Whether you’re replacing supinated biceps curls with reverse biceps curls or using them as additional biceps training in your program, there are a few programming concepts and effective approaches that will let you get the most benefit from the movement.

Curl After Bigger Lifts

It’s important to remember the exercise’s role — it’s an accessory movement and, under most circumstances, it should be performed toward the end of your workout.

If you train with a dedicated arm day, some leeway can be given as to when the exercise is performed in the session. However, if you’re like many people, you probably like to crush a bit of arm training at the end of a workout that has already targeted a larger body part, like your back or chest.

The last thing you’d want is to fatigue your arms early in a session, which would inhibit the strength and performance of bigger movements like rows, pulls, or presses. Be wise and realize that the muscles targeted by the reverse biceps curl act as synergists to other big movers, aiding in those larger movements, and they should be trained with proper awareness and relative priority.

Moderate Weight, Moderate Repetition

When it is time to start curling, stick with the tried and true approach for building size and strength — three to four sets of eight to 15 reps. This will let you hit the reverse curls with enough load and volume to trigger muscle growth and strength gains.

Using extremely heavy weight for low reps, on any kind of curl, is just asking for your lower back to help out. Going super-light for very high repetitions will unduly fatigue your smaller hand and grip muscles without sufficiently targeting your biceps or brachioradialis.

Reverse Biceps Curl Variations

Once you’ve gotten the hang of the simple reverse biceps curl, you can add some variety to the movement for continued progress. Changing the training implement — switching from an EZ-curl bar to dumbbells to a straight bar — is one option. Specific exercise variations can also be useful

Reverse Cable Curl

By attaching an EZ-curl bar or straight bar to a low cable pulley, you can increase the time under tension which can lead to a greater muscle-building stimulus. The cable provides constant tension, which means you can pause at points during the repetition to further boost the tension.

For a more advanced and more focused movement, you can attach a single handle to the low pulley and perform the exercise with one arm at a time, similar to using a single dumbbell. This could let you really zone-in and focus on each individual arm.

Zottman Curl

This old school bodybuilding exercise combines a standard dumbbell curl on the concentric (lifting phase) and turns into a reverse dumbbell curl on the eccentric (lowering phase), creating a “best of both worlds”-type of movement.

The Zottman curl is typically performed in an alternating fashion, raising one dumbbell while simultaneously lowering the opposite hand. If that coordination is too much to handle, you can perform the movement with both hands at the same time — curl with both hands palm-up, lower with both hands palm-down.

FAQs

Reverse for Forward Progress

Biceps curls, in general, don’t get enough love and attention in most people’s programs. It’s almost as if “arm training” has fallen out of fashion in the gym, but if you want to build bigger arms, it’s time to embrace your goal and go full-tilt toward it with a complete plan. That will probably mean programming an arm day in your training week. The reverse biceps curl can go a long way to boosting your grip strength, improving your wrists and elbows, and, of course, splitting your sleeves. 

References

1. Burd, N. A., Andrews, R. J., West, D. W., Little, J. P., Cochran, A. J., Hector, A. J., Cashaback, J. G., Gibala, M. J., Potvin, J. R., Baker, S. K., & Phillips, S. M. (2012). Muscle time under tension during resistance exercise stimulates differential muscle protein sub-fractional synthetic responses in men. The Journal of physiology, 590(2), 351–362. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2011.221200
2. Afonso, J., Ramirez-Campillo, R., Moscão, J., Rocha, T., Zacca, R., Martins, A., Milheiro, A. A., Ferreira, J., Sarmento, H., & Clemente, F. M. (2021). Strength Training versus Stretching for Improving Range of Motion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 9(4), 427. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9040427
3. Krings, B. M., Shepherd, B. D., Swain, J. C., Turner, A. J., Chander, H., Waldman, H. S., McAllister, M. J., Knight, A. C., & Smith, J. W. (2021). Impact of Fat Grip Attachments on Muscular Strength and Neuromuscular Activation During Resistance Exercise. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 35(Suppl 1), S152–S157. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000002954
4. Kleiber, T., Kunz, L., & Disselhorst-Klug, C. (2015). Muscular coordination of biceps brachii and brachioradialis in elbow flexion with respect to hand position. Frontiers in physiology, 6, 215. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2015.00215

Featured Image: MDV Edwards / Shutterstock

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But there are other benefits to biceps training beyond adding slabs of meat under your sleeves — improved strength, shoulder stability, and joint health. (1) Heck, you could even use it to shed some fat and preserve lean muscle while cutting calories.

People usually envision biceps training either as an afterthought after training a larger body part like their back or check, or they approach it as part of a pure arms-only gym session consisting primarily of single-joint (isolation) exercises.

But if you’re smart and creative, or if you’re in a situation with next to no equipment, you can bypass the weights and provide your body with a refreshing and effective workout yielding loads of benefits. Whether you don’t go to a gym, are traveling abroad, or want to spice things up, try one of these weight-free workouts to get your biceps training to the next level.

Best Biceps Workouts

• Bodyweight-Only Biceps Workout 
• Resistance Band Biceps Workout

Best Bodyweight-Only Biceps Workout

Training without weights is getting back to the roots of training — being able to master your own body. If you’re tired of lifting iron and want to get back in touch with your primal self, try this routine. It would be a shame to reduce yourself to exclusively single-joint (isolation) exercises, because the biceps are involved in a lot of movements other than simple arm flexion.

This workout uses a combination of multi-joint exercises tweaked to focus more on the biceps, as well as isolation movements. This will cover all of this muscle’s functions while providing the best stimulus for strength, muscle growth, and fat loss for your body. Indeed, multi-joint exercises are generally better for strength adaptations and calories spent, while single-joint work is great to improve the mind-muscle connection or to bring up a specific weak point.

The No-Weight Workout

Perform this workout once per week for optimal results, after a warm-up. Since you can’t increase the weight to progress, you’ll have to use other methods. When you can comfortably perform the desired numbers of repetitions per set, increase it to the upper bracket of the upper range. For instance, if an exercise calls for 12 to 15 reps, once you can do all your sets of 12, try to bump them up to 15. Then, you can try to add another set. Finally, you can also reduce rest periods progressively.

Commando Chin-Up

Position yourself under a pull-up bar and grab it with your thumbs facing you and you hands touching each other. Hang dead from the bar and brace your core to stabilize yourself. Pull your shoulder blades down to initiate the movement and bend your elbows to elevate yourself towards the barbell, and aim your head toward the left side of the bar.

Aim to touch the bar with your right shoulder. Lower yourself down with control back to the starting position and repeat, this time with your head toward the right side of the bar and aiming to touch it with your left shoulder. Repeat for the desired amount of reps. The next set, switch hands so that the one that was the closest to you on the pull-up bar is now the farthest.

• Sets and Reps: 4 x 4-8
• Rest time: Three minutes between sets.

Headbanger Chin-Up

Position yourself under a pull-up bar and grab it using a nearly shoulder-width supinated grip (palms facing towards you). Brace your core, pack your shoulder blades together and down, and pull yourself up until your arms are approximately at a 90-degree angle.

Hold that position and start moving your body towards and away from the bar by extending and flexing the arms. No other body part should move and it should look like you were trying to headbutt the bar — don’t do it, though. Repeat this movement for the target amount of time. Because this can be a challenging exercise, begin with a shorter range of motion (extending your arms only partially) and gradually work toward full extension.

• Sets and Reps: 3 x 30-60 seconds
• Rest time: Two minutes between sets.

Towel Curl

Grab a sturdy towel with both hands and twist it until it forms a noodle or spiral. Sit on a chair or a bench, with your back flat and your chest high. Place the center of the towel under one foot and hold an end in each hand.

Pin your elbows to your side and start flexing your arms towards your face against resistance applied by your foot. When you’re at the top and your hands are near your shoulders, reverse the motion and slowly extend your arms, still providing tension through your foot.

• Sets and Reps: 3 x 10-15
• Rest time: 90 seconds between sets.

Lateral Plank Walk

Get in a plank position with hands on the floor, both arms extended, and your legs straight. Brace your core, pack your shoulders, and keep your body in a straight line. Take one step to the side with your right arm and right foot. Follow in the same direction with your left hand and foot.

Repeat for a few steps in the same direction, then reverse to the move in the opposite direction. Continue for the desired duration.

• Sets and Reps: 3 x 60 seconds
• Rest time: 60 seconds between sets.

Inverted Row

Position yourself under a doorway pull-up bar set low, a dip bar, under a table, or a sturdy broom positioned between a pair of chairs. Grab the bar using a shoulder-width, pronated grip (palms facing away from you). Brace your core and flex your legs so your body forms a straight line.

Bend your elbows and pull your chest towards the bar, aiming to touch it the bar with your chest. Lower yourself with control until your arms are extended and repeat for as many reps as you can. Try to beat your score each session.

• Sets and Reps: 2 x maximum reps until muscular failure.
• Rest time: Two minutes.

Best Resistance Band Biceps Workout

Bands are a very interesting lifting tool because they provide accommodating resistance — tension and force increases as the band is stretched farther. This type of resistance allows for a unique feeling and more training possibilities. It’s also an effective way to complement bodyweight training because bands allow for a wider exercise election and better focus on some muscles. Band training is also invaluable for joint and tendon health. (2)

With such a strong case in favor of resistance band training, it’s time to try this biceps workout to gain some strength, build muscle, and help to shed fat.

One-Band Biceps Workout

Perform this workout once per week for optimal results, after a warm-up. To progress, you can use a heavier band, or a combination of several smaller bands to provide enough resistance. You can also play with volume. For instance, if an exercise calls for 12 to 15 reps, when you can do all your sets of 12, try to bump it up to 15. Then, you can try to add another set. Finally, you can also reduce rest periods each week.

Band-Assisted Chin-Up

Loop a band around a pull-up bar. Hang from the bar using a supinated grip (palms facing you) with your hands close to shoulder-width. Place your feet on the band, keeping your legs straight. Brace your core, puff your chest, pull your shoulder blades down, and pull yourself towards the bar by bending your elbows until you touch the bar with your chest.

Lower yourself with control until your arms are straight. Repeat for the desired amount of repetitions. The band will make the exercise easier at the start of the movement, allowing you to perform more repetitions and slightly favor your arms in the movement.

• Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12
• Rest time: Two minutes.

Single-Arm Band Hammer Curl

Stand tall and place one end of the band under your foot. Grab the other end with your working hand. Keep your elbows at your sides. Bend your elbow and flex your arm toward your face. Only your forearm should move, not your shoulder.

Contract for a second at the top, then lower with control to the starting position. Perform all repetitions on one side before switching hands. To increase the resistance, hold both ends of the band in one hand.

• Sets and Reps: 3 x 12-15
• Rest time: 60 seconds between sets.

Band Concentration Curl

Attach a band to a sturdy object around ground-level. Sit on a chair near the band and grab the band with your closest arm, placing your elbow on the inside of your thigh, just above your knee. Widen your stance to make room for your arm. Bend your elbow and flex your arm toward your face, squeezing for a second at the top.

Slowly extend your arm afterwards until it is straight again. Repeat for the desired amount of reps before switching arms. Make sure that no body part other than your forearms are moving during the exercise — don’t squeeze with your knee to assist your arm. To increase the difficulty, sit farther from the band’s attachment.

• Sets and Reps: 3 x 10-12
• Rest time: 60 seconds between sets.

Band Reverse Curl

Step in the center of a band and grab the ends with both hands using a pronated (palms facing down), shoulder-width grip. Stand tall, brace your core, and pack your shoulder blades down. Bend your elbows by flexing your biceps to pull the band toward your face. Only move your forearms, don’t allow your elbows to move forward. Keep your palms facing down during the exercise.

Lower your hands with control until your arms are straight, and repeat for the desired amount of repetitions. For a more intense exercise and a serious burn, you can immediately add several partial range repetitions, coming up only halfway to fully finish off your arms.

• Sets and Reps: 3 x 15-20
• Rest time: 90 seconds between sets.

The Biceps Muscles

The biceps are probably the most known and most frequently flexed muscles. Developed biceps are mostly coveted for an aesthetic purpose, but they also cover an array of functions for health and performance.

Biceps Brachii

The biceps brachii is the biggest arm flexor, the ball of meat on your upper arm. Composed of two heads — hence its prefix, “bi” — the biceps is attached from the ulna (forearm bone) to the scapula (shoulder blade) going through the shoulder complex.

It is mostly known as an arm flexor and supinator (rotating the palm towards your face), but also contributes to raising your arms and stabilizing your shoulder and humerus (upper arm bone). Having healthy and strong biceps is a prerequisite for having upper-body strength and health.

Brachialis

This muscle is a part of the upper arm complex, and is located directly under the biceps. It goes from the elbow to the upper humerus, and is only involved in elbow flexion (bending the arm). It’s actually the strongest arm flexor, not the biceps.

Developing this muscle will also help if you’re only interested in looks. Making it bigger can actually increase the “peak” of your biceps, by pushing it higher. When you’re lean enough, you can also see it for a truly impressive set of guns. To emphasize this muscle, assume a neutral (hammer) grip during curls.

Brachioradialis

The biceps’ other friend, the brachioradialis, is also attached from the ulna to the humerus. It’s the biggest and strongest forearm muscle. It works synergistically with the biceps and the brachialis, assisting in forearm flexion, supination, and pronation (rotating the palms away from you).

Having big and strong forearms is useful for many exercises, but can also serve as a visual illusion to compensate for shorter biceps by making them look bigger. You emphasize this muscle with a pronated (palm down) grip.

Biceps Warm-up

Warming up before a workout can improve your performance while minimizing connective tissue strain and risk of injuries. (3) It’s especially true before doing biceps, as the elbow is a notoriously sensitive joint, and some biceps exercises involve the shoulder complex — the most unstable joint in the entire body. 

A good biceps warm-up should at least mobilize your biceps and triceps, but if the exercises require other body parts, make sure to include them as well. Here’s a complete resistance band warm-up to prime your body before a biceps workout.

Biceps Band Warm-up

• Band Over-and-Back: Grab a band with both hands, using a very wide and pronated (palms down) grip. Stand tall, then hinge at the hips to slightly bend forward while keeping your back flat, and hold this position. While keeping your arms straight, raise the band over your head, then back down to your lower back. Return to the starting position by rotating your arms, still keeping them straight and under tension. Perform 15 reps before moving to the next exercise.

• Band Pull-Apart: Stand with a resistance band in your hands, palm downs. Raise your arms to shoulder level, in front of your chest. Pull the band with your hands, bringing them to your sides until it touches your chest. Keep your arms straight the whole time. Return to the starting position. Perform 15 reps before moving to the next exercise.
• Band Row: Anchor the band to a sturdy item, just under chest-height. Stand tall with your chest high and grab it using a neutral grip (palms facing each other). Pull with your elbows and squeeze your back as hard as you can until your hands are at your sides. Revert the motion with control. Perform 15 reps before moving to the next exercise. 
• Band Curl: Step into the band, hold it with your palms upwards, arms extended. While keeping your body braced, curl the band toward your face and squeeze your biceps. Extend your arms with control and perform 15 reps before moving to the next exercise.
• Band Pressdown: Attach the band high, at least to eye-level. Hold the ends with a pronated grip. Slightly bend forward at your waist and glue your elbows to your ribs. Completely extend your arms down, only moving your forearms, and squeeze your triceps. Bring your hands back to your chest for a total of 15 repetitions, and perform the entire circuit one more time for a thorough warm-up.

Arm Yourself With Bigger Guns

No weights? No problems. You don’t need them to fill your sleeves. Performing these no-weight biceps workouts can increase your arm size, as well as your strength, and contribute to shedding some fat in the process. This body part might be eye-catching, but there’s more to biceps training than meets the eyes.

References

1. Rodosky MW, Harner CD, Fu FH. The role of the long head of the biceps muscle and superior glenoid labrum in anterior stability of the shoulder. Am J Sports Med. 1994 Jan-Feb;22(1):121-30. doi: 10.1177/036354659402200119. PMID: 8129095.
2. Kim GJ, Oh H, Lee S, Lee K, Kim K. Effects of resistance exercise using the elastic band on the pain and function of patients with degenerative knee arthritis. J Phys Ther Sci. 2020 Jan;32(1):52-54. doi: 10.1589/jpts.32.52. Epub 2020 Jan 22. PMID: 32082029; PMCID: PMC7008024.
3. Fradkin AJ, Zazryn TR, Smoliga JM. Effects of warming-up on physical performance: a systematic review with meta-analysis. J Strength Cond Res. 2010 Jan;24(1):140-8. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181c643a0. PMID: 19996770.

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But with so many curl variations, which movement do you pick? And how often should you do them? How do you fit curls into an already packed training program? These are the questions you need to tackle, so you can make a more informed decision and win a one way ticket to Armsville. 

To get to the bottom of it, let’s look at two classic biceps-building staples: the hammer curl, which is performed with a neutral (thumbs-up) grip and the standard dumbbell biceps curl, performed with a supinated, or palms-up, grip. By starting from square one, you’ll learn enough to begin building your arms efficiently and effectively. 

Hammer Curl vs. Biceps Curl

• Exercise Differences
• Exercise Similarities
• Technique Differences
• How to Do the Hammer Curl
• How to Do the Biceps Curl
• Knowing the Best Curl for Your Goal

Hammer Curl and Biceps Curl Differences

These two exercises may appear nearly identical, but the subtle difference in grip is responsible for a big difference in results.

Muscle Recruitment

The function of the biceps muscle is to create flexion (bending) at the elbow and supination (rotation) at the wrist. The thumbs-up position of the hammer curl eliminates supination and more specifically targets the brachialis and brachioradialis, while a fully supinated grip (palms up) emphasizes the biceps brachii. (1)

The brachialis is a strong elbow flexor, separate from the “main” biceps brachii on the front of the upper arm. The brachialis sits underneath the biceps, closer to the bone. It’s believed that targeting the brachialis will have the effect of “pushing up” the biceps to make it appear larger, not unlike wearing shoe lifts to appear taller.

This anatomical trickery may not yield significant results, because the biceps brachii is still stimulated to grow regardless of the grip used, but it’s worth a try. Hammer curls also recruit the brachioradialis, which is a relatively larger muscle running along the top of the forearm and over the elbow joint, near the lower portion of the biceps.

The hammer grip also slightly emphasizes the short head of the biceps, while a palms-up grip activates the long head of the biceps muscle more strongly. (2) Due to this, you will usually feel a difference in your arm tension when performing either movement. Both variations work both biceps heads; the different grips slightly shift the emphasis from one head of the muscle to the other.

Muscular Tension

The palms-up grip puts the biceps into a slightly longer stretched position. This is why you usually feel tightness when your arm is fully straightened in the bottom position. The neutral-grip position of the hammer curl puts the muscles into a slightly “rested” position, rather than a long stretched position.

To create more tension in the bottom position of a hammer curl, you can perform the exercise seated for an incline hammer curl, which brings your arms behind your body. You can create even more tension using a palms-up grip by bringing your arms in front of the body by performing a preacher curl or spider curl.

Exercise Similarities

These two dumbbell curls are, fundamentally, similar. They require you to move a weight with strict elbow flexion, which brings the weight from your hip level to near-shoulder height.

Targeted Biceps Training

The biceps curl and hammer curl are both isolation exercises, which creates motion at one single joint (the elbow, in this case). This type of movement is different from a compound exercise, which creates motion at two or more joints — the chin-up, for example, involves both the shoulder and elbow joints.

By restricting movement to a single joint, muscular stress is focused on the target muscle and isn’t distributed significantly across multiple muscles. This is why it’s important to use strict form and keep your elbow near your ribs when you curl.

If you swing the weight and let your elbow get away from your torso when you curl, you create movement at the shoulder joint which can take activation away from the biceps muscle.

Technique Differences

When watching a lifter performing a hammer curl and comparing them to a lifter performing a standard biceps curl, one key difference will stand above anything else.

Hand Position

A change as seemingly simple as turning your hand one way or the other might not look like a big deal, but it’s responsible for determining which arm muscles are recruited and how hard they’re worked.

With a thumbs-up hand position, your brachioradialis is put into a mechanically stronger position to move the weight. The biceps brachii, while still recruited, is moved into a less strong pulling position due to the structure of the muscle, tendons, and surrounding structures. (3)

This subtle, yet highly effective, change in grip isn’t unlike performing pull-ups (with a palm-down grip) compared to performing chin-ups (using a supinated or palm-up grip). In this case, again, a simple change in hand position shifts the muscular emphasis from your back (with pull-ups) to your biceps (with chin-ups). (4)

Because the brachialis is only responsible for elbow flexion and not supination, it’s a relatively stronger arm muscle. (5) This is why many lifters can perform hammer curls using heavier weights than they use with biceps curls. This also makes the two exercises very effective for supersetting together, performing a set of biceps curls until muscular fatigue and then immediately performing additional repetitions with hammer curls.

How to Do the Hammer Curl

Stand up holding a pair of dumbbells at arms-length, with your hands facing in to your center. Pull your shoulders back and flex your abs. Pin your elbows to your sides.

Curl the weight by driving your thumbs up to the fronts of your shoulders. Pause briefly in the top position before straightening your arms back to the starting position.

Benefits

• The hammer curl allows you to use relatively heavier weights, which can help strength gains.
• This exercise targets muscles not typically emphasized with other curl variations, particularly the brachialis and brachioradialis.

Hammer Curl Variations

The hammer curl is primarily defined by using a neutral grip or thumbs-up curling position. You can hit your arms with some variety by using the same hand position with a variety of movements.

Kettlebell Curl

This is the most common way to add biceps training to a kettlebell workout. By grabbing the kettlebell by the “horns,” your hands are put in a thumbs-up position and you get the benefits of a hammer curl using a single kettlebell.

The kettlebell curl can be easily added as a type of transition exercise between larger movements, like squats or rows, or it can be used as a finisher for extra arm training after a high intensity workout.

Cross-body Curl

This single-arm hammer curl variation, sometimes called a pinwheel curl, moves the weight across your body instead of moving directly forward. This movement reduces the range of motion, which lets you use a slightly heavier weight.

The crossbody curl is often done alternating arms with each repetition, but can be performed with one arm at a time for even more time under tension.

How to Do the Biceps Curl

Stand up holding a pair of dumbbells at arms-length, with your palms facing forward. Pull your shoulders back and flex your abs. Pin your elbows to your sides.

Keep your hands level with your palms facing up as you curl the weights toward your shoulders. Don’t allow your elbows to come forward in the top position. Lower to a full extension.

Form Tip: Use a slow eccentric (lowering phase), taking up to three seconds to extend your arms, but drive up powerfully and raise the weight in one second. This will place the biceps under tension during the lowering phase and allow strong force production when lifting the weight.

Benefits

• The biceps curl emphasizes the biceps brachii on its own, with limited involvement from other muscles.
• This staple exercise is relatively simple to learn and program, making it an efficient exercise for any biceps-training program.

Biceps Curl Variations

The classic palms-up biceps curl can be adapted to many different movements, adjusting range of motion, muscular tension, and other variables to provide a different muscle-building stimulus.

Dumbbell Preacher Curl

The preacher curl offers stability from the pad and prevents cheating by removing the ability to swing the weight. That makes this one of the most strict and most biceps-intensive exercises around.

The stretch in the bottom position can be extreme, depending on your flexibility. Reduce the risk of injury by working within your own effective range of motion and, if necessary, avoiding full lockout with this exercise to reduce strain on the biceps tendons.

Cable Curl

The cable curl is a high-tension variation that uses a cable pulley instead of free weights. This constant tension creates a greater trigger for muscle growth compared to dumbbells, which rely on leverage and gravity to produce resistance.

The cable curl can be performed with a variety of handles, as well as single-arm, for even more variety and growth stimulus.

Knowing the Best Curl for Your Goal

The great thing about this decision is that you almost can’t get it wrong. It’s not like choosing between a back squat or a front squat, which are performed very differently and yield very different results. It’s more like deciding if you’re going to put the cereal or the milk in the bowl first. The end result is basically the same, but you get to pick the order you prefer. However, there are just a few things to consider.

For Strength

If you are training primarily for strength, include more hammer curls in your program. Being able to get more training volume to the brachialis is going to give you more assistance in exercises like pull-ups, rows, and even deadlifts. Because the brachialis is a stronger arm muscle, you can use heavier weights for an even greater strength stimulus.

For Muscle Size

If your goal is physique-focused, work more on supinated-grip biceps curls. This will take the muscles through a greater range of movement, which is a major key for hypertrophy. (7) Pairing this type of training with some hammer curls using slower tempos will trigger major arm gains, while also making sure you have trouble lifting your toothbrush the next day.

Better Curls for Better Arms

Biceps training definitely doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does have to be well-planned for maximum results. Now that you know why and when to use each exercise, you’re in a better position to design a routine that takes your arm workouts to the next level.

References

1. Naito, A., Yajima, M., Fukamachi, H., Ushikoshi, K., Sun, Y. J., & Shimizu, Y. (1995). Electromyographic (EMG) study of the elbow flexors during supination and pronation of the forearm. The Tohoku journal of experimental medicine, 175(4), 285–288. https://doi.org/10.1620/tjem.175.285
2. Jarrett, C. D., Weir, D. M., Stuffmann, E. S., Jain, S., Miller, M. C., & Schmidt, C. C. (2012). Anatomic and biomechanical analysis of the short and long head components of the distal biceps tendon. Journal of shoulder and elbow surgery, 21(7), 942–948. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jse.2011.04.030
3. Kleiber, T., Kunz, L., & Disselhorst-Klug, C. (2015). Muscular coordination of biceps brachii and brachioradialis in elbow flexion with respect to hand position. Frontiers in physiology, 6, 215. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2015.00215
4. Youdas, J. W., Amundson, C. L., Cicero, K. S., Hahn, J. J., Harezlak, D. T., & Hollman, J. H. (2010). Surface electromyographic activation patterns and elbow joint motion during a pull-up, chin-up, or perfect-pullup rotational exercise. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 24(12), 3404–3414. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181f1598c
5. Plantz MA, Bordoni B. Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Brachialis Muscle. [Updated 2022 Feb 22]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK551630/
6. Kulig, K., Powers, C. M., Shellock, F. G., & Terk, M. (2001). The effects of eccentric velocity on activation of elbow flexors: evaluation by magnetic resonance imaging. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 33(2), 196–200. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005768-200102000-00004
7. Baroni, B. M., Pompermayer, M. G., Cini, A., Peruzzolo, A. S., Radaelli, R., Brusco, C. M., & Pinto, R. S. (2017). Full Range of Motion Induces Greater Muscle Damage Than Partial Range of Motion in Elbow Flexion Exercise With Free Weights. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 31(8), 2223–2230. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000001562

Featured Image: MDV Edwards / Shutterstock

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Training your biceps directly will not only contribute to specific muscle growth, but also joint health and performance. Traditional exercises like the barbell curl can usually target your biceps just fine, but if you want to take things to the next level and really focus on your upper arms, consider including the spider curl in your training regimen. (1)

Among the many curl variations that exist, the spider curl takes advantage of gravity, leverage, and arm position to emphasize the short head of the biceps and provide a unique stimulus, leading to more growth and bigger arms. (2) Here’s why and how you should use this special exercise.

• How to Do the Spider Curl
• Spider Curl Mistakes to Avoid
• How to Progress the Spider Curl
• Benefits of the Spider Curl
• Muscles Worked by Spider Curl
• How to Program the Spider Curl
• Spider Curl Variations 
• Frequently Asked Questions

How to Do the Spider Curl

The spider curl, sometimes called the reverse incline curl, gets its more visual name because the position in which you perform the exercise resembles the arachnid dangling from its thread. Indeed, the weight will be dangling from your arms, and you’ll use gravity and positioning to provide a unique biceps stimulus.

Step 1 — Set Your Bench and Get Into Position

Set an adjustable bench at approximately 45-degrees, similar to an incline bench press. Grab a barbell with a palms-up grip and lie chest-down on the bench. Have your head  and neck protrude over the top of bench and let your arms hang straight toward the ground. 

Retract and depress your scapulae (pull your shoulder blades together and down) and maintain this position for the duration of the lift.

Form tip: Find a secure foot position so that you’re comfortable and stable on the bench, allowing you to fully focus on working your arms. This will depend slightly on your height, leg and torso length, and individual bench model. You may feel more balanced with a relatively wide stance or with your feet close together.

Step 2 — Curl the Weight Up

Keep your upper arms vertical as you curl the weight up as far as possible without moving at your shoulder. In the top position, squeeze your biceps as hard as you can for a second. Keep your elbows pointing toward the ground the whole time.

Keep your wrists straight or bent slightly backward to maintain maximum tension on your biceps and prevent your forearms from taking over the workload.

Form tip: If your elbow shifts forward, you’ll reduce tension from the biceps by using assistance from your front deltoids (shoulders). You’ll also diminish the effective range of motion. The mechanics of the exercise already make it a relatively short motion, as there is limited tension at the bottom of the movement. If you start moving your elbows, you will lose even more tension at the top.

Step 3 — Lower With Control

Slowly let the weight come down to the initial position. Controlling the eccentric (lowering) portion of the movement will prevent you from bouncing or cheating, which would make the exercise less effective.

By moving with control, you’re keeping tension on the desired muscle, leading to better results. Repeat for the desired amount of repetitions to complete a set.

Form tip: If your wrists or elbows are prone to tendonitis or pain, consider using an EZ-curl bar, as the slightly angled grip can be easier on the joints.

Spider Curl Mistakes to Avoid

Biceps exercises are often butchered for the sake of ego, leading to suboptimal results. Isolation exercises are technically easier than more complex multi-joint exercises, but that doesn’t mean you can just wing it carelessly. Avoid these common blunders if you want the biggest arms possible. 

Going Too Heavy

There are big compound (multi-joints) exercises recruiting several muscle groups to move heavy weights. Then there are isolation (single-joint) exercises which focus on a single muscle group, typically with moderate weights to maintain targeted tension. Then, there are hyper-specific isolation exercises that focus on a particular “part” of a muscle group.

These laser-precision exercises are really not meant for moving heavy weight, but are instead best used to bring up a very specific muscle part or emphasize a particular head of a muscle. The spider curl is one of these detail-oriented exercises, as it focuses on the short head of the biceps.

Using heavy weights will defeat the purpose of the exercise because you will undoubtedly shift the workload to other body parts and encourage cheating.

Avoid it: Keep the weights relatively lighter and the sets relatively longer with more reps and a greater focus on squeezing your biceps. If you feel strong contractions someplace other than your biceps, consider using a lighter load.

Using Momentum

Because of your arms’ position relative to gravity, there’s very little tension on the biceps in the bottom portion of the lift. The effective range of motion is already relatively short, primarily the upper half to three-quarters of the curl. If you reduce the range even further by swinging the weight, you lose a lot of time under tension and skip one of the key elements to muscle growth. (3)

Moreover, if you swing your arms around to use more weight, you exceed your biceps muscular strength. This means that the additional pounds being lifted are stressing your connective tissues and joints more than your muscles, and you risk injuries just for the sake of ego. 

Avoid it: Practice using a controlled tempo and, if necessary, an especially slower lowering speed. If you can’t perform the desired amount of repetitions without resorting to momentum, reduce the weight.

How to Progress the Spider Curl

The fact that your arms are hanging in the air during the spider curl might prove difficult for inexperienced lifters to coordinate at first. On the other hand, some hardcore gym-goers will crave a more difficult challenge for building their arms. Try these progressions exercises if you belong in either category.

Preacher Curl

The preacher curl is specifically designed for isolated biceps training. It mimics the spider curl mechanics by setting your arm at an angle and it focuses on the short head as well, but offer the advantage of a secured and supported position from the bench pad.

With this equipment, there’s not much cheating possible. Use it to train with perfect your form and build a mind-muscle connection before trying the spider curl. Start with the more commonly used 45-degree pad and progress to using the vertical pad, just like the unsupported spider curl.

Spider Concentration Curl

If you’ve already mastered the barbell spider curl, you can try this upgraded dumbbell progression, also called incline concentration curl. For a nasty biceps pump, perform it like a standard two-dumbbell spider curl, but press the pinky-side plates of the dumbbells together and squeeze them as hard as you can the whole duration of the lift.

The short head of the biceps also contributes to bringing the arms together, so the isometric adduction (inward movement) will recruit this part of your biceps even further.

Spider Curl Benefits

You can count on arm-obsessed lifters to invent a myriad of biceps exercises, but they aren’t the product of vanity — each has distinct goals and benefits. The spider curl is specifically designed for aesthetic purposes with a laser-like precision, but that doesn’t mean only those with physique goals should include this movement.

Pure Biceps Training

The unique shoulder and arm position induced by this exercise is highly effective for developing a mind-muscle connection and isolating the biceps for hypertrophy. (4) If you recruit other muscles, your arms will start to sway and the mechanics will change. Also, you cannot cheat by swinging your body as much as with some other biceps exercises. 

If you have lagging upper arms, this is a great way for you to accumulate quality volume without recruiting or fatiguing other muscle groups. (5) Isolation exercises are excellent for developing symmetry and an aesthetic physique.

Focuses on the Short Head of the Biceps

If you feel you’re lacking in the inner part of your biceps, give this exercise a go. Focusing on the short head of the biceps will increase the “width” of your arm and give the appearance of a fuller-looking muscle.

The spider curl will target this head more because of the arm’s position, in front of the shoulders. The short head of the biceps attaches at the front of your shoulder joint and can perform a stronger contraction when your shoulder is “relaxed” in the stretched position.

Joint Health and Strength

This exercise can be beneficial for athletes competing in strength sports, such as powerlifting or strongman/strongwoman by directly contributing to overall pulling strength. It may also help with elbow and shoulder joint health by reducing repetitive use strain from performing a limited number of biceps exercises.

Switching to the spider curl will provide variety and a different stimulus, resulting in less stress on your joints and efficient training with lower overall weight used. This can have restorative benefits, especially when performed for higher reps.

Muscles Worked by the Spider Curl

The spider curl has one primary goal: to increase your arm size. Let’s see how it contributes to this sought-after goal.

Biceps Brachii

The biceps is the biggest and most visible anterior arm muscle. It flexes the arm, supinates the wrist (rotates the palm upwards), and slightly contributes to various shoulder movements and stability.

This muscle is composed of two heads, both attached to the radius (forearm bone). The long head runs on the outer side of the arms and is attached to the shoulder blade. The short head is on the inner side of your arm and also attaches to the shoulder blade, but directly from the front of the shoulder. 

The spider curl emphasizes the short head because of the hanging arm position. The long head is in a “shortened” position and its involvement is limited in the stretched position.

Brachialis

This deeper muscle is located under the biceps brachii. It is the primary elbow flexor, being significantly stronger than the biceps itself and not involved in supinating or rotating your wrists. As such, it is recruited during any curl exercise. Increasing its size will result in a fuller arm and will also “push” your biceps upwards, making it appear even bigger.

Forearms

Several forearm muscles contribute to elbow flexion, notably the strongest of them — the brachioradialis. The spider curl will also make your forearms bigger, which can visually help to make up for a genetically “shorter” biceps with long tendons near the elbow. Training these muscles can also improve your elbow and wrist health and performance.

How to Program the Spider Curl

This exercise is not suited to heavy weights, so programming is quite straightforward. Get the most out of the spider curl using these repetition schemes.

Moderate Weight, Moderate Repetitions

This time-tested approach will yield a ton of results. It has been bodybuilders’ favorite for decades for a reason. Do three to four sets of eight to 12 repetitions for maximal muscle gains. This will provide training volume in the most effective hypertrophy range, driving muscle growth.

Light Weight, High Repetitions

Studies have shown that as long as you’re using 40% of your one-rep maximum and are taking muscles close to failure, you’ll reap effective muscle gains, so do not be afraid of going lighter sometimes. (6) Two to three sets of 15 to 20 repetitions will provide a great stimulus, and an intense burn, ideal for a finisher while also being easier on the joints.

Spider Curl Variations

Variety is the spice of life, and that also applies to training. If you don’t have a barbell or if you wish to provide your biceps a different training stimulus, try these variations.

Dumbbell Spider Curl

Using a pair of dumbbells instead of a bar can address imbalances between each arm. Because each arm is moving independently, you can’t use your stronger side to compensate for your weaker one.

This is the perfect variation if you have a blatantly weaker side or if you want the most symmetrical physique possible. It will, however, take a but more coordination and concentration to move the weights at the same time.

Cable Spider Curl

The spider curl is a great exercise to target the short head of the biceps, but it’s doing a poor job of training the lengthened position of the muscle because of gravity’s limited effective in the bottom position. Using a cable pulley is the solution.

Set up a bench at a low cable station to provide muscular tension for the duration of the lift. This boosts the muscle’s time under tension and increases the need for a controlled eccentric. You can also feel a greater stretch in your biceps.

Concentration Curl

This old school exercise uses the same general mechanics as the spider curl, with your working arm extended down, but you don’t need an angled bench. Grab a dumbbell and train one arm at a time. Lean forward and curl while being as strict as possible — don’t start swinging your torso.

This is a harder variation as you have to stabilize your body and really concentrate on your biceps. Some lifters claim it emphasizes the alleged biceps “peak,” but it will mostly provide good, focused work while isolate your biceps as much as possible.

FAQs

The spider curl is probably not the first exercise that pops in your mind when you think about biceps training, so that’s fine if you have some questions about this lesser known lift.

References

1. Wiesinger, H. P., Kösters, A., Müller, E., & Seynnes, O. R. (2015). Effects of Increased Loading on In Vivo Tendon Properties: A Systematic Review. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 47(9), 1885–1895. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000603
2. Kassiano, Witalo1; Nunes, João Pedro1; Costa, Bruna1; Ribeiro, Alex S.1,2; Schoenfeld, Brad J.3; Cyrino, Edilson S.1. Does Varying Resistance Exercises Promote Superior Muscle Hypertrophy and Strength Gains? A Systematic Review. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research: June 2022 – Volume 36 – Issue 6 – p 1753-1762 doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000004258
3. Burd NA, Andrews RJ, West DW, Little JP, Cochran AJ, Hector AJ, Cashaback JG, Gibala MJ, Potvin JR, Baker SK, Phillips SM. Muscle time under tension during resistance exercise stimulates differential muscle protein sub-fractional synthetic responses in men. J Physiol. 2012 Jan 15;590(2):351-62. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2011.221200. Epub 2011 Nov 21. PMID: 22106173; PMCID: PMC3285070.
4. Calatayud J, Vinstrup J, Jakobsen MD, Sundstrup E, Brandt M, Jay K, Colado JC, Andersen LL. Importance of mind-muscle connection during progressive resistance training. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2016 Mar;116(3):527-33. doi: 10.1007/s00421-015-3305-7. Epub 2015 Dec 23. PMID: 26700744.
5. Schoenfeld BJ, Contreras B, Krieger J, Grgic J, Delcastillo K, Belliard R, Alto A. Resistance Training Volume Enhances Muscle Hypertrophy but Not Strength in Trained Men. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2019 Jan;51(1):94-103. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001764. PMID: 30153194; PMCID: PMC6303131.
6. Thiago Lasevicius, Carlos Ugrinowitsch, Brad Jon Schoenfeld, Hamilton Roschel, Lucas Duarte Tavares, Eduardo Oliveira De Souza, Gilberto Laurentino & Valmor Tricoli (2018) Effects of different intensities of resistance training with equated volume load on muscle strength and hypertrophy, European Journal of Sport Science, 18:6, 772-780, DOI: 10.1080/17461391.2018.1450898

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However, many people overlook a highly effective adjustment right at their fingertips, literally. By moving your hand position slightly inward, you turn the chest-building flat bench press into the triceps-building close-grip bench press.

This changes the training stimulus and emphasizes the tricep muscles, increases the movement’s range of motion, and still builds serious upper body pressing power. Here’s everything you need to know about getting started with this simple movement for size and strength.

• How to Do the Close-Grip Bench Press
• Mistakes to Avoid of Close-Grip Bench Press
• How to Progress the Close-Grip Bench Press
• Benefits of Close-Grip Bench Press
• Muscle Worked By the Close-Grip Bench Press
• How to Program Close-Grip Bench Press
• Close-Grip Bench Press Variations
• Frequently Asked Questions

How to Do the Close-Grip Bench Press

The close-grip bench press biases the triceps muscles with specific exercise performance and a longer range of motion. As its name implies, the close-grip bench press requires your hands to be closer than during a standard bench press. This increases the range of motion and puts your elbows through more elbow flexion and extension, which emphasizes your triceps over your chest.

Step 1 — Set Up on the Bench

Lie down on a flat bench. Push your feet into the floor to slide yourself up the bench until your eye are under the barbell. Pull your shoulders down and back. Place your hands around the bar in a pronated (palm down) grip with your hands close to shoulder-width apart. (1)

The basic technique should almost identical to your standard flat bench press setup. The primary difference is that your hands should now be at least one fist-width (four to six inches) closer than the chest-focused exercise. This is essential for recruiting more triceps into the movement.

Form Tip: While a relatively close grip is necessary, taking an excessively close grip can be counterproductive, creating more joint strain and less muscular stress. Some old school lifters believe your thumbs should be able to touch during the close-grip bench press. This is inaccurate, impractical, and inefficient advice. Having your hands roughly in line with your shoulders will be effective for the majority of lifters.

Step 2 — Unrack the Bar

Fill your belly and chest with a deep breath and lift the bar from the support pins. Maintain full body tension from your flat feet through your core to your shoulders.

With stiff arms, guide the bar forward until it is over your shoulders. Keep your shoulders pinched back to engage your upper back for support.

Form Tip: The bar should feel balanced when it settles into the ideal position. If you feel like you’re “fighting” an unstable weight above your body, it is either still too far above your face or too far toward your abs. Control the weight and reach a strong, stable position before lowering the weight.

Step 3 — Lower the Bar

Lower the bar toward your torso, keeping your elbows stacked under your wrists. This position keeps your tricep under tension, avoids compensation from the deltoids (shoulders), and minimizes strain on your joints.

Keep your elbows close to your ribs. If they begin to flare out to the sides, tuck them back in toward your body. Bring the bar down as close to your body as your mobility allows, ideally reaching near your sternum and lower chest.

Form Tip: Don’t allow your wrists to bend back throughout the rep. Keep your knuckles facing the ceiling. This will keep your wrists in a more favorable, less stressful position. It also helps to keep your wrists stacked above your elbows, which is a more powerful pressing position than falling out of line.

Step 4 — Press to the Starting Position

After reaching your maximum comfortable depth, press the bar up to its starting position. Keep your feet flat on the floor and feel total-body engagement. Maintain a neutral wrist position above your elbows.

The bar should end up balanced directly over your shoulders, in the same position it was in after being unracked.

Form Tip: Because the objective of the exercise is to challenge the triceps, actively squeeze your triceps in the locked out position before performing the next repetition.

Close-Grip Bench Press Mistakes to Avoid

There are multiple mistakes that can happen in the close-grip bench press because this free weight exercise has many variables that must be controlled by the lifter.

In contrast, certain machine exercises can lock you into pre-determined positions that do not offer as much positional choice. In other words, manipulating a barbell requires more focus and more muscular control than a similar machine movement. Here’s what to watch out for during this exercise.

Elbows Flaring Out

This is probably the most common mistake people make when doing any triceps exercise. Your elbows must track under your wrists to emphasize the lengthening of the muscle during the eccentric, or lowering phase, of the repetition.

When your elbows flare out to the sides, your shoulders are more strongly contracted, which reduces the load on the triceps.

Avoid it: Use a slow tempo when bringing the bar down toward your chest. Take three seconds to lower the weight and focus controlling your elbow angle. Keep your elbows forward toward your feet rather than out to the side. Once you’ve practiced and feel comfortable, gradually increase the bar speed to a point in which you are able to control your elbow position throughout the entire movement.

Gripping Too Narrow or Too Wide

If your grip is too narrow, your elbows will likely flare out excessively, forcing your deltoids to contribute more to the movement. A too-narrow grip position can also contribute to internal rotation of the shoulder which, over time, may increase the risk of injury to the supraspinatus muscle of the shoulder joint.

However, a grip that’s too wide can be just as counterproductive, by decreasing the demand on the triceps and increasing chest recruitment. A close-grip bench press without a close grip is a plain old bench press.

Avoid it: Research has shown that the optimal grip for a close-grip bench press is the the same as the distance between the acromion (outer edge) of your shoulder blades.(2) During the setup phase of the exercise, place your hands shoulder-distance apart with your wrists, elbows, and shoulders in a straight line. This will create a customized grip as everyone has a unique shoulder width, rather than telling every lifter in every gym to arbitrarily set their hands 18 inches apart, for example.

Inefficient Bar Path

It is important to remember that the bar path in the bench press is not a strictly vertical line. The bar begins over your shoulders and will travel down and slightly forward as it’s lowered, in a slight arc-like path.

Compared to the standard bench press, the close-grip bench press has an increased range of motion and will therefore have a different touch-point on the body and a different bar path than the standard bench press.

It is important to remember that the bar will touch lower on your chest in a close-grip bench than a standard bench press. If you attempt to use the same touch-point for both movements, it will lead to excessive elbow flare to compensate for the inefficient motion.

Avoid it: Aim for the bar to touch around the narrowing point of the bottom of your sternum — the xiphoid process. However, the exact spot will vary slightly from person to person based on their arm length, ribcage size, and overall body position.

How to Progress the Close-Grip Bench Press

As a basic barbell exercise, the close-grip bench press can be adapted to suit a wide range of lifters’ capabilities with progressively heavier weights. However, if individuals cannot yet manage a full range of motion with the barbell, there are a few options to help achieve the exercise.

Close-Grip Floor Press

The floor press variation reinforces the same close-grip setup and general bar path with a reduced range of motion. While one benefit of the close-grip bench press (performed on a flat bench) is a relatively long range of motion, this floor press variation eliminates the lower portion of the exercise. This reduces shoulder strain while maintaining muscular stress on the triceps.

The close-grip floor press allows you to become familiar with the grip width and hand position, and encourages proper form while staying tight and controlling the movement. Don’t allow your elbows to rest on the ground.

Paused Close-Grip Bench Press

By incorporating a deliberate, long pause at the bottom and top of each repetition, you reinforce proper mechanics throughout the movement. Pause in the bottom, stretched position of every rep for two seconds. It’s crucial that you maintain tension and do not relax with the bar resting on your chest. Your muscles should be tight and engaged for the duration.

Press normally and hold the locked out position for two seconds. Again, don’t treat the pause as an opportunity for rest. Grip the bar hard, flex your triceps, and engage your core before lowering the weight again.

Benefits of the Close-Grip Bench Press

The close-grip bench press has multiple benefits, from performance to aesthetics and even longevity in barbell training. Here’s why you should incorporate this useful movement.

Strength and Performance

For powerlifters or gym-goers looking to increase their max bench press, the close-grip bench press has specific benefits with direct carryover to your bench. If you struggle specifically at lockout, you likely need to improve your triceps strength.

The close-grip bench press primarily challenges the triceps, leading to greater pressing strength.(3) This simple exercise variation could be what is missing from your training routine to push through your sticking point and reach a new bench press PR.

Muscle-Building and Aesthetics

Filling out the sleeves of a shirt is never a bad idea. While triceps dips and pushdowns challenge the lateral head of the triceps in particular, the close-grip bench press significantly recruits the medial and lateral head, leading to more well-rounded muscular development.

This compound (multi-joint) movement also has an increased effect on muscle hypertrophy because it allows you to use relatively heavy weights, which can be useful for stimulating growth.(4)

Joint Health

If you consistently train using a limited range of motion for any muscle or exercise, you can develop strength in that range. However, this can also create a greater risk for strains and tears when those muscles are put through a greater range of motion with “fully lengthened” or “fully shortened” positions. (5)

The close-grip bench press does challenge a greater range of motion than the standard grip due to the positioning of the hands on the bar. The shoulder joints are worked through a longer distance. This will stress the triceps in the lengthened ranges, making them more robust and relatively less prone to injury.

Muscles Worked by the Close-Grip Bench Press

The close-grip bench press is most commonly known for challenging the triceps muscles, however there are more muscles involved than you may think.

Pectorals Major and Minor

The pectoralis major and pectoralis minor are your chest muscles and, while they are not the major contributors to the close-grip bench press, they do play an important role in the movement. During both the concentric (lifting) and eccentric (lowering) phases, both the pec major and minor are recruited to lift the weight and push your arms upward.

Anterior Deltoid

Your shoulder is comprised of three separate heads — the front (anterior), side (lateral), and rear (posterior). Each helps to raise the arm in its respective direction from your body’s midline. The anterior deltoid, specifically, contributes to raising and lowering your upper arm during the close-grip bench press.

However, be aware that if your anterior deltoid is fatiguing before other muscles groups during the exercise, your elbows are likely flaring too much. Adjusting your grip and/or bar path should ensure maximum focus on your triceps.

Triceps Brachii

Your triceps make up the majority of your upper arm, relative to your biceps. The triceps muscle consists of three heads — the lateral, medial, and long head — and together their main action is to extend the arm from a bent elbow position to full to elbow extension. The triceps contraction is emphasized in the lockout of the exercise where the triceps are more strongly recruited.

How to Program the Close-Grip Bench Press

When programming the close-grip bench press, the main consideration needs to be your goal. The most effective approach will be determined by what you want to achieve with the movement and how it fits into your overall training plan.

Strength

To prioritize strength-building, reps need to be kept in a relatively lower range while working with higher percentages of your one-repetition max (1RM). Train with two to six sets of one to five reps, using 80 to 95% of 1RM.

The amount of sets can vary based on your experience, conditioning, and abilities. More is not always better if you can’t handle it. Regardless of your total training volume, focus on using a fast bar speed and fully locking out each repetition.

Hypertrophy

Using moderate to high sets with moderate to higher reps will provide a greater hypertrophy adaptation. For muscle growth to occur, the muscle needs stimulus, volume, and fatigue.(6) Work with three to six sets eight to 20 repetitions, using of 55-65% of 1RM.

The goal is to reach muscular fatigue at the end of each set. If you’re performing more triceps-focused exercises in the same workout, use fewer sets and reps. If the close-grip bench press is your primary triceps exercise, give it the higher end of the workload.

Close-Grip Bench Press Variations

Beyond the close-grip bench press itself, there are some variations you can implement for comparable benefits of hypertrophy and improving your pressing power.

Banded Close-Grip Bench Press

To increase pressing power and/or improve your lockout ability, adding resistance bands of various tension to the close-grip bench press will challenge upper range of motion. Resistance bands offer accommodating resistance — they get more challenging as they’re stretched farther and offer relatively less resistance before they’re maximally stretched.

The biomechanics of the bench press, the lockout position requires less energy and benefits from a leverage advantage. As your elbows become more extended, the weight feels “lighter.” Bands require you to apply maximum tension as resistance increases toward the top position, forcing a stronger contraction. As the bar travels upward, band tension increases at the lockout. This forces you to consciously produce more power and drive hard to achieve lockout.

Machine Press

This is an excellent variation for hypertrophy goals. Using any machine that mimics a similar set up as the close-grip bench gives you more options for hypertrophy. The design of machines allows lifters to efficiently incorporate a variety of high-intensity techniques for increased training stimulus.

Options such as such as drop sets, partial reps, or even forced reps with a training partner allow for greater variations in your workouts. This is also a safer option than training beyond muscular fatigue with the close-grip bench press.

Close-Grip Push-Up

This triceps-focused push-up variation is a nice complement to any training program, as a primary exercise or as a muscle-exhausting finishing movement. Since your hands are closer together, like the close-grip bench press, the range of motion is greater than a standard push-up, thus making it more challenging.

If you cannot perform a full range of motion rep from your toes, you opt for modified versions such as a close-grip inclined push-up (with your hands elevated on a bench) or a kneeling close-grip push up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the close-grip bench press hurt my shoulder?

There could be multiple factors at work, but most people’s shoulders hurt due to a lack of stability in the upper back. This requires a better focus on scapular retraction and depression — pulling your shoulder blades together and down.

During the exercise, make sure to squeeze your shoulder blades back toward your spine and “tuck” them down toward your back pockets. This stabilizes your entire shoulder girdle to support the load. If it’s done incorrectly, or not at all, your anterior deltoid is more strongly activated as your shoulder goes into protraction (reaching forward) and elevation (shrugging up to your ears).

A variety of upper back strengthening exercises and mobility drills can help, along with drilling proper pressing technique and cueing your upper back stabilizers before unracking the bar.

What alternative can I do if I don’t have a bench?

Any exercise that challenges your upper body pressing muscles in a supine position can be an effective alternative. If you don’t have a bench but can lie on the floor, this is a great alternative. A dumbbell or barbell floor press is a great exercise whenever a bench is unavailable. The focus on the upper half of the range of motion further emphasizes triceps recruitment.

Most commercial gyms have steps, boxes, and risers that can be used as modified bench. Ideally, you want the improvised bench to be the same height as a standard one. Place a yoga mat on top of the step or box to reduce the risk of your torso slipping off.

Get a Grip on Your Bench

The close-grip bench press can be performed either as an assistance exercise to boost your classic bench press or it can be approached as a main movement on its own to develop a stronger upper body. The added arm size is an incidental bonus. Apply this simple grip adjustment to a time-tested movement and you’ll soon welcome new levels of size and strength.

References

1. Lockie, Robert & Moreno, Matthew. (2017). The Close-Grip Bench Press. Strength and Conditioning Journal. 39. 1. 10.1519/SSC.0000000000000307.
2. Larsen, S., Gomo, O., & van den Tillaar, R. (2021). A Biomechanical Analysis of Wide, Medium, and Narrow Grip Width Effects on Kinematics, Horizontal Kinetics, and Muscle Activity on the Sticking Region in Recreationally Trained Males During 1-RM Bench Pressing. Frontiers in sports and active living, 2, 637066. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2020.637066
3. Saeterbakken, A. H., Stien, N., Pedersen, H., Solstad, T., Cumming, K. T., & Andersen, V. (2021). The Effect of Grip Width on Muscle Strength and Electromyographic Activity in Bench Press among Novice- and Resistance-Trained Men. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(12), 6444. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18126444
4. Brandão, Lucas & Painelli, Vitor & Lasevicius, Thiago & Silva-Batista, Carla & Brendon, Helderson & Schoenfeld, Brad & Aihara, Andre & Cardoso, Fabiano & Peres, Bergson & Teixeira, Emerson. (2020). Varying the Order of Combinations of Single- and Multi-Joint Exercises Differentially Affects Resistance Training Adaptations. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 34. 1. 10.1519/JSC.0000000000003550.
5. Valamatos, M. J., Tavares, F., Santos, R. M., Veloso, A. P., & Mil-Homens, P. (2018). Influence of full range of motion vs. equalized partial range of motion training on muscle architecture and mechanical properties. European journal of applied physiology, 118(9), 1969–1983. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-018-3932-x
6. Mangine, G. T., Hoffman, J. R., Gonzalez, A. M., Townsend, J. R., Wells, A. J., Jajtner, A. R., Beyer, K. S., Boone, C. H., Miramonti, A. A., Wang, R., LaMonica, M. B., Fukuda, D. H., Ratamess, N. A., & Stout, J. R. (2015). The effect of training volume and intensity on improvements in muscular strength and size in resistance-trained men. Physiological reports, 3(8), e12472. https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.12472

Featured Image: Daniel Krason / Shutterstock

The post How to Do the Close-Grip Bench Press for Bigger, Stronger Triceps appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Changing your physique to suit your own goals, and building muscle for muscle’s sake, is still perfectly acceptable, despite the recent prevalence of functional training, obstacle racing, or performance-driven workouts. Nevermind the fact that directly training your biceps can contribute to joint health and may actually boost performance in many lifts. So, in the spirit of getting big ol’ arms, here are some of the best ways to grow your biceps.

12 Best Biceps Exercises

• Cheat Curl
• EZ-Bar Curl
• Chin-Up
• Alternating Supinating Curl
• Barbell Spider Curl
• Incline Dumbbell Curl
• Single-Arm Preacher Curl
• Single-Arm Low Cable Curl
• Concentration Curl
• Zottman Curl
• Hammer Curl
• EZ-Bar Reverse Curl

Cheat Curl

Performing the cheat curl is doing the wrong thing for the right reason. Instead of a strict barbell curl, which can be effective on its own, you’re deliberately using some body English to drive a heavy weight to the top position and then controlling the eccentric (negative or lowering phase).

By using your hips and legs purposefully to lift the weights, rather than accidentally loosening technique due to fatigue, you remain in control of the exercise and reduce the risk of injury while benefiting from heavier weights and increased muscle tension.

How to Do the Cheat Curl

Stand with an underhand, shoulder-width grip on a barbell. Slightly bend your knees and push your hips toward the wall behind you. Keep your back straight and slide the bar down along your thighs. Forcefully straighten your body while curling the weight toward chin-level. Brace your abs in the top position and slowly lower the weight. Keep your elbows pinned to your sides while straightening your arms.

Repeat the entire process for each repetition. Be sure to use your legs and hips to drive the weight up, not simply your hips and lower back. Take roughly three seconds, or longer, to lower the weight on each repetition.

Benefits of the Cheat Curl

• The hip drive and increased muscle recruitment allows relatively heavier weights to be used, which can contribute to building size and strength.
• Lowering the weight slowly can help to build more muscle than lowering at a faster speed. (1)

EZ-Bar Curl

The EZ-bar allows a semi-supinated (angled) grip, which reduces the wrist strain many lifters from using a fully supinated (palms up) grip on a straight barbell. The shift in hand position also affects muscle recruitment by activating more forearm musculature than a straight bar.

The multiple sections of an EZ-bar also allows you to easily change your grip width from “wide,” to “moderate,” to “close.” Grip width will affect your effective range of motion, which will influence muscle activation.

How to Do the EZ-Bar Curl

Stand with a shoulder-width, underhand grip on the bar. Pull your shoulders back and keep your torso upright. Slightly bend your knees and set your stance to a comfortable width. Keep your elbows stationary as you curl the weight toward the front of your shoulders. Pause briefly before lowering the weight to full extension.

Benefits of the EZ-Bar Curl

• The EZ-bar increases brachioradialis activation compared to many other biceps exercises. (2)
• The angled hand position reduces stress on the wrist joint, making the exercise more comfortable for lifters with mobility problems or joint issues.

Chin-Up

Many lifters consider the chin-up to be primarily a back exercise, but the supinated (palms up) grip drastically increases biceps recruitment during the exercise. This makes it ideal for a biceps-focused workout, especially if it’s preceded or followed with additional direct biceps training to increase cumulative fatigue on the muscle.

By flipping your grip, you increase the leverage for your biceps to contribute during the movement, which places more stress directly on them and relatively less stress on the larger back muscles.

How to Do the Chin-Up

Grab an overhead pull-up bar with a shoulder-width, palm-up grip. Allow your body to be supported by your straight arms. Pinch your shoulder blades together as you pull your body toward the bar. Keep your neck in a neutral position and avoid extending your chin to the bar. When your mouth is roughly level with the bar, pause briefly before lowering your body to full extension.

Benefits of the Chin-Up

• The chin-up is one of relatively few compound (multi-joint) exercises which primarily work the biceps. Compound movements are highly effective at building strength and size (3)
• This movement allows for using potentially heavy weights compared to other biceps exercises, which is beneficial for size and strength.

Alternating Supinating Curl

This exercise puts a twist — pun completely intended — on the classic dumbbell curl to deliver increased muscle recruitment. Supinating, or rotating, your hand as you curl the weight up allows you to activate additional arm muscles and it works the biceps to their fullest capacity.

Each repetition takes your arm through a significant range of motion and complete muscle contraction by turning the wrist from a neutral position to a fully supinated (palm up) position, which maximally recruits the muscles of the biceps and forearm.

How to Do the Alternating Supinating Curl

Stand holding a pair of dumbbells by your sides with your palms facing your hips. Curl one arm upwards, keeping your thumb up in a neutral position. As your hand passes your ab-level, begin rotating to a palm-up position as you continue curling. In the top position, your pinky should be slightly higher than your index finger. Reverse the motion to lower the weight, and then perform a repetition with the opposite arm.

Benefits of the Alternating Supinating Curl

• The biceps muscle plays a significant role in supinating the forearm as well as flexing (bending) your arm. (4) This is one of the very few exercises to specifically incorporate the supinating function, which increases overall activation of the biceps.
• Using a neutral grip in the initial portion of the exercise recruits the brachialis and brachioradialis, making the alternating supinating curl an efficient way to train the biceps and forearms.
• Alternating arms and performing the movement unilaterally (curling one arm at a time) allows you to use a slightly heavier weight than curling both dumbbells together. (5)

Barbell Spider Curl

The barbell spider curl works the biceps from a unique angle for a variation in training stimulus. This is essentially a “reverse incline curl,” because it requires lying chest-down on an incline bench and allowing your arms to hang vertically down.

By positioning your upper arm in front of your torso, the short head of the biceps is more strongly recruited than the long head. Some lifters may not notice a significant difference in the development of either head, but for physique-conscious lifters, emphasizing either biceps head can play a significant role in building an aesthetic physique.

How to Do the Barbell Spider Curl

Set an incline bench to a low-to-moderate angle, roughly 30 or 45-degrees. Lie your chest on the bench while holding a barbell with a supinated (palm up) grip at roughly shoulder-width. Let your arms hang straight toward the ground. Curl the weight without moving at the shoulder. Your upper arms and elbows should remain pointed at the ground as the weight moves. Pause briefly in the top position to maximize the peak contraction. Lower slowly with control and avoid swinging the weight.

Benefits of the Barbell Spider Curl

• The short head of the biceps is recruited relatively more than the long head due to the position of the upper arm relative to the torso. The long head is involved in working the shoulder joint, which is essentially “immobilized” due to hanging straight down.
• The barbell spider curl creates an extremely strong peak contraction due to the angle of the bench and the leverage of the weight against gravity. This can help many lifters improve the mind-muscle connection with their biceps, which can ultimately benefit muscle growth. (6)(7)

Incline Dumbbell Curl

The incline dumbbell curl is a classic bodybuilding exercise, known for its unique angle which puts the biceps and shoulder into a stretched position and increases recruitment of the long head of the biceps.

While the stretched position is essential for the incline curl, it may be stressful on your shoulder joint. You can adjust the incline as needed, higher or lower, to accommodate your own mobility and flexibility. The key is to maintain bench-contact with your head, shoulder blades, and lower back to ensure an inclined position.

How to Do the Incline Dumbbell Curl

Lie back on an incline bench set to roughly 45-degrees with a dumbbell in each hand. Keep your head, shoulders, and tailbone against the bench throughout the entire movement. Straighten your arms and rotate your palms forward. Keep your palms facing up as you curl both weights toward your biceps. Your elbows should remain pointed to the floor and should not move forward. Slowly lower the weights to a full stretch.

Benefits of the Incline Dumbbell Curl

• Training the biceps with a unique angle, in an inclined position, contributes to more muscle growth than performing exercises which are too similar to one another. (8)
• The incline dumbbell curl puts the shoulder into a stretched position. Because the long head of the biceps crosses over the shoulder joint and is involved in shoulder flexion, this curl variation emphasizes the long head more than the short head. (9)
• The stretched position of the arm can contribute to improved shoulder mobility and biceps tendon strength. (10)

Single-Arm Preacher Curl

The barbell or EZ-bar preacher curl is a time-tested muscle-builder, but performing the exercise with one arm at a time can allow even greater focus on the muscle. Unilateral (single-side) training will improve muscle recruitment and emphasize on each arm more than a barbell exercise.

The upper arm support and stationary shoulder position de-emphasize the long head of the biceps and increase recruitment of the short head.

How to Do the Single-Arm Preacher Curl

Start with a dumbbell curled to your shoulder, with your palm facing your body. Press your chest against the flat side of a preacher curl bench and rest both underarms snugly on top of the pad. Lay your elbow and triceps on the angled side of the bench, keeping the dumbbell in the top position. Maintain a palms-up grip as you slowly lower the weight. When your arm is nearly straight, curl the weight back to the starting position.

Benefits of the Single-Arm Preacher Curl

• The preacher curl bench supports the upper arm which reinforces strict technique and limits cheating or momentum.
• The single-arm preacher curl emphasizes the short head of the biceps.
• The unilateral movement allows lifters to address common muscle asymmetries between arms by focusing on each arm individually.

Single-Arm Low Cable Curl

The low cable pulley puts the biceps under constant tension, compared to barbells or dumbbells which rely on gravity and leverage to provide resistance. This results in cables offering greater time under tension and a stronger muscle-building stimulus. (11)

The single-arm low cable curl can be done either facing the cable stack or facing away from it. Facing away will put a greater stretch on the biceps, similar to an incline curl, and is the more effective option.

How to Do the Single-Arm Low Cable Curl

Attack a single handle to a low cable pulley. Grab the handle, turn your back to the weight stack, and take one or two small steps forward. With a palms-up grip and your hand by your side, your straight arm should be very slightly “pulled” behind your torso by the weight. Keep your elbow stationary while curling the handle toward your shoulder. From the top position, fully straighten your arm before repeating the next repetition.

Benefits of the Single-Arm Low Cable Curl

• This cable curl variation puts the muscle under constant muscular tension which can increase muscle growth.
• The long time under tension and long range of motion make the exercise highly effective with relatively light weight, making it ideal for lifters whose joints cannot tolerate heavy loads.

Concentration Curl

The concentration curl is a classic biceps exercise, often performed by beginning lifters instinctively without formal direction. It can be an extremely effective way to target the biceps with minimal recruitment of other muscles.

The setup of the concentration curl allows you to, rightfully, concentrate on the working arm during each set. Not only is the movement strictly performed by one arm at a time, but you’re looking directly at your muscle as it contracts and stretches for each repetition.

How to Do the Concentration Curl

With a dumbbell in one hand, sit on a bench or chair with your feet set well-beyond shoulder-width. Brace the triceps of the working arm near the same-side knee. Curl the weight toward your face while maintaining a palm-up grip. Don’t allow your legs or torso to swing the weight up. Slowly lower the weight to complete extension.

Benefits of the Concentration Curl

• This exercise is ideal for using the “touch training” technique — using your non-working hand to touch the working muscle during each repetition. This can improve the mind-muscle connection and may increase muscle growth. (12)
• This movement allows for strict exercise performance with little to no momentum due to the braced stance and arm support.
• The concentration curl allows variety from standard dumbbell curls without needing additional equipment like a preacher curl bench or cable pulley.

Zottman Curl

The Zottman curl, named for American strongman George Zottman, works the biceps and forearms through a variety of motions for maximum muscle recruitment. It combines a standard dumbbell curl and a reverse curl, while testing and building wrist mobility.

If you can manage the necessary coordination (which is less complicated than patting your head while rubbing your stomach), then you can build bigger, stronger arms with this efficient movement.

How to Do the Zottman Curl

Stand holding a dumbbell in each hand by your sides. Curl one arm palm-up toward your shoulder. In the top position, rotate your hand palm-down and lower the weight to full extension. Next, curl the opposite hand palm-up toward your shoulder before rotating it palm-down for the lowering phase. When you’re comfortable with the basic movement, aim to move your arms at the same time — raising one hand palm-up while simultaneously lowering the other palm-down.

Benefits of the Zottman Curl

• The Zottman curl recruits multiple muscles of the arm — including the biceps, brachialis, and brachioradialis — during the multiple phases of the exercise.
• The varied hand positions and use of supination and pronation (turning the palm up and down, respectively) will help to build overall wrist mobility and may improve wrist and elbow health.

Hammer Curl

This simple adjustment to the standard dumbbell curl increases recruitment of the forearm muscles, allows you to move relatively heavier weights, and builds grip strength.

The thumbs-up position emphasizes the brachialis and brachioradialis, along with the biceps, making it an efficient way to train the forearm as well as the upper arm.

How to Do the Hammer Curl

Stand holding a pair of dumbbells at your sides with your hands facing your hips. Curl both weights up toward your shoulder while keeping your thumbs up. Allow your elbows to move slightly forward as you bring the weight into the top position — this can increase overall muscle recruitment. Pause briefly before lowering to full extension.

Benefits of the Hammer Curl

• The hammer curl allows you to lift heavier weights than any palms-up curl, which can benefit size and strength gains.
• The neutral-grip hand position emphasizes the brachialis and brachioradialis, which are not significantly recruited during other biceps curl variations.

EZ-Bar Reverse Curl

The EZ-bar reverse curl shares many of the benefits of the standard EZ-bar curl — reduced wrist strain and a consistent gauge for adjusting grip width — and it offers even greater recruitment of forearm muscles due to the angled palms-down grip.

The semi-pronated (partially palms-down) grip increases activation of the brachialis, brachioradialis, and wrist extensors, along with some recruitment of the biceps. This makes the movement a very efficient way to train the lower arms.

How to Do the EZ-Bar Reverse Curl

Stand with a shoulder-width, palms-down grip on the bar. Pull your shoulders back and keep your torso upright. Slightly bend your knees and set your stance to a comfortable width. Keep your elbows stationary as you curl the weight toward the front of your shoulders. Pause briefly before lowering the weight to full extension.

You may find the exercise more comfortable using a thumbless or “false” grip, placing your thumb next to your index finger instead of wrapping it around the bar. This technique will require greater grip strength as you squeeze the bar harder throughout the movement.

Benefits of the EZ-Bar Reverse Curl

• The combination of using an EZ-bar and a predominantly pronated (overhand or palms-down) grip significantly increases brachialis, brachioradialis, and forearm activation compared to supinated (palms-up) biceps exercises.
• The angled hand position reduces stress on the wrist joint, making the exercise more comfortable for lifters with mobility problems or joint issues.

The Biceps Muscles

It sounds counterintuitive, but “the biceps” aren’t actually just made of your biceps. Several closely related muscles in the upper and lower arm need to be developed for a great looking set of biceps.

Biceps Brachii

The primary biceps muscle on the front of the upper arm is composed of two heads working together. The short head of the biceps, sometimes called the “inner head,” runs from near the elbow to the top of the upper arm. The long head, sometimes called the “outer head,” runs from the elbow over the shoulder joint and attaches to the shoulder blade.

The biceps are well-known for working to flex (bend) your elbow, but they also function to pronate and supinate your wrist and forearm — turning your palm up and down. This is one reason why exercises like the alternating supinating curl result in stronger muscle contractions and greater overall growth.

Brachioradialis

The brachioradialis runs along the thumb-side of the forearm from the wrist area to the lower part of the biceps. It is heavily activated when curling, particularly when the hand is in a neutral (thumbs up) position. The brachioradialis also plays a role in stabilizing the forearm muscle during and after supination or pronation.

Brachialis

This often under-appreciated muscle is actually located “beneath” the biceps, near the elbow joint. When the brachialis increases in size, it has the effect of “lifting” the biceps to make it appear larger. The brachialis becomes the primary arm flexor when using a neutral grip, which is why movements like the hammer curl target it efficiently.

Forearms

The wrist flexors and wrist extensors, on the lower and upper part of the forearm respectively, are largely responsible for lifting the hand at the wrist joint. These muscles are often statically trained during most biceps curl variations, to stabilize the hand and wrist.

However, exercises like the Zottman curl or the cheat curl may recruit the flexors or extensors more significantly due to the involvement of more dynamic lifting technique.

How Often Should You Train the Biceps

Direct biceps training will be a factor of your specific goal and your overall training split. Two effective approaches are to either perform a moderate amount of biceps work immediately after training a larger body part or to perform a low amount of biceps training more frequently.

Because your biceps are recruited during almost all back exercises, ending your back workout with two or three biceps exercises (each for two to four sets of eight to 12 reps) is an efficient way to fully exhaust the biceps.

With this approach, the exercises should be as varied as possible. For example, performing the cheat curl, EZ-bar curl, and single-arm cable curl would all train the biceps with a similar stimulus. Performing the EZ-bar curl, incline curl, and Zottman curl would deliver greater variety, increased muscle recruitment, and stronger stimulus for growth.

An effective alternative is to perform one biceps exercise for two to three sets of six to 15 reps at the end of your workout three to five days per week. With this high-frequency approach, your biceps are trained often, but the low volume allows for optimal recovery and growth. (13)

The lower volume per workout also prevents biceps fatigue from interfering with your other training for other body parts. For this method to be most efficient, use different exercises and/or a different set/rep scheme in each workout. For example, perform cheat curls for four sets of six in the first workout, single-arm preacher curls for three sets of 12 in the next workout, hammer curls for three sets of eight in the next session, etc.

How to Progress Your Biceps Training

One essential element for maximizing your biceps growth is training with a variety of hand positions and arm angles, either in a single workout or throughout the week. This will optimize overall muscle recruitment and balance activation of the major arm flexors — biceps long head, biceps short head, brachialis, and brachioradialis. (14)

Be sure to incorporate “classic” palm-up curls like the barbell spider curl, palms-down curls such as the EZ-bar reverse curl, movements with your upper arm in front of your torso like the chin-up, and movements with your upper arm angled behind your torso including the incline curl.

One particularly effective technique to increase training intensity and volume is the mechanical advantage drop set. This is a specific type of superset which pairs similar movements with simple adjustments to improve leverage in order to perform more total repetitions.

For example, when you might begin with alternating supinating curls. When you approach muscular fatigue, transition immediately (without setting the dumbbells down) and begin performing hammer curls. Because hammer curls put the brachialis in a stronger position to contract, you will be able to complete additional repetitions before again reaching muscular fatigue.

Many people accidentally stumble onto this technique when performing strict barbell curls, as they inadvertently transition to cheat curls to complete a challenging set.

How to Warm-Up Your Biceps

While the elbow joint is most commonly overstressed or aggravated by certain triceps exercises, biceps training can also play a critical role in determining joint health. Because the elbow is held in position during most biceps exercises, the joint can be put under significant strain. A thorough warm-up can go a long way toward preventing any excessive stress.

Before any biceps training, get blood flowing throughout your upper body. Alternating low-rep push-ups with high-rep band pull-aparts for two or three sets is a good start. Following that with (perhaps counterintuitively), a light weight, high rep triceps exercise alternated with a light weight, high rep biceps exercise for two sets. With those four movements, you’ve got an efficient way to approach your biceps warm-up. Continue the training with a relatively light first set on each biceps exercise, and get to work.

Don’t Be Scared to Train for Big Arms

Direct biceps training has developed an unfortunate reputation in recent years, with some lifters thinking it’s purely for “vanity.” First of all, no it isn’t. Setting a goal of lean, muscular 17-inch arms isn’t “vanity” any more than setting a goal to squat five plates per side. Secondly, biceps training can play a performance-boosting role in upper body strength, stability when handling heavy weight, and shoulder, elbow, and wrist joint health. So, you want to build your biceps? Excellent. You’re now armed with the most effective ways to get there.

References

1. Wilk, M., Zajac, A. & Tufano, J.J. The Influence of Movement Tempo During Resistance Training on Muscular Strength and Hypertrophy Responses: A Review. Sports Med 51, 1629–1650 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-021-01465-2
2. Marcolin, G., Panizzolo, F. A., Petrone, N., Moro, T., Grigoletto, D., Piccolo, D., & Paoli, A. (2018). Differences in electromyographic activity of biceps brachii and brachioradialis while performing three variants of curl. PeerJ, 6, e5165. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.5165
3. Paoli, A., Gentil, P., Moro, T., Marcolin, G., & Bianco, A. (2017). Resistance Training with Single vs. Multi-joint Exercises at Equal Total Load Volume: Effects on Body Composition, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, and Muscle Strength. Frontiers in physiology, 8, 1105. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2017.01105
4. Tiwana MS, Charlick M, Varacallo M. Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Biceps Muscle. [Updated 2021 Aug 11]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519538/
5. Costa E, Moreira A, Cavalcanti B, Krinski K, Aoki M. Effect of unilateral and bilateral resistance exercise on maximal voluntary strength, total volume of load lifted, and perceptual and metabolic responses. Biol Sport. 2015;32(1):35-40. doi:10.5604/20831862.1126326
6. Calatayud, J., Vinstrup, J., Jakobsen, M. D., Sundstrup, E., Brandt, M., Jay, K., Colado, J. C., & Andersen, L. L. (2016). Importance of mind-muscle connection during progressive resistance training. European journal of applied physiology, 116(3), 527–533. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-015-3305-7
7. Schoenfeld, B. J., Vigotsky, A., Contreras, B., Golden, S., Alto, A., Larson, R., … & Paoli, A. (2018). Differential effects of attentional focus strategies during long-term resistance training. European Journal of Sport Science, 18(5), 705-712.
8. Costa B.V.D., Kassiano, W., Nunes, J. P., Kunevaliki, G., Castro-E-Souza, P., Rodacki, A., … & de Sousa Fortes, L. (2021). Does Performing Different Resistance Exercises for the Same Muscle Group Induce Non-homogeneous Hypertrophy?. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 42(09), 803-811.
9. Schoenfeld, Brad CSCS. Accentuating Muscular Development Through Active Insufficiency and Passive Tension. Strength and Conditioning Journal: August 2002 – Volume 24 – Issue 4 – p 20-22
10. Wiesinger, H. P., Kösters, A., Müller, E., & Seynnes, O. R. (2015). Effects of Increased Loading on In Vivo Tendon Properties: A Systematic Review. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 47(9), 1885–1895. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000603
11. Burd, N. A., Andrews, R. J., West, D. W., Little, J. P., Cochran, A. J., Hector, A. J., Cashaback, J. G., Gibala, M. J., Potvin, J. R., Baker, S. K., & Phillips, S. M. (2012). Muscle time under tension during resistance exercise stimulates differential muscle protein sub-fractional synthetic responses in men. The Journal of physiology, 590(2), 351–362. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2011.221200
12. Oshita, Kazushige. (2021). Effect of internal focus of attention with touching cue on the agonist muscle activity during exercise. 10.14198/jhse.2021.16.Proc2.04.
13. Schoenfeld, B. J., Grgic, J., & Krieger, J. (2019). How many times per week should a muscle be trained to maximize muscle hypertrophy? A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies examining the effects of resistance training frequency. Journal of sports sciences, 37(11), 1286–1295. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2018.1555906
14. Kleiber, T., Kunz, L., & Disselhorst-Klug, C. (2015). Muscular coordination of biceps brachii and brachioradialis in elbow flexion with respect to hand position. Frontiers in physiology, 6, 215. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2015.00215

Featured Image: MDV Edwards / Shutterstock

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The dumbbell kickback was once a staple of bodybuilding’s Golden Era from the 1950s to the ’70s. However, its popularity in ’80s mainstream fitness classes diluted its muscle-building connection and it began to be performed with extremely light weights for extremely high repetitions. “To tone up without building bulk” was the popular, if misguided, logic.

Regardless of the misinformation, the triceps kickback is a very effective tool to target the biggest arm muscle — the triceps. The triceps are also a key muscle for performance through many upper body exercises. So forget what you might’ve heard about the exercise and learn the real reasons why you should include this exercise in your training regimen.

• How to Do the Triceps Kickback
• Triceps Kickback Mistakes to Avoid
• Benefits of the Triceps Kickback
• Muscles Worked by the Triceps Kickback
• Who Should Do the Triceps Kickback
• How to Program the Triceps Kickback
• Triceps Kickback Variations
• Triceps Kickback Alternatives
• Frequently Asked Questions

How to Do the Triceps Kickback

The basic single-arm dumbbell triceps kickback is an isolation (single-joint) exercise that focuses solely on triceps development. It’s a great way to emphasize peak contraction of the muscle.

Step 1 — Set Up in the Starting Position 

Stand in front of something sturdy, like a rack or a bench. Hold one dumbbell and get into a wide stance. Bend your knees slightly and lean forward at the hips while keeping a neutral spine. Aim to have your torso almost parallel to the floor. Place your free hand on the rack or bench for maximum balance and stability.

Pull your working arm up so your elbow is near your ribs and pinned close to your body. Let your forearm hang perpendicular to the floor with your palm facing in toward your body. Don’t look up or forward. Keep your head in line with your spine and your chin slightly tucked in.

Form tip: Flaring your elbow away from your body will only encourage cheating to move more weight and potentially strain your elbow joint. Keep your upper arm glued to your side. This is not an exercise to move super-heavy weight. Keep the load relatively light to ensure impeccable form.

Step 2 — Reach a Peak Contraction

Brace your core and exhale while flexing your triceps until your arm is completely straight. Squeeze at the top for a second to feel a maximum peak contraction. Your lower arm should be the only thing moving. This is an isolation exercise, so focus on only working the triceps.

Your hand, and the dumbbell, should pivot around your elbow. Treat your elbow like a hinge. No other part of your body should move.

Form tip: Be sure to reach full extension with each rep. In the top position, your entire arm should be nearly parallel to the ground. Because gravity offers minimal resistance against the weight in the bottom part of the movement, it’s essential to use a full range of motion and emphasize the contraction. 

Step 3 — Return to the Stretched Position

Slowly come back to the starting position while inhaling. Again, only your forearm should move. Pause very briefly in the bottom position to avoid quickly swinging the weight down and up.

Sure, momentum might allow you to move more weight, but you will diminish the range of motion and the time under tension — both crucial for muscle mass. Swinging the weight will also put more stress on the elbow joint. More joint strain with less muscle-building is not a great bargain.

Form tip: Start each set with your weaker or non-dominant side so you have more energy and more focus. Perform all repetitions and then match the same number of repetitions with your stronger arm, even if one side is capable of more reps. This will help to balance common strength or development discrepancies between left and right arms.

Triceps Kickback Mistakes to Avoid

This exercise can be prone to bad execution because it requires light weights, so a lifter can sometimes lose focus. Learn about the most common errors and how to avoid them.

Swinging the Weight

Let’s be real for a second: cheating a few reps at the end of a session won’t smite you instantly. It can sometimes even be beneficial, for experienced lifters using it as a deliberate intensity-boosting technique. But for the vast majority of people, you should avoid cheating and swinging the weight with kickbacks or nearly any exercise.

If you swing and cheat, you will only actually work your triceps through a very short portion of the range of motion, and the exercise will provide a limited triceps-building stimulus. Moreover, this will result in more stress to the elbow joint and you don’t want to develop tendonitis — that’s the best way to keep having small arms.

Avoid it: Make sure you control the eccentric (lowering the weight), and even pause for a dead-stop at the bottom briefly. If you focus on only moving your forearm, you basically cannot cheat. If your elbow moves, you’ve started doing a dumbbell row, not a triceps kickback.

Not Locking Out Your Arm

If you don’t completely extend your arms and squeeze your triceps in a hard lockout, you lose most of the benefits of this exercise because of the resistance curve. At the start of the lift, there is almost no resistance at all because the dumbbell isn’t directly moving against gravity. The hardest part of the exercise is in the shortened range when the muscle is contracted.

If you don’t lockout, which can happen if you try using too much weight, then you don’t really work your triceps’ most challenging part of the range of motion. That ends up making the exercise easier and less efficient for muscle growth.

Avoid it: Make sure you use a proper weight that allows you to fully lockout your arm. If you can’t pause at the top for a second, the weight is too much.

Benefits of the Triceps Kickback

Even though the exercise is often overlooked and disrespected, the triceps kickback has unique benefits for your triceps training and will help you get bigger, stronger arms.

Muscle Growth

This exercise is focused on directly training the triceps, specifically for hypertrophy (muscle growth). Indeed, this exercise thrives with lighter weight and a longer time under tension, which is a great way to build muscle and create an aesthetic physique. (1)

Moreover, as an isolation exercise, it is the perfect fit for developing a mind-muscle connection and accumulating triceps-specific volume without taxing other muscle groups, which are both beneficial for muscle growth. (2)(3)

Pressing Strength

Triceps strength, and the pushing pattern in general, are involved in many sports like volleyball, American football, combat sports, etc. And let’s not forget strength sports like powerlifting.

Sure, the triceps kickback won’t create pure neurological strength like training the heavy bench press or overhead press, but building larger triceps muscles can eventually improve strength. (4) So if you’re interested in performance, fit this into your accessory training.

Training the Shortened Range

Many triceps exercises such as skull crushers emphasize the lengthened range of motion and stress the stretched position. The triceps kickback, on the other hand, focuses on the shortened or contracted portion. Because of its resistance curve, the exercise is relatively easy in the stretched position and much more challenging in the peak contraction.

This can provide a novel stimulus, help develop a stronger mind-muscle connection, and unlock new gains, because training variety can be better for motivation and hypertrophy in itself. (5)

Easy on the Elbows

The triceps kickback can be invaluable for experienced lifters with cranky joints. Because the upper arm is in a higher position than the forearm, and joint isn’t being strained through the entire range of motion, the elbow can move more freely without significant stress.

If you have nagging pain in your elbows, shoulders, or wrists, or if you’re prone to tendonitis, make the kickback appear regularly in your training plan.

Muscles Worked by the Triceps Kickback

The aim of the exercise is to train your triceps, but some postural muscle will be recruited as well to hold the position.

Triceps Brachii

This is the biggest arm muscle and the main target of the kickback. It is made of three heads. Two of them (the medial and the lateral head) go from the elbow to the humerus (upper arm bone). These are responsible for extending the arm.

The long head also extends the arm, but because it is attached to the scapula, it also extends the shoulder and raises the arm. Because the upper arm is positioned alongside the torso, the triceps kickback emphasizes the lateral and medial heads.

Back

The whole back — upper back, lats, and lower back — work to maintain a parallel body position and stabilize the working arm during the kickback. The back’s involvement should be limited to the muscles working statically to hold your body’s position without movement.

However, if the kickback is performed improperly, the back muscles (specifically the upper back and lats) may become more significantly recruited, drawing muscular stress away from the triceps.

Who Should Do the Triceps Kickback

The goal of the kickback is to add meat onto your triceps. So if you’re looking for bigger, stronger arms — like plenty of people in the gym — you can include this lift in your training regimen.

Beginners

Some people advise that beginners to avoid single-joint exercises and focus primarily on the big basics (multi-joint compound lifts like presses). This is generally sound advice, but isolation work can also have benefits for newer lifters.

By improving the mind-muscle connection with specific muscles, they can feel that muscle work more effectively, which leads to better growth and body awareness. Exercises like the triceps kickback also help to directly train muscles which may be under-worked when compound exercises are overemphasized.

Physique Enthusiasts

Whether your goal is to look better or to compete in a physique show, the triceps kickback is a perfect fit. Performing this exercise allows you to increase triceps volume without fatiguing other muscle groups, leading to focused muscle growth.

This is very valuable, for instance, if you lack overall arm development, or if you need to create a balanced and symmetrical physique by correcting muscular imbalances.

Strength Athletes

If you’re an athlete that requires pressing strength such as a powerlifter, strongman/strongwoman, or CrossFit athlete, then triceps training is essential. Including the triceps kickback can be surprisingly effective for strength athletes.

The relatively light weight and high muscular tension allows them to increase triceps training volume without aggravating their elbows, which are usually already beaten up by heavy lifting.

How to Program the Triceps Kickback

The kickback is a single-joint exercise and as such, it is not ideal for moving heavy weights because additional muscles will be excessively recruited. The kickback is most effective using moderate to light weight to stimulate muscle growth and zero-in on working the triceps.

Moderate Weight, Moderate Repetitions

The time-tested bodybuilding scheme of three to four sets of 10 to 12 repetitions will be your kickback bread and butter. This is a very efficient way of increasing volume leading to muscle growth.

Light Weight, High Reps

This exercise can really shine with higher reps because of its resistance curve, cumulative time under tension, and its low impact on the joints. Performing two to four sets of 15 to 20 repetitions can serve as an amazing finisher to really scorch your triceps. It can also be a great way to start your arm workout by really warming-up your elbow joints.

Triceps Kickback Variations

The single-arm dumbbell kickback is a great exercise in itself, but you can tweak it to better suit your goals or provide a different feeling. Here are the main kickback variations.

Cable Triceps Kickback

Instead of using dumbbells, use a cable. Instead of attaching a handle, grab the cable by the “ball” at the end, just above the cable clip.  This allows you to keep a neutral hand position without straining your wrists.

The exercise may not seem like much because of the relatively lighter weight, but the cable provides constant tension through the lift, even more than using a dumbbell. This stimulates the triceps throughout the entire range of motion, which will increase the time under tension and lead to improved muscle growth. 

Pronated Kickback

This subtle variation was popularized by bodybuilding coach John Meadows. Using a pronated (palms-down) grip will emphasize the medial head of the triceps. Using two dumbbells at once also changes the total-body stability requirement.

Because your forearm is slightly rotated, this variation will also address forearm and wrist health. You can even perform a type of superset, beginning with reps of pronated kickbacks and then immediately transitioning to standard neutral-grip kickbacks.

Two-Arm Dumbbell Kickback

This variation is pretty straight-forward: Perform the standard triceps kickback with both arms at the same time. This will slightly decrease the weight you can lift because the muscle focus is “divided” between both arms.

This variation also requires more work from your core, back, and legs to stabilize yourself because you don’t have a free hand to brace on an outside support.

Triceps Kickback Alternatives

If you’re still not convinced to incorporate kickbacks, here are some alternatives that will share similar benefits to spice up your training. Variety will challenge the muscles differently, promoting new muscle growth.

Triceps Pushdown

If you’ve got access to a cable station, you can perform this fundamental exercise. The triceps pushdown, sometimes called a pressdown, emphasizes the peak contraction and isn’t very stressful on the elbow joints.

Use an attachment that allows you to extend your arms completely — a rope handle is often most effective. As with the kickback, be sure to keep your arms close to your body and only move your hands and forearms without swinging your elbows.

Decline Dumbbell Skull Crusher

The standard flat bench skull crusher is an effective exercise, but using a decline bench gives it a twist to focus more on the medial and lateral heads of the triceps. The arm angle doesn’t provide as much stretch or long head stimulation, but can offer more tension in the top position.

Using a pair of dumbbells allows your arms to move freely and reduce strain on your wrist and elbow joints, compared to performing the exercise the a barbell or EZ-curl bar.

Overhead Dumbbell Extension

If you want to emphasize the long head of the triceps, this variation is for you. Performing triceps extension with your arms extended above your shoulders will focus more on the lengthened range and will significantly recruit the long head because it’s involved in raising the arm.

Because this movement emphasizes the stretched position, be sure your elbows and shoulders are thoroughly warmed up. It’s not an ideal first-exercise in your triceps workout, but it can be a key player in building larger arms.

FAQs

Do I have to train my arms directly?

It depends on a few variable. If you’re a short-limbed lifter, your arms will probably be significantly stimulated with compound exercises like the bench press, overhead press, rows, and pulldowns. But if you’re dealing with long arms, you should train them directly because your leverage on big lifts is different and the biceps and triceps are often under-stimulated in those movements.

Ultimately, if you’re interested in having bigger arms, it’s a good idea to include at least some direct training, especially if you’re a more advanced lifter. If you’re a competitive athlete, you should skip direct arm training in-season and keep that energy for your sport-specific training. Accumulating too much training volume can cause burnouts, stagnation, or even regression.

I can’t stop my elbow from flaring. Why is that?

The first culprit could be weight. If the dumbbell is too heavy, flaring your elbow out will recruit extra muscles (in your back and shoulders) to help lift the load, but it’s at the potential detriment of your joints and it will reduce triceps activation.

If you’re certain that you can control the weight, it could be a matter of mobility. If your upper back or shoulder mobility is compromised, it will result in protruded, forward-pointing shoulders that prevent you from keeping your elbows close to you. You should include a mobility routine in your workouts with exercises like band pull-aparts and wall slides.

Let’s Get Pumping

The triceps kickback’s bad reputation is unfair and unfounded. Don’t let any misinformed knee-jerk reactions or cliches steer you away from this classic arm-builder. It’s a versatile movement that lets you hit your tris with light weight, high tension, and minimal joint strain. It’s definitely time to remind today’s gyms that kickbacks are for serious lifters.

References

1. Burd NA, Andrews RJ, West DW, Little JP, Cochran AJ, Hector AJ, Cashaback JG, Gibala MJ, Potvin JR, Baker SK, Phillips SM. Muscle time under tension during resistance exercise stimulates differential muscle protein sub-fractional synthetic responses in men. J Physiol. 2012 Jan 15;590(2):351-62. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2011.221200. Epub 2011 Nov 21. PMID: 22106173; PMCID: PMC3285070.
2. Calatayud J, Vinstrup J, Jakobsen MD, Sundstrup E, Brandt M, Jay K, Colado JC, Andersen LL. Importance of mind-muscle connection during progressive resistance training. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2016 Mar;116(3):527-33. doi: 10.1007/s00421-015-3305-7. Epub 2015 Dec 23. PMID: 26700744.
3. Schoenfeld BJ, Contreras B, Krieger J, Grgic J, Delcastillo K, Belliard R, Alto A. Resistance Training Volume Enhances Muscle Hypertrophy but Not Strength in Trained Men. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2019 Jan;51(1):94-103. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001764. PMID: 30153194; PMCID: PMC6303131.
4. Reggiani C, Schiaffino S. Muscle hypertrophy and muscle strength: dependent or independent variables? A provocative review. Eur J Transl Myol. 2020 Sep 9;30(3):9311. doi: 10.4081/ejtm.2020.9311. PMID: 33117512; PMCID: PMC7582410.
5. Baz-Valle E, Schoenfeld BJ, Torres-Unda J, Santos-Concejero J, Balsalobre-Fernández C. The effects of exercise variation in muscle thickness, maximal strength and motivation in resistance trained men. PLoS One. 2019 Dec 27;14(12):e0226989. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0226989. PMID: 31881066; PMCID: PMC6934277.

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Shoulder injuries and biceps tendon ruptures are the boogeymen of weight training that can put you out of action for a long time. The good news? The incline dumbbell curl trains the shoulder to gradually tolerate hyperextension and may make the biceps brachii tendon larger and better able to transmit load. (1)(2)

Adding the incline dumbbell curl to your routine will result in bigger, fuller muscles. (3)(4) But the immediate result is a unique combination of stretch, burn, and pump you won’t soon forget. Read on to learn why and how this classic muscle-building exercise delivers more than just arm size. 

• How to Do the Incline Dumbbell Curl
• Incline Dumbbell Curl Mistakes to Avoid
• Benefits of the Incline Dumbbell Curl
• Muscles Worked by the Incline Dumbbell Curl
• Who Should Do the Incline Dumbbell Curl
• How to Program the Incline Dumbbell Curl
• Incline Dumbbell Curl Variations
• Incline Dumbbell Curl Alternatives
• Frequently Asked Questions

Incline Dumbbell Curl Video Guide

The incline dumbbell curl is often done with loose, ineffective technique, but Dr. Merrick Lincoln demonstrates textbook form for this important exercise. See it in action and then read the details to learn more.

[Related: How to Do the Chin-up for Bigger Arms and a Stronger Back]

How to Do the Incline Dumbbell Curl

The incline dumbbell curl places more stretch on the biceps than other curl variations and virtually eliminates the use of momentum to cheat the weights up. Start with dumbbells approximately 50% of what you’d typically use for a standing dumbbell biceps curl.

Step 1 — Set Your Bench and Get Into Position

Sit on an adjustable bench set to approximately 45-degrees while holding a pair of dumbbells. Retract and depress your shoulder blades (pull them together and down) as you lay back on the bench.

Keep your feet flat and allow your arms to hang straight towards the ground. Keep your shoulder blades pinned to the bench throughout the exercise. Locking your shoulder blades into place will improve your form and boost your strength.(5)

Form tip: If your head comes off the bench, your upper back and shoulder blades will follow. Keep your head pressed into the bench during the entire set and resist the urge to look straight ahead.

Step 2 — Curl with Your Elbows Pointing Down

Supinate your hands (turn your palms up) and begin to curl both weights up. Keep your upper arms vertical, Your elbows should point straight down, not forward towards your feet.

Bringing your elbows forward takes tension off the biceps and introduces momentum, which makes the exercise less effective. Curl the dumbbells as high as possible without losing the vertical upper arm position.

Form tip: For increased stability, “over-supinate” throughout the repetition — think about keeping your pinky higher than your thumb — and “over-grip” the dumbbell like you’re trying to crush the handle into dust. Supination and gripping have been shown to enhance rotator cuff activity which results in a stronger, more stable shoulder position. (6)(7)

Step 3 — Lower Without Releasing Tension 

Keep your upper arms locked vertically as you lower the dumbbells slowly. Don’t allow your thumbs to point up as you lower the weight. Don’t bounce into or out of the bottom position. Bouncing or quickly rebounding engages the stretch-shortening cycle, which makes this exercise less effective.

Maintain control as your arm straightens and never lose tension on the target muscles and tendons. Feel and visualize your muscle fibers being stretched.

Form tip: Savor the negative. Because the exercise requires relatively lighter weights, you need a longer time under tension to achieve an effective training stimulus.(8) Prolonging the eccentric (lowering) phase is a favored strategy. A four-second eccentric is a good place to start. (9)

Incline Dumbbell Curl Mistakes to Avoid

The incline dumbbell curl can be a powerful biceps-building and tendon-toughening exercise, but suboptimal execution results in suboptimal results. Common mistakes include: allowing the shoulder to drift out of position, underemphasizing the eccentric, and a lack of focus on the working muscles. Avoid these pitfalls with the following strategies.

Loss of Shoulder Position

It’s easy to cheat the incline dumbbell curl by flexing your shoulders and swinging your elbows. Allowing your arms to travel forward diminishes muscular tension, which means less muscle-building stimulus.

Dialed-up tension is one defining feature of the incline dumbbell curl. Without it, you’re just doing a lazy version of a seated curl.

Avoid it: Keep your shoulder blades pulled together and down. That will keep your shoulder joint in an optimal position. A small arch in your spine can improve retraction. Aim your elbows toward the floor beneath your shoulder joints. Lock into this position by engaging your lats and pinning your arm into your armpit.

Poor Eccentric Control

Because the eccentric stretch often feels more difficult, and because some lifters believe “lifting the weight is what builds muscle,” many lifters instinctively rush through the lowering portion of the rep and miss a significant part of the training stimulus.

Rushing through the negative phase will shortchange your training. Research supports using a prolonged eccentric to maximize the strength and size-building benefits. (9)

Avoid it: If you are consistently rushing your negatives, take a break from music for a few sets and consider using a metronome app, or search for “60 bpm audio” on YouTube. At the second beep, your hands should be roughly parallel to the ground. By the fourth beep, your arms should be extended in the bottom position. 

Lack of Mind-Muscle Connection

Aesthetics-focused lifters work to develop a mind-muscle connection, or a conscious focus on the target muscles, during hypertrophy training.

Lifting the weight too quickly, failing to feel a muscle contraction, or utilizing momentum instead of muscular force can all contribute to a decreased mind-muscle connection. “Performing a curl” is different than “feeling your biceps activate while performing a curl.”

Avoid it: Focus on squeezing your muscles throughout each repetition. Pause briefly at the top while flexing your biceps as hard as possible. Some research has reported those who focus on “squeezing” their biceps during curls experienced nearly twice the gains in muscle thickness than those who simply focus on lifting the weight. (10)

Benefits of the Incline Dumbbell Curl

The benefits of the incline dumbbell curl include muscle growth, position tolerance, and tendon adaptations. These benefits are directly related to the tension placed on biceps brachii and the unique shoulder position maintained throughout the exercise. 

Muscle Growth

Because the incline dumbbell curl stretches the long head of the biceps, the muscle experiences greater tension, resulting in improved growth.

Exercise variety is shown to improve muscle growth. (3)(4) Select exercise variations that bias or increase tension in different areas of the target muscle or at different joint angles. (3)(4)(11)(12)

Research has shown that training the biceps from multiple angles leads to significantly greater increases in biceps thickness compared to training without variety, so incline dumbbell curls complement standard curl variations. (4)

Position Tolerance and Mobility

For some lifters, certain body positions are simply difficult to achieve. A position of stable shoulder hyperextension is one of them. Shoulder hyperextension and mobility are required for full range of motion bench pressing, barbell rows, dips, and to simply hold the barbell for back squats. The incline dumbbell curl helps to build a strong, foundational shoulder position.

If you struggle to achieve stable, pain-free shoulder hyperextension, the incline dumbbell curl can be a good corrective exercise. It brings awareness to appropriate shoulder blade orientation, provides support and tactile feedback from the bench, and is easily adapted to your current ability by changing the weight or bench angle.

Biceps Tendon Health and Durability

The specter of a biceps tendon tear sends chills down the spine of any serious lifter faster than a fumbled shaker bottle. Tendons connect muscle to bone and transmit tension generated by muscle contraction and stretch.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could “bulletproof” our tendons against these tragic injuries? It’s not to say that injuries can be entirely prevented, but research supports that direct loading can increase tendon thickness and improve material qualities, making them tougher over time. (1)(2)

Training with a tendon lengthened across a joint increases the tendon load and may stimulate adaptation with the use of relatively light weights (e.g. 55% of one’s one-rep max). (2)(13) Because the load is placed through a stretch across the hyperextended shoulder, the incline dumbbell curl is an ideal exercise to target the tendon of the long head of biceps brachii.

Muscles Worked by the Incline Dumbbell Curl

Like the majority of curl variations, the incline dumbbell curl primarily targets the biceps brachii. The brachialis and brachioradialis also experience training effects.

Biceps Brachii

The biceps brachii is the most visible muscle on the front of the upper arm. It’s “the biceps” muscle and it controls elbow flexion (bending your arm), supination (turning your palm up), and plays a small role in shoulder flexion (raising your upper arm).

The biceps brachii is a two-headed muscle. The long head is located on the outer portion. Its tendon runs in front of the shoulder and attaches to the shoulder blade. When well-hypertrophied and fully contracted, the long head may have a summit-like appearance, hence the term “biceps peak” in bodybuilding circles.

The short head sits on the inner part of the arm. Its tendon attaches to a bony projection on the front of the shoulder blade. A well-developed short head enhances the thickness of the biceps brachii.

The incline dumbbell curl places massive tension across the entire biceps due to the hyperextended shoulder and supinated forearm positions. Due to the hyperextended shoulder position, it particularly emphasizes the long head. (1)(2)

Brachialis

The brachialis is a deep muscle in the front of the upper arm. It crosses the elbow joint and contributes substantially to elbow flexion. Physique-focused lifters should take note of this unassuming muscle. Because the brachialis sits beneath the biceps, brachialis growth makes your arm look bigger by “pushing” the biceps up.

Of interest to strength-focused lifters, building the brachialis also promotes greater mechanical advantage by slightly altering leverage, resulting in greater pulling strength. (14)

Brachioradialis 

The brachioradialis assists with elbow flexion during the incline dumbbell curl. The brachioradialis runs along the thumb-side of the forearm and contributes to upper and lower arm size.

The brachioradialis is the primary elbow flexor when the forearm is neutral, as during the hammer curl. Electromyography data also suggests high activity of the brachioradialis during elbow flexion with a supinated forearm, as in the incline dumbbell curl. (15)(16)

Who Should Do the Incline Dumbbell Curl

Those who scoff at the incline dumbbell curl because it “isn’t functional” are sorely mistaken. Individuals with a wide variety of training goals can benefit from this movement. Consider a throwing athlete, for example, or simply someone who enjoys playing catch with their children. Training the biceps directly may protect your shoulder and tendon health. 

Bodybuilders and Physique Athletes

The hyperextended shoulder position and forearm supination during the incline dumbbell curl create muscle-building mechanical tension. These positions can also enhance the physical “pump” in the biceps. (17) The pump is a result of metabolic stress (e.g. metabolite accumulation and cell swelling).

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The exercise also creates muscle damage, particularly during the negative or eccentric phase. (18) Altogether, the incline dumbbell curl creates the perfect storm for muscle-building.

Strength Trainees

For powerlifters and other strength athletes, holding the barbell in place during back squats requires shoulder hyperextension. Loaded shoulder extension also occurs in the bottom position of the close-grip bench press and dip exercises. Other movements, such as mixed-grip deadlifts and strongman-style carries, place large tension loads on the biceps.

Strength athletes need to be able to access a stable position of shoulder hyperextension and tolerate biceps loading at high intensities and volumes. Incorporating the incline dumbbell curl can enhance these capacities. 

Athletes of All Types

For athletes who grapple, throw, tackle, or climb, the biceps brachii and other elbow flexors experience massive demands. For example, the biceps brachii is important for decelerating the throwing arm. (19) If you’re throwing 80+ mile per hour fastballs, decelerating the arm is no small feat. Throwing athletes can benefit from adding incline dumbbell curls to their arm care (if not arm-building) programs.

Finally, consider “industrial athletes” or manual laborers. These are individuals who work with their hands for a living and require strong muscles and tendons. An industrial athlete might not program the incline dumbbell curl for aesthetics, but rather to safeguard their livelihood. 

How to Program the Incline Dumbbell Curl

The incline dumbbell curl is most appropriately programmed in a moderate repetition range with a moderate-to-light load.

Although lower load, higher repetition sets may stimulate hypertrophy, they are unlikely to stimulate optimal tendon adaptations. (2) Those high-rep sets also burn like hell. Using a four-second eccentric facilitates greater hypertrophy and greater tendon adaptations. (8)(9)

Keep in mind, the prolonged eccentric necessitates slightly lighter loads than you’d typically sling. Here’s a more detailed look at setting up a program for your goals.

Hypertrophy Program

For optimal biceps growth, shoot for 10 to 20 total sets per week in the eight to 12 rep range directly training elbow flexion. (20) You should approach failure on the final repetitions of each set. Although a wide range of loads can be used to elicit muscle growth, using a moderate load is most efficient. (20)

For best results, incorporate the incline dumbbell curl along with other elbow flexor exercises that bias different muscle lengths and upper arm positions. (4) To achieve the desired set volume, you will likely need to train biceps multiple times per week on non-consecutive days.

Keep in mind, exercises like chin-ups and supinated-grip lat pulldowns also hit the biceps brachii. If you’re performing these consistently, you can avoid exercises like preacher curls or EZ-bar curls.

Tendon Loading Program

When training for tendon adaptation, lower loads have been shown to be effective for exercises which apply a large tension load on the target tendon. (13) The incline dumbbell curl is an exercise that places high tension load biceps brachii, therefore moderate loads are appropriate.

Train the incline dumbbell curl with four to five sets in the 8-12 repetition range using a four-second eccentric phase and a two-second pause at the bottom. Note: this program is not designed to treat any specific injury or medical condition. See your sports medicine provider.

Incline Dumbbell Curl Variations

By changing the bench angle, the incline dumbbell curl can accommodate lifters with varying amounts of shoulder extension mobility while manipulating tension on the long head of the biceps.

High Incline Dumbbell Curl

The traditional incline dumbbell curl uses a 45-degree bench angle. Lifters with stiff shoulders or shoulder discomfort may adjust the bench to a more steep angle, roughly 60 or 70-degrees.

Technical performance of the exercise remains the same. However, less shoulder hyperextension is required to maintain vertical upper arms throughout. 

Low Incline Dumbbell Curl  

Lifters with more shoulder mobility who wish to amp up biceps tension even further may consider the low incline dumbbell curl. By placing the bench at approximately 30-degrees, the shoulder is put into more hyperextension which puts the long head of the biceps under a greater passive stretch.

Keep your form dialed in. If you feel your shoulder or upper arm pushing forward during the exercise, go back to a higher bench angle.

Incline Dumbbell Curl Alternatives

Maybe all the adjustable benches in the gym are taken. Maybe you’ve programmed the incline dumbbell curl for a couple of training cycles and it’s time for a change. Maybe you miss standing in front of the mirror while doing curls. The good news is that you can still achieve some benefits of the incline dumbbell curl with these alternatives.

Bridge Position Dumbbell Curl 

Those unable to stabilize their upper arm during the incline dumbbell curl, or those who cannot resist training glutes every chance they get, might try the bridge position dumbbell curl. Peak resistance is shifted to end-range, so use light dumbbells.

Lie on your back with your hips and knees bent, and your feet flat on the floor. Your arms should be on the floor at your sides, holding the dumbbells in a palms-up position. Bridge your hips off the floor while keeping your triceps touching the floor. Curl while holding the bridge position to work the buns and guns. 

Drag Curl

Popularized by legendary bodybuilding coach Vince Gironda, the drag curl trains the biceps in shoulder extension. The lifter stands and “drags” a barbell along the front of their body. The drag curl builds shoulder stability along with biceps size. The scapula retractors (middle traps, rhomboids) and shoulder extensors must work to keep the shoulders and elbows back during the curl.

Stand with your feet shoulder-width and hold a barbell with an underhand grip. Pull your shoulders and elbows back as you curl the weight up. The barbell should travel as close as possible to your body. Raise the weight as high as you can without allowing shoulders to shrug or your elbows to drift forward. Lower the bar along the same path with control. 

FAQs

I saw ‘so-and-so’ tear his biceps on TikTok. Is the incline dumbbell curl going to tear my biceps?

When loaded appropriately and performed with control, resistance training is extremely unlikely to injure healthy lifters. (21) Knowledge of the risk factors and mechanisms of biceps tendon injuries will help lifters make informed training decisions.

Biceps tendon injuries are more common among middle-aged males, those who smoke or have a history of smoking, and those who are obese. (22) Interestingly, there appears to be a link between rotator cuff disease and long head of biceps tendon rupture. (23)

While very rare, biceps tendon injuries can occur during lifting, typically during the eccentric phase of heavy curls, rows, or pulldowns. (21) Intelligent programming, gradual progression, and controlled lifting technique may reduce risk.

For example, “maxing out” on a single-joint exercise like the incline dumbbell curl can increase risk. For best results, leave your ego behind, introduce the exercise using a light-to-moderate weight, control the eccentric, and progress the weight gradually.

I’m getting pain during the incline dumbbell curl. What should I do?

You should probably consult a doctor. And if you’re cleared to continue performing this movement, try lowering the weight and tweaking your form. For discomfort at the front of the shoulder, remember the technique tips to “over-supinate” and “over-grip” the dumbbell to enhance rotator cuff activity.

If shoulder extension mobility is lacking, the incline dumbbell curl may irritate anterior shoulder structures such as the long head of biceps tendon, the joint capsule, or subscapularis tendon. Setting the bench to a higher angle may be appropriate because it requires less shoulder extension. If these “fixes” do not resolve the issue, it’s best to get checked out by a physical therapist or other qualified sports medicine specialist.

Will the incline dumbbell curl build my biceps peaks?

Yes. The incline dumbbell curl emphasizes the long head of biceps brachii. The peak-like appearance of well-developed biceps brachii is attributed to the long head (and genetics). Train incline dumbbell curl consistently to build enough muscle to develop a killer front double biceps pose. 

Get Ready for the Stretch, Burn, and Pump

Biceps tendon injuries are disruptive to lifters, athletes, and tradespeople, alike. Fortunately, mechanical tension can promote tendon adaptation, with a side effect of arm size. By adding incline dumbbell curls into your routine, some of these potential injuries may be avoided. Everyone can benefit from bigger biceps and more robust tendons, so the time-tested incline dumbbell curl will never go out of style.

References

1. Wiesinger, H. P., Kösters, A., Müller, E., & Seynnes, O. R. (2015). Effects of Increased Loading on In Vivo Tendon Properties: A Systematic Review. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 47(9), 1885–1895. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000603
2. McMahon, Gerard. No Strain, No Gain? The Role of Strain and Load Magnitude in Human Tendon Responses and Adaptation to Loading. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research: July 7, 2022 – Volume – Issue – 10.1519/JSC.0000000000004288 doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000004288
3. Kassiano, Witalo¹; Nunes, João Pedro¹; Costa, Bruna¹; Ribeiro, Alex S.^1,2; Schoenfeld, Brad J.³; Cyrino, Edilson S.¹. Does Varying Resistance Exercises Promote Superior Muscle Hypertrophy and Strength Gains? A Systematic Review. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research: June 2022 – Volume 36 – Issue 6 – p 1753-1762 doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000004258
4. Costa B.V.D., Kassiano, W., Nunes, J. P., Kunevaliki, G., Castro-E-Souza, P., Rodacki, A., … & de Sousa Fortes, L. (2021). Does Performing Different Resistance Exercises for the Same Muscle Group Induce Non-homogeneous Hypertrophy?. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 42(09), 803-811.
5. Yun S, Kim Y. (2021). Muscle activation and biceps brachii strength under manual fixation of the scapula and different loading conditions. Isokinetics and Exercise Science, 29(3): 239-245.
6. Hedt, C., Lambert, B. S., Daum, J., Pearson, J. M., & McCulloch, P. C. (2020). FOREARM POSITION MATTERS DURING ECCENTRIC SHOULDER EXERCISES: AN EMG RECRUITMENT STUDY WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION. International journal of sports physical therapy, 15(6), 1110–1118. https://doi.org/10.26603/ijspt20201110
7. Alizadehkhaiyat, O., Fisher, A. C., Kemp, G. J., et al. (2011). Shoulder muscle activation and fatigue during a controlled forceful hand grip task. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 21(3), 478-482.
8. Wilk, M., Zajac, A. & Tufano, J.J. The Influence of Movement Tempo During Resistance Training on Muscular Strength and Hypertrophy Responses: A Review. Sports Med 51, 1629–1650 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-021-01465-2
9. Pereira, P. E. A., Motoyama, Y. L., Esteves, G. J., et al. (2016). Resistance training with slow speed of movement is better for hypertrophy and muscle strength gains than fast speed of movement. International Journal of Applied Exercise Physiology, 5(2), 37-43.
10. Schoenfeld, B. J., Vigotsky, A., Contreras, B., Golden, S., Alto, A., Larson, R., … & Paoli, A. (2018). Differential effects of attentional focus strategies during long-term resistance training. European Journal of Sport Science, 18(5), 705-712.
11. Schoenfeld, B. J. (2010). The mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy and their application to resistance training. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 24(10), 2857-2872.
12. Krzysztofik, M., Wilk, M., Wojdała, G., & Gołaś, A. (2019). Maximizing muscle hypertrophy: a systematic review of advanced resistance training techniques and methods. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(24), 4897.
13. McMahon, G. E., Morse, C. I., Burden, A., et al. (2013). The manipulation of strain, when stress is controlled, modulates in vivo tendon mechanical properties but not systemic TGF‐β1 levels. Physiological Reports, 1(5), e00091.
14. Vigotsky, A. D., Contreras, B., & Beardsley, C. (2015). Biomechanical implications of skeletal muscle hypertrophy and atrophy: a musculoskeletal model. PeerJ, 3, e1462.
15. Kleiber, T., Kunz, L., & Disselhorst-Klug, C. (2015). Muscular coordination of biceps brachii and brachioradialis in elbow flexion with respect to hand position. Frontiers in Physiology, 6, 215.
16. Marcolin, G., Panizzolo, F. A., Petrone, N., et al. (2018). Differences in electromyographic activity of biceps brachii and brachioradialis while performing three variants of curl. PeerJ, 6, e5165.
17. Barakat, C., Barroso, R., Alvarez, M., Rauch, J., Miller, N., Bou-Sliman, A., & De Souza, E. O. (2019). The effects of varying glenohumeral joint angle on acute volume load, muscle activation, swelling, and echo-intensity on the biceps brachii in resistance-trained individuals. Sports, 7(9), 204.
18. Lau, W. Y., Blazevich, A. J., Newton, M. J., et al. (2021). Effects of wrist position on eccentric exercise‐induced muscle damage of the elbow flexors. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 31(6), 1290-1300.
19. Jobe, F. W., Tibone, J. E., Perry, J., & Moynes, D. (1983). An EMG analysis of the shoulder in throwing and pitching: a preliminary report. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 11(1), 3-5.
20. Schoenfeld, B., Fisher, J., Grgic, J., et al. (2021). Resistance training recommendations to maximize muscle hypertrophy in an athletic population: Position stand of the IUSCA. International Journal of Strength and Conditioning, 1(1), 1-30.
21. Golshani, K., Cinque, M. E., O’Halloran, P., et al. (2018). Upper extremity weightlifting injuries: Diagnosis and management. Journal of Orthopaedics, 15(1), 24-27.
22. Kelly, M. P., Perkinson, S. G., Ablove, R. H., & Tueting, J. L. (2015). Distal biceps tendon ruptures: an epidemiological analysis using a large population database. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 43(8), 2012-2017.
23. Vestermark, G. L., Van Doren, B. A., Connor, P. M., et al. (2018). The prevalence of rotator cuff pathology in the setting of acute proximal biceps tendon rupture. Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, 27(7), 1258-1262.

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