Fitness news: Big arms? Here we go.
Yours in fitness and health
Bicep exercises are a great way to build muscle and strength in your arms. There are many different types of bicep exercises, but some are more effective than others. According to a study sponsored by the American Council on Exercise1, the concentration curl was the most effective bicep exercise, followed by the cable curl and the chin-up1. These exercises activate the biceps more than other variations, such as the barbell curl or the EZ curl1.
However, that doesn’t mean you should only do concentration curls for your biceps. It’s important to vary your exercises and use different angles, grips, and equipment to target different parts of the muscle and prevent boredom. For example, you can use an incline bench to stretch the long head of the biceps, or a reverse grip to emphasize the brachialis and brachioradialis muscles2. You can also use dumbbells, barbells, cables, or your own bodyweight to challenge your biceps in different ways2.
A good bicep workout should include at least 3-4 exercises that cover the full range of motion and stimulate the muscle from different angles. You can also adjust the number of sets, reps, and rest periods depending on your goals and fitness level. Here’s an example of a bicep workout you can try3:
- (Weighted) Chin-Ups: 3 sets of 6-8 reps
- Incline Dumbbell Curls: 3 sets of 6-8 reps
- Concentration Curls: 3 sets of 6-10 reps
- Reverse EZ Bar Curls: 3 sets of 6-12 reps
Remember to warm up properly before you start, and rest for about 90 seconds between sets. You can also superset some of these exercises to save time and increase intensity. For example, you can do chin-ups followed by incline curls, or concentration curls followed by reverse curls.
I hope this helps you with your bicep training. If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to ask me.
Frank Gerechter, NASM. MS.
Certified Fitness Trainer
