When performed properly and intensely, bicep exercises can aid in developing the "trophy muscle" of bodybuilding.
Uncertain of the whole "trophy" lore? It's not just you. The majority of fitness professionals concur that the most crucial muscle parts for developing a super-impressive, hard, and lean physique are the chest and back. The biceps, though, are a close second and crucial to having a beautiful body in general.
You're most likely going to display your "guns," not your back, when someone suggests to "flex." Therefore, if you want to develop a balanced, lean, and strong frame, a good bicep workout should be at the top of your list.
Many back exercises, including chin-ups and supinated bent-over rows, to mention a couple, will also work your biceps.
First, let's learn the fundamentals of the biceps before moving on to our list of the Top 5 Best Bicep Exercises.
Bicep Structure and Function
Due to its two heads, the biceps muscle has the prefix "bi." The biceps brachia is the official term, however most people just call them the biceps. The biceps muscle runs from the shoulder blade to the elbow on the front (anterior) of the upper arm. (1)
Each of the two heads of the biceps, which are long and short, originates on the shoulder blade differently but joins at the elbow (at the radius bone in the forearm) at one place.
The brachialis and brachioradialis are two additional, smaller biceps muscles, but your primary attention should be on the biceps brachii. (2, 3)
The biceps is responsible for flexion and supination of the forearm as well as bending and extending the arms.
Top 5 exercise for your Biceps Workout
#1 Barbell Curls
This is commonly regarded as the greatest biceps workout for strength and hypertrophy. Your forearms will also get a workout.
Start Position: Holding the barbell at your sides while standing straight and maintaining proper posture. Keep your palms facing forward and your elbows close to your torso. The optimum bicep workout (working long and short heads) is achieved by starting with a grip that is slightly wider than shoulder width and gradually tightening it with each successive set.
Technique: Curl the barbell in a controlled motion until it is just below vertical without pausing, then bring it back to the starting position. Maintain a tight attention on your biceps and feel the tops constrict and burn.
Reps, Sets, and Rest:
Size and Mass of Muscle: 3–4; 6–12; 30 seconds
Muscle Density and Hardness: 3-4, 3 to 6, 90 seconds
Variations: Start with a wide grip on your first set and get progressively narrower until your last set is just a little bit less than shoulder width.
NOTE: As you age, using a straight barbell might strain your wrists. Therefore, EZ Bar curls are a better fit for your grip if barbell curls are aggravating your wrists. Your wrists will be far less stressed by this movement, which is also more comfortable.
#2 Preacher Curls
This is a popular biceps exercise. When you give this priority in a given month, it just seems to produce the most gains (in terms of strength and size).
Lift the barbell (or EZ curl bar) to the up position while seated at the preacher bench in the starting position. Your armpits and chest should be flush with the pad for support, and your upper arms should be placed on it. This is where everything begin.
Curl the weight up, but stop before reaching vertical since this is a rest position. Reposition the barbell so that it is down. Keep your upper arms and body steady during the action, and imagine that your elbows are on a fixed hinge. To perform the curl, you shouldn't swing your body or jolt your head.
Reps, Sets, and Rest:
Size and Mass: 6 to 12 seconds, 3 to 4 seconds.
Density and Hardness: 3-4, 3 to 6, 90 seconds
Be careful to maintain control of the weight while you are in the down position. Always keep control because one slip could result in a bicep tear.
Variations: You will work the inside head if your hand grasp is wider. Your outside head will receive more work if your grip is narrower.
#3 Rope Cable Curls
A top bicep exercise. The elbows and wrists are not overly taxed, yet you'll still feel a wonderful burn and pump.
Standing and holding the rope that is fastened to the cable with your hands close together (almost touching), palms facing front, is the starting position.
Exercise: Curl your body in a smooth, controlled motion up to almost vertical and then downward. Maintain a stable stance rather than arching your back to create the curl.
Reps, Sets, and Rest:
Size and Mass: 6 to 12 seconds, 3 to 4 seconds.
Density and Hardness: 3-4, 3 to 6, 90 seconds
Variations: Spreading your hands 6 inches apart in the starting position allows you to engage the muscles from a slightly different angle. It is challenging to maintain this position with a large weight, but it is feasible.
Generally speaking, this is a safe exercise for building biceps; nevertheless, you should take care to avoid placing undue strain on your lower back.
NOTE: It is advised to hold the rope 1 inch below the end knobs. It can hurt your hand if, when doing the curl with a big weight, your index finger and thumb are flush with the knob. This can be prevented by firmly grasping the area 1 inch below the knobs.
#4 Alternating Dumbbell Curls
Starting Position: Standing with your palms towards your body and your arms at your sides holding dumbbells. Maintain good posture and keep your feet at shoulder width.
Exercise: Perform the curl with one arm at a time, rotating the forearm until the palm is facing up. Rotate the arm to the starting position as you descend to get back to the starting position. Executing one
Reps, Sets, and Rest:
4-5 / 6 to 12 / 30 seconds in mass and size
Density and Hardness: 3-4, 3 to 6, 90 seconds
Variations: The rotation can be problematic for certain persons because they have weak elbows as a result of prior tendon issues. In this situation, execute the same exercise (bicep contraction) without rotating your forearm. (So the starting position would be palms forward).
Be careful to rotate in a slow and controlled manner. Your elbows may become sore if you jerk.
#5 Hammer Curls
Starting Position: Standing with your palms towards your body and your arms at your sides holding dumbbells. Your posture is straight, and your feet are at shoulder width.
Exercise: With both arms together, curl your forearm without rotating your biceps. As a result, a hammer curl differs from a conventional dumbbell curl because there is no rotation throughout the curl. Go back to the starting place.
Reps, Sets, and Rest:
4-5 / 6 to 12 / 30 seconds in mass and size
Density and Hardness: 3-4, 3 to 6, 90 seconds
As an alternative, perform Hammer Curls "down the rack" to finish your bicep workout. Without stopping between sets, begin with your comfortable weight and "down the rack"
For instance, start with 20# dumbbells and perform hammer curls until failure, then switch to 15# dumbbells and perform hammer curls until failure, switch to 12.5# and perform hammer curls until failure, etc. — all in rapid succession, typically performing 5–6 sets overall (20# down to 5#).
Warning: Generally safe; just be mindful of your weight.
“Also Rans”
Actually, these are not also-rans…they are every bit as worthy of the Top 5 list as any bicep workout:
- Incline Dumbbell Curl – Great for working the long head muscle.
- Supinated Bent-Over Rows – Great for bicep mass and also working the back.
- Close-grip Chin-ups – Great for working biceps as well as back.
Avoiding Injury and Bicep Tears
The biceps tendons, which attach the biceps to the shoulder and elbow, gradually begin to deteriorate as you age.
A biceps workout is not the cause of the majority of ruptured biceps tendons at the shoulder, which happen in adults over the age of 60 or 70. (4)
When working out your biceps, you must be mindful of and wary about elbow tears as you approach middle age. For middle-aged men, this is where most torn biceps tendons occur, and they typically occur when attempting exercises with big weights and jarring movements. Occasionally, there is no prior indication of it (pain, discomfort, etc.).
These tears often require surgery, so you obviously want to take every precaution to avoid this:
To build muscle, you should use heavy weights during resistance training, but not so heavy that you lose control of the object and extend your arm too far.
Make sure your lifting and curling motions are smooth, controlled, and not jerky.
Make sure you are stretching properly by doing some mild cardio and dynamic stretching before your workout to warm up and loosen the muscles, followed by some static stretching.
Don't let your ego get the best of you and lift weights that you are not yet capable of doing; always employ good form and technique.
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