THE BICEPS CURL is, very likely, the most common exercise you’ll see performed at your local gym. That’s for good reason. There are few more efficient muscle-building movements that are so easily accessible for lifters at all levels. Lots of guys think that you can just walk up to the rack of weights, heft a pair of dumbbells, and raise them up to your shoulder, one after the other, cranking out reps. Before too long you’ll begin to achieve a pump, and you’ll feel exactly like Arnold circa 1975 in Pumping Iron.
That’s a very slapdash view of one of the most important exercises in your fitness arsenal. You’ll have to focus on your form to reap the full muscle-building benefits of the biceps curl—but beyond dialing in on your movements and remembering a few important cues, there’s not much more to it. The simplicity and effectiveness make the biceps curl so enduring, keeping its place as one of the go-to exercises for arm training in any worthwhile workout routine.
The standard version of the movement (as described above) depends on a set of dumbbells and little else other than your willingness to grit your teeth, squeeze your muscles, and lift—but that’s just one way you can curl. You can also shift up your grip, swap out implements, and even shift your position to change the focus of your reps. By adding these variations into your training plan, you’ll be able to build a stronger, more complete pair of arms (and you’ll never get bored, either).
As we’ve already noted, there are few exercises more accessible or effective for building biceps mass. That’s because the curl loads the main function of the muscles: elbow flexion (bending the elbow). You’ll also be able to hit another key function of the biceps, supination (turning the palm upward). Your biceps will be challenged by the movement more directly than many other exercises that involve the muscles, and you’re able to isolate them to keep the focus directly on these functions. You can make biceps curls even more effective using all sorts of training protocols too—from isometric pauses to drop sets to supersets, you can use most forms of the exercise in numerous contexts.
Yes, the biceps curl is simple—but if you don’t come correct, you’ll lose out on the full effect of the movement. Sloppy curls will still have some benefits, but if you really want to make the most of your workout, you’ll practice perfect form every time.
Your movements should be only at the elbows. Don’t allow your shoulders to take on the load.
A neutral wrist position will allow your biceps to take on all the load. Bending your wrist will take the onus off your target muscles and shorten the levers, making the movement easier.
Your biceps are responsible for elbow flexion and supination, and leaving this out of your curl will shortchange your workout. Importantly, this is most relevant for standard dumbbell curl variations (neutral grip hammer curls and bilateral barbell curls don’t allow for the same movement in the same way).
Check out all of these these variations to expand your biceps curl repertoire. Add these exercises to your arm day workouts and build up for more gains.
3 sets of 8 to 12 reps
Here it is, the most common biceps curl variation. The gold standard. Use the basic setup here, including the postural notes from MH fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S., as your starting point for just about every other standing version of the movement. You can do the curl alternating arms, as described below, or with both arms at the same time.
How to Do It:
3 sets of 8 to 10 reps
Shift implements and get ready to work with both hands for this bilateral bodybuilding standard (just don’t do it in the squat rack). “This is the curl that’s gonna let us lift more weight than any other curl,” says Samuel.
How to Do It:
3 sets of 6 to 8 reps
This variation is all about grip. You’ll stay in neutral for the whole rep—and you’ll shift your focus to the brachialis, an important sub-biceps muscle that will make your arms pop. This is another curl you can do either with both arms at the same time or alternating arms.
How to Do It:
3 sets of 8 to 12 reps per arm
The concentration curl allows you to train the peaks of your biceps. You’ve probably watched guys plopped down on a weight bench doing this variation before—and they were probably doing the exercise wrong. Make sure you follow the form cues to avoid lazy reps.
How to Do It:
3 sets of 10 to 12 reps
You’ll need an adjustable weight bench for this variation, which uses your positioning and gravity to increase the stretch on your muscles. Don’t lift with ego here; you might use lower weights than you expect.
How to Do It:
3 sets of 10 to 12 reps
This second bench-bound variation flips the positioning, putting your chest on the bench pad. Again, you’ll get a good stretch on the biceps from the position—while also making it much harder to cheat. That makes it easier to isolate your muscles for growth.
How to Do It:
3 to 4 sets of 10 to 12 reps
One of the biggest issues with overeager exercisers and biceps curls is how easy it can be to cheat. Whether you use momentum to swing the weight up or moving your elbows forward, your position can allow you to shortchange your biceps squeeze. Putting your back and upper arms against a wall eliminates those opportunities.
How to Do It:
4 sets of 10 to 12 reps
Like the previous movement, this variation takes away some of your ability to cheat. This time it’s by cutting your knees out from under you—and forcing your core to work even harder to maintain good posture.
How to Do It:
3 sets of 10 to 12 reps
Gym rats will recognize this machine variation, which puts your upper arms in a supported position away from your torso so you can really focus on the biceps contraction.
How to Do It:
3 sets of 8 to 12 reps
No preacher curl machine or bench in your gym? No problem. You can create the same upper arm-supported position using an adjustable bench and a dumbbell.
How to Do It:
3 sets of 8 to 10 reps
This hammer curl variation also gives your forearms a major challenge. You’ll need a towel and a kettlebell. Get ready to grip.
How to Do It:
3 sets of 10 to 12 reps
Hit your biceps peaks at home using a resistance band. The band will give you a different type of challenge than weights; since you’re no longer battling gravity, the resistance will be tougher as you stretch the band toward the top of the movement, rather than when you’re working with the longest lever.
How to Do It:
3 sets of 12 to 15 reps
You’ll need a cable machine for this notoriously tough curl variation, which removes almost all ability to cheat and changes up your angles to totally isolate the biceps. Bonus: you’ll hone your core and shoulder stability.
How to Do It:
3 sets of 8 to 10 reps
Flip the script on your typical curl session by flipping your grip halfway through the rep. By doing so, you’ll give your forearms a crushing workout. Pro tip: use a weight that’s five to 10 pounds lighter than your standard curl.
How to Do It:
Brett Williams, a fitness editor at Men’s Health, is a NASM-CPT certified trainer and former pro football player and tech reporter who splits his workout time between strength and conditioning training, martial arts, and running. You can find his work elsewhere at Mashable, Thrillist, and other outlets.
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