Written by Tyler DiGiovanni | BSBM
Fact checked by Andrew Lenau, ISSA CPT & Sports Nutritionist
FACT CHECKED
If you ask someone to flex, 99% of the time, they will throw an arm up and put their biceps on display. A great set of biceps can significantly alter the appearance of your arm and make your everyday life easier (people with kids who want to be carried all the time know this all too well). We've watched countless hours of your favorite pro bodybuilders pump up their biceps and have come up with nine of the best biceps exercises you need to be incorporating into your workouts now. In this article we'll take a look at:
- Supinated Dumbbell Curl
- Incline Dumbbell Curl
- Hammer Curl
- Spider Curl
- Barbell Curl
- Preacher Curl
- Concentration Curl
- Cable Curl
- High Cable Curl
1. Supinated Dumbbell Curl
Most likely the most well-known biceps exercise on this list, the dumbbell curl gets taken to the next level with a little extra supination (rotating the hand so your thumb is facing out) of the wrist. Bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger credits supinated dumbbell curls with help building his legendary peaks.
In an interview with Muscle & Fitness, the Austrian Oak recommends trying to get the pinkie higher than your thumb, acknowledging it will hurt like hell, but will help bring your arm development to the next level. Supinated dumbbell curls can be done standing, but performing them seated with your back supported can help stop body swing, really putting the focus on the biceps doing the work.
How to Perform A Supinated Dumbbell Curl
- Choose Your Weights: Select a pair of dumbbells that are appropriate for your strength level. It's important to start with a weight that allows you perform the exercise with proper form.
- Starting Position: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, or sit on a weight bench with your back supported. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms at your sides and palms facing forward. This is the supinated position. Keep your elbows close to your torso.
- Stabilize Your Core: Engage your core muscles to stabilize your body. This will help prevent any unnecessary swaying or movement of the upper body during the exercise.
- Curl the Weights: Exhale as you curl the dumbbells upwards towards your shoulders. Focus on moving only your forearms; your upper arms should remain pinned next to your torso throughout the movement.
- Squeeze at the Top: Once you reach full contraction, squeeze your biceps for a moment to maximize muscle engagement.
- Lower the Dumbbells: Inhale as you slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position. It's important to control the movement both on the way up and down to keep tension on the biceps.
- Maintain Form: Keep your back straight and shoulders relaxed throughout the exercise. Avoid using momentum to lift the weights; the movement should be controlled and deliberate.
Pro Tip: Another piece of advice to get as much tension on the biceps as possible is to let your wrist hang and the weight roll toward your fingers at peak contraction. This won't allow the weight to be in a "resting" position at the top of the movement, keeping your muscle firing the whole time.
Take a look at the video below to see Roelly Winklaar performing textbook supinated dumbbell curls.
2. Incline Dumbbell Curl
Incline dumbbell curl was a favorite of old-school bodybuilders and can be seen on prominent display by Lou Ferrigno in Pumping Iron. Known for being absolutely brutal due to the full stretch at the start of the movement, incline dumbbell curls offer a wider range of motion than standard standing dumbbell curls, placing your biceps under tension for longer. The incline dumbbell curl is a go-to of Roelly Winklaar, and with arguably the best arms in the history of the sport, you can bet he knows what he's doing.
How to Perform Incline Dumbbell Curls
- Set Up the Bench: Adjust an incline bench to an angle of about 45 to 60 degrees. It's important to find a comfortable angle that doesn't put strain on your back.
- Select Your Dumbbells: Choose a pair of dumbbells that are appropriate for your strength level. Remember, form is more important than weight, especially with incline curls where the biceps are under tension for a longer period.
- Sit Down and Position Yourself: Sit on the bench with your back flat against the pad. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms hanging down and palms facing forward.
- Stabilize Your Shoulders: Roll your shoulders back slightly and down to stabilize them. This position helps isolate the biceps during the exercise.
- Perform the Curl: Exhale as you curl the dumbbells up towards your shoulders. Your upper arms should stay in place, moving only your forearms. Avoid swinging or using momentum.
- Squeeze at the Top: Once your forearms are vertical or just before the dumbbells reach shoulder level, squeeze your biceps for a moment to maximize muscle engagement.
- Lower the Dumbbells Slowly: Inhale as you lower the dumbbells back to the starting position slowly. Ensure a controlled movement to maintain tension on the biceps.
- Maintain Proper Form: Keep your elbows and back stationary throughout the set. Avoid arching your back or lifting your elbows off the bench.
Pro Tip: Make sure to keep your elbows down. "Floating" elbows take the tension off of your biceps at peak contraction, robbing you of the benefits of the incline dumbbell curl. Treat your elbow as a hinge tucked into your side.
You can check out a video of a young 7x Mr. Olympia Phil Heath demonstrating incline dumbbell curls below.
3. Hammer Curl
Hammer curls are one if, if not the best exercise for brachialis and brachioradialis muscles. The small, often underappreciated, brachialis muscle can make or break a back double biceps pose. Situated between the lateral head of the triceps and the long head of the biceps, a well-developed brachialis can help add thickness to your arm as well as push the long head of the biceps up into a better peak. Hammer curls can also pack on some size to the brachioradialis, which is an absolute must for a balanced looking arm. If you see an IFBB pro with great biceps peaks and massive forearms, you can almost guarantee that hammer curls are an integral part of their training.
How to Perform Hammer Curls
- Select Your Dumbbells: Choose a pair of dumbbells that are appropriate for your strength level.
- Starting Position: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms extended at your sides and your palms facing your torso. This is your starting position.
- Stabilize Your Core: Engage your core muscles to keep your torso steady during the exercise. This helps in maintaining balance and proper form.
- Curl the Weights: While keeping your elbows pinned to your torso, exhale and curl the dumbbells towards your shoulders. Your palms should remain facing each other, and your upper arms should stay stationary.
- Squeeze at the Top: When the dumbbells are at shoulder level, squeeze your biceps for a brief moment to maximize muscle engagement.
- Lower the Dumbbells: Inhale as you slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position. Ensure you control the descent, resisting gravity for a better muscle workout.
- Maintain Form: Keep your wrists straight throughout the exercise to avoid strain. Also, avoid swinging your arms or using momentum; the movement should be controlled and focused on the biceps and forearms.
Pro Tip: Hammer curls have some of the best curl variations; take advantage of them! Crossbody hammer curls, incline hammer curls, preacher hammer curls, and cable hammer curls are just some of the many ways to perform hammers. Try them out and see which one works best for you!
Below is a video of the Maryland Muscle Machine throwing up serious weight with hammer curls.
4. Spider Curls
A favorite of 4x Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler, the spider curl is an amazing way to isolate the biceps and get a full stretch of the muscle. A staple of his training regimine leading up to the 2009 Mr. Olympia (the year of the "Quad Stomp"), spider curls helped Cutler bring his biceps to the level needed to reclaim the Sandow. Commonly seen being used on his clients by trainer Hany Rambod, pro bodybuilders rave about the contraction they are able to get using ez bars, straight bars, and dumbbells in this position. With 24 Olympia titles under his belt, I'm going to trust that Hany knows what he's doing when it comes to muscle development.
How to Perform Spider Curls
- Set Up the Bench: Adjust an incline bench to about a 45-degree angle. You'll be lying face down on the bench, so ensure it's at a comfortable height.
- Choose Your Weights: Select a pair of dumbbells that you can lift without sacrificing form.
- Lie Down on the Bench: Lie face down on the bench with your torso and abdomen flat against the pad. Your feet should be firmly planted on the ground for stability.
- Arm Position: Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms extended towards the ground. Your palms should be facing each other.
- Perform the Curl: Exhale and curl the dumbbells towards your shoulders. Unlike traditional curls, your arms should hang straight down, providing a unique angle for bicep contraction.
- Squeeze at the Top: Once you've curled the dumbbells as high as you can, squeeze your biceps at the top for maximum muscle engagement.
- Lower the Weights: Inhale and slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position. Maintain control throughout the descent.
- Maintain Form: Keep your head and spine in a neutral position aligned with your back. Avoid body swing or using momentum to lift the weights.
Pro Tip: If you really want to avoid arm swing, you can use a preacher bench (chest on the angled side, back of the triceps on the straight side) to eliminate any momentum.
Here's a video of Jay Cutler himself doing some dumbbell spider curls.
5. Barbell Curl
For building raw power in your biceps, look no further than the barbell curl. A mainstay in 8x Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman's arm workouts, often performing 10-12 reps at 225 lbs, there is no doubt that barbell curls can build up some serious strength. For anyone looking to increase their strength, barbell curls are a great way to challenge your arms to grow with more weight than you would be able to do with dumbbells. One word of caution, those with wrist mobility issues might want to take it easy or steer clear of these entirely.
How to Perform Barbell Curls
- Select the Barbell: Choose a barbell with an appropriate weight. Start lighter to focus on form, especially if you're new to the exercise.
- Grip the Barbell: Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. Grip the barbell with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, palms facing upwards. This is your starting position.
- Stabilize Your Body: Engage your core and keep your knees slightly bent to stabilize your body. Ensure your back is straight and your shoulders are slightly rolled back.
- Perform the Curl: While keeping your elbows close to your sides, exhale and curl the barbell up towards your chest. Focus on moving only your forearms; your upper arms should remain stationary by your sides.
- Squeeze at the Top: When the barbell is at chest level, squeeze your biceps for a moment to maximize muscle engagement.
- Lower the Barbell Slowly: Inhale as you slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position. Control the movement to keep tension on the biceps.
- Maintain Proper Form: Throughout the exercise, keep your elbows tucked in and avoid swinging the barbell or using your back to lift the weight.
Pro Tip: Lift with a partner to do a few negative reps at the end of your sets to exhaust your bis beyond failure.
Lee Priest gives a great YouTube short on how to properly perform barbell curls in the video below.
6. Preacher Curl
Another great way to make sure your biceps are doing all the work is to hop on a preacher bench and smash out some preacher curls. Appropriately named for resembling a preacher leaning over a pulpit, preacher curls came into fashion in the 1960s. For anyone who is a fan of the history of bodybuilding, might be familiar with how Larry Scott (the very first Mr. Olympia) introduced Arnold to preacher curls, bringing his arms to a whole new level. A few common variations of preacher curls can be performed using a cambered bar, straight bar, dumbbells at tandem or one at a time, or machine preacher curls.
How to Perform Preacher Curls
- Set Up the Preacher Bench: Adjust the preacher bench so that when you sit down, your armpits are comfortably resting at the top of the pad. This positioning is crucial for proper form.
- Choose Your Weight: Select an EZ curl bar or a barbell with an appropriate weight. It's better to start lighter to focus on your form and avoid strain.
- Grip the Bar: Sit on the preacher bench and grip the bar with your hands about shoulder-width apart. If you're using an EZ curl bar, the angled grip can be more comfortable for your wrists.
- Starting Position: Rest your upper arms on the pad, extending your arms almost fully. Your palms should be facing upwards, and your elbows should be slightly bent at the start to avoid joint strain.
- Perform the Curl: Exhale and slowly curl the bar towards your face. Keep your upper arms firmly planted on the pad throughout the movement. Focus on using your biceps to lift the weight.
- Squeeze at the Top: Once you've brought the bar as close to your face as comfortably possible, squeeze your biceps hard at the top of the movement for maximum muscle engagement.
- Lower the Weight Slowly: Inhale and slowly lower the bar back to the starting position. Control the descent to maintain tension in the biceps.
- Maintain Proper Form: Ensure that your back remains straight and your shoulders are relaxed. Avoid the temptation to lean forward or use momentum to lift the weight.
Pro Tip: Don't let your elbows lock out at the bottom; it puts unnecessary strain on your elbows and will keep tension on your biceps. Bonus tip: don't let your forearms get completely vertical, as that will put more load on your forearms rather than your biceps.
If you're interested in some preacher curl variations, all-star trainer to the Olympians Hany Rambod walks you through some below.
7. Concentration Curl
Concentration curls are a fantastic choice for laser-focusing on bicep development. Sitting on a bench, you lean forward slightly and isolate each arm in turn, effectively eliminating momentum and ensuring that your biceps are fully engaged. This exercise gained popularity in the golden era of bodybuilding and has continued its popularity through modern lifting.
The key to concentration curls is the position: one arm at a time curls the weight from a hanging position, elbow usually braced against the inner knee, fully stretching the bicep at the bottom and then contracting it at the top with a peak squeeze. The simplicity and effectiveness of concentration curls make them a staple in bicep workouts, perfect for anyone looking to add serious definition and peak to their arms.
How to Perform Concentration Curls
- Choose Your Weight: Select a dumbbell of appropriate weight. It's better to start with a lighter weight to ensure proper form.
- Sit Down: Sit on the edge of a bench or chair with your legs spread wide. Plant your feet firmly on the floor for stability.
- Position Your Arm: Pick up the dumbbell with your right hand. Lean forward slightly and place the upper part of your right arm against your right inner thigh. Your arm should be extended holding the dumbbell and hanging between your legs.
- Stabilize Your Body: Place your left hand on your left knee or the bench for stability. Keep your back straight and head in a neutral position.
- Perform the Curl: Exhale and slowly curl the dumbbell up towards your right shoulder. Focus on moving your forearm and keeping your upper arm stationary against your thigh.
- Squeeze at the Top: Once the dumbbell is near your shoulder, squeeze your bicep for peak contraction.
- Lower the Dumbbell Slowly: Slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position, inhaling fully extending your arm.
- Maintain Proper Form: Throughout the exercise, keep your upper arm pressed against your thigh to isolate the bicep. Avoid swinging to lift the weight.
Pro Tip: For a different take on concentration curls, try using a resistance band to really increase the tension put on your biceps throughout the entire exercise.
Check out the clip of Flex Wheeler performing seated concentration curls below.
8. Cable Curl
While you may think that hardcore gym rats would shun cable machines for free weights, you couldn't be further from the truth. They might not be on everybody's Mount Rushmore of biceps exercises, but cable curls deserve a place up there. In fact, we're huge fans of cable arm exercises!
The beauty of cable curls is the versatility you have in your setup. Changing the angle you want to hit your biceps can be done by moving the pulley up a little bit or dropping it down. Doing any type of curl variations on a cable machine also means that you are keeping constant tension on the muscles since there is no rest spot.
How to Perform Cable Curls
- Set Up the Cable Machine: Attach a straight bar or an EZ curl bar to a low pulley on a cable machine. Select an appropriate weight; start lighter to ensure proper form.
- Stand in Position: Stand facing the cable machine with your feet shoulder-width apart for stability. Keep a slight bend in your knees.
- Grip the Bar: Grip the bar with your hands about shoulder-width apart. Your palms should be facing upwards if using a straight bar, or slightly inward if using an EZ curl bar.
- Stabilize Your Body: Engage your core and keep your back straight. Roll your shoulders back and down to stabilize them.
- Perform the Curl: Exhale and curl the bar towards your shoulders. Keep your elbows close to your sides and avoid moving them forward during the curl.
- Squeeze at the Top: Once the bar is at chest level, squeeze your biceps for a second or two to maximize muscle engagement.
- Lower the Bar Slowly: Control the descent to maintain tension on the biceps.
- Maintain Proper Form: Throughout the exercise, keep your upper body stationary. Avoid swinging or using momentum to lift the weight.
Pro Tip: Try all the attachments for the cable machine! Rope curls, ez-bar curls, straight bar curls, and single-arm curls can all hit the biceps differently. Also, experiment with the height of the pulley, distance away from the machine, as well as body orientation (give cross-body curls a shot!). We've even come up with a bicep cable workout you can give a try.
You can check out the video below of World's Strongest Man Brian Shaw curling the weight stack under 8x Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman's tutelage.
9. High Cable Curl
Though I might not be an IFBB pro, these are one of my favorite finishers for biceps. You may not trust my opinion, but I'm sure you can agree with Flex Lewis, Phil Heath, and Ronnie Coleman, who swear by them. Mimicking a front double biceps pose, the high cable curl is a great way to work the peak of the biceps. Most bodybuilders recommend doing higher reps of these, think 15-20 rather than 8-12.
How to Perform High Cable Curls
- Set Up the Cable Machine: Adjust the pulleys to a high position, above your head, on a cable machine. Attach a handle to each of the pulleys. Select an appropriate weight.
- Stand in Position: Stand in the middle of the cable machine with your feet shoulder-width apart. Your body should be equidistant from each pulley.
- Grip the Handles: Reach up and grab each handle with your palms facing up. Your arms should be fully extended and angled slightly towards each pulley.
- Stabilize Your Body: Engage your core and keep a slight bend in your knees. Keep your back straight and chest up throughout the exercise.
- Perform the Curl: Exhale and curl your hands towards your shoulders in a controlled manner. Your elbows should move only slightly from their starting position, keeping slightly elevated from shoulder level.
- Squeeze at the Top: When your hands are near your shoulders, squeeze your biceps hard to maximize muscle engagement.
- Lower the Handles Slowly: Inhale and slowly extend your arms back to the starting position. Control the movement to maintain tension in the biceps.
- Maintain Proper Form: Keep your movements smooth and controlled. Avoid using momentum or swinging your body to lift the weights.
Pro Tip: You can change the angle even more dramatically by going down on one knee to perform your set.
Here is a one minute video of 7x 212 Mr. Olympia Flex Lewis demonstrating high cable curls, with some added tips.
Final Thoughts
While this isn't a comprehensive list of all the biceps exercises out there, we think it's one of the best. If you go back and look at all the Mr. Olympia winner's workouts, you'll see that they are almost exclusively made from exercises on this list. If these exercises work for the best arms in the world, they will definitely work for you! Let us know down below what your favorite biceps exercise is. And if you are going down the rabbit hole of biceps exercises and want more targeted movements, you can read our articles on the Best Short Head Exercises, Best Long Head Biceps Exercises, and Best Brachialis Exercises.
Tyler DiGiovanni
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