This post follows the series describing how to design adequate routines for training the different body-parts. This chapter provides you with the general guidelines for proper biceps training.
When referring to biceps body-part, two different muscles are actually considered: the biceps brachii and the brachialis, which are responsible for elbow flexion (moving the hand toward the shoulder) and elbow supination (rotating the palm upwards). As the name suggests, the biceps have two heads, the short head (a.k.a. inner head) and the long head (a.k.a. outer head). The brachialis is a small muscle which lies just beneath the biceps.
In order to get a biceps body-part that looks both big and proportionate, your routine must include exercises for stimulating the two biceps heads and also the brachialis. Don’t use too much exercises (2 or 3 exercises will be enough), because the biceps receives already some work when working the back and, in the same way as the triceps, since it is an explosive and small muscle, it tires quickly.
When training biceps, it is very important to use a full range of motion in all curl exercises, lowering the arms until they are fully stretched. Using an incomplete range of motion will create a gap between the biceps and the elbow (a condition named ‘midgety biceps’). In addition, in single arm exercises you should start always with the weaker arm and perform the same number of reps with the stronger arm to prevent creating imbalances.
The main compound movement for training the biceps is the standing barbell curl. This is a vital exercise for building overall mass in the biceps. Use a shoulder-width grip and keep your elbows pinned to your sides and the back straight to avoid cheating. Using a straight bar involves more the short head, but you can use an EZ-curl bar to save the wrists by putting the hands into a more ergonomically correct position, hitting in this way both biceps heads more evenly.
Other exercises such as alternate dumbbell curls, standing cable curls (barbell and one arm versions) or incline dumbbell curls, which involve also mainly the short head, can be used as a complement/alternative to standing barbell curls. Cable exercises have the added benefit of constant tension, while incline curls allow a maximal stretch. On dumbbell exercises, remember to twist the inside of the dumbbell even further inward as you reach the shoulder in order to exercise the elbow supination movement.
Supinated versions of preacher curls (barbell, dumbbell and cable), spider curls and concentration curls work very well for isolation and peak development. These exercises focus also in the short head, providing in addition a great stimulation for the lower portion of the biceps. For this reason, they are recommended for fixing the ‘midgety biceps’ problem (together with full range of motion, of course).
For shifting the focus to the long head and additionally working the brachialis, you have to use a hammer grip (palms facing each other) or a reverse grip (palms facing down). Hammer grip is used in all hammer curl versions (dumbbell, rope, incline, alternate, cross-body), while reverse grip is used in reverse curl variations (barbell, cable, preacher and drag curls). These exercises (especially all the reverse curls) involve also some forearm muscles (particularly the brachioradialis) to a great extend. You can also focus in the long head of the biceps by using a close grip in some exercises such as standing barbell curls or barbell preacher curls.
If you need more information for designing your biceps workout, you can read the article “Want Big Biceps? Here’s How to Get Them!” by David Robson or the article “Training the Biceps!” included in the I.C.E. Training Program developed by Big Cat.
When referring to biceps body-part, two different muscles are actually considered: the biceps brachii and the brachialis, which are responsible for elbow flexion (moving the hand toward the shoulder) and elbow supination (rotating the palm upwards). As the name suggests, the biceps have two heads, the short head (a.k.a. inner head) and the long head (a.k.a. outer head). The brachialis is a small muscle which lies just beneath the biceps.
In order to get a biceps body-part that looks both big and proportionate, your routine must include exercises for stimulating the two biceps heads and also the brachialis. Don’t use too much exercises (2 or 3 exercises will be enough), because the biceps receives already some work when working the back and, in the same way as the triceps, since it is an explosive and small muscle, it tires quickly.
When training biceps, it is very important to use a full range of motion in all curl exercises, lowering the arms until they are fully stretched. Using an incomplete range of motion will create a gap between the biceps and the elbow (a condition named ‘midgety biceps’). In addition, in single arm exercises you should start always with the weaker arm and perform the same number of reps with the stronger arm to prevent creating imbalances.
The main compound movement for training the biceps is the standing barbell curl. This is a vital exercise for building overall mass in the biceps. Use a shoulder-width grip and keep your elbows pinned to your sides and the back straight to avoid cheating. Using a straight bar involves more the short head, but you can use an EZ-curl bar to save the wrists by putting the hands into a more ergonomically correct position, hitting in this way both biceps heads more evenly.
Other exercises such as alternate dumbbell curls, standing cable curls (barbell and one arm versions) or incline dumbbell curls, which involve also mainly the short head, can be used as a complement/alternative to standing barbell curls. Cable exercises have the added benefit of constant tension, while incline curls allow a maximal stretch. On dumbbell exercises, remember to twist the inside of the dumbbell even further inward as you reach the shoulder in order to exercise the elbow supination movement.
Supinated versions of preacher curls (barbell, dumbbell and cable), spider curls and concentration curls work very well for isolation and peak development. These exercises focus also in the short head, providing in addition a great stimulation for the lower portion of the biceps. For this reason, they are recommended for fixing the ‘midgety biceps’ problem (together with full range of motion, of course).
For shifting the focus to the long head and additionally working the brachialis, you have to use a hammer grip (palms facing each other) or a reverse grip (palms facing down). Hammer grip is used in all hammer curl versions (dumbbell, rope, incline, alternate, cross-body), while reverse grip is used in reverse curl variations (barbell, cable, preacher and drag curls). These exercises (especially all the reverse curls) involve also some forearm muscles (particularly the brachioradialis) to a great extend. You can also focus in the long head of the biceps by using a close grip in some exercises such as standing barbell curls or barbell preacher curls.
If you need more information for designing your biceps workout, you can read the article “Want Big Biceps? Here’s How to Get Them!” by David Robson or the article “Training the Biceps!” included in the I.C.E. Training Program developed by Big Cat.
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1 comment:
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