Everyone likes to train it – but looking good isn’t everything here! The biceps can do more and should be included in any Training plan for a balanced upper body workout.
Many women are now also attaching more and more importance to a muscular overall picture and have long since stopped only training their stomach, legs and buttocks in the classic way.
In addition to the optics, the functional aspects are not to be despised. The biceps acts as an auxiliary muscle to support pulling exercises, including basic strength training exercises such as e.g. B. with pull-ups or rowing.
In addition, the biceps are indispensable for many everyday activities and a balanced arm musculature can also protect you from typical sports injuries, such as e.g. B. a tennis elbow.
But how exactly do you reach the biceps? The short answer is: with pulling exercises. After all, the biceps are also called arm flexors.
In contrast, the triceps is also known as an arm stretcher and is mainly controlled by pressing movements.
We’ll show you the ten best exercises for a well-trained biceps and explain what you need to consider and how you can make progress in your training!
Which muscles are used during bicep training?
Before we get to the practical details, let’s clarify the theory. Which muscle groups are trained in the following exercises:
These muscles are primarily trained during bicep training:
- biceps brachii (biceps biceps – arm flexors)
- musculus brachialis (one-headed upper arm muscle)
- musculus pectoralis major (large pectoral muscle)
Secondary claims are also made for:
- musculus brachioradialis (upper arm spoke muscle)
- musculus deltoideus (anterior part of the deltoid muscle)
- musculus pronator teres (round pronation)
- Finger and wrist flexors
Important tips for your bicep exercises
The arm bend is relatively simple in execution and therefore also very suitable for beginners. Also, keep proper breathing in mind as you exercise.
As you lift the weight in the concentric phase—when the muscle contracts—exhale. When lowering, i.e. in the eccentric phase – when the muscle lengthens – you breathe in.
The work is done without momentum, the upper body is not bent too far and the upper arm remains firmly fixed to the side with each curl.
Clean technique always takes precedence over (too heavy) weight. Each workout also includes a Warm up to prevent injury.
In addition, most bicep exercises are also great for traveling or for a home workout because they can be performed variably. Who don’t dumbbells or want to add barbell, can also thera bands use or contact at TRX let off steam.
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10 bicep exercises for beginners and professionals
| Trained: | biceps |
|---|---|
| Note: | Stretching thera-band around a tower. Upper arms parallel to the floor, only the forearms move. Curl both ends towards your head at the same time. Upper arms remain firm throughout the exercise. |
Biceps curl on the tower with thera band
| Trained: | Biceps, brachial radius muscle |
|---|---|
| Note: | Only the forearms move. The neutral grip (hammer grip) makes it ideal for beginners. |
Biceps curls with a fitness loop
| Trained: | biceps |
|---|---|
| Note: | Both hands grab the tape. One arm remains stretched on the outside of the body. The other curls up. Elbows and upper arms remain firmly at the side. |
Bicep curls with thera band
| Trained: | biceps, brachial radius muscle, Round pronation, hand flexion |
|---|---|
| Note: | To protect the elbow joint: Do not stretch your arms completely. Shoulders are back, hands either in an underhand grip or in a neutral grip position. Exhale, at the same time bring your forearm up. The elbow stays firmly at the side. Inhale and lower to the starting position. |
Twisted bicep curls
| Trained: | biceps |
|---|---|
| Note: | EZ bar, barbell or dumbbells in underhand grip, elbows stay tight at side and not raised. Work without momentum. |
Reverse curls
| Trained: | Biceps, brachial radius, all hand extensors, hand flexors |
|---|---|
| Note: | EZ dumbbell, barbell or dumbbells in the underhand grip, elbows remain firmly at the side and are not brought up. Work without momentum. |
Hammer curls
| Trained: | biceps |
|---|---|
| Note: | Grab the wrist with one hand and while one arm is pushing down, the other arm is working up. Advantage: no equipment required. |
One-Arm Row: Variation 1
| Trained: | Latissimus dorsi, deltoid, trapezius, rhomboid major and minor, biceps (supportive) |
|---|---|
| Note: | Supporting hand under the shoulder, with the other arm pull the dumbbell in a hammer grip sideways in the direction of the hip, elbow as tight as possible. |
One-Arm Row: Variation 2
| Trained: | Latissimus dorsi, deltoid, trapezius, rhomboid major and minor, biceps (supportive) |
|---|---|
| Note: | With an overhand grip, lift the dumbbell straight up instead of backwards. The supporting hand on the bench is directly under the shoulder. |
Barbell bicep curls
| Trained: | biceps |
|---|---|
| Note: | EZ dumbbell, barbell or dumbbells with underhand grip, elbows remain at the side and are not brought up. Work without momentum. |
pull-ups
| Trained: | Latissimus dorsi, rhomboid major and minor, teres major, erector spinae, biceps and brachial radius muscle (supportive) |
|---|---|
| Note: | Hang shoulder-width apart, keep your back straight. Arms are slightly bent. Different grip widths possible as well as upper, lower or neutral grip. |
How often should you train your arms?
You set the greatest growth stimulus for your muscles with the Full Range of Motion – i.e. the complete utilization of the entire movement amplitude. It is therefore better to work slowly, but with wide movements.
Compared to other muscles, the biceps is a relatively small muscle. It is already involved as an auxiliary muscle in many exercises.
So there’s little point in doing extra bicep isolation more than twice a week or doing too many isolation exercises at once. Three to four exercises are enough!
As the training level increases, the volume and frequency must be adjusted. Suppose you train with a weight X and do 15 repetitions with it: Then in the following training you increase to the next higher weight, do maybe ten to twelve repetitions with it and train with it until you get back to 15 clean (!) repetitions are you.