Bicep Training

Last Updated on Wednesday, 09 September 2009 23:41 Tuesday, 08 September 2009 20:36

Training biceps involves the same principles as training any other body part. There is no magic formula. There is no one size fits all training regime that will have you ripping shirt sleeves in three weeks. Everybody is different and what works for one may fail miserably for the next.

The basic principles remain the same - lift heavy, regularly and intensely. Biceps need to be worked two to three times a week with a heavy weight to stimulate muscle growth. When training biceps, isolate the muscle and focus on it. Perform steady and targeted exercises that hit the bicep muscle from all angles.

Performing different exercises with both dumbbells and barbells challenges the muscle and ensures continued growth. If you hit a plateau you need to shake it up or even better, give the muscle a break! Over-exercising a body part can cause fatigue and a failure of the muscle to grow. A rest from training for a fortnight will produce quicker results and better growth rather than continued over-exercising of the muscle.

There is no great secret to bicep building. Its solid hard work that gets you the inches on your arms. If you are beginning body building, allow at least a month before you notice any growth in the biceps.

There are different arguments about the ideal number of sets and repetitions. Generally, three sets of 12,10 and 8 would be the middle ground approach between those advocating low reps and heavy weights and the opposing side of high reps with ligher weights. Try experimenting with different repetitions and find what works for you - remember, everyone is different so just because three sets of 12,10 and 8 is ideal for us, it might be terrible for you. Don't be afraid to mix it up!

Standing Barbell Bicep Curls

Stand with feet shoulder width apart and grab the barbell with your hands spaced slightly less than shoulder width apart. When you curl, the focus should be on the biceps - not the back or forearms. Avoid jerking or body movement when curling the weight up and concentrate on the contraction of your biceps. Hold at the top for three seconds and lower the weight back down slowly. Controlling the weight is far more important than doing 20 reps of sloppy curls.

There are variations to the standing barbell curl that you might like to try. Incline and decline barbell curls are great alternatives. Sit on an incline bench and use the inclined (or declined) board to complete the curls. You can also complete these curls face down on the bench!  Supersets can be used - complete a 'standard' set of curls first and then immediately do a set of incline curls. Supersets are a great way to really get the most out of a muscle, exercising it to the last just when you thought no more could be extracted!

Hammer Curls

For biceps, the standard dumbbell curl (see below) is a better exercise. Hammer curls are useful if you find yourself suffering from weak wrists and unable to complete a set of curls due to your wrists rather than any muscle fatigue in the biceps. The wrists in a hammer curl are in a more natural position, therefore you may want to include hammer curls in your bicep workout towards the end of your regime.

To complete a hammer curl, keep the palms facing inwards towards the body and lift the weight until you reach the peak of the muscle contraction. Avoid letting your elbows swing out from the body and leaning backwards. Lower slowly and repeat. Hammer curls can be done alternating arms or both arms at once.

Dumbbell Curls

Dumbbell curls are very similar to barbell curls. Ideally do one arm at a time to focus effort on that arm. Keep palms facing upwards and curl the weight up. Hold and then lower. Combining dumbbell and hammer curls can be done to enhance the muscle 'split' on the biceps. Start with a hammer curl (palms inwards and vertical) and as you bring the weight up, twist the arm so the palm is upwards.

Seated Dumbbell Curls (Concentration Curls)

An iconic exercise of bodybuilders is the concentration curl. It is a great exercise for isolating the bicep as the arm 'hangs' and the curl forces the bicep to work hard. This exercise may see you lifting less weight than the dumbbell curls - that’s as a result of the increased work the bicep has to do.