Updated March 2024

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When it comes to developing strong biceps, you want to be diligent and follow a planned and progressive plan. Few people achieve their dream of having large biceps because the principles of good training are neglected.

To get bigger biceps, you want to train them two to three times per week with exercises like barbell bicep curls and dumbbell hammer curls. Eating plenty of protein and nutrient-dense foods and getting enough rest is also vital for results.

This article comprises the anatomy of the bicep and some tips and techniques for training. Keep reading to learn about effective exercises and general tips that will support your bulking journey.

Anatomy of the Bicep

The biceps are two separate muscles that bend your arm at the elbow. The biceps brachii is the main biceps muscle, which has two heads, the inner short head and the outer long head.

To target the inner head, use a wide-grip barbell curl, and for the outer head, use a close-grip barbell curl. The brachialis muscle is located below the biceps brachii and can be targeted by exercises such as dumbbell hammer curls or reverse curls.

Additionally, to isolate the brachialis further, try isometric holds at the top of the hammer curl or reverse curl range of motion.

Biceps Training Tips and Techniques

1. Proper Form and Technique for Dumbbell Curl Exercise

When performing the dumbbell curl exercise, it's important to avoid lifting the weights with your torso or shoulders, as this can create a motion that is heaving, twisting, or swinging. Also, it's vital that you avoid using your lower body to aid the movement and to keep your elbows at your sides throughout the entire range of motion.

It's crucial to maintain a powerful core and a tall, upright spine while keeping your shoulders relaxed. If you notice any forward movement, it's recommended to use lighter weights or perform fewer repetitions.

2. Shift Your Lifts

The position of the elbows about the body can affect the stimulus and muscle activation in biceps exercises. For most curls, the elbows should be at the sides, but shifting them in front or behind the torso can emphasize the short or long head of the biceps.

For example, incline dumbbell curls with elbows behind the back will stretch the long head, while preacher curls with elbows out in front will emphasize the short head. Additionally, using a wide grip on exercises such as EZ curls or preacher curls with a barbell can further promote activation of the short head.

3. Train Less

The best approach to building biceps is to limit your focus on them to 20-30 minutes per week to avoid overstraining the muscle fibers. This approach is known as "playing hard to get" with your biceps.

Additionally, it's important to engage in other types of workouts that target the biceps and triceps in a way that doesn't excessively strain them, such as pushing and pulling motions. This way, your biceps will receive a secondary workout without overworking them.

4. Go Hard or Go Home

To quickly increase muscle growth in your biceps, engage in short 20-minute bursts of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) using dumbbells (affiliate link), kettlebells, or your body weight. This type of exercise targets the larger, fast-twitch muscle fibers, which are responsible for explosive power, leading to greater muscle growth.

HIIT can be done at home and doesn't require a gym membership. Additionally, research has shown that HIIT can change slow-twitch muscle fibers to fast-twitch fibers.

5. Achieve Maximum Pump

It's common to superset biceps and triceps workouts to target an arm day. By switching between these two complementary parts of your body, you will improve the pump and draw more blood into the upper arm.

Because you will be resting the triceps while the biceps are exercising and vice versa, it will reduce the amount of time you spend waiting around as you recover for the next set while increasing the intensity.

9 Effective Biceps Exercises

It is important to perform the right exercises because misconceptions can slow your progress. For example, the bench press exercise is not typically considered a biceps exercise, as it primarily targets the chest and triceps. However, the bench press does engage the biceps to a certain degree as a secondary muscle group.

Also, if you are choosing to only exercise at home, be sure to consider our list of recommended at-home workout equipment (affiliate link) to add variety and resistance to your routine!

Following are some exercises for the biceps.

1. Standing Barbell Curl

This exercise targets the biceps and forearms. It also helps increase shoulder width and requires a barbell.

How to perform:

To perform this exercise, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell with an underhand grip. Curl the barbell up towards your shoulders, keeping your elbows close to your body.