Working your your biceps may give you aesthetically pleasing big arms, but it also leads to many health benefits. Building muscle, says the American Council on Exercise, can lead to stronger bones, increased metabolism and lower risk of injury. Stress your muscles by increasing your reps or weight each week to build bigger biceps.
Incline Dumbbell Curls
The incline dumbbell curl gives your arms a full range of motion and, because you are sitting, you can really focus on proper form for the best results. Sit on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Extend your arms down at your sides with your wrists facing in towards the bench. Contract the bicep muscle and curl the dumbbells up, rotating your wrists towards your chest as you move. Squeeze the muscle at the top and slowly return to the starting position.
Hammer Curls
This standing dumbbell exercise hits your biceps from a different angle by working the elbow flexor, called the brachialis muscle, says personal trainer and owner of Elite Physique Training Studio David Robson. Stand with your feet a little less than shoulder width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, letting your arms hang with your palms facing inwards. Curb the dumbbells up without rotating your wrist, as if you were slowly hammering a nail. Squeeze the muscle at the top of the movement and slowly return to the starting position. Perform this exercise with both arms at once or one at a time to focus on form.
One-Arm Preacher Curls
Preacher curls target your lower biceps and allow you to isolate the muscle during the exercise. Sit at a preacher bench with your abdomen against the vertical pad and a dumbbell in one hand. Rest the arm with the dumbbell palm-up against the slanted pad, and place your other hand at the top of the pad for support. Curl the dumbbell up towards your shoulder and return slowly to the starting position. Switch arms for each set.
7-7-7 Barbell Curls
According to Vince DelMonte, author of the ebook "No Nonsense Muscle Building: Skinny Guy Secrets To Insane Muscle Gain," the standing barbell curl is a solid foundation exercise for any bicep-building program. He recommends putting constant tension on the muscle during every exercise for maximum growth. 7-7-7 barbell curls keep your arms moving. Stand with your arms a little less than shoulder width apart. Hold a barbell with both hands, palms facing away from your body. Begin by curling the bar up until it is perpendicular with your body seven times. Curl the barbell all the way up seven times while only bringing it back down to the middle perpendicular position. Finish the exercise by extending your arms all the way down and bringing the bar all the way up for seven full curls.
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