The Best Bicep Muscle Building Exercises

People love to work out and build their biceps because it's one of the most visible muscle groups on the human body. If you want big guns, you have dozens of potential exercise routines from which to choose. However, fitness experts have identified several specific bicep-targeting exercises to help you develop big biceps that you can show off anytime and anywhere.

Preacher Curls

World fitness champion Arnold Schwarzenegger calls preacher curls one of the best ways to build the bottom of the biceps, saying they're especially good for those who have a space between the elbow and their bicep bulge. Stand with a preacher bench -- a raised, padded piece of gym furniture -- against your chest with your arms hanging over it. This forces your arms into an angle that works the lower region of the biceps. Grab your barbell and curl it toward you without bending your back or torso, then lower it back down. Aim to do two to three sets of 10 to 12 each.

Standard Dumbbell Curls

Standard curls are one of the most popular methods of building your biceps. Stand with your hands spaced apart by the width of your shoulders. Hold a dumbbell in each of your hands with your palms facing upward. Lift your right arm, curling the dumbbell toward your shoulder, then lower it back down. Repeat with your opposite arm. Aim to do two sets of 10 curls on each arm. Some gym machines are also setup to simulate the dumbbell curl movement without using free weights.

Chin-Ups and Pull-Ups

"Men's Fitness" magazine highlights pull-ups and chin-ups as some of the best upper body exercises available. You can do them in a gym, at home using a pull-up bar installed in a doorway, or even at a playground on the jungle gym set. Grasp the bar with your palms either facing away from you -- if you want to do a pull-up -- or toward you -- if you want to do a chin-up -- and pull yourself up. Your chin should pass the bar before you lower yourself back down. Although both help build your bicep muscles, the magazine notes that chin-ups put a little more focus on this region.

Reverse Curls

Reverse curls come recommended by the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute as one of the best bicep-targeting workouts that also help increase the strength and size of your forearms. This keeps your entire arm looking balanced so that you don't have bulging biceps by skinny forearms. Get into the position of a traditional dumbbell curl, but instead of having your palms pointed toward the ceiling, point them toward the floor.