Well-defined biceps are one of the most coveted goals of strength-training enthusiasts. They can be developed through free-weight training, cables, barbell workouts and specialized bicep exercise machines. A biceps tone, strength and definition workout may involve three sets of eight to 12 repetitions. A bicep building program will use heavier weights and may involve three sets of four to eight repetitions. These programs can be performed two or three times weekly.
History of Biceps Training
ISSA Master Fitness Trainer Diane Fields has researched The Mr. America contestants who set the standard for bicep development. Her article on bodybuilding.com credits John Grimek, Mr. America of 1940 and 1941, for popularizing the big bicep ideal. Grimek chose eight to 12 biceps exercises for each workout. He performed only one or two sets of each exercise.
The 1966 Mr. Olympia Larry Scott had 21-inch biceps. The preacher curl was his signature exercise. It involves lifting a barbell from a seated position, while the elbows rest on a pad. Richard Baldwin won a number of Mr. USA and Mr. America in the 1970s and 1980s. He favored the concentration curl, which is a dumbbell exercise performed from a seated position with one elbow resting on the inner leg.
Significance
"New York Times" op-ed columnist Maureen Dowd has described Michelle Obama's sculpted biceps as a symbol of American strength. In fact, the image of developed biceps as a symbol of female empowerment dates back to "We Can Do It" posters of World War II. These posters were designed by the Westinghouse Corporation, in conjunction with the War Production Coordinating Committee. They were displayed in Westinghouse factories, where women were making helmet liners. Both Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin used versions of this poster in their 2008 campaigns. It's interesting to note that as women become more involved in weight training and body building, they are also taking more active roles in politics.
Biceps Identification
The biceps are also known as the biceps brachii. The "bi" refers to its two heads: the long head and the short head. The long head is located on the outer part of the biceps, and the short head is located on the inner part of the muscle. The biceps brachii is the upper part of the biceps muscle. The brachialis is in the lower part of the muscle.
Function
The biceps are involved in flexion of the elbows. As such, they are used in daily activities such as brushing your teeth, picking up your groceries and carrying a child or a pet. They are at their strongest when the palms are facing straight ahead.
Warnings
Any time you work a muscle, you must stabilize the joint from which you are working. The biceps involves flexion at the elbow, so the elbow must be stabilized. Lifting too much weight causes the elbow or spinal movement. This limits the efficiency of the exercise.
Expert Insight
John Grimek's 12-exercise biceps workout is an example of Joe Weider's Muscle Confusion Principle. Weider believes that over time, your body will adapt to different training programs. This may be one of the reasons people hit a plateau. Weider suggests that people vary their program by alternating different types of exercises.
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