Your biceps brachii, biceps for short, is a two-headed muscle located on the front of your upper arm. Responsible for flexion of your elbow as well as rotating your palm upward in a movement called supination, the biceps are one of the most well-known muscles in the human body. There are a number of ways to exercise your biceps and several exercise tools that you can utilize. However, the regular barbell curl is one of the most commonly performed exercises for this muscle.
Step 1
Place an empty barbell on the floor or in a barbell rack. Load the barbell with an appropriate weight and secure the plates in place using safety collars. Grasp the bar with a shoulder-width underhand grip and pick it up.
Step 2
Place your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the barbell across the front of your thighs with your arms fully extended. Pull your shoulders down and back and lift your chest. Keep your knees slightly bent to enhance your balance.
Step 3
Tuck your elbows into your sides and bend your arms. Keeping your upper arms as still as possible, raise the barbell up to shoulder-height so that your forearms are perpendicular to the floor. Inhale as you raise the weight. Pause in the top position for one to two seconds and then lower the weight back down, exhaling as you do so.
Step 4
Continue lifting and lowering the weight using only your arms for the desired number of repetitions. Set the weight down on the floor or onto a barbell rack on completion.
Tips and Warnings
- Perform this exercise in front of a mirror to ensure that you are using both arms equally. You can also do this exercise using an EZ bar. This angled bar reduces the pressure on your wrists.
- Do not use your legs or lower back to help you swing the weight up. This practice reduces the effectiveness of the exercise and also increases you risk of injury.
Things You'll Need
- Barbell
- Weight plates
- Safety collars
References
- "Anatomy of Exercise: A Trainer's Inside Guide to Your Workout"; Pat Manocchia; 2009
- "Strength Training Anatomy"; Frederic Delavier; 2010
- "Designing Resistance Training Programs"; Steven Fleck and William Kraemer; 2003
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