Incline dumbbell curls gave Arnold Schwarzenegger incredible definition at the front of his biceps, and he did it by twisting the dumbbell back away from his body at the peak of the contraction. He even invented a device that he wore over the shoulders that would properly position the upper arms for maximum biceps growth. Dumbbell curls add biceps definition, however, they do not add as much mass as triceps exercises.
Anatomy of the Upper Arm
The triceps composes nearly two-thirds of the upper arm. The biceps has two ligaments connecting to the bone. The triceps has three, making it look like a horseshoe on a well developed bodybuilder's arm. The triceps composes most of the upper-arm girth, so to develop mass in the upper arms, a bodybuilder must devote more attention to the triceps than the biceps.
Incline dumbbell curls add shape, but not much girth to the upper arms.
Peaking
To gain large upper arm mass, you must devote heavy weights to the triceps. This is often done in tri-sets. Start with a narrow grip bench press, then move immediately to close grip skullcrushers --- or French presses --- then drive back for 30 reps with close-grip presses from the thorax toward the low belly. Make sure you have a spotter for this superset.
Role of Dumbbell Curls
Incline curls work the biceps from a variety of angles. You can curl the dumbbells from the sides, twisting them in for a tweak on the inner bicep. You can curl them straight for specific biceps development--keep your head on the pad. You can also use them in a flye, where you bring your arms out to your sides with just a slight bend in the elbow, hit shoulder level and return to work the center of the chest.
Increase Arm Girth
Increasing mass in your upper arms is going to require at least two biceps exercises per workout, and two or three triceps exercises. Don't forget to work your forearms with reverse wrist curls, and your posterior delts with side and back lateral raises.
Member Comments