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Developing the biceps is one of the most popular fitness goals. The biceps are a two-headed muscle, with a short head located on the inside of the arm and a long head on the outside. The long head is responsible for the peak shape when the arm is flexed, while the short head provides support and width. To develop the biceps, it is important to understand their anatomy and functions, and to incorporate specific exercises into your routine that target both heads and provide resistance.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Muscle group | Biceps |
| Muscle functions | Flexion at the elbow joint and supination of the forearm |
| Muscle growth | Tension, stress, or resistance applied to muscle fibres |
| Training | Strength training, progressive overload, and aerobic exercise |
| Exercises | Barbell curls, dumbbell curls, concentration curls, seated incline dumbbell curls, hammer curls, preacher curls |
| Equipment | Dumbbells, barbells, bands, preacher curl machine |
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What You'll Learn
Anatomy of the biceps
The biceps brachii, or simply "biceps", are a large, thick muscle located on the front of the upper arm. They are made up of two heads: a short head located on the inside of your arm and a long head on the outside. When you flex your arm, the ‘peak’ shape you see is the work of the long-head bicep – the bigger and more prominent bicep head. The short head is situated underneath this ‘peak’ to provide support and width.
The biceps brachii works across three joints and is able to generate movements in glenohumeral, elbow, and radio-ulnar joints. The long head of the biceps brachii tendon originates at the supraglenoid tubercle and superior glenoid labrum. The long head's labral origin is mostly posterior in most individuals, while the tendon is 9 cm long on average. The tendon is extrasynovial inside the shoulder joint, passing obliquely toward the bicipital groove. The biceps long head tendon then exits the distal bicipital groove and joins the short head tendon.
The short head originates from the coracoid process, while the long head originates from the supraglenoid cavity. Both heads unite to form one large muscle belly at the anterior side of the humerus and attach to the radial tuberosity. A fibrous membrane emerging from the distal part of the muscle (bicipital aponeurosis, also called lacertus fibrosus) inserts at the deep fascia of the forearm.
The biceps are involved in tasks such as lifting, sports involving throwing and racket use, and gesturing. They are also one of the two arm muscles, the other being the triceps.
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Bicep exercises for mass
To develop your biceps, you need to understand their anatomy. The biceps brachii are a large, thick muscle located on the front of the upper arm. They are made up of two heads: a short head located on the inside of your arm and a long head on the outside. When you flex your arm, the ‘peak’ shape you see is the work of the long-head bicep. The short head is situated underneath this ‘peak’ to provide support and width.
The best bicep workouts include exercises that target both the short and long head biceps, as well as the brachialis and brachioradialis. The brachialis and brachioradialis are the muscles that do most of the heavy lifting when flexing and extending our arms. They work in synergy with the biceps to bend the upper arm.
- Concentration curls: These are a great way to isolate the biceps. Sit on the end of a flat bench with your legs open in a V shape, with a dumbbell between your legs. Pick up the dumbbell in one hand and rest your elbow on the inside of your thigh. The opposite hand should rest on your other thigh for support. Curl the dumbbell up to your chest, keeping the wrist in a neutral position throughout. Squeeze your bicep at the top of the rep before lowering the dumbbell back to the starting position. Repeat for 8-12 reps, then switch arms.
- Hammer curls: This is a variation of the classic dumbbell bicep curl. Your palms face each other during this exercise, making it a long-head bicep exercise. It also engages the brachialis and brachioradialis. Stand with your arms by your side, holding them in a neutral grip (palms facing thighs). Brace your core, keeping your chest up and shoulders back. Curl the dumbbells up, bending at the elbow, moving only your forearms, and keeping your elbows tucked into your sides.
- Barbell Curl: This is a standard bicep exercise that engages the short and long heads of the biceps equally. You can also alter the grip width to target either the short or long head. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell with an underhand grip (palms facing up). Begin with hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Keep your elbows close to your body and upper arms stationary throughout the movement. Slowly curl the barbell toward your shoulders while keeping the wrists straight and elbows stationary. Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, then slowly lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
- Dumbbell Curl Trifecta: This is a combo of three types of curl: the Supinated Cross Body Curl, the Pronated Cross Body Curl, and the No Money Curl. The Supinated Cross Body Curl emphasizes the long head of the bicep. The Pronated Cross Body Curl emphasizes the brachialis. The No Money Curl favors the short head of the bicep.
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Strength training and aerobic exercise
Strength Training
The best exercises for building bicep muscles involve some form of curls. Dumbbell curls, barbell curls, and spider curls are all great exercises for building bicep muscles. It is important to ensure you are training all three functions of the biceps: elbow supination, elbow flexion, and shoulder flexion. This can be achieved by including exercises such as dumbbell twist curls, incline dumbbell curls, and chest flyes.
To build muscle, tension, stress, or resistance must be applied to the muscle fibres. This process is called hypertrophy. Micro-tears develop in the muscle fibres when lifting weights, and during rest and recovery, the body repairs these tears, rebuilding the muscle fibres stronger and bigger. Therefore, it is important to increase the weight over time as your muscles get stronger.
It is recommended to include between 1 and 3 different bicep exercises in a training session, with a total of 3-6 sessions per week. It is also beneficial to alternate exercises between successive workouts, for example, doing barbell curls one day and dumbbell curls the next day.
Aerobic Exercise
Stretching has been shown to be as effective as strength training in building muscle. Research published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology found that those who stretched built the same muscle thickness as those who did a lifting routine. Therefore, incorporating stretching into your workout routine can be beneficial for building bicep muscles.
Additionally, aerobic exercise is important for warming up the muscles before strength training. A warmed muscle is more pliable and will work better, allowing you to lift more weight. It also reduces the risk of rips and tears and delivers more oxygen and nutrients to the muscle.
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Progressive overload
The key to progressive overload is to increase the challenge gradually. Many experts recommend increasing weight, intensity, sets, or reps by about 10% or less each week. This slow progression gives your body time to build muscle and recover, as rest days are crucial to this process.
Another way to incorporate progressive overload is to slow down the pace of your repetitions. This increases the time under tension, which is the amount of time your muscles are under tension during an exercise. For example, when performing a bicep curl, you can lower the weight down slowly, counting to three each time. This will increase the time your muscles are under growth stimulus, making the exercise more effective.
You can also add more reps to your training as a form of progressive overload. After completing your last set of 10 reps, try dropping the weight by half and squeezing out 5 to 6 more reps. This will push your muscles to fatigue while minimizing the risk of injury that might come with adding more reps at your regular weight.
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Concentration curls
To perform a concentration curl, sit on a bench with a dumbbell between your legs. Grab the dumbbell with one hand and place your upper arm (your triceps muscle) against your thigh. Keep your feet flat on the floor and your knees spread out to form a "V" shape. Sit up straight with your shoulders back and your chest out.
Slowly and smoothly lift the dumbbell up and down, focusing on moving only at the elbow joint. Keep your forearm higher than parallel to the ground to ensure you're engaging your biceps. Only curl the weight as high as you can before you start to feel your triceps losing contact with your thigh. This will ensure that you're emphasising the muscle contraction without your shoulders or momentum aiding in the lift.
Don't let your elbows "lock" at the bottom of the lift, as this can lead to a painful hyperextended elbow. Instead, maintain tension in your bicep by lifting the weight back up before you need to lock your elbow. You can also try turning your wrist during the exercise to target a greater range of muscles. When you lift the weight, turn your wrist so that your palm is facing your torso, and then turn it back the other way as you lower the weight.
After you've worked one arm, switch and repeat the same motions with the other arm. Take a brief rest of about 30 seconds to one minute, and then repeat as many times as you'd like. You can also try a standing concentration curl for a more challenging variation.
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Frequently asked questions
Some exercises to develop bicep muscles include the classic bicep curl, concentration curls, seated incline dumbbell curls, and barbell curls.
It is important to understand the anatomy of the bicep muscle and how it functions. The bicep muscle has two heads: a short head and a long head. To get bigger biceps, it is important to work both heads. Additionally, you can change your grip width to emphasise one head or the other. For example, a wider grip will target the short head more, while a narrower grip will target the long head more.
To develop your bicep muscles, you must consistently overload them with resistance for a long period of time. This means progressively lifting heavier weights over time as your muscles get stronger. Proper nutrition, particularly protein intake, and sufficient rest and recovery are also important for muscle growth.
