If you're looking to pump up your upper body, incorporating quality bicep exercises into your workout routine can pay off.
Regardless of whether you're training to compete or simply want to work on your biceps, bicep exercises can help you achieve your goal by adding a much-needed definition to your upper body.
To help you develop stronger and sculpted biceps, we’ve rounded up a few exercises you can include in your workout routine to get great results.
Best Bicep Exercises for Men
Here’s a look at five of the most effective bicep strengthening exercises that can help you achieve a well-shaped and chiseled upper body.
Before starting any of these workouts, remember to warm up to activate your muscles, and do not rush. Start slow, and focus on your form. On that note, let's get started:
1) Alternating Incline Dumbbell Curl
Alternating incline dumbbell curls is one of the best bicep exercises to add bulge to the upper arm muscles. This exercise tones the upper section of the biceps while also helping achieve incredible muscle growth.
Here’s how to perform an alternating incline dumbbell curl:
- Lie on a bench on your back, and grab a dumbbell in each hand, with both palms facing forward.
- Keeping your shoulders and elbows straight, lift one dumbbell till it reaches the front of the shoulders.
- Squeeze your bicep, and reverse the movement to return to the starting position.
- Repeat the move on the other side.
2) Crucifix Curl
Crucifix curls are another amazing bicep exercise that can be done using a cable. To do this exercise, kneel down to maximize the contraction and gains.
Here’s how to perform a crucifix curl:
- Kneel down, and hold the cable with your elbows below your shoulders.
- Engaging your biceps, keep your shoulders stable, and engage your core muscles as you curl the cable towards yourself.
- Hold for a few seconds, and return the cable to the starting position by reversing the movement.
- Repeat.
3) Zottman Curl
The Zottman curl is one of the great bicep exercises. It targets all three muscles in the biceps - the biceps brachii, brachioradialis, and brachialis. By rotating your hand from an underhand grip to an overhand one, this exercise targets all areas of the bicep.
Here’s how to perform a Zottman curl:
- Hold dumbbells in both hands by your side, and turn your arms so that the palms face forward.
- Keeping your upper arms straight, bend your elbows, and start curling the weights up towards your shoulders.
- Rotate the weights so that your palms face forward, and slowly return to the starting position.
- Repeat.
4) Underhand Seated Row
The underhand seated row is one of the most productive bicep exercises to grow upper arm muscles. By sitting down straight and rowing, this workout allows the biceps to be in the direct line of the pull, targeting the muscles harder.
Here’s how to perform an underhand seated row:
- Hold the handles of the cable using an underhand grip, and position your hands at shoulder-distance apart.
- Slightly leaning forward, keep your spine straight, and use your back muscles to move the cable towards your stomach.
- Return the cable to the starting position, and repeat.
5) Preacher Curl
The preacher curl is another great bicep exercises. It targets the front arm muscles. This exercise helps add some serious strength and size to the entire forearm and also works wonders for upper arm stability and mobility.
Here’s how to perform a preacher curl:
- Stand straight, and hold a barbell or dumbbell in your hand.
- Place your upper arms on the pad of the preacher curl bench, and make sure to keep your elbows bent.
- Keeping your elbows slightly bent and upper arms stable, curl the weight up towards your shoulders.
- At the top of the movement, squeeze your biceps, and hold for a second.
- Reverse the movement to return to the starting position, and repeat.
Takeaway
Adding the aforementioned bicep exercises to your upper body workout routine can help you grow your biceps and produce great results. However, to get the most out of these workouts, make sure to use the correct form, and perform each exercise correctly. For better results, it's best to train under a certified fitness trainer.