No matter how much has been said about the biceps, let's take a closer look at pumping these muscles. Consider all the nuances, pros and cons of training. We will select for ourselves the most important exercises at the moment and discuss the conditions for their correct technical execution.

Leroy Colbert, became the first person to create a 21-inch (53.5 cm) bicep without doping.

Leroy Colbert's biceps are really impressive, but you can do it too. The main thing is not to stop working on yourself

What is Biceps? This is the pride of a man, strong arms and a mighty silhouette!

The biceps is a part of the body that gets a lot of attention. It is the size of the biceps that men begin to boast of since kindergarten.

He's the biceps brachii. Responsible for bending your arms at the elbow and for the appearance of your arms. The external muscle, and from its shape, the silhouette of the hand changes significantly.

Many exercises work on the biceps, since the weight of the body or the projectile falls on the arms, but to a greater extent these moments touch the biceps tangentially. We are interested in exercises that work directly on the biceps.

Types of barbell biceps exercises

Best Biceps Exercises:

• Lifting the bar for biceps while standing (consider this type of training, as one of the most working and proven among athletes);
• Lifting the bar with a reverse grip (consider it as an exercise that allows your arms to look more impressive);
• Biceps blaster (aka art - blaster, equipment minimizes cheating and fixing elbows allows only biceps to work);
• Scott Bench EZ Bar Curl (consider this as one of the easy biceps exercises);

Technique for performing exercises for biceps with a barbell

1. Lifting the bar for biceps while standing. Probably the most basic exercise that works directly on the target muscle. The technique of execution in this exercise is the most important thing. Do not step back from it. Let's consider the technique in detail and discuss all the pros and cons of the exercise. For beginners, the following program is optimal:

For women: 2 - 3 sets, 12 - 15 reps with 10 - 12 kg.

For men: 3-4 sets, 15-18 reps with 15-20 kg.

1. Reverse grip barbell lift. He's a top grip. The exercise is designed to strengthen the forearm (Read :) and the brachial muscle, and it is necessary for the development of the shoulder as a whole and working out the muscle under the biceps. Most often performed at the end of a workout to “finish off” all the muscles. An essential exercise! Consider the technique, and of course - the optimal program for beginners:

For women: 2 - 3 sets, 10 - 15 repetitions with 7 - 10 kg.

For men: 2 - 3 sets, 10 - 15 reps with 15 - 20 kg.

The technique is the same as when lifting the bar for biceps while standing, but it is greatly simplified by the fact that you do not have to watch your elbows. More useful than unnecessary.

1. EZ Barbell Raise in Scott Bench... The exercise is quite difficult, but it will not allow you to simplify and shirk from precise execution. Do not abuse it if the technique has not yet been developed. It is worth learning the correct exercise with an assistant nearby. You can diversify this exercise with dumbbells. And so, we consider the technique, and the program for beginners:

For women: 2 - 3 sets of 10 - 15 reps with 6 - 10 kg.

For men: 2 - 3 sets of 10 - 15 reps with 10 - 18 kg.

Important differences between barbell exercises and dumbbell exercises.

• Exercise with dumbbells allows for more supination of the wrist. And that's not a bad workout either.

Supination- (Latin supino, supinatum turn over, throw back) - rotational movement of a limb or part of it outward.

• With alternating bending of arms with dumbbells, an emphasis on one of the biceps is possible, and this is important, for example, in working out the relief of the non-working arm.
• Exercise "hammer", when the palms are turned inward, allows you to work out additional muscles that are not active when lifting the bar.

Exercises with dumbbells and barbells are fundamentally different, and all of them, working in one program, allow you to achieve the maximum.

Exercise safety

During training, adhere to the exercise technique as accurately as possible - this is one of the most important conditions against injury. Obey the rules at the gym. Take weights that are appropriate for your training.

Important!!! When exercising for biceps, exclude other exercises! Work only by hand! Do not waste on other exercises and put all the strength in your hands. Hands will answer you!

Conclusion

Provided that all the points of the exercise are followed, proper nutrition, if you wish, and a clear goal, the hands will respond. The results will be !!! You just need to work and follow the program.

Be sure to read about it

In order to get perfectly developed muscles that harmoniously complement the sports relief of the body, it is important to perform not only basic, but also isolating exercises. And it is to these that athletes include lifting the barbell for biceps, which has its own characteristics and execution technique. How to learn how to correctly perform such lifts in order to get an excellent biceps shape as a result, read on.

Lifting the bar for the development of the biceps, or, as they are also called, curling of the arms (bench press) with the bar in a standing position, are considered quite popular and in-demand exercises among athletes. And this is not surprising, because if the technique for their implementation is correctly followed, they will be most effective in stimulating the growth of arm muscles, allowing you to pump up your biceps in the shortest possible time.

Barbell curls are the leading exercise in arm muscle health for several reasons:

1. First, it has a complex effect on various parameters of the muscles of the biceps muscle, allowing it to grow, become stronger and stronger.
2. Secondly, it allows you to pump biceps with high quality due to the optimal working range.
3. Thirdly, it provides all-round development of the biceps muscles, if you perform the exercise in different versions (using a direct or reverse grip, a wide or narrow grip and different types of bar).

In addition, if you do the exercise using a barbell with an EZ-bar, athletes have the opportunity to take large weights without the risk of a heavy load on the back and lower back, since such a bar provides a position as close as possible to the natural balance of the body. Also, the use of such a bar during training can reduce the load on the wrists while working out the biceps with large weights.

Correct technique of the classic exercise

To get the most out of your standing biceps press, it's important to follow the correct exercise technique. Step by step it looks like this:

To get the most out of the standing press for developing arm muscles, you should pay attention to tips on how to properly swing your biceps with a barbell:

• The rise of the projectile should be carried out at a faster pace than its lowering.
• It should not be allowed that when lowering into the I. p. the hand was completely relaxed.
• When the projectile is on top at the peak point, additionally tighten the biceps for 1-2 seconds.
• Using heavy weights, increasing the number of repetitions in the 1st set to 5-8 times, additionally apply the belt or perform cheating (on the last repetitions).

To develop biceps strength, you should perform a superset of 3-5 repetitions of the exercise in each of 5 approaches. If you want the muscle to increase in volume, then you should adhere to the tactics - 3 sets of 6-10 repetitions. To ensure the definition of biceps, reduce the number of sets to 2-3, and increase the number of repetitions in them to 15-20.

Features of the exercise

Bicep curls are a great exercise to do right at the start of your arm workout. Moreover, the variability of such an exercise will diversify classes and achieve the maximum desired effect.

There are various options for performing such an exercise, each of which is good in that it allows you to use various sports equipment during training (dumbbells, EZ bar) or increase productivity through the use of additional simulators (lower block, Scott bench or incline bench near a block simulator) ...

As many as eight ways to lift the bar to work out the biceps will be demonstrated in the video below by an experienced trainer and professional bodybuilder Denis Borisov.

The classic biceps press is suitable for doing the exercise at home. Any girl or young man, with the appropriate equipment (barbells or dumbbells), can do at least three options for lifting an athlete at home, which allow high-quality pumping of the arm muscles.

Exercise on the Scott bench

To perform an exercise in the gym, you do not have to be limited to the classic version of the barbell press. To increase the productivity of your workout, you can work with a projectile in the lower block or on the "prayer bench" (this is the name of the Scott bench).

The technique for performing this variation of the exercise for the biceps:

• Take a sitting position on the bench in the simulator, placing your hands on a special stand. In this case, the inclination of the body should be such that it is convenient for you to take the projectile and, after the approach is completed, return it to the I.p.
• With a wide grip, take the bar and with the effort of just the muscles of the hand, lift the projectile and bring it to the chin, while not lowering your head towards the bar (see image).
• After holding the projectile at the top point for a couple of seconds, return to the starting position without completely relaxing your hands. Repeat the exercise enough times to develop the biceps.

When choosing an option for performing a barbell press to work out the biceps, it is necessary to take into account the fact that the most difficult way to practice the exercise is the option standing near a wall or vertical support. Working with sports equipment in this position is more difficult.

As for the choice of a bar for pumping biceps, it all depends on the preference of the athlete himself, because the performance of barbell lifts with different bars (EZ or straight) differs only in the convenience of the location of the wrists while working on the bench press. The curved barbell during work allows you to hold the wrists with a slight tilt, which is more comfortable for some athletes than the large angle of position that is created when holding a projectile with a straight bar.

The training program, which includes such effective exercises as lifting the barbell (or dumbbells) for the biceps, allows you to pump your arms quickly, and most importantly, qualitatively, having received a very impressive result.

Lifting the bar for biceps is probably the easiest and most famous option for training biceps. If you follow the correct technique, then the effect of this exercise will be very large. The exercise is basic and heavy enough, so do it
you need at the beginning of your biceps workout. Its main goal is to increase the strength and volume of this muscle. The muscles of the forearm also develop indirectly.

There are several varieties of this exercise. Their main differences are the width of the grip of the barbell, the changed range of motion, as well as the position of the body - standing or sitting. Each of these options contributes to a change in the impact on the target muscles - the biceps.

It is considered the best exercise for developing biceps strength and mass. The movement also involves the shoulder muscles and forearms.

Execution technique

Take the starting position with the barbell in lowered hands. Due to the strength of the biceps, bend your arms at the elbow joints with a powerful movement (but without jerking), then lower the barbell in a controlled manner and return to the starting position. Attention, it is very important, during the exercise, at the top point of the movement, bend your arms not completely, and at the bottom do not fully unbend them, thus leaving the biceps in constant tension.

Maintain a springy stance throughout the approach. Standing on straight legs is a mistake. When doing flexions, try to keep the elbow joints on the sides of the torso and not push them forward while lifting the bar.

Lift the weight solely due to the strength of the arms, you do not need to swing and help yourself with the lower back. The exercise will be effective with full concentration. This will load those muscles for which this exercise is intended.

However, you can also resort to cheating, that is, helping yourself with the lower back, when you cannot already raise the bar solely due to the strength of your arms. This will give you the opportunity to squeeze the most out of your biceps and expose them to more stress.

But you should be careful with this technique, it is highly discouraged for a beginner to use it.

Using the EZ fretboard

Many athletes find it difficult to perform this exercise with a straight bar, as the muscles of the forearms get tired too quickly and this prevents them from maximizing the load on the biceps. The use of a curved bar helps to significantly reduce stress on the wrists and is the solution to this problem.

Execution technique

Take the starting position, holding the barbell in your hands with a grip slightly wider than your shoulders.

After inhaling and holding your breath, begin to lift the projectile up. Raise the barbell gently without jerking. At the top of the movement, exhale and, while inhaling, slowly, under control, lower the projectile to its original position.

Move only the elbow joints. At the top of the movement, to achieve the best result, you can maintain a short pause, while straining the biceps.

Lifting the bar with a grip from above

This exercise is primarily aimed at developing the muscles of the forearms, mainly their upper part. The biceps are less involved here.

This exercise is used to eliminate the imbalance between the biceps and forearms. In addition, strong hands help to strengthen the grip, and also help with execution. By doing the barbell lift with an overhand grip, the wrists will not tremble during the bench press.

Execution technique

Place your feet slightly narrower than shoulder-width apart. Grab a barbell with an overhand grip a little wider than shoulder width apart. This will be the starting position.

After inhaling and holding your breath, begin to lift the bar up, while moving only in the elbow joints. At the top of the movement, take a short pause and, as you exhale, gently lower the projectile.

Do not resort to cheating when performing this exercise option, avoid sudden movements and jerks. All of this can lead to serious injury.

Lifting the bar along the body

This version of the exercise was used by the famous Vince Gironde. Its feature is a changed trajectory of movement - instead of an arc, it becomes almost vertical. Thanks to this, the load on the forearms is significantly removed, but the deltoid muscles receive additional load.

Execution technique

Grab a barbell with a bottom grip about shoulder width apart. Instead of the standard arc lift, begin the lift with your elbows back but not out of the way. During this, you should hold your breath.

Having reached the top point, exhale and begin to lower the barbell to the starting position on the inhale along the same trajectory.

As in the previous exercise, this one should also not use chitting and sharp jerking movements.

The exercise isolates the load on the biceps and has a local effect on it. The result of its implementation is the lengthening of the lower fibers of the biceps and the formation of its peak.

Execution technique

Set the bench angle to approximately 80 degrees. Pick up a barbell and, from the position of fully extended arms, begin to lift up, while holding your breath.

At the top of the movement, exhale and, while inhaling, lower the bar to its original position. It is very important to start the movement with your arms fully extended.

Perform a barbell curl for biceps with the utmost correct technique. Do not use too heavy weights or sudden movements. To avoid injuries to the tendons, you should warm up beforehand by doing the exercise with a fairly light weight.

The standing biceps curl is one of the most popular exercises for developing this muscle group. It engages the entire biceps and helps to unload the muscles properly. The exercise is quite simple to learn, which is the reason for its popularity and effectiveness. However, novice athletes need to pay attention to the correct technique for performing this movement in order to avoid mistakes and increase the effectiveness of training.

Biceps: anatomical reference

In everyday life, weight lifting solely due to the muscles of the arms is practically not done. It seems more rational to use the shoulders, back, legs, so the biceps curl is not a habitual movement.

If you pay attention to the anatomy, you will notice that the biceps is associated with the triceps, as well as the muscles of the back, shoulders, therefore, any weight lifting is performed due to the joint efforts of various muscle groups.

The second name for the biceps is the biceps brachii, as it consists of two heads: long and short. The long head of the biceps starts from the so-called supra-articular scapular tubercle, to which the tendon is attached, then passes through the shoulder section and is located in the intertubercular groove. The second head, which is called short, is located from the coracoid scapular process.

The main purpose of the biceps is to bend the arms at the elbow and in the shoulder joint.

The technique of lifting the bar for biceps

The correct technique for performing the biceps curl is key. Otherwise, the athlete runs the risk of injury or simply facing a lack of progress. The exercise should be done as follows:

1. The athlete takes the bar in his hands, the grip is slightly wider than the shoulders. In this case, various options are allowed: for example, for variety and for shifting the load, you can use a wider or narrower grip, a "curved" bar, and so on.
2. The legs are shoulder-width apart, the back is straight. The grip is such that the palms are facing up. The starting position is the barbell from below, on straightened arms.
3. The athlete bends his arms at the elbows, while at the top point, a slight rise of the elbows upward, about a couple of centimeters, is allowed.
4. The bar is lowered down to its original position.

During the exercise, the back should always be straight. Ascending upwards, inhale, and exhale when returning to the starting point.

Getting the right weight, as well as the right number of sets and reps, will make all the difference. For example, beginners, when working on weights, perform about 4 approaches, each - from 8 to 12 repetitions, but the load can be cycled, for example, include more "strength" days, doing lifting for 6 repetitions, or vice versa, adding reps up to 15-20 s aim to "hammer" the muscles.

When losing weight and drying, the exercise is performed with a large number of repetitions, from 15–20, and is also combined with other movements, for example, it is used in supersets and circuit training.

Video: Technique for lifting a barbell for biceps while standing

Lifting the barbell on the Scott bench

Another option for performing the exercise is using the so-called Scott bench. This is a special simulator that allows you to fix your arms, which provides a more isolated movement and allows you to maximize the biceps, eliminating the load from other muscle groups. Accordingly, the implementation of such an exercise seems to be more difficult, and the weight should be selected appropriately.

When using a bench, the technique for performing the movement will look like this:

1. It is necessary to adjust the bench according to your own height and limb length.
2. Hands are placed on a special lining so that the triceps rests against it, and the arms are lowered as much as possible.
3. Next, the athlete takes the barbell from a special rack or takes it from the server. Starting position - arms are lowered down, but not fully extended at the elbows.
4. The athlete bends his arms at the elbows, pauses slightly at the top, then slowly extends his arms. However, they should never fully straighten. On the rise - inhale, on extension - exhale.

Video: Biceps on Scott's bench. Exercise technique

When performing the exercise, you should be guided by some recommendations:

• You need to pay special attention to the warm-up. The most traumatic area in this case is the elbows.
• You should start with a small weight and increase it gradually as you master the technique.
• The standing biceps curl is a basic exercise that is versatile. Beginners can limit themselves to only him, including new movements for the biceps gradually.
• When using a Scott bench, it is not recommended to use high weights and low repetitions.
• If the athlete devotes a separate day to pumping his arms, you can combine biceps training with triceps and perform various supersets.
• Athletes who have back problems can use an athletic belt.
• The movement must be carried out straight, "swinging" is not allowed. You can lean your back against the wall, then the movement will always be straight.

Biceps Barbell Lifting Records

As a rule, the biceps curl, unlike the bench press, is not regarded as a strength exercise. However, sometimes specific competitions are held in which athletes try to find out which of them can lift more weight in this way. At the moment, there are the following records:

• Derek Poundston from USA lifted 138 kg.
• C.T. Fletcher, also from America, lifted a barbell weighing 140 kg.
• Denis Cyplenkov from Russia lifted a barbell of 160 kg.

At the same time, there are many more records in various weight categories, set in many official and unofficial competitions.

Lifting the bar for biceps is one of the basic exercises for developing massive and strong arms. It is performed by both beginners and experienced athletes. It's easy enough to learn, but technique will be critical. Athletes should carefully consider the rules of execution in order to protect themselves from possible injury and increase the effectiveness of the training.

• Keep your elbows on the sides of your torso while doing flexion. Remember this position - it remains fixed until the end of the set. Moving them forward transfers the load from the target muscles to the elbow and shoulder joints, additionally engages the frontal head of the deltas - this is traumatic and useless in the context of our "biceps" goals.
• Be honest, if you want to swing your arms, try not to involve your body in the movement and work with maximum concentration on your biceps. To control yourself, you can lift the barbell to the biceps while standing with your back to the wall and be sure to "springs" with your legs (keep them bent). Cheating can be used, but only in the last repetitions and "skillfully".
• When lifting the barbell for biceps while standing, the technique looks like this: only the forearm moves, the shoulder remains "unshakable".
• Do not "twist" your hands - keep them in a neutral position, in line with the forearm. A healthy wrist is a useful thing.

Features of execution:

Grasp the bar with a narrow grip to shift the focus to the outer bundle, or spread your arms wider to reach the inner bundle. Periodically modify the standing biceps curl technique, "treating" the biceps comprehensively.

Contraindications for lifting biceps with a barbell:

If you have "prerequisites" for injuries to the lower back, do not abuse cheating (with additional connection of the body), frequent practice of this technique will very soon "exhaust the margin of safety" of your lower back.

Past injuries to the wrist joints require tighter control over the correct position of the wrists. If you cannot keep them in a neutral position, first work on the strength of the muscles of the forearms.

Alternatives to lifting a straight bar for biceps:

• Do you want to protect your back as much as possible? Try . Only in this case, it is preferable to use dumbbells - they allow you to perform movement in a deployed amplitude.
• If at the moment of flexion your wrist joints "beg for mercy", show mercy - replace the straight bar with an EZ-shaped one, thereby reducing the load on the wrists and making their position more comfortable.