5 Best Barbell Bicep Exercises To Pack On Mass

Apart from chest day, is there any day higher than arm day? Positive, it is nice to bench press, however little can evaluate to a pleasant arm pump. The bicep muscle tissues are arguably a very powerful muscle group for aesthetics, as nothing beats pumped-up bicep muscle tissues bulging out of your tee shirt. Probably the greatest methods to achieve dimension and power within the biceps is with barbell workouts. Science has proven that free weights are more practical than machines for muscle progress, so barbells are important, whatever the muscle group or exercise routine. On this article, we are going to educate you the 5 greatest biceps workouts utilizing a barbell, that are all bicep curl variations. 

Desk of Contents

• 5 Finest Bicep Barbell Workouts
• Different Bicep Workouts
• Anatomy of the Biceps
• Programming Ideas

5 Finest Bicep Barbell Workouts

On this part, we are going to clarify the most effective biceps workouts to take your bicep exercise to the subsequent stage and assist these arm muscle tissues develop to a different stage. For all the workouts, you need to use an everyday barbell and add weight or a fixed-weight barbell. 

1. Standing Barbell Curl

Simply because the squat is the king of leg workouts and bench press is the king of chest workouts, the barbell biceps curl is the king of biceps workouts. The barbell bicep curl is a variation of the traditional dumbbell curl, primarily focusing on the biceps brachii. It additionally entails the brachialis, brachioradialis, and numerous forearm muscle tissues. The forearm muscle tissues embrace the flexor and extensor muscle tissues to assist stabilize the wrist and keep a powerful grip. 

Directions:

1. Stand tall along with your toes shoulder-width aside.
2. Seize the barbell with an underhand (palms dealing with out) grip, palms barely wider than shoulder-width aside. Preserve your arms straightened so the barbell hangs close to your thighs. 
3. To assist hold the physique steady, hold your elbows near your physique, shoulder blades pulled again, and core engaged. 
4. Exhale your breath and slowly curl the barbell upward in the direction of your chest by flexing the elbow. Preserve your complete physique and higher arms regular, transferring solely your forearms. 
5. Squeeze the biceps as a lot as doable on the high of the raise to really feel the contraction. Be sure you keep management of the burden with out utilizing your physique for momentum, like by swaying the again. 
6. Inhale whereas slowly decreasing the barbell again all the way down to the beginning place. Concentrate on the stretch of this unfavourable portion of the raise as effectively. Make sure you absolutely lengthen your arms to get the utmost vary of movement. 
7. Repeat for reps anyplace within the 5 to 12 vary.

2. Barbell Preacher Curl

One other wonderful barbell biceps train is the barbell preacher curl. The barbell preacher curl primarily targets the biceps brachii, with secondary work to the brachialis, brachioradialis, and forearm muscle tissues. The train requires a preacher bench, or you possibly can create one utilizing an incline bench.

Directions:

1. Regulate the preacher bench so your physique matches, so your chest is pushed in opposition to the highest of the pad, and your triceps are firmly positioned on the angled pad. 
2. Whereas sitting (or kneeling), seize the barbell with an underhand or supinated grip and palms barely wider than shoulder-width aside. Your arms needs to be absolutely prolonged. 
3. Exhale and slowly curl the burden towards your brow by flexing your elbows. Concentrate on squeezing the muscle on the high of the contraction. Preserve your higher arms nonetheless, and solely use your forearms through the raise. 
4. Preserve your shoulders pulled again, core tight, and elbows planted in opposition to the pad all through the movement.
5. Inhale and slowly decrease the burden so far as doable with out locking out our elbows. Concentrate on feeling the unfavourable portion whilst you decrease the barbell.
6. Repeat for desired reps.

3. Barbell Drag Curl

The barbell drag curl is a lesser-known motion than the usual or preacher curl, however it’s simply as efficient at constructing biceps muscle. The barbell drag curl is a variation of the straight barbell curl, the place the barbell is dragged alongside the torso reasonably than being curled upward in a linear movement like a traditional barbell curl. Regardless that it’s a shorter vary of movement, it removes momentum from different muscle tissues just like the shoulders to position extra time beneath stress on the biceps. It additionally primarily targets the biceps brachii, with secondary work to the brachialis, brachioradialis, and forearm muscle tissues. 

Directions:

1. Stand tall along with your toes shoulder-width aside.

2. Seize the barbell with a supinated grip, along with your palms in opposition to your higher thighs, barely nearer than an everyday curl. Preserve your arms straightened so the barbell hangs close to your thighs. 

• You can too use an overhand grip, however underhand is the usual and extra comfy.

4. Barbell Spider Curl:

One other nice barbell biceps train is the barbell spider curl, a novel variation with a preacher-like motion. Like all the opposite curl variations, spider curls primarily work the biceps, with accent work to the brachialis, brachioradialis, and forearm muscle tissues. The angle of the physique permits for a larger vary of movement and creates shoulder flexion. Workouts like this with shoulder flexion put extra emphasis on the brief head of the biceps. The shoulder flexion places the lengthy head in a disadvantageous place, so the brief head takes the majority of the raise. 

Directions:

1. Arrange an incline bench to both 30 or 45 levels. 
2. Stand so that you’re dealing with the inclined bench, with one foot on both sides of the seat on the bench. Lean ahead in order that your chest is in opposition to the inclined padded bench. 
3. Have somebody hand you the barbell, or take your set-up place holding the barbell with an underhand grip, palms barely outdoors your shoulders. Your arms needs to be absolutely prolonged straight down in order that the barbell is under your shoulders, however hold a slight bend within the elbows to keep away from locking them out. 
4. Preserve your chest in opposition to the bench pad always and your toes flat on the ground. Exhale and slowly curl the bar upwards in the direction of your shoulders by flexing the elbow. Be sure to hold your elbows and triceps in opposition to the pad all through. 
5. Squeeze the biceps on the high of the curl to get the utmost muscle contraction. 
6. Inhale and slowly decrease the barbell again all the way down to the beginning place, however keep away from locking out your elbows. Concentrate on the biceps time beneath stress as you slowly decrease the bar. 
7. Repeat for reps.

5. Reverse Barbell Curl:

The reverse barbell curl is a bicep curl variation the place you utilize a reverse grip in order that your palms are dealing with the bottom whereas performing barbell curls. The barbell reverse curl primarily targets the brachioradialis, which is technically not a part of the biceps muscle tissues however is essential for constructing biceps power. It additionally works the biceps, the brachialis, and different forearm muscle tissues secondarily. This train needs to be completed in the direction of the top of the biceps exercise, after the straight barbell curl and different bicep workouts, because it primarily focuses on the forearms. In case your forearms and brachioradialis are pre-exhausted, your biceps coaching will undergo as a result of they’ll give out, although you may have the biceps power. 

Directions:

1. Stand tall along with your toes shoulder-width aside.
2. Seize the barbell with an underhand grip, along with your palms in keeping with your toes and shoulders. Preserve your arms straightened so the barbell hangs close to your thighs. 
3. Preserve your elbows tight subsequent to your physique, shoulder again, and core engaged.
4. Exhale and curl the barbell upward in the direction of your shoulders by flexing the elbow. Concentrate on squeezing the brachioradialis to raise the burden. 
5. Identical to a traditional biceps curl, keep management of the burden with out utilizing your physique. 
6. Inhale and slowly decrease the barbell again all the way down to the beginning place. Totally lengthen your elbows with out locking them. 
7. Repeat for reps.

Different Biceps Workouts

The 5 barbell bicep workouts above needs to be the staple of all biceps exercises, however it’s essential to make use of isolation workouts to maximise biceps muscle progress. 

Some nice bicep isolation workouts embrace:

Isolation bicep workouts needs to be carried out on the finish of the exercise as a method to goal a selected head of the biceps, higher arms, or forearms, particularly in case you are doing an entire arm exercise (reasonably than simply biceps). These kinds of bicep workouts needs to be completed at the next repetition vary, ideally within the ten to fifteen vary, utilizing a reasonable weight that may be accomplished in a managed method with a full vary of movement.



Anatomy of the Biceps

The biceps brachii is among the two most important muscle tissues of the higher arm together with the triceps. The origin of the phrase is derived from the Latin phrases “bi” and “ceps,” which suggests “two heads.” It is because there are two biceps heads, the lengthy head and the brief head. 

1. Lengthy head – The long head of the biceps begins from the supraglenoid tubercle of the scapula (shoulder blade), which is simply above the shoulder joint. The lengthy head is the highest portion of the biceps that somebody would possibly contact as you flex or the height of the muscle.
2. Quick head – The short head of the biceps begins from the coracoid technique of the shoulder blade, which is on the entrance of the scapula near the shoulder joint. The brief head is the portion you see under the lengthy head, which runs in in the direction of the armpit. 

The 2 heads mix to type the biceps brachii, connecting the higher arm to the radius bone on the forearm. 

Capabilities:

• Elbow flexion: The principle objective of the biceps is actually flexing…of the elbow joint. The bicep’s main operate is flexion of the elbow joint to permit the palms to maneuver nearer to the shoulders. 
• Forearm rotation: The biceps additionally help within the rotation of the palm upward or ahead, which is named forearm supination. 
• Stabilizer: The final main objective of the biceps is to stabilize the shoulder joint. This primarily applies to the lengthy head of the biceps as a result of it begins on the scapula. Stabilization is particularly essential for overhead actions or lifting heavy gadgets. 

Accent Muscle tissues

Each train that targets the biceps additionally entails the brachialis and brachioradialis as a result of these muscle tissues work in unison with the biceps throughout elbow flexion. Though they are not technically a part of the identical muscle group, they’re carefully associated. 

• Brachialis: The brachialis, a muscle beneath the biceps, is the strongest elbow flexor. It begins on the backside of the humerus (higher arm bone) and connects to the ulna bone of the forearm. 
• Brachioradialis: The brachioradialis is the lengthy muscle on the lateral (outer) facet of the forearms that helps flex the elbow, particularly from a semi-pronated or impartial grip. You’ll be able to see this muscle flexed throughout any curling train.

Forearm muscle tissues are divided into two classes:

1. Anterior forearm flexors
2. Posterior forearm extensors

Forearm flexors are on the palm facet (anterior) of the arm and assist to flex the wrist and fingers, in addition to forearm pronation. The forearm extensors are on the again of the forearm (posterior) and assist to increase the wrist and fingers, in addition to forearm supination. All of those forearm muscle tissues play a key position in sustaining grip power and stabilizing the wrists through the barbell curl and different curl variations.



Programming Ideas

1. Barbell workouts first: Analysis has proven that coaching massive muscle teams with compound actions is more practical first, then progressing to smaller muscle tissues.¹ An instance is coaching the forearms final after your biceps exercise. That is additionally why you must do barbell workouts first, then progress to machines or isolation actions, just like the dumbbell curl. You need your muscle tissues to be recent for a very powerful workouts. 
2. Kind > Weight: Whereas true for any muscle group, it is particularly essential when coaching biceps to deal with type reasonably than heavy weights. You’ll make considerably higher progress when you use lighter weights with a full vary of movement in a managed method reasonably than utilizing heavier weights with dangerous type. The biceps are small muscle tissues; they do not want excessive resistance to develop. 
3. Hand place: Hand positioning is essential when coaching any muscle group, particularly for a bicep train. Research have proven considerably extra muscular exercise of the brachioradialis throughout elbow flexion with an overhand (pronated) grip in comparison with a impartial or underhand (supinated) grip.²  Any bicep curl with an overhand (pronated) grip primarily works the brief head, whereas underhand targets the lengthy head of the biceps. Workouts just like the hammer curl that make the most of a impartial grip (palms dealing with one another) primarily hit the brachialis.



Outro

Biceps coaching is crucial for constructing arm muscle tissues and general upper-body improvement. Relying in your routine cut up, you possible do the bicep exercise as a part of an arm exercise or higher physique day. No matter if you practice, your bicep exercise needs to be centered across the barbell curl and different barbell exercises. A number of the best biceps workouts embrace the barbell curl, preacher curl, drag curl, spider curl, and reverse barbell curl. 

If you would like greater biceps, add these workouts to your biceps exercise and carry out the compound barbell lifts first, then isolation workouts on the finish to sculpt missing areas of the higher arms. Concentrate on having good type with a full vary of movement the place you possibly can squeeze the contraction as a lot as doable reasonably than ego lifting with dangerous type. Lastly, take note of your hand positions and alter them often to construct an entire bicep muscle. 

References

1. Sheikholeslami-Vatani, Dariush, et al. “Comparability of the Results of Resistance Train Orders on Variety of Repetitions, Serum IGF-1, Testosterone and Cortisol Ranges in Regular-Weight and Overweight Males.” Asian Journal of Sports activities Drugs, vol. 7, no. 1, 1 Mar. 2016, https://doi.org/10.5812/asjsm.30503.

2. Kleiber, Tim, et al. “Muscular Coordination of Biceps Brachii and Brachioradialis in Elbow Flexion with Respect to Hand Place.” Frontiers in Physiology, vol. 6, 6 Aug. 2015, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4526813/, https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2015.00215.