Best Bicep Exercises: 11 Bicep Workouts to Try

Your bicep is the arm muscle between your elbow and shoulder. When you are looking in a mirror with your hands down by your sides, palms facing forward, your biceps are the muscles above the creases of your elbows. The bicep itself has two different muscles that work together: The first is the short head side and the other is the long head side. These bicep muscles are responsible for lifting and pulling motions, as well as curling objects from your hand to your shoulder.

There are a number of potential benefits to bicep workouts, and you don’t necessarily need to use heavy weights to achieve results. Biceps typically respond well to arm workouts, meaning they will build muscle mass (generally, this will mean bigger biceps and therefore bigger arms). Arm exercises usually involve movement combinations that will challenge not only your biceps but also other muscles, such as your triceps (the muscles on the back side of your arms, opposite your biceps), lower back, and shoulders.

An advantage of bicep workouts is that you can perform them at home using relatively little space or equipment. You can use a pair of dumbbells, barbells, or resistance bands—which you can find at a local supply store—or you can perform bodyweight exercises. Whether your goal is to build muscle, get into bodybuilding, improve your full range of motion, or just expand your repertoire of exercises, here are several bicep workouts:

1. 1. Barbell curl: To perform a barbell biceps curl, use a barbell with weights hung off the ends (or just the barbell alone, if you’re a beginner) to work out both of your biceps simultaneously. The standard version of this exercise can be part of your upper body strength training routine, or you can try multiple variations for different skill levels (including using an EZ bar or adjusting your grip). Start by picking up the barbell using an underhand grip, keep your hips shoulder-width apart and your knees bent slightly. Keep the top half of your arm against your side, then curl the barbell up so your hands reach your chest. Learn how to perform barbell curls.
2. 2. Bench press: The bench press is a good upper-body workout if you want to improve not only your biceps but your chest muscle group as well. To perform a bench press, lie on your back on the bench with the barbell on the rack above you, aligned with your eyes. Grab onto the barbell with your hands approximately shoulder-width apart and lift the straight bar off of the stand. Lower the barbell to your chest, pause briefly, then push the barbell back up to where you started. Learn how to bench press.
3. 3. Chin-up: Chin-ups are bodyweight exercises that engage your core in addition to your biceps and triceps and can increase your grip strength. Grab onto the bar with an underhand grip, your hands approximately shoulder-width apart. Allow your body to hang from the bar. Pull up using your biceps, keeping your shoulder blades in and your upper arms by your sides. Lift until your chin clears the bar, then slowly lower yourself back down. Learn how to perform proper chin-ups.
4. 4. Concentration curl: A concentration curl is similar to a dumbbell curl. Sit on a bench, knees bent at ninety-degree angles, with one tricep (on the backside of your arm) pressed against the inside of your thigh. Then lift the dumbbell by using your biceps muscle. Learn the proper way to do concentration curls.
5. 5. Dumbbell curl: A dumbbell curl is a standing method for performing a biceps workout. Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart. Hold the dumbbells with your palms facing out. Curl one barbell up using your bicep. Lower it back down to the starting position, then repeat on the other arm. Learn the correct form for dumbbell curls.
6. 6. Hammer curl: The hammer curl functions just like a dumbbell curl, but because of the way you hold the dumbbells, you adjust the muscles you work out. Get into your starting position, standing with your legs shoulder-width apart. Hold the dumbbells so your palms face each other. Lift the dumbbells one at a time—curl one up to your shoulder, then lower it, and repeat the process with your other arm. Find out how to properly perform a hammer curl.
7. 7. Incline bench press: An incline bench press follows roughly the same process as a traditional bench press except you position the bench at an incline—roughly forty-five to sixty degrees. Lie on your back on the bench with your eyes on the same plane as the bar, which is resting on a rack. Using an overhand grip, with your hands spaced shoulder-width apart, hold your body steady and lift the bar off of the stand. Lower it to your chest in a controlled manner, pause, then lift it back up. Repeat as necessary. Discover the proper way to incline bench press.
8. 8. Incline dumbbell curl: A variation on a traditional dumbbell curl, an incline dumbbell curl has you position the bench at an angle of forty-five to sixty degrees. Lie on your back on the bench, using an overhand grip on the dumbbells. Lift each dumbbell, one at a time, rotating it as you lift so that the dumbbell ends perpendicular to the bench. Lower it and repeat with the other arm. Learn how to properly do incline dumbbell curls.
9. 9. Preacher curl: A preacher curl uses a bar (also called an EZ curl bar) with weights on the ends to provide resistance. Sit at a preacher bench with the backs of your arms on the bench. Then curl your arms back by squeezing your biceps. Hold that position, then slowly lower your arms back to the starting position. Learn the proper way to do preacher curls.
10. 10. Pull-up: Pull-ups are similar to chin-ups, with one main difference being how you hold your hands. Use an overhand grip with a pull-up and tighten your core as you lift your body upward. Varying pull-ups and chin-ups can be a good way to work your upper body. Learn the right way to do a pull-up.
11. 11. Push-up: There are many variations of a push-up, such as single-arm push-ups, crow push-ups, kneeling push-ups, and others—the differences stem from how you position your hands, feet, and knees. For a traditional push-up, lie facedown on the ground. Place your palms slightly wider than shoulder-width apart on the floor and hold yourself in a high plank position. While keeping your back straight and legs in a horizontal line, lower your body toward the floor, then push back up to the starting position. Discover how to do push-ups.

If you have a previous or pre-existing health condition, consult your physician before beginning an exercise program. Proper exercise technique is essential to ensure the safety and effectiveness of an exercise program, but you may need to modify each exercise to attain optimal results based on your individual needs. Always select a weight that allows you to have full control of your body throughout the movement. When performing any exercise, pay close attention to your body, and stop immediately if you note pain or discomfort.

In order to see continual progress and build body strength, incorporate proper warm-ups, rest, and nutrition into your exercise program. Your results will ultimately be based on your ability to adequately recover from your workouts. Rest for twenty-four to forty-eight hours before training the same muscle groups to allow sufficient recovery.

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