The 6 best exercises: we have a list of the best biceps exercises for you

In the last part of our series focusing on the best exercises for individual muscle parts, we will look at the biceps brachii or biceps. This is the first muscle that most gym newbies pay attention to, but it's definitely not forgotten by more experienced athletes either. A proper biceps is, in short, a kind of symbol of strength sports and there is no doubt that visually it contributes very significantly to the overall aesthetics of the figure. Although biceps exercises are usually not too demanding in terms of technique, there is always room for error. That's why today we're going to break down the exercises in detail, focus on their correct technique and also show the most common mistakes.

Bicep lift with one arm

The absolutely basic exercise that should never be mistakent in any strength athlete's repertoire is the biceps lift with single arms. This exercise can perfectly target both heads of the biceps and, due to the large number of different variations, you won't get tired of it. If you could only do one exercise for the rest of your life for the biceps, biceps raises with single arms should be your choice. The specific variation is up to you, but we're going to focus on the dial-up variation belowm of the wrist during the movement, which loads the biceps along its entire length. This is because contraction of the biceps does not only involve bending the arm at the elbow, but also supinating or rolling the wrist outward away from the body. Therefore, to exercise the biceps to its maximum range of motion, you must also rotate the wrist in addition to the actual flexion of the arm.

Correct execution

Sit upright on a bench and hold one dumbbell in each hand in a neutral position, i.e. with your wrist facing your body. Then, using a biceps contraction, lift one arm in a smooth motion while gradually rotating it out to the side. Hold for a moment at the top. Then lower the arm to the starting position in a controlled manner and repeat the process with the other arm. In the lower phase, you do not need to fully extend your arm, but keep it slightly bent. This will keep the biceps under constant tension even when you perform the repetition with the other arm. Keep your elbows close to your body at all times.

What to watch out for

A very common mistake is to extend the elbows forward. In the top phase, this allows you to get the barbell a little higher, but this movement is not caused by the biceps, but by the front of the shoulders. Therefore, you don't need to lift the barbell up to face level, but instead only perform the movement to the extent that you don't need to engage any other muscles. Another widespread mistake is to help yourself by swinging your body in various ways or by swinging. For this reason, we recommend that you perform the exercise seated, as this gives you less opportunity to unconsciously help yourself.

Other variations

From the above, in addition to the seated variant, there is also the option of performing the exercise standing. In addition to the biceps pull-up with a dial, it is also possible to include a variant with the so-called "pull-up" in the workout. The exercise can also be performed with a hammer grip or neutral grip, where the palms are facing the body all the time. In this case, however, there is no supination, thus unnecessarily depriving yourself of range of motion. On the other hand, you are also targeting the deep arm muscles, so it is not a bad idea to include neutral grip exercises in your training from time to time. Another option is to perform the exercise with the so called underhand grip, where the palms are facing forward away from the body all the time. Again, the range of motion is shortened, but there is much more focus on the forearms. All types of grips have their advantages and disadvantages, and it is therefore advisable to vary them with each other.

Biceps deadlift on incline bench

A slightly modified version of the previous exercise, but one that we think deserves its own paragraph, is the biceps raise on an incline bench. In terms of movement, this is actually nothing new, but the difference is that in this case the biceps is completely isolated and therefore much more pressure is put on it.

Correct execution

Sit on a bench and rest your back on the backrest. This should be positioned so that you are in a slight bend, so that when you lower your arms next to you, they will hang all the way behind your torso. Then perform biceps raises as you did with the previous exercise. Again, all grip variations are offered and can be alternated with each other. In the lower phase, do not stretch your arms, but keep them slightly bent, which will keep the biceps under tension at all times. Expect to need significantly less weight for this exercise than for traditional biceps lifts.

What to watch out for

Since it's almost impossible to help yourself by swinging your body for this exercise, the most commonThe most common mistake is insufficient range of motion caused by too much weight. Therefore, always opt for lighter one-arms and prioritise technique over the number on the barbell.

Biceps lift with axis

Many athletes prefer the barbell deadlift to the classic single-arm deadlift. Also, these are absolute classics that should be included in your workout. The advantage of the axle is that it allows you to experiment with grip width. This allows you to target individual biceps heads more or less. The wider your grip, the more you engage the inside of the biceps, and conversely, a narrower grip will engage the outside more. However, the disadvantage of a straight axis is that there is quite a lot of pressure on the wrist during the exercise. Therefore, it is advisable to try, for example, the EZ axis, which, thanks to its curvature, allows the wrist to be in a much more comfortable position.

Correct execution

The starting position is standing with a slight straddle and with the axle in your hands. It is important to keep your mid-body braced at all times and avoid unnecessary swaying of the torso. Grasp the axis at shoulder width (or otherwise if you want to target individual biceps heads) and lift it as high as your range of motion allows in a smooth motion. Again, the elbows should remain close to the body at all times and should not be extended in front of the body. Do not overstretch the arms at the bottom phase so that the biceps are under constant load.

What to watch out for

Very often it happens that in the upper phase there is a slight tilt, which one helps oneself. However, this should be avoided and you should stand straight and firm at all times.

Biceps lift on Scott bench

The Scott bench press is the best exercise for people who have a problem withconstantly helping themselves with all sorts of torso swaying or arm swinging. This is not possible on the Scott Bench, as there is complete isolation of the biceps. On the Scott bench, in addition to the axle, it is also possible to use one-handed handles, both of which we can highly recommend. Especially for beginners, we recommend choosing a lower load, as it is a relatively difficult exercise and too much weight can cause unpleasant injuries.

Correct execution

Sit on the seat and place your hands on the armrest. Contracting your biceps, lift the dumbbell in an arcing motion as high as your range of motion will allow. Then lower the dumbbell in a controlled manner. Definitely do not lower the dumbbell in an uncontrolled manner, as this could cause your arm to overstretch at the bottom and result in injury.

What to watch out for

Scott's bench will only do its job if you rest both hands on it at all times, the full length of the bench from shoulder to elbow. If you lift and bend at various times, the biceps involvement will be significantly less.

Biceps lifts on the pulley

An alternative to classic biceps lifts are pulley lifts. The advantage is the ability to experiment with different handles, as each allows for a slightly different grip. Another great advantage is that on the pulley the muscles involved are constantly under load, even in the lower phase of the exercise.

Correct execution

Grasp the handle of the bottom pulley and step away from it slightly. This will allow the pulley to be lifted even in the lower phase when your arms are extended. Grasp the handle at shoulder width (or however you see fit) and pull it towards you by contracting your biceps. Then lower your arms down in a controlled manner. The same rules apply here as with classic biceps lifts: keep your elbows close to your body at all times and keep your arms slightly bent at the bottom so that they are under constant pressure.

What to watch out for

Avoid unnecessary rocking and other movements that make the exercise easier to perform.

Concentrated biceps lift

The concentrated biceps lift is another exercise that isolates the biceps and makes it almost impossible to help yourself. Arnold Schwarzenegger, for example, was a big proponent of this exercise, which in itself suggests that it's probably not a bad idea to give it a shot. The concentrated biceps raise is a suitable alternative for those of you who don't have a Scott bench at your disposal.

Proper execution

The starting position is sitting on a bench with your legs spread. The hand holding the dumbbell is with the elbow locked on the knee. Contract the biceps to lift the dumbbell up in an arcing motion. In the upper phase, it is advisable to squeeze the biceps as much as possible and then lower the dumbbell in a controlled manner. As with the previous exercises, do not fully extend the arm.

What to watch out for

Although it is difficult to help yourself during this exercise, sometimes it is possible toyou may find that there is a tendency to tilt at the top of the exercise. This should be avoided, of course, as there is less biceps involvement in such a situation.

Biceps lift on the machine

The last exercise worth paying attention to is biceps raises on a special machine.You won't find these in every gym, of course, but it is a fairly common thing that you will come across quite often. The advantage of this machine is that it makes it impossible to help yourself with any other movement. This makes it possible to exercise to failure, which is undoubtedly welcomed by many athletes.

Proper execution

First of all, you need to set up the machine correctly. This applies especially to the seat or other adjustable parts of the machine. Once you have the machine set up so that you can comfortably perform the exercise on it in its entirety, sit down and grasp the handles in your hands. Contract your biceps then lift the handles up, hold for a moment, and then lower them down in a controlled manner. All the while, your elbows should not lift off the rests that are designed for them.

What to watch out for

The most common mistake when performing this exercise is lifting the elbows from the armrests, resulting in involvement of the front of the shoulders.

And that's it for today from our side. However, if you have any questions about the article, please contact us in the comments and we'll be happy to answer them.