Tips for building great biceps

Biceps are what you think of when people talk about bodybuilders or lifting weights.  For years big biceps have been envied by most men and are what really stands out on someone who lifts weights.  We are going to give you a few tips to help ensure you really hit the biceps in your next bicep workout.

The biceps are found on the front of your arm.  The biceps have two jobs to rotate the forearm and flex the elbow.  Well built biceps are what show you workout and can be seen in great form on Arnold Schwarzenegger in the golden age of weight lifting.

It was photos like the one above that initially inspired me to start lifting weights.  Below are some exercises that if performed weekly will enhance your bicep development.  These exercise are standard bicep curl exercises for people of all levels and not advanced training methods.

Bicep curls

Bicep curls can be performed with either a barbell or dumbbells.  Both arms can lift the weight at the same time or one arm at a time.  I tend to go with a barbell bicep curl with both arms working together to lift the weight.  Performing this exercise allows me to lift the maximum amount of weight of any form of bicep curl I can with a bicep curl.  I use an Olympic bar loading weights on more and more after each set.  Start with a warm up set of 20 reps of a manageable weight and build up over a few sets to the maximum weight you can lift for 6 reps.  Perform 3 sets of 6 reps with the sixth rep being almost impossible to lift but manageable.

Preacher curl

Bicep curls performed with the arms resting over a bench.  A preacher curl ensures you don’t cheat by swinging your arms to make it easier to lift the weights.  Remember you are not trying to find the easiest way to lift the weight but the way that isolates and targets the biceps the best.  Perform the same as before with the barbell biceps curl, 3 sets of 6 reps.

Above are standard bicep training exercises two of my favorite more advanced ways of working the biceps are 7’s and a bicep targeting isometric pull up exercise.

7’s

When performing a bicep curl do 7 reps coming only half up through the motion and then going back down when the bar comes up to the same level as your belly button.  For the next seven reps work up from the belly button to the top of the rep.  For the final 7 reps do a full bicep curl repetition with the barbell.  This is a great exercise to to really feel the burn in the bicep.

Isometric pull up bar exercise

Hang off a pull up bar with your arms bent and your body lifted so your eyes are at the same level as the bar.  Hold this position for as long as you can manage and repeat this exercise for three sets.  This is a great exercise to get a big bicep pump and I regularly perform at the end of a bicep workout.

For further advice and to be shown one to one bicep training speak to one of our personal trainers at Personal training studios by calling 02089603655.  We have personal trainers who are experts in bodybuilding and would be keen to help you out.

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