How To Do Bicep Curls And Develop Stronger Arms

• Stand upright with relaxed shoulders and the feet hip width apart.
• Hold a dumbbell in each hand. They must be of moderate weight - comfortable enough to lift for multiple reps without straining the arms. If you could crank out 8 to 10 reps, you’re set for a solid biceps curl.
• Place the arms by your sides. Extend the arms fully with palms facing forward. Remember to keep the elbows close to your torso as well.
• Take deep breath and start lifting the left dumbbell with slow, controlled movements. Bend the elbow as you perform the biceps curl.
• The upper arm must remain stationary, while the elbow should not shift away from the torso.
• Curl the dumbbell until you reach shoulder level. Feel the squeeze in the biceps as you bring the wrist closer to your left shoulder.
• Lower the dumbbell back to starting position, controlling the descent to maintain proper momentum - no wild swings or you’ll just lose the benefits.
• Then, lift the right hand's dumbbell and alternate between sides, aiming for 10 to 12 reps equally.

Although biceps curl is a simple exercise, it's packed with a lot of benefits. While this exercise primarily engages the biceps brachii, it may also contribute to overall well-being.

Here are some benefits of incorporating biceps curl into our workout routine:

1. Enhances Muscle Growth

The major reason we often see people doing biceps curls is to boost muscle growth in their upper arms. Well-defined bicep muscles are a key indicator of good fitness. 

Moreover, toned biceps may enhance our aesthetic appeal and make us look more physically attractive. This will be quite handy when we want to rock some sleeveless shirts.

2. Strengthens The Biceps Muscle

This exercise is fantastic for isolating and targeting the biceps brachii. This makes the work easier for an individual who’s solely looking to concentrate on this arm muscle.

Targeted reps of the biceps curl will ultimately help to increase muscle strength. Practicing it daily would also aid to monitor progress in the biceps brachii.

3. Decreases Risk Of Injury

An underrated perk of this exercise is that it also decreases the risk of arm injuries like tendonitis and joint aches. 

When the biceps start to grow stronger with each workout session, the surrounding ligaments and tendons also benefit, further reducing the likelihood of tendonitis. This is why the biceps curl is also regarded as one of the best exercises for biceps tendonitis.

4. Helps Promote Functional Strength

Bicep curls are also crucial for building functional strength, which refers to a person's potential to do everyday tasks efficiently. This movement plays a key role in activities like pulling objects and carrying heavy loads.

With consistent practice, this workout helps strengthen the biceps brachii, making strenuous physical tasks easier to complete without fatigue.

5. Increases The Range Of Motion

While doing the curl, we’ll also be engaging the elbow joints, which could help improve joint mobility. Good mobility increases the range of motion and makes moving our arms easier and less stressful.

Moreover, this exercise may aid in rotary stability through strengthening the rotator cuff muscles and keeping our shoulders stable.

6. Improves Endurance

Repeated sessions of bicep curl workouts help to increase the arm's endurance too. By continuously lifting the dumbbells and contracting the biceps brachii, we could build endurance over time.

When our arm endurance increases, it could enhance our performance in various activities like cycling, rowing, swimming, and typing. It’s also useful for sports that rely on the arms, such as tennis and basketball.

1. Barbell Curl

In this variation, we shall be using a barbell instead of a dumbbell. Barbell curl allows us to lift heavier weights - this helps build up strength faster. So, if our main purpose for doing a biceps curl is to strengthen the biceps muscle, then this variation is the perfect choice.

Steps To Do It:

• Stand tall with the back straight and shoulders relaxed. Keep the feet at hip width distance.
• Grip a barbell with an underhand grip. Start with a light weight to reduce the risk of injuries like a muscle strain.
• Put the arms at your sides, maintaining the barbell in front of the waist area.
• Now, slowly pull the barbell upwards by bending the elbows. The elbows must be close to the torso as well.
• Curl the barbell up till it reaches the shoulder level. Squeeze the biceps at the top.
• Bring the barbell down with controlled momentum.
• Repeat this process for 10 to 12 reps.

2. Hammer Curls

Hammer Curl is the second variation on this list. There is a slight difference in our palm's position for this exercise; otherwise, it is quite similar to a regular biceps curl.

This workout is great for improving our bicep strength, but it’s also useful for enhancing grip strength and wrist stability.

Steps To Do It:

• Start by holding a dumbbell in each hand and standing tall. The feet must be firmly touching the ground.
• Now, keep both hands at your side. The palms must be facing each other - this is the major distinction point of this variation.
• Raise the left arm slowly and steadily through bending at the elbow.
• Do not twist the palms as you go upward. Keep their position facing each other throughout the exercise.
• Once the dumbbells reach your shoulder / chin level, lower the weights down. The upper arms must be stationary while lifting the dumbbells.
• Continue doing this activity for 10 reps.

3. Concentration Curls

This variation is known to isolate the biceps brachii further by reducing momentum from the moving body parts. It is fantastic for building muscle size and getting a toned bicep.

During the eccentric phase, remember to maintain a proper momentum. Moreover, do not let the shoulders carry the dumbbell - this only increases the chances of strain in the elbows and bicep tendons.

Steps To Do It:

• Sit down on a flat bench, holding a dumbbell with the right hand.
• Rest the upper arm on your thigh while keeping the left hand beside you.
• Now, raise the weight towards your shoulder. Feel the stretch in biceps as you raise the lower arm.
• Squeeze the biceps at top, then lower dumbbell back to the original pose.
• Perform the concentration curl for 10 to 12 reps.

4. Preacher Curls

This variant helps isolate the biceps effectively, just like the concentration curls. It is typically done with a barbell. Moreover, we also need a special type of bench for this exercise, so it’s generally practiced at the gym.

Start the exercise with a light or moderate weight so that our arms and wrists do not get stressed out in the middle of reps. For an added challenge, try doing this exercise with heavier weights and slower momentum.

Steps To Do It:

• Sit on the preacher bench, holding a barbell with both hands.
• Extend the arms fully, resting the upper arms on the pad. The barbell must be held in an underhand grip as well.
• Next, curl the barbell upwards and bring it towards your chin.
• Gently lower the barbell back to the initial position.
• Repeat the process for 5 to 7 reps.

5. Band Bicep Curl

Do you want to give the bicep curl a shot without using the typical dumbbell or barbell? A resistance band could also be a solid alternative. Just make sure the band is high quality so it doesn’t snap and cause any injuries.

Steps To Do It:

• Hold each end of the resistance band and press the middle part under the feet.
• The band should be structured in the form of a rectangle.
• Place the arms by your sides. They should be fully extended too.
• Inhale deeply, and start raising the band toward the ceiling. Bend at the elbow and don’t move the upper arms.
• Bring the resistance band to your chest level, then lower it back to the original position.
• Continue practicing this exercise for desired number of reps.

6. Reverse Curl

Instead of using an underhand grip, we can switch it up by reversing the palm position, creating a whole new variation of the biceps curl. The reverse curl could be done alongside the standard version to target the muscles more effectively.

Steps To Do It:

• Hold a barbell with a pronated grip. Place the weight at your waist level.
• Start curling the barbell towards the shoulders. Bend at the elbows during the process.
• When the barbell reaches your shoulders, bring them down with slow, controlled momentum.
• Perform the exercise for 5 to 7 reps.

7. Cable Curls

A major benefit of using a cable pulley machine for biceps curl is that it maintains constant tension throughout the movement. So, we should try out this bicep curl variation whenever we are in the gym.

Steps To Do It:

• Stand in front of the cable machine. The pully height should be set at the lowest possible height.
• Grab the rope handle and place it in front of your waist.
• The arms should be initially extended. This is the starting position.
• Now, pull the rope handle upwards, feeling the stretch in biceps brachii.
• Once the handle reaches the chest, lower it and get back to the starting pose.
• Practice the cable curl for desired number of reps.

8. TRX Bicep Curl

If you’re looking to make the biceps curl more fun, try the workout with TRX straps. Attach the straps properly, and we can perform the bicep curl at various angles.

Steps To Do It:

• Face the anchor point and hold the TRX handles. Lean the body back, standing in an angled pose.
• The arms should be fully extended with the palms facing up.
• Next, pull the TRX toward you through bending at the elbows. Keep the upper arms still during the entire process.
• When the TRX nearly reaches your face, release them slowly to their original position.
• Practice this activity for 10 reps.

1. Use Proper Momentum

We need to utilize proper momentum during both eccentric and concentric phases of the exercise. Swinging the weight wildly will only increase the chances of injuries like muscle strain and joint aches.

2. Don’t Hold At The Top

There may be a temptation to hold the dumbbell / barbell at the top of the movement, thinking that we’re going to further engage the biceps by doing so. However, ‘resting’ at the top may actually add extra stress to our elbow joints.

3. Maintain The Elbow’s Position

The elbows must be close to our torso throughout the exercise movements. If our elbows shift away from the body, it implies that the weight we are lifting is too heavy. We may even have a habit of moving those elbows, but we must stop this to perform the workout correctly.

4. Breathe Properly

Utilize breathing techniques to enhance the workout’s performance. Inhale and exhale properly with each concentric and eccentric phase in order to maintain concentration. Proper breathing also helps supply the body with sufficient oxygen to the brain and muscles.

5. Don’t Move The Weight Too Fast

Instead of lifting and lowering the dumbbell / barbell quickly, we must perform every move slowly and steadily. Performing the movements slowly actually helps to engage the muscles more effectively.