My Top 3 Biceps Exercises

A guest post by Lai Wee Kiat of Fabodylous.

Biceps are probably the most noticeable and attention-grabbing muscle group of all in today’s society. When someone says, “Show me your muscles!”, immediately the thought of flexing one’s arm will come to mind.

When that happens, will you be ready to show a highly-peaked, well-rounded and voluminous bicep? If not, it’s time to get yourself armed (pun intended). Below are my top three biceps exercises that you should add to your routine so you can be proud to flex those guns whenever the situation calls for it.

1. EZ Bar Curls

This is a very basic mass-building biceps exercise (along with straight barbell curls) because it allows you to use more weight and stimulates more muscle fibres than other biceps exercises. However, compared to the straight bar curls, this exercise concentrates more on the outer biceps (which are more noticeable in relaxed positions) and the grip is more comfortable for the wrists.

Method: Stand up, holding the EZ bar in your hands. Your palms should be facing slightly inwards, not outwards. This is your starting position. Tighten your shoulders to prevent any swinging of the body.

Curl the bar up, bringing your elbows slightly forward and contracting the biceps. Then lower the bar slowly to the starting position.

Take effort in lowering the weight instead of just letting it drop, because the negative (lowering) portion of exercises are also effective at stimulating the muscles.

Try to prevent body movements as much as possible and only move your arms. If not, the effectiveness of the curls are negated.

2. Zottman Curls

This exercise will create a deep burning sensation in your biceps and believe me, when it comes to muscle stimulation and growth, that’s a good thing. It is named after an old-time strongman, George Zottman, who was known for his incredible arm strength.

Method: Stand with a dumbbell in each hand at your sides. Twist your wrist so that your palms face forward. Curl the dumbbells up. On top of the movement, twist your wrists so that they face down and lower the weight slowly.

Then, from the bottom, twist your wrists up and repeat. Feel the burn!

3. One-Arm Preacher Dumbbell Curls

Preacher curls ensure that your elbow is stationary, therefore making it a strict exercise for the biceps.

Method: Hold a dumbbell in one hand and lean your upper arm on the preacher bench. Lower the weight to a comfortable point (if you lower it all the way, your elbow will hurt) and then curl the weight up and contract at the top.

On top of the movement, twist your wrist inwards to create a harder contraction for the biceps.

Additional Tips:

- For EZ bar curls, use a weight that allows you to perform around 8 reps strictly. Then, when you can’t perform strict reps anymore, swing your body just enough to get in a few more reps.

- For Zottman and preacher curls, don’t use heavy weights. Choose a weight that allows you to perform around 12 reps. Concentration and contraction is the key to training the biceps. Twist your wrist inwards for a stronger contraction in the biceps.

Those are my 3 favourites – what’s yours?

Lai Wee Kiat is the author of www.fabodylous.blogspot.com – Spontaneous, entertaining and informative, Fabodylous is a blog about muscle-building and weight loss tips that encompasses training, dieting and supplementation.

This post was written by...

Noel Chelliah

Noel Chelliah, ACE-CPT, ACE-LWMC, has been recognized as one of the Top Transformation Experts in Malaysia. No stranger to being overweight himself, Noel has gone through a life-changing transformation himself, from fat, to fit. In 2010, Noel founded the DailyMuscle Body Transformation Camp, which today helps hundreds of individuals exercise and practice healthier habits. In his spare time, Noel serves the community with various programs that promote a healthier lifestyle, and enjoys playing with his dogs.