Strength training enthusiasts often want to build the bigger muscles like biceps. Well defined biceps will not only improve the visual appearance of your body but you also use them while performing any function which required to pull or lift something. Yet, gaining biceps strength isn’t as easy as a few curls. This happens thanks to good form, specific movements, gradual progressions and rest. So, here in this guide you will find effective strategies for stronger biceps.
Know Your Biceps Anatomy
It is important to know the anatomy of your biceps before starting to do any workout routines. The biceps (biceps brachii) is a two-headed muscle located at the front of your upper arm. The main functions are to flex the elbow and supinate the forearm. Both of these movements must be involved in the exercise to efficiently target the biceps.
The Best Exercises for Biceps Strength
Barbell Bicep Curl: Such a common exercise that knocks out the biceps. Standing with feet hip distance apart, take the barbell in an underhand grip into a curl, keeping your elbows down by your side. That’s 1 rep; lower the weight back down under control.
Dumbell Bicep Curl: Very similar to the barbell curl but with dumbells. In a position with feet not so far apart, hands straightened out, palms facing in front. Perform controlled curls with the dumbbells, bringing them towards your shoulders.
Preacher Curl: This exercise removes momentum by isolating the biceps. Perform preacher curls with a barbell or dumbbells sitting on the bench with your upper arms resting against the padded piece.
Hammer Curl: More so than normal curls, hammer curls will hit both the bicep as well as the brachialis. Curl a pair of dumbbells with neutral/ palms facing each other (dumbbells will rotate to vertical for forearm position) towards your shoulders.
Dumbell curl on incline bench: This variation target the long part of biceps Hold a dumbbell in each hand, lying down on an incline bench (45°), arms hanging straight down. Dumbbell Curls Assume the starting position with your upper arms stationary.
The Importance of Programming and Progressive Overload — no secret that building biceps strength happens over time. Try to train the biceps 2-3 days a week, and recover between those workouts. Include various bicep exercises to ensure muscle fibers are hit from every angle so that growth can occur.
Both are very important because otherwise, and without progressive overload no gains on strength and muscle size can be achieved. Increase the weight you lift over time while keeping good form. After 8-12 Reps per set is the magic number, Choose your weight so that you muscle fatigues between this rep range.
Importance of Nutrition and Recovery
In order to grow the biceps, there needs to be not only lifting weights (this will most commonly build the muscle) but also post-workout nutrition and recovery. Fuel yourself with sufficient protein to repair and build muscle. Make sure you have a well-balanced diet with good sources of protein (not only from the meat), complex carbohydrates, healthy fats and always a lot of fruits and vegetables.
Give the muscles enough time between sessions to recover and grow! Sleep is crucial for muscle recovery and performance, so make sure to get 7-9 hours per night of good sleep.
Do mobility
Flexibility and strength should often complement each other (or vice versa), so incorporate stretching into your routine. In addition, add foam rolling and massage therapy to alleviate muscle soreness and aid in recovery.
With the right exercises, programming, nutrition and recovery strategies, building biceps strength is doable. However, with the right exercises, progressive overload and proper nutrition and recovery, you can achieve muscular biceps. Stay in tune with your body, modify your programme when necessary and just keep grinding longer and stronger towards those biceps!
