11 Best Bicep Curl Variations for Huge Arms

Hello Guys, Thanks for visiting our website. Today we will discuss “Best Bicep Curl Variations for Huge Arms”. Bicep Curl is a strength training exercise that primarily works the biceps muscle. So without wasting more time let’s move further and learn more about Bicep Curl variations.

Do a biceps curl if you want big arms. If you want bigger arms, incorporate some curl variations into your upper body workout. Your biceps brachii (the official name for that large, thick muscle on the ventral portion of your upper arm) responds best to a combination of strengthening exercises.

Small changes, such as changing the wrist position or source of resistance, allow you to target your arms from new angles, emphasizing different muscles within your arms. That means more strength and size over time.

Working through a variety of bicep curl variations will target all of the muscles in your arms, including those you might overlook if you only do standard bicep curls, which involve holding a dumbbell with an underhand grip, keeping your elbows at your sides, and bringing the weight up towards your chest. Changing variations is a good way to encourage muscle stimulation and reap the benefits of novelty.

Learning new exercises will make your workouts more interesting, which is always a plus. Try these Eleven bicep curl variations to spice up your workout routine.

Dumbbell Biceps Curl

Because many gym goers were first introduced to this variation before any other, this bicep curl is widely regarded as the standard bicep curl. The dumbbell curl is a simple lift and thus a beginner-friendly exercise that should be on the list of any gym newbie. Begin with light dumbbells to ensure that you engage the correct muscle groups for the exercise.

Steps to Follow

• Holding both dumbbells in each hand, stand tall.
• Make sure your palms are facing up.
• Curl the dumbbells as high as you can while keeping your biceps tight.
• After contracting your biceps, return to your starting position.

Kettlebell Curl

Instead of dumbbells, try kettlebells with arm curls this week! The curling motion, particularly the top contracted-to-chest position, is significantly tenser with kettlebells due to their design. As a result, greater motor unit activation and muscle fiber innervation occur.

Kettlebells can be used to perform biceps curls in an unusual manner. The technique for kettlebell curls is similar to that of dumbbell curls, but because the weight is under your hand, the lower part of your biceps and forearms will feel more tension. When using kettlebells, you may find it easier to perform hammer curls by turning your hand so that your palm faces inward.

Steps to Follow

• Hold two kettlebells by your sides with an underhand grip.
• Curve the kettlebells toward your shoulders.
• Curl your biceps until they are pressed against the undersides of your forearms.
• Hold the contraction for a few seconds, then gradually lower the weights until your elbows are fully extended.
• Rep until you’ve completed the desired number of reps.

Hammer Curl

Hammer curls are a great way to target the “outer head” of the biceps while strengthening your biceps and forearms.

Hammer curls indirectly work the brachioradialis as well as the short head. You can do these by bringing the dumbbell across your body to the opposite shoulder, or you can start with a neutral grip, palms facing each other. Antoian prefers the second option. “Be cautious of how much weight you use during this exercise,” he advises. “You can easily injure your wrist if you go too heavy.”

Steps to Follow

• Maintain a tall posture with your spine straight, shoulders back, and chest proud.
• Maintain a hip-width distance between your feet, toes forward, and knees slightly bent. Throughout your sets, keep your chin tucked.
• Hold one dumbbell in each hand, arms at your sides, palms facing forward.
• Tension your shoulders, engage your core, and spread your weight evenly across your feet.
• Maintain a soft bend in your elbow and an unlocked wrist.
• Bend your elbows and raise the dumbbells towards your shoulders while keeping your shoulders and upper arms still. Your lower arms should touch your upper arms, and your biceps should tighten.
• For a second, hold the tension in your bicep. Hinge your elbow and return to the starting position with the dumbbell.

Barbell Curl

Avoid swinging or converting these into cheat curls by keeping your upper body stationary as you curl the weight toward your chest. “It’s a classic go-to movement for increasing biceps strength,” Expert says. “When you first start out, use a neutral grip, and change your grips from wider to narrower as you progress.”

You can also do these with an EZ bar, which is known as EZ-bar curls. Which part of the biceps you work depends on where you grip in either variation. “It’s an inverse property,” he explains further. “An inside grip works the outside of the biceps, while an outside grip works the inside of the grip.

Steps to Follow

• Grip a barbell about shoulder width apart with an underhand grip (palms facing up).
• Stand tall with your back straight, feet together (for stability, one foot back may be more comfortable), and arms fully extended.
• The bar should not come into contact with your body.
• Curl the bar slowly up while keeping a forward gaze, tucked-in elbows, and perfect body stillness.
• Squeeze your biceps tightly at the top of the exercise. Then, gradually return it to the starting position.
• Rep as many times as necessary.

Reverse Curl

Both the forearms and the biceps are worked during standard biceps workouts such as curls, but the reverse curl is an excellent technique for emphasizing the forearms. Turning the palms in during a reverse curl allows the forearms to do the majority of the work while the biceps help out.

Anyone who participates in sports that require forearm and grip strength, such as golf, baseball, or tennis, will benefit greatly from this technique.

Steps to Follow

• Assume a standard bicep curl stance: spine erect, chest forward, shoulders back. Keep your knees slightly bent and your feet firmly planted on the floor.
• Take a shoulder-wide grip on the bar. In a reverse grip, your hands should go over the top of the bar, with your knuckles on top.
• As you engage your core and curl the bar up with your biceps, keep your elbows close to your sides.
• Maintain arm tension before lowering the bar back to the starting position.

Cable Curl

The biceps cable curl is an upper arm biceps muscle isolation exercise. The pulling action is done with a cable machine and is appropriate for beginners. This exercise can be used as part of a muscle-building program for the upper body.

Cable curls work the same muscle groups as a standard bicep grip but put less strain on the wrist. It is one of the best exercises for isolating and activating the biceps. Because cable machines provide constant arm tension regardless of arm position during the range of motion, it increases the likelihood of muscle hypertrophy. This bicep variation is suitable for gym newcomers due to the ease of use of the machine.

Steps to Follow

• Connect the pulley to a straight or EZ bar. Place it on the machine’s lowest platform.
• Hold the bar with an underhand grip, tucking it between your thighs. Adjust your stance by holding your arms in front of you. Maintain a straight spine, feet shoulder-width apart, and a forward gaze.
• Exhale, engage your core, and use your bicep muscle to curl the bar towards your shoulders. Maintain control of your movements.
• Inhale as you return the bar to its starting position. Maintain tension on the cable throughout the length of your sets.

Incline Dumbbell Curl

The incline dumbbell curl is a dumbbell curl variation that is used to build bigger biceps.

The biceps is a tricky (and fun) muscle to target, and varying your incline can help you manipulate the range of motion for a tighter contraction or deeper stretch.

The incline dumbbell curl extends the negative portion of the dumbbell curl, resulting in a deeper stretch of the biceps muscle tissue.

Dumbbell curl variations are popular with lifters who want to improve their aesthetics because direct arm work has limited carryover into maximum strength.

Steps to Follow

• Set the angle of the incline bench to 45-65 degrees.
• Straighten your back while holding the dumbbells in each hand with a supinated or palms-up grip.
• Curl the dumbbells as high as you can while keeping your biceps tight.
• After contracting your biceps, return to your starting position.
• Repeat.

Zottman Curl

When it comes to working out, there are numerous exercises that can be performed to target specific muscles. But there are times when you just want an exercise that gives you a little bit of everything. This is where Zottman curls come into play. Zottman curls are an excellent all-around arm exercise.

This curl combines the traditional bicep curl and the reverse curl into a fantastic two-in-one movement. You’ll be able to target the biceps and brachialis with normal-style (wrists supinated) curls while also hammering your forearms with the reverse curl portion.

Steps to Follow

• Hold one dumbbell in each hand and stand tall. Assume your standard bicep curl stance.
• Curl the weight up to your shoulders while keeping your upper arms and shoulders still. Rotate your grip so that your palms face outward without pausing.
• Hold for a second before lowering the weight slowly, making sure to rotate the wrists so the palms face forward again.
• Rep until you’ve completed the desired number of reps.

Preacher Curl

The preacher curl is a variation on the biceps curl. It is an isolation bicep exercise in which you practice your lifting form with a controlled movement supported by a preacher bench. Preacher curls are performed by sitting on a preacher bench with your armpits on top of the arm pad. This slanted surface will provide support for your arms as you lift a barbell or an EZ bar.

Steps to Follow

• Adjust the seat height of the preacher bench so that your upper arms and chest rest on the pad as you sit.
• Lean forward and place the EZ bar on the front bar rest with an underhanded grip about shoulder-width apart.
• Extend your arms and maintain a neutral wrist position. Tuck in your chin.
• Squeeze your biceps and bend your elbows as you lift the bar to shoulder level.
• Maintain contact between the upper arms and the pad throughout the entire workout.
• After slowly lowering your arms to the starting position, reset and repeat.

Concentration Curl

The concentration curl has a limited range of motion, which allows it to isolate and focus on activating the bicep muscles. This allows you to concentrate on the bicep heads and brachialis concentric contraction. This results in bigger muscles in a short amount of time.

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When doing a concentration curl, you isolate the bicep muscle to build strength and definition. Sit with your back against a bench and a weight in one hand to perform this exercise. The weight is then curled towards your shoulder while maintaining a firm grip throughout the movement.

Steps to Follow

• Choose the desired weight from the rack and sit upright on a flat bench.
• Hinge forward and place your elbow close to the base of your knee. To stabilize yourself, place your free hand on the opposite knee.
• Take a deep breath and curl the dumbbell towards your shoulder with a supinated (palms facing up) grip.
• Slowly lower the weight back to the starting position once the bicep has been fully shortened.
• Repeat on both sides for the desired number of repetitions.

21s Bicep Curl

You’re doing three sets of seven curls for a total of 21 reps. “Do these first in your workout,” says Antoian. “They’re an excellent overall mass builder because they hit every angle of the biceps… but they’re also exhausting.” Beginners should start with two sets and gradually increase the number of sets.

Steps to Follow

• Begin with extended arms and an underhand grip.
• Bring the weight up and flex the elbow until it reaches a 90-degree angle.
• Return the weight to the starting position by extending the arm. Perform seven repetitions in this manner.
• Beginning with the elbows at a 90-degree angle, move the weight towards the shoulder until maximum elbow flexion is achieved.
• Begin extending the arm and lowering the weight back to the starting position of 90 degrees. Perform seven repetitions in this manner. Finally, perform seven full range of motion repetitions from full arm extension to full elbow flexion right away.

Final Verdict

Nothing beats a pair of massive, bulging arms. And there’s nothing better than knowing you’re the proud owner of those arms. Strong arms and shoulders can assist you in lifting heavy objects, performing difficult tasks, and remaining active as you age. In other words, they are necessary for living a healthy and happy life.

While there are numerous biceps and shoulder exercises, the biceps curl is the most common. However, as time passes, you will need to spice up the bicep curls, as discussed in the article.

These 11 bicep curl variations for huge arms are simple to perform and provide numerous benefits. So, give them a shot and watch your biceps and shoulders improve.

FAQs

Q. Do bicep curls help you gain muscle?

The bicep curl is an excellent muscle-building exercise. It makes no difference how you do them; just make sure your body has enough energy to build muscles.

Q. How many curls should I do in a single workout?

The number of curls you should do per workout depends on your fitness level, goals, and the specific type of curl you are performing. A general guideline for beginners is to start with 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps, with a moderate weight that allows you to complete the last rep with proper form.

As you become more advanced, you can increase the number of sets and reps, and use heavier weights. It’s always best to consult with a personal trainer or experienced fitness professional to develop a workout plan that is tailored to your individual needs and goals.

Q.  What muscles do curls work?

Curls, also known as bicep curls, are a strength training exercise that primarily works the biceps muscle, located in the front of the upper arm. The biceps are responsible for flexing the elbow, and curls work the biceps by contracting the muscle as you lift the weight toward your shoulder. Additionally, curls also work the muscles in the forearm, which are responsible for gripping the weight.

It’s important to note that curls are an isolation exercise, which means that they only target the biceps muscles. To make sure you have a well-rounded workout, you should also include exercises that target other muscle groups, such as the triceps, shoulders, back, and legs, in your workout routine.

Q.  Is it okay to train shoulders and biceps together?

Yes, training shoulders and biceps at the same time is generally acceptable. Both the shoulders and the biceps are upper-body muscle groups, and training them together can save time while increasing the overall volume of work done in a workout.