When it comes to building impressive biceps, many lifters default to traditional exercises like the barbell curl. While these staples are effective, focusing solely on them can limit your gains. Sometimes, the biceps plateau – and that’s where underrated exercises come into play. Incorporating lesser-known movements can target different parts of the biceps and stimulate new growth. This article will cover four underrated exercises that you probably aren’t doing, but should be, to force those biceps into growth mode.
Incorporating variety into your workout isn’t just about preventing boredom; it’s essential for activating all areas of the muscle. If you want fuller, stronger biceps, it’s time to step out of your comfort zone. Let’s explore these exercises that could be the key to smashing through your current barriers and seeing the gains you’ve been working for.
Why Your Biceps Growth May Be Stalled
Before diving into the exercises, it’s important to understand why biceps growth can sometimes hit a wall. Here are a few common reasons:
- Overuse of standard movements: Relying on the same exercise routines can result in the muscles adapting, reducing the impact on growth.
- Lack of eccentric focus: The biceps benefit greatly from eccentric (lowering) phases, which are often underutilised.
- Neglecting secondary muscles: The biceps don’t work in isolation, and failure to strengthen surrounding muscles can limit progress.
Understanding these principles helps set the stage for why these underrated exercises can lead to better results.
1. Reverse-Grip Curl
Why It’s Effective:
The reverse-grip curl, also known as the reverse bicep curl, is an underrated exercise that not only targets the biceps brachii but also heavily activates the brachialis and brachioradialis muscles. These muscles lie beneath the biceps and contribute to arm thickness. A stronger brachialis pushes the biceps up, making them appear larger.
How to Perform It:
- Start with a barbell, dumbbells, or an EZ-curl bar, using an overhand grip (palms facing down).
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, keeping your elbows tucked in by your sides.
- Slowly curl the weight towards your chest, focusing on keeping your wrists neutral and elbows steady.
- Lower the weight slowly to emphasise the eccentric phase, which is crucial for muscle growth.
Key Benefits:
- Emphasises the brachialis muscle for thicker arms.
- Strengthens forearms and improves grip, which translates to better performance in other exercises.
- Eccentric focus helps break down more muscle fibres, promoting hypertrophy.
2. Zottman Curl
Why It’s Effective:
The Zottman curl is a hybrid exercise that combines both regular bicep curls and reverse curls into one movement. This exercise works both the biceps and forearms intensely, making it highly efficient for overall arm development. By alternating between a supinated (palm-up) and pronated (palm-down) grip, you target different parts of the muscle. This adds a unique challenge to your routine and helps overcome plateaus.
How to Perform It:
- Start by holding a pair of dumbbells with your palms facing up (supinated grip), arms extended by your sides.
- Curl the dumbbells up, just as you would in a standard curl.
- At the top of the movement, rotate your wrists so your palms are now facing down (pronated grip).
- Slowly lower the dumbbells in this position, focusing on the eccentric movement.
- Rotate your wrists back to the starting position (palms up) and repeat.
Key Benefits:
- Maximises time under tension by involving both concentric and eccentric movements.
- Works the biceps, brachialis, and forearms for balanced arm development.
- Enhances grip strength and forearm endurance, which can improve performance in other lifts.
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3. Incline Dumbbell Curl
Why It’s Effective:
The incline dumbbell curl isolates the biceps more than a standard curl, reducing the involvement of other muscles like the shoulders. This isolation is achieved by positioning your body in a way that stretches the biceps at the start of the movement. As a result, the biceps must work harder to initiate and complete the curl, making this exercise extremely effective for stimulating growth.
How to Perform It:
- Set a bench to a 45-degree incline and sit down with your back flat against the bench.
- Hold a pair of dumbbells at arm’s length with your palms facing forward.
- Curl the dumbbells up, squeezing your biceps at the top of the movement.
- Lower the dumbbells slowly, allowing a full stretch at the bottom.
- Keep your elbows fixed and do not let them swing forward as you curl.
Key Benefits:
- Stretches the biceps at the start of the movement, increasing the range of motion and muscle activation.
- Prevents momentum from assisting the lift, forcing your biceps to work harder.
- Encourages better muscle-mind connection, which is crucial for maximising hypertrophy.
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4. Spider Curl
Why It’s Effective:
Spider curls are a hidden gem for hitting the biceps from a different angle. Performed on an incline bench, this exercise eliminates any chance of using your back or shoulders to assist the lift, forcing your biceps to work independently. By focusing on the peak contraction of the muscle, spider curls are excellent for improving the biceps’ overall shape and creating that well-defined “peak” that many lifters desire.
How to Perform It:
- Position yourself chest-down on an incline bench, with the bench set to around 45 degrees.
- Hold a barbell or a pair of dumbbells with your arms hanging straight down.
- Curl the weight upwards, focusing on squeezing your biceps at the top of the movement.
- Lower the weight slowly to ensure the biceps stay engaged throughout the eccentric phase.
Key Benefits:
- Forces isolation of the biceps due to the angle of the exercise, ensuring no assistance from other muscles.
- Promotes a strong peak contraction, improving the shape and definition of the biceps.
- Enhances control and muscle engagement, making it ideal for adding variety to your workout.
Tips for Maximising Biceps Growth with These Exercises
To get the most out of these underrated exercises, follow these tips:
- Slow down the eccentric phase: Emphasise the lowering part of each exercise to cause more muscle damage and stimulate greater growth.
- Use a variety of rep ranges: For muscle hypertrophy, aim for 8-12 reps, but also include some heavier sets in the 4-6 rep range to challenge your strength.
- Train biceps 2-3 times a week: Biceps recover quickly, so training them multiple times per week can be beneficial for growth.
- Don’t neglect progressive overload: Gradually increase the weight or reps each week to keep your muscles adapting.
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Conclusion:
Breaking through a biceps growth plateau requires more than just doing the same old exercises. These four underrated exercises – reverse-grip curls, Zottman curls, incline dumbbell curls, and spider curls – offer unique benefits that can activate different parts of the biceps and surrounding muscles. By incorporating them into your routine, you’ll give your arms the variety and intensity they need to grow.
Remember, to maximise your gains, focus on eccentric movements, use a range of rep schemes, and ensure you’re consistently challenging yourself with heavier weights. Don’t be afraid to experiment with these less-common exercises; they might just be the missing piece in your biceps-building puzzle.
Key Takeaways Table
Bibliography:
- Schoenfeld, B.J. (2010). “The Mechanisms of Muscle Hypertrophy and Their Application to Resistance Training.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24(10), pp.2857-2872.
- Moore, D.R., Atherton, P.J., Rennie, M.J., & Phillips, S.M. (2011). “Resistance Exercise and Regulation of Skeletal Muscle Protein Synthesis in Humans.” Sports Medicine, 41(3), pp. 209-226.
- Wernbom, M., Augustsson, J., & Thomeé, R. (2007). “The Influence of Frequency, Intensity, Volume and Mode of Strength Training on Whole Muscle Cross-Sectional Area in Humans.” Sports Medicine, 37(3), pp. 225-264.
- Fleck, S.J., & Kraemer, W.J. (2014). Designing Resistance Training Programs. 4th ed. Champaign: Human Kinetics.
This content is originated from https://www.boxrox.com your Online Magazine for Competitive Fitness.