Which Way to the Gun Show? Part 2 (Biceps)

Time to hit the biceps!  It is important to make sure you are working your muscles evenly.  Even if you don’t enjoy doing what seems like a million curls for your workout, it’s a necessary evil if you’re working on your triceps regularly.  You must work that opposing muscle group (in this case your biceps) to stay on track with total body strength and stamina.  Below are some creative ways to work your biceps…

Cable curls can be performed sitting or standing.  In this video they are being completed with a straight bar cable attachment.  They may also be completed one arm at a time with a handle.  If you feel like you have one side that is substantially stronger than the other I would suggest curling with one arm at a time. This will prevent you from neglecting your weak side.

The overhand grip used in this exercise is what makes it different from a standard barbell curl which is performed with your palms facing up.  As with every curling exercise, the key here is to keep your back straight and isolate your biceps.  If you feel yourself arching your back or swinging your entire body to get the weight up you need a lighter bar.  To prevent this from happening try standing with your back against a wall.

First and foremost, sorry for the annoying music in this video.  It was the best demo I could find.  Concentration curls are one of the most efficient exercises at isolating the biceps.  From this position, it is difficult to get any other muscle group involved in curling the weight up.  Preacher curls are similar but are often performed with a barbell rather than dumbbells.  If you want to try preacher curls at home try kneeling down with a stability ball in front of you.  Rest your elbows on the front of the stability ball and pick up a barbell or set of dumbbells and curl all the way up.  Lower the weight back down and repeat.

To make this exercise more challenging for your core consider doing it on a stability ball instead of a bench.  If you choose to try it on a stability ball make sure that you are not sitting straight up or lying flat, but somewhere in the middle of the two with your abs engaged.  You’ll know when your positioning is right when your abs start to burn! 🙂

Sorry again for the music.  The key to this exercise is keeping your elbows in close to your body and keeping your back flat.  If you feel yourself arching your back the weight is too heavy.  The last thing you want is to turn these exercises into “total body” curls.  Isolate your biceps as much as possible to get the most out of these exercises.  This particular exercise can also be performed on a bench rather than the ground.  If your gym has a machine that allows you to do low rows with a cable, try completing a set of lying cable curls there on your biceps day.