For many men the quickest way to make an impression when starting bodybuilding is by working on the biceps. Often the first goal is to have bigger biceps, and as biceps often respond quicker to weight training, and curls are also a very easy exercise to perform at home as well as in the gym, biceps are often the first major success in a weight training program. Also, as men do not have much fat on the upper arms, definition is seen quicker. So, how do you build a bigger set of “guns”?

Biceps Training:

To work the biceps one, or a combination of the following is best:

1. Dumbbells
2. Barbell
3. E-Z bar (also known as a “Bent bar”)
4. Cable machine
5. Biceps curling machine

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Five Tips For Bigger Biceps:

Arnold’s biceps were very impressive. Here are his five top tips for building bigger and better defined biceps:

1. Variety Switch around, using barbells, dumbbells and cables.
2. Isolation Don’t get help from the delts, lower back or other bodyparts when training biceps. Don’t swing the weight.
3. Full range of motion As this implies, move the weight in a controlled but complete fashion, unless you’re using an intensity movement for a shock session.
4. Find the groove Locate the natural line of motion for each movement.
5. Total concentration Don’t let your mind wander. Always fixate on the movement and the feeling in the muscle.

Although the exercises differ, a common factor of each is a ‘curling’ motion, where a weight—attached to an item of equipment listed above—is moved through an arc, primarily using the strength of the biceps. The biceps is contracted to lift the weight upward through the arc, to a point where further movement is not possible. The biceps is then extended, lowering the weight back through the arc, to the start position. This contraction and extension together constitute a single repetition.

Bicep Curl Video Tutorial

For example, when performing a biceps curl with a barbell, stand straight, with feet a few inches apart, grasping the bar with an underhanded grip and curling the bar upwards and inwards towards the upper part of the arms. Elbows should be kept close to the body. The biceps should be flexed when the bar has reached the top of its journey. Lower the bar slowly and with control.