Biceps exercises in the gym: a selection of the best workouts for men

Good day to all men and girls! Today we will tell you how to pump up your biceps so that they constantly grow, increase in size and volume.

A beautiful, pumped up arm in men and guys always attracts attention; if a girl has huge arm muscles, then she seems manly to everyone, so note that when a girl has big biceps, men don’t perceive it too much, they pay attention, due to the fact that a man psychologically from childhood, from school, imagines that a woman should be fragile, slender, attractive, athletic, and moderately pumped up, but not pumped up with healthy arms and legs, but many don’t really care about this if she is engaged in professional sports, such as bodybuilding, then it is impossible not to have large muscle mass to achieve the goal!

Proportions and large muscle mass, large shoulders, arms, a wide back, and toned legs are the main thing in this sport; without having large proportions, it is impossible to participate in competitions and win prizes in this sport! It is a fact.

As they say, everyone’s goals are different, to have big pumped up biceps, some need it for their own narcissism, some for the competitive process, and others just so that their arms are simply strong and look from the outside! There is nothing wrong with all these goals, everyone chooses their own silhouette of the beauty of beautiful hands themselves, and how they should look.

And so let's start talking about how to pump up biceps in the gym, and let's start with the question how many times a week you need to train them to grow! Muscular physiology shows that after any training they must fully recover, rest in order to again adequately perceive the load in order to get sick, for this there must be a phase of supercompensation, without this there will be no growth, supercompensation implies super-recovery of the muscles, after which each training, after such rest , during the period of strength training, increases the potential strength of the muscles, and muscle growth occurs.

On average, after training, 3 - 4 days should pass, 2 days of recovery is not enough, during recovery, the accumulation and restoration of muscle glycogen and creatine phosphate reserves occurs, it is these 2 building materials that create this phase, after which they increase in size and volume , and changes occur in the muscle fibers, and the cross section changes, the growth phase begins, and the biceps increase in size, that is, pumping the biceps 2 times a week is reasonable 3 - 4 no!

Biceps training program in the gym for mass strength

Why is it not wise to pump your biceps 3 and 4 times, if you delve into the entire training process of the arm muscles, namely the biceps, in the process of gaining mass, or another goal, every time you come to the gym, you train about 5 - 7 muscle groups per workout , thus, almost every workout the arm muscles are tensed, in one exercise or another, for example, when doing pull-ups, or doing a barbell press while sitting on your shoulders, and other exercises, the biceps are always partially loaded.

Therefore, the arm muscles and biceps are constantly tense! And if you also train him 3-4 times a week, nothing will happen except for muscle overload, he will always be under-recovered. What kind of growth can we talk about then? Seized the moment!

Biceps anatomy

The biceps, or biceps brachii muscle, is anatomically located on the radius bone and is clearly visible under the skin. The main purpose is to bend the arm at the shoulder joint. Antagonist – triceps.

Structure and functions

Based on the name (bi is two), it consists of two heads:

Long head, with long tendon and short muscle on the inside of the arm.
Short: with a long muscle but a short tendon, which is located on the outer part of the arm.

Both heads are connected in one tendon, however, due to the fact that this tendon is located closer to the side, the biceps can not only flex and extend the arm, but also rotate (supinate) your palm.

Is it possible to pump up biceps at home?

I’ll answer briefly – it’s possible, but it’s difficult. If you want to significantly increase the volume of your biceps, then you should at least: proportionally increase the volume of other muscle groups and purchase minimal equipment (at least dumbbells).

If we are talking about not just strengthening a muscle, but pumping it up, then exercising at home without equipment is a waste of time. Maybe there will be a result, and I am sure that examples can be found. However, they could be achieved much faster in the gym.

Time relax

Few people follow this, but if you relax in the gym according to a timer, and not at the behest of your heart, the results will be more impressive.

The rules are simple:

45 second rest periods - for high-repetition strength endurance training;
One minute for hypertrophy;
90 seconds for basic hypertrophy exercises;
Anything more is for developing strength and power

If the rest time is observed, but it is not possible to complete all the planned repetitions, the weight of the weight is incorrectly selected. In this case, it is recommended to reduce it and observe time intervals for rest more carefully.

Techniques and types of exercises for pumping biceps

Personally, I prefer working with free weights without machines. I will highlight the most effective types of exercises:

Barbell curls for biceps. Starting position – feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent. We equip the barbell with our palms facing outward. As you inhale, lift the barbell, making sure that your shoulders do not move. The exercise is isolating and works the biceps perfectly.
Raising the barbell for biceps with a reverse grip. The main difference from the previous version is that the palms are turned in the opposite direction. The point of the exercise is to additionally work out the brachioradialis muscle.

Hammer curls. Or a hammer. We take dumbbells in our hands and perform curls with our palms parallel to each other (as if we were hitting with a hammer). My favorite exercise.

Lifting dumbbells with supination. The same lifting of dumbbells, only with the arm turned during the process of flexion and extension. Due to greater stretching, it allows you to work the muscle better.
Lifting dumbbells on a bench. Place your hand on the bench, back straight. We sit comfortably. As you exhale, we lift up. Do not lift the inside of your arm off the bench.

There are many more different variations of exercises, such as: dumbbell lifts while sitting or lying down, working on a Scott bench, and others. However, those that I have highlighted can be considered almost basic for biceps.

A selection of the best exercises

The biceps are the muscles that are responsible for bending the arm at the elbow. Consequently, those who are smarter have concluded that in order to pump up their biceps, they need to bend their arms, and the smartest ones realized that this needs to be done with some kind of weight in their hands. And now I will tell you which exercises are best suited for this.

We will conditionally divide the exercises into basic and isolating.

I think you know that basic movements are best for gaining mass. But the insulating ones are already suitable for squeezing all the juices out of your branches.

Basic

Let's start with basic biceps exercises in the gym.

Standing biceps curl. It can be either a straight or curved bar, the difference between them is that with a straight bar there is more load on the wrist, and with a wrist curved on the contrary it is safer. The grip width should be average, approximately shoulder width.

This exercise can also be done with your back leaning against a wall. In this case, you can exclude the back extensors from the work and work mainly only with the biceps. But while standing, you will definitely help yourself lift the weight with your back.

Still, we have seen these desperate guys, from whom even the ants are shocked, when they hang everything they find in the gym on their barbell, and then lift this weight with everything they can, while throwing their backs back so much that a little more and their heads touch their heels. So, you don’t need to do this, and the wall will help you with this. Yes, you won’t take a lot of weight, but you will do the exercise efficiently.

Lifting dumbbells for biceps while standing or sitting . There are many variations of this exercise and I will tell you about the main ones. For example, the most classic option is when you stand with dumbbells in your hands and your palms are turned inward, that is, parallel to each other and looking at your hips.

When lifting, you turn your palms so that at the peak point they look up. Can also be done without any reversals. At the bottom point, they look up okay and as the arm bends, nothing changes.

This exercise can be done either alternately or simultaneously with each hand. This exercise can also be done standing against a wall or even sitting. The point is the same as with a barbell - you simply turn off other muscles from the work and only the biceps takes on the entire load.

Hammers . This is another variation of dumbbell curls for biceps, but in this case the muscles of the forearm and brachialis are involved quite strongly. But nevertheless, this exercise perfectly increases the volume of the arm. It can also be done simply standing, leaning on the wall or sitting.

Insulating

Now let's move on to isolation exercises in the gym for biceps for men.

Barbell curl on a Scott bench . This is a great exercise that will help you work out your biceps and nothing else (if done correctly, of course). You can use different grips. If you use a narrow grip, the load will be more on the outer part of the biceps, and if wider, then on the inner. Experiment with grips and choose the best one for you.

Dumbbell biceps curl on a Scott bench . Another one of the great exercises in which you will work your biceps very well. Its main advantage is that you can do it with one arm at a time and better concentrate on the working muscle. This is also a good exercise for those who have an imbalance in muscle strength. If you are performing an exercise with a barbell and, for example, your right arm is stronger, then at the end of the exercise the right arm will take on more load than the left, which can further increase the imbalance.

TRX bicep pull-ups . This is quite an interesting exercise and no less effective, although it is not done as often. The idea is that you hold onto the TRX handles, tilt your body back (the smaller the angle between your body and the floor, the greater the load) and pull your hands towards your head, bending your elbows. The biceps will burn like hell.

Crossover curl with cable or straight handle . Another good exercise for peak contraction. The advantage of this exercise is that in a crossover, unlike free weights, the load at the end of the amplitude does not decrease; it remains the same throughout the entire movement.

The technique of execution is approximately the same as with dumbbells: with a rope you make a movement with supination, that is, from a parallel position of your palms you turn them up, and with a flat handle your palms always look up.

I advise you to take a short pause at the top of each repetition.

And now I’ll tell you a few nuances so that you can work out your future bazookas even better.

As I said before, don't wobble when lifting, do it smoothly and under control. If you throw the barbell with your back, you are unlikely to pump up your biceps, but it’s easy to injure your lower back.
Try not to “twist” the brush at the top point. I often see people bend their wrist at the very end of the movement. This does not put stress on the biceps, but it does put stress on the forearm. Because of this, you will work your biceps less and your forearm will get tired faster, so you will not be able to complete the approach properly.

Example workout

Before moving on to the actual analysis of training and exercises, I want to note one thing. You shouldn’t pump up your biceps alone in isolation from other groups. Firstly, it’s stupid, and secondly, he won’t grow up. Correctly integrate biceps exercises into your overall workout and distribute the load evenly. From my own experience, I want to say that the following combinations work great:

Biceps and triceps.
Chest and biceps.
Back and biceps.

In order to effectively increase the volume of the biceps, you should create a muscle springboard with basic multi-joint exercises (pull-ups, bench press, deadlift, etc.). Only in this case is good progression possible. If you come to the gym to work only your biceps and abs, it’s better not to come. The biceps is a small muscle that does not like long and heavy loads. By constantly “bombing the bitsukha” you only destroy it.

At home

At home, everything we have goes into battle. There is a horizontal bar in the yard - we do pull-ups on the horizontal bar with a reverse grip. There are hammer dumbbells and concentrated lifts while lying or sitting waiting for you. There are loops with belts - let's move on to rubber rods.

An example of a biceps and triceps workout at home, for those who want bigger arms:

Warm up 3-5 minutes. As a warm-up, you can use running (including on the spot), or working on an exercise bike at an average pace. I personally prefer the good old jump rope. We pay special attention to joints and muscles, warming up properly.
Pull-ups alternately, with a regular and reverse grip. 3 sets of 6-12 reps.
Push-ups from the floor with a narrow and wide grip. 3 sets of 15-20 repetitions.
Push-ups on parallel bars, which everyone has in their yard. 10-15 reps, 3 sets.
Hammer with dumbbells (or something heavy), 3 sets, 8-10 reps.
Concentrated dumbbell raises. We sit on a bench (sofa), rest our elbow on our knee and lift the dumbbell. 8-12 repetitions, 3 sets.
Hitch. Stretch well and get into the shower. You are awesome.

Remember: if you work for mass, pay attention to all muscle groups.

In the gym

If you have exercise equipment and sports equipment, things go much better. Here is an example of a working combination of exercises for a bitsuha:

Lifting the barbell while standing.
Lifting the barbell with a reverse grip.
Hammer with dumbbells.

Here is an example of a workout for pulling muscle groups (back + biceps):

Warm up. Jump rope, running, bag work for boxing fans. High quality stretch. Choose whatever you want, as long as you're hot before you start.
Bent-over barbell row. If you are an experienced athlete, do deadlifts. 3 to 6-12.
Bent-over dumbbell rows, 3 x 8-12.
Pull-ups on the horizontal bar with a direct and reverse grip alternately, 3 sets of 10-12 times.
Standing barbell lift, 3 to 8-12.
Hammer. 3 to 8-14 for each hand. You can work until failure. This is called pumping.
Hang on, you're handsome. Take a shower.

It’s not worth performing more than 3 exercises per group, especially for something as small as biceps. Therefore, integrate it into your training and use it.

Approaches

How many approaches should you do? There is a rule of 12 - one muscle group should not have more than 12 working approaches in total. This applies to both losing weight and gaining weight. For strength training, such rules do not work; there the load is measured in KPS, that is, the number of lifts of the barbell, and individual characteristics are taken into account. There are athletes who are not suitable for volume training, but there are also those who cannot train intensively and are forced to constantly adhere to medium intensity and high volume with rare peaks.

In practice, the following schemes are used:

3-12 approaches for strength training;
3-4 for hypertrophy and fat burning;
“Cross-training” and circuit training schemes for increasing strength endurance

Training Tips

Warm-up

Warm up properly, spend at least 5 minutes on this. Stretch well and get the blood flowing.

Sets and reps

The number of approaches is from 2-3 for each exercise. The number of repetitions is from 6-12. Focus on your own feelings and select the weight so that you can finish the set 1-2 repetitions before failure.

How often to pump your biceps

Two three times a week. No more and no less. We don’t overload the biceps, otherwise goodbye progress and hello injuries.

Why do my biceps hurt after training?

Muscle pain after exercise is normal. The growth process begins after the muscle is damaged during work. Through growth, the body compensates for these gaps and adds a little on top to better cope with the load next time. The pain usually goes away after a few weeks, and the very fact of discomfort means that the muscles are adapting to the load.

What to do if I can’t straighten my arms after biceps training

If your arms do not straighten, the reasons may be the following: you have rested for too long and the muscles have become unaccustomed, or you have gone too far with the loads. There is nothing wrong with this; beginners often feel this way after their first training sessions. After a couple of weeks, the discomfort most often disappears.

Nutrition and sports supplements

If you want a big bitsukha, eat a lot of protein and carbohydrates. And drink plenty of water. From sports nutrition - amino acids, protein, creatine will help you. All this will help build high-quality muscle mass.

Ultra-Volume Workouts

Imagine a long distance runner. He needs leg strength and sufficient power to work. But he doesn’t need to carry 100 kg of muscle mass on himself at all. Ultra-volume training is used when you need to develop strength endurance and the ability to function effectively under prolonged, repetitive load.

This option can use training schemes with 1, 2 or more minutes under load. A similar methodology is used to train for weight loss with mini-barbells – Hot Iron and Body Pump.

Various methodological techniques can be used:

To develop strength endurance, for example, for middle-distance running, long sets with long rest can be used;
“Losing weight” is usually prepared using various pyramids, “ladders”, and other techniques that allow you to increase the number of repetitions in the approach and extend the time under load

Tips and common mistakes

Install the equipment. Don't be afraid to ask your coach for advice or help. Watch yourself in the mirror. If you train at home, watch the video training.
When lifting barbells or dumbbells, do not use other muscles to help yourself. Shoulders should be motionless. Cheating is only possible with extreme repetitions.
Breathe correctly, exhale forcefully.
Don't chase the scales, don't injure yourself beyond measure. Learn to do the exercise correctly before adding weight.
The main thing for training your biceps is the ability to feel it and contract it correctly. Learn to do this and you will be able to process it better.
Sign up for a gym now or buy a barbell. Take care of yourself. You can’t make 40 cm biceps at home.
Prefer working with free weights to working on machines.
Rest well after training, sleep 9-10 hours. While you sleep, the mass grows.