How to properly pump up your biceps at home with weight dumbbells

Many people do bodybuilding at home, knowing that any muscle can be pumped up under these conditions. For example, if you have a goal to build biceps, it is not at all necessary to work out with a barbell or on exercise machines in a club; it is enough to know and do biceps exercises with dumbbells at home.

Biceps exercises with dumbbells are basic, that is, basic. It was used before us, and will be used after us, because without it there will be no high efficiency. The best athletes in the world of all time paid tribute to lifting dumbbells (or other weights). In order to understand this, you need to have a good understanding of the work of the biceps - the biceps muscle that bends the arm, then the training will be many times more productive.

These are the most effective biceps exercises with dumbbells

Reference. To achieve the desired results, it is preferable to have collapsible dumbbells where the weight is adjustable. This will help vary the load. As for cast dumbbells, working out with them is not so convenient, and changing the load will require a whole arsenal.

Increasing efficiency

In order to increase the efficiency of pumping, do not forget about supersets (super series) for biceps and triceps. Don’t forget about pumping up the arm extensor – it’s very important to pump up the antagonist muscles alternately. By working the biceps and triceps in supersets, the athlete improves the effectiveness of the workout. Exercises must be alternated: one approach - one, and then immediately, without rest, an approach using another exercise follows. This is followed by very short (up to a minute) rest between supersets. For example:

The first approach is to lift dumbbells for biceps.
The second approach is a triceps exercise, for example, lifting dumbbells while sitting on a bench.

For better isolation, it is worth using dumbbell biceps curls using an incline bench. You need to do this exercise lying on your back at an angle of about 45 degrees, lifting dumbbells alternately or simultaneously.

You can also use a music stand (Scott bench), which is tilted forward. With this device, it is possible to pump up your biceps while standing or sitting. If this is not available, then something can be adapted for this purpose.

It is this scheme that allows you to achieve the fastest biceps pumping using dumbbells.

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.

Exercises at home without dumbbells

For children and teenagers, girls, as well as all other categories of novice athletes, it is advisable to pump up their biceps at home without equipment or using various homemade means.

Alexander Shestov

TRX Certified Trainer

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An ordinary plastic bottle filled with water or sand can initially replace light dumbbells.

Medical rubber (tourniquet) will also help you practice at home without dumbbells. You can successfully use it as a weak spring, which you just need to attach to something or press with your foot to pump up the flexor of the arm at home without dumbbells and a barbell. At the very least, this will be the first step in preparing the body for further, more serious training.

Supination on biceps

For some novice athletes, this term is unclear. Explanation:

Supination on the biceps involves bending the arm at the elbow not just along the usual trajectory, but with the dumbbell turned in the direction of the thumb. Two functions of the biceps are involved at once - it not only bends the arm at the elbow joint, but also supinates it, that is, it turns the forearm outward in the direction of the thumb.

This happens because the biceps tendons are attached at an angle, and if there is a need to rotate the forearm outward, this is to some extent accomplished by contracting the biceps. When it contracts (shortens), it pulls on the forearm, forcing it to rotate outward.

When both functions are engaged, the flexor arm contracts to a greater extent. That is why, to achieve this effect, the athlete turns his arm in the upper phase of the exercise.

A very common mistake: gripping a dumbbell in the traditional way, that is, in the middle of the bar. In this case, such “supination” will be of little use. When the weight is balanced, it will not be possible to properly pump the muscle, so you need to take it closer to the edge where the thumb is located, then the work will be more effective.

Variations of the exercise

It is worth noting that exercises with dumbbells can be performed in several ways. Each of them has a number of features. Although the principle remains the same, the execution technology is still different. Accordingly, the training program will also vary.

With emphasis on the thigh

This exercise will help to quickly pump up muscle tissue. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that even projectiles with a large mass can be used. This is due to the fact that the elbow is securely fixed, resting on the thigh. Lifting impressive weights becomes as safe as possible. The following actions are performed:

The athlete sits on a bench, spreading his feet and resting his feet on the floor for maximum stability.
Take a dumbbell in one hand.
The body leans forward slightly, but the back continues to remain straight.
The elbow rests on the inner thigh. It should be slightly bent.
The second limb is placed with the palm on the knee or thigh of the second leg.
A shoulder press is performed and the apparatus is held in this position for a couple of seconds.

All that remains is to return to the starting position and perform the required number of repetitions. Then the projectile is transferred to the second hand. The exercise is done again with strict adherence to the instructions and thus the other biceps is pumped up with dumbbells.

Lying on an incline bench

Unlike standing dumbbell curls, the target muscle tissues are initially already in a stretched position. You can pump them up on an inclined bench. You need to do the following:

Raise the back of the bench so that it is positioned at an angle of 45 degrees.
Take the equipment and sit on the prepared bench.
Turn your palms toward your body and bend your elbows slightly.
Use your muscles to fix your elbows.
Take your time and lift the dumbbells as slowly as possible.
When a right angle is reached, hold for a few seconds.
Return to original position.

It is unacceptable for hands with projectiles to hang on the sides of the body. Otherwise, you will not be able to perform the biceps exercise correctly.

Reverse grip and “Hammers”

Among the effective exercises for biceps and triceps are hammers with dumbbells, as well as lifting equipment with a reverse grip. They can be performed both from a sitting and standing position. The underlying technology should be considered. When using a reverse grip, you need to do the following:

Take dumbbells in your hands.
Place the projectiles approximately shoulder width apart.
The elbow joints must be pressed against the torso.
Bend the brush slightly.
Perform a smooth lift of the dumbbells, accompanying this movement with exhalation.
Slowly lower the projectile while inhaling.

The biceps hammer exercise provides an isolated load. If it is not felt, then some mistakes have been made. The following scheme should be followed:

Take the shells and hold them parallel to the body. The back should be straight. Elbows are placed as close to the ribs as possible.
The arms are bent and both dumbbells are raised at the same time.
When performing the hammer exercise with dumbbells, your arms are bent until a right angle is reached between the biceps and forearm.
There is always a pause at the top, after which there is a smooth return to the starting position.

Hammers can also be made in several variations. For example, doing dumbbell curls while standing, sitting and on a bench. Depending on which option is chosen, the number of support points varies. Perhaps, when performing a specific exercise for the arms with hammer dumbbells, it will be much easier to leave the body motionless.

Hammer grip

Supination

Standard exercises with dumbbells at home allow you to work only certain areas of the biceps. There is no load on absolutely all muscle tissues. True, it is still possible to achieve the desired result. For this purpose, dumbbell curls for biceps are performed with supination. By changing the position of the hand and turning it towards you, the shoulder muscles are also included.

These actions must be performed strictly according to the rules. Turns are carried out only at the moment when the angle at the elbow reaches 90 degrees. Otherwise there is a risk of injury. The wrists are rotated to their original position even before the hands are down.

Execution technique

The special technique for performing this exercise plays an important role:

Lifting dumbbells for the biceps should be done incompletely (not too high), then the greater load will be placed on the biceps, without the help of the anterior deltoid, which is undesirable in this case. The same applies to the lower trajectory of movement - the hand does not lower all the way, the tension should be at its peak. The work occurs exclusively “inside” the amplitude. At the beginning of the exercise, the elbows should be pressed to the body, and the shoulders should be lowered down to reduce the load on the remaining muscle groups to a minimum, that is, to achieve maximum isolation.

It is better to perform the exercise while standing, since it is easier to tilt the body forward or tilt it back - this increases the load on the biceps. You can, of course, do this exercise while sitting, alternating the starting position during different workouts.

It can be performed either with two dumbbells or with one. You can work on one hand first, then the other (in series).

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.

Tips for girls

Biceps exercises with dumbbells for girls are no different from purely “male” exercises. You just need to consider the following:

The weights used for exercises are much smaller - usually 1-2 kg, no more. Due to this, there can be more than ten to fifteen repetitions - it all depends on the preparation. There is no particular need for supersets. However, it’s all about the physical fitness of each individual athlete. In this case we mean the entry level. You should take more time to rest between sets.

Seated biceps curl technique

In order to effectively pump up your biceps with dumbbells while sitting, you should pay attention to several rules:

Hold dumbbells in both hands with a simple grip, with your palms facing the sides of your thighs.
Sit on the edge of the bench. Straighten up, straighten your chest and shoulders, draw in your stomach.
Bend your lower back slightly and tighten your lumbar muscles, maintaining this body position until the end of the exercises.
Take a deep breath, then hold your breath.

Correct technique for performing exercises.

Tighten your biceps, and then bend your elbows and slowly pull the dumbbells up.
When they reach hip level, begin to rotate your hands upward. At the top of the exercise (at the level of the upper chest), your palms should face the ceiling.

Advice! The dumbbells should be lifted simultaneously and at as slow a pace as possible.

Perform concentrated curls without allowing your elbows to move. They should be fixed on the sides of the torso.
When your hands are level with the top of your chest, stop for a few moments, then tighten your biceps even more.
As you exhale, slowly lower the dumbbells while turning your arms at the wrists. At the bottom point, the arms should be fully straightened and the palms should be facing each other.

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