15 Best Biceps Exercises

Training your biceps effectively requires understanding both the anatomy and the mechanical advantages of proper exercise selection. The biceps brachii consists of two heads that respond exceptionally well to varied grip positions, angles, and equipment choices. By incorporating exercises that target different portions of the muscle through supination, pronation, and neutral grips, you create comprehensive development that builds both size and strength.

Access to any equipment opens up strategic training possibilities that bodyweight alone or limited tools cannot provide. Cable machines offer constant tension throughout the range of motion, barbells allow for progressive overload with heavier weights, and dumbbells enable unilateral work that corrects imbalances. This variety ensures you can manipulate training variables like time under tension, peak contraction points, and stretch positions to continually challenge your biceps and drive adaptation.

Chin-up

This compound pulling movement simultaneously engages your biceps and lats, making it one of the most effective bodyweight exercises for upper body development. The underhand grip position maximizes bicep recruitment while building functional pulling strength.

Instructions

1. Grasp a pull-up bar with an underhand grip (palms facing you), with your hands about shoulder-width apart. Hang with your arms fully extended.

2. Pull your body up by squeezing your biceps and back muscles. Continue until your chin is over the bar.

3. Slowly lower yourself with control until your arms are straight again.

Rope curl

Cable rope curls provide constant tension throughout the entire movement while allowing your wrists to move naturally into a comfortable position. The neutral grip at the top of the movement emphasizes the brachialis and brachioradialis alongside the biceps.

Instructions

1. Attach a rope handle to a low cable pulley. Stand facing the machine and grip the rope with both hands in a neutral grip, with your palms facing each other.

2. Keeping your elbows tucked into your sides, curl the rope upward toward your shoulders.

3. Pause and squeeze your biceps at the top, then slowly lower the rope with control until your arms are straight again.

Drag curl

By eliminating forward elbow movement and dragging the bar up your torso, this variation places intense focus on the biceps while minimizing front deltoid involvement. The unique movement pattern creates a strong peak contraction that's difficult to achieve with standard curls.

Instructions

1. Stand holding a barbell with an underhand grip, keeping the bar in contact with your thighs.

2. Pull your elbows back as you "drag" the bar up your torso toward your lower chest.

3. Lower the bar back down along your body to the starting position with control.

EZ bar curl

The angled grip of the EZ bar reduces wrist strain while still delivering powerful bicep stimulation through a natural curling motion. This makes it an excellent choice for higher volume training without the joint stress that straight bars can create.

Instructions

1. Stand tall holding an EZ bar with an underhand grip (palms up), keeping your hands on the inner angled part of the bar.

2. Keep your elbows tucked into your sides. Curl the bar up toward your shoulders, squeezing your biceps.

3. Slowly lower the bar with control back to the starting position until your arms are fully extended.

Hammer curl

The neutral grip position of hammer curls shifts emphasis to the brachialis and brachioradialis while still working the biceps, creating thickness in the upper arm. This exercise also builds substantial forearm strength as a secondary benefit.

Instructions

1. Stand tall, holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides with your palms facing each other (neutral grip).

2. Keeping your upper arms stationary, curl the dumbbells up toward your shoulders.

3. Squeeze your biceps at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.

Spider curl

Lying chest-down on an incline bench eliminates momentum and body English, forcing your biceps to handle the entire workload. This strict positioning creates an intense peak contraction that's ideal for building the bicep peak.

Instructions

1. Set an incline bench to 45 degrees and lie chest-down, holding dumbbells with an underhand grip and letting your arms hang vertically.

2. Keeping your upper arms stationary, curl the dumbbells toward your shoulders while squeezing your biceps.

3. Pause at the top of the contraction, then slowly lower the weights back to the starting position until your arms are fully extended.

Zottman curl

This advanced movement combines a standard curl with a reverse curl, training both the biceps and forearms in a single exercise. The rotation at the top creates unique stimulus while the eccentric phase with an overhand grip builds serious forearm strength.

Instructions

1. Stand holding a dumbbell in each hand with an underhand grip (palms facing forward). Keeping your upper arms stationary, curl the weights up towards your shoulders.

2. At the top of the movement, pause and rotate your wrists 180 degrees so that your palms now face forward (overhand grip).

3. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position using this overhand grip. Once at the bottom, rotate your wrists back to the initial underhand grip to begin the next rep.

Barbell curl

The classic barbell curl remains a cornerstone of bicep training because it allows you to load the muscle with maximum weight. This fundamental movement builds raw strength and size when performed with proper form and progressive overload.

Instructions

1. Stand tall holding a barbell with an underhand grip (palms up), about shoulder-width apart.

2. Keeping your elbows tucked into your sides, curl the bar up toward your shoulders, squeezing your biceps.

3. Slowly lower the bar with control back to the starting position until your arms are fully extended.

Dumbbell curl

Dumbbells allow each arm to work independently, preventing your stronger side from compensating for the weaker one. The natural supination that occurs as you curl creates optimal bicep activation through the full range of motion.

Instructions

1. Stand tall, holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides with your palms facing your body.

2. Keeping your upper arm stationary, curl one dumbbell up toward your shoulder, rotating your palm to face up as you lift.

3. Squeeze your bicep at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position.

4. Repeat the movement with your other arm.

Preacher curl

The preacher bench locks your upper arms in place, completely isolating the biceps and eliminating any swinging or momentum. This strict positioning makes it particularly effective for developing the lower portion of the biceps near the elbow.

Instructions

1. Sit at a preacher curl bench, placing the backs of your upper arms firmly against the pad. Grip the EZ bar with an underhand grip.

2. Lower the bar with control until your arms are nearly fully extended.

3. Squeeze your biceps to curl the bar back up to the starting position.

Neutral pull-up

Using parallel handles with palms facing each other distributes the workload between your biceps and lats while reducing shoulder strain. This grip variation is often easier on the joints while still providing excellent muscle stimulation.

Instructions

1. Grasp parallel handles with a neutral grip (palms facing each other). Hang with your arms fully extended.

2. Pull your body straight up until your chin is higher than your hands.

3. Slowly lower yourself with control until your arms are straight again.

Assisted chin-up

Machine assistance allows you to perform chin-ups with proper form even if you cannot yet handle your full bodyweight. This makes the exercise accessible while still delivering the compound benefits of working both biceps and lats together.

Instructions

1. Adjust the weight, kneel on the platform, and grab the bar with a shoulder-width underhand grip (palms facing you).

2. Pull yourself upward until your chin clears the bar, focusing on the squeeze in your biceps and back.

3. Slowly lower your body back down with control, resisting the upward push of the platform.

Concentration curl

Bracing your arm against your thigh creates a stable position that maximizes mind-muscle connection with the working bicep. This isolation exercise is excellent for finishing your workout with high-quality contractions and a powerful pump.

Instructions

1. Sit on a bench with your legs spread apart. Hold a dumbbell in one hand and rest the back of your upper arm against your inner thigh.

2. Keeping your upper arm stationary, curl the dumbbell up toward your shoulder.

3. Slowly lower the dumbbell with control back to the starting position.

Incline hammer curl

The inclined position places your arms behind your body, creating a deep stretch at the bottom of each rep that emphasizes the long head of the biceps. Combined with the neutral grip, this exercise builds both bicep length and forearm thickness.

Instructions

1. Sit back on an incline bench (set to about 45 degrees), holding a dumbbell in each hand with your arms extended and palms facing each other.

2. Keeping your upper arms stationary, curl the dumbbells up toward your shoulders.

3. Slowly lower the dumbbells with control back to the starting position.

Machine preacher curl

The machine version of the preacher curl provides a fixed path of motion and consistent resistance, making it ideal for safely pushing to failure. This setup allows you to focus purely on contraction quality without worrying about balance or stabilization.

Instructions

1. Sit in the machine and adjust the seat height so that your upper arms rest firmly against the preacher pad. Grab the handles or bar.

2. Keep your upper arms locked against the pad and curl the weight up toward your shoulders, squeezing your biceps.

3. Slowly lower the weight with control until your arms are fully extended.

Summary

Effective biceps training comes down to consistent execution of proven exercises with proper form and progressive overload. Focus on controlling the weight through the full range of motion, emphasizing both the concentric contraction and the eccentric lowering phase. Having access to any equipment gives you the flexibility to adjust training stimulus based on your recovery, training phase, and specific weaknesses, whether that means using cables for constant tension, barbells for heavy loading, or bodyweight movements for high-frequency training. Track these sets in the FIREFUL app to monitor your volume, intensity, and progress over time, ensuring you're consistently moving toward bigger, stronger arms.