BASIC BICEP EXERCISES

STANDING
BARBELL CURLS

PURPOSEOF EXERCISE: To develop             
the overall size of the biceps.
This is the most basic and popular
of biceps exercises.
 
EXECUTION:(1) Stand with feet
shoulder-width apart and grasp
the bar with an underhand grip,
hands about shoulder width apart.
Let the bar hang down at arm's
length in front of you. (2) Curl the
bar out and up in a wide arc and
bring it up as high as you can, with
your elbows close to the body and
stationary. Keep the arc wide and
long, rather than bringing the bar
straight up and making the movement
too easy. Fully flex at the
top. Lower the weight again, following
the same arc and resisting
the weight all the way down until
your arms are fully extended. A
small amount of body movement
in this exercise is acceptable because
it is a mass-building movement,
but this is to be kept to a
minimum unless you are doing
deliberate Cheat Curls. Bending
forward and leaning back cut
down on your range of motion.










                     
                  
                         ALTERNATE DUMBBELL CURLS

                                         

PURPOSE OF EXERCISE:To isolate the biceps of each arm.
This is a variation of a Dumbbell Curl in which you curl the dumbbells
alternately, first one arm and then the other, to give you that extra
bit of isolation, allowingyou to concentrate your energy on one arm at a
time and to minimize cheating.
EXECUTION: Stand upright, a dumbbell in each hand hanging at arm's length. Curl one weight forward and up, holding your elbow steady at your waist and twisting your wrist slightly,bringing the thumb down and little finger up, to get maximum biceps contraction. Curl the weight as high as you can, then bring it back down under control through the same arc, simultaneously curling the other weight up so that both dumbbells are in motion and twisting the wrist of the other hand as you bring it up. Continue these alternate Curls until you have done the required repetitions with both arms. Make sure you fully extend and contract the arm to get the fullest possible range of motion.




                                   PREACHER CURLS





                                                 

PURPOSEOF EXERCISE:To develop the biceps especially the lower end.This is especially good for anyone who has space between the lower biceps and the elbow joint, to help fill in and shape this area.

EXECUTION: Preacher Curls are an even stricter movement than regular Barbell Curls. (1) Position yourself with your chest against the bench, your arms extending over it. This puts the arms at an angle, which transfers additional stress to the lower area of the muscle. Take hold of a barbell with an underhand grip.
(2) Holding your body steady, curl the bar all the way up and then lower it again to full extension, resisting the weight on the way down. You can use an E-Z curl bar for this movement, or even use the bench for One-Arm Dumbbell Curls. Don't lean back as you lift the bar, and deliberately flex the muscle extra hard as you come to the top of the movement, where there is little actual stress on the biceps muscles.


                            CONCENTRATION CURLS

                                               


PURPOSE OF EXERCISE: To create maximum height in the biceps, especially
the outside of the biceps.
I like to do this exercise at the end of my biceps training because it is
one of the best means of peaking the muscle. This is a very strict movement,
but it is for height, not definition, so use as much weight as you
can handle. The name Concentration Curl is significant: You really need
to concentrate on the biceps contraction and on being strict to make this
exercise effective.
EXECUTION:(1) In a standing position, bend over slightly and take a
dumbbell in one hand. Rest your free arm on your knee or other stationary
object to stabilize yourself. (2) Curl the weight up to the deltoid and
without moving the upper arm or the elbow and make certain you don't
allow your elbow to rest against your thigh. As you lift, twist the wrist so
that the little finger ends up higher than the thumb. Tense the muscle
fully at the top of the Curl, then lower the weight slowly, resisting it all
the way down to full extension. At the top of the Curl, the biceps are taking full stress of the weight. Don't curl the weight to the chest-it should be curled to the shoulder.