5 Bicep Exercises to Add to Your Fitness Routine

Biceps: the cut-off shirt’s favourite muscle.

While big bicep muscles are aesthetically pleasing to look at, they serve a far more important purpose than you might assume. Having strong bicep muscles are an integral part of having an overall healthy lifestyle and, according to a study conducted by UCLA, the people that had them were 68% less likely to die of cardiovascular disease than those who didn’t.

So, whether you want stronger biceps for the clout or you need to stop a train Mr. Incredible style, here are the 5 best bicep exercises to add to your fitness routine!

What are Your Biceps?

Before we get into our favourite bicep exercises, we want to breakdown exactly what the bicep muscles are and why they’re so important.

Your bicep muscles are a large muscle group that is located on the front of your upper arm. These are the muscles you’ll see when a person flexes their arm. This muscle is actually split in two and extends from your shoulder to your inner elbow.

Why Are Bicep Exercises So Important?

Large and defined bicep muscles have long been a sign of immense strength, with body builders and fitness enthusiasts alike engineering the “bicep curl pose” as a way to display their achievements. But, this muscle’s true purpose is to provide upper body strength in the form of lifting and pulling.

While not so popular now, climbing mountains, fighting, and lifting large animals to the ground used to mean survival. Nowadays, the biceps play a smaller, yet equally important role in everyday life. When you grab a cup of coffee, turn a doorknob or lift up cat litter, you’re using your bicep muscles. And with lack of attention, this muscle can start to weaken and lose definition, leading to higher likelihood of injuries in the future.

5 Best Bicep Exercises to Add to Your Fitness Routine

Now that we understand what the bicep muscle is and why implementing a bicep workout is important, let’s look at the 5 best bicep exercises you can add to your fitness routine!

Hammer Curl

We’re starting off strong with the hammer curl! We love this bicep workout as it goes above and beyond its intended job. Due to the neutral grip a person has when they hold onto the cable rope or dumbbell, you’re actually hitting more muscle groups than simply the biceps!

To start, hold your dumbbell or cable rows at pelvic height in a neutral gripping position. In a concentrated motion, curl upwards towards your chest and release slowly.

Repeat this process in a 3 sets of 12 reps’ series.

FW Tip! For additional definition, hold your curl at the top for five extra seconds.

EZ Bar Curl

The EZ Barbell curl is a fan favourite bicep exercise and can be done relatively anywhere as long as you have a straight or cambered EZ-bar.

First, start with your legs shoulder-width apart and hold your barbell against your upper thighs – fingers facing you. Slowly lift up the bar towards your shoulders, maintaining control of your arms and shoulder muscles (do not use your back to lift). 

Bring back down a swift motion and repeat again, doing 3 sets of 12 reps. 

Cable Curl

The cable curl is very similar to a standing barbell curl, with nearly identical movements. Where the cable curl differs is in its actual bar – or rather the cable. The cable provides a unique advantage to this beloved bicep workout as it provides additional tension.

To do a cable curl, you’ll want to stand shoulder-width apart and maintain an underhand grip on the cable bar. Like the barbell curl, you’re going to lift up to your shoulders using a concentrated upper arm movement and release back down.

Repeat this process in a 3 sets of 12 reps series.

Chin-Up

Chin-ups are a deceivingly hard bicep exercise that often trick people into thinking they’re The Rock (we may or may not know from experience). This simple bicep exercise can be done both underhand and overhand and has been shown to work the biceps significantly more than many other exercises.

To start, face your chin-up bar and grab on (again, can be underhand or overhand). Lift yourself up, holding your knees towards your stomach and feet parallel to the ground. This exercise also makes a great bridge movement between workouts, so add it into your next full-body day for an even better burn.

Concentration Curl

We love the concentration curl for its success in muscle activation. Not only does it effectively work out the biceps, but it also works the chest, giving an extra boost to your workout!

To do a concentration curl exercise, sit on the edge of a chair or bench and keep your knees a little wider than shoulder length apart. Hold the weight, starting at your ankles and bring up to your chest – all while keeping your elbows on your knee at all times. Keep your back straight and keep your chest and core tight, further activating those muscles.

Repeat this process in a 3 sets of 12 reps series.

Up Your Fitness Game with a Fitness World Membership

Ready to flex those biceps Arnie style? Maybe you’re just looking to build up a bit more muscle in order to carry your groceries easier. Both reasons are valid and can all be accomplished here at Fitness World! Utilize our state-of-the-art, high-quality equipment or work with one of our certified personal trainers who can help you create your very own bicep workout plan.

Join Fitness World today or sign up for a free 3-day pass!