The biceps get a lot of attention in the gym, and for good reason. Growing this one muscle can significantly enhance your physique, especially when sporting a t-shirt. But with so many biceps exercises out there, it can be tough to know which ones are actually worth your time. That’s where this comprehensive guide comes in. We’ll be diving deep into the best and worst biceps exercises, ranking them from S-tier (super effective) to F-tier (fail) based on scientific evidence and expert insights.
Let’s break down the criteria for our ranking system:
- High Tension, Especially in the Stretched Position: An effective biceps exercise should maximize tension on the muscle fibers, particularly when the muscle is fully stretched.
- Comfort and Elbow-Friendliness: The exercise should feel natural and not cause any pain or discomfort in the elbows.
- Smooth Resistance Profile: The resistance should be consistent throughout the entire range of motion, ensuring the biceps are challenged throughout the exercise.
- Simple Progression: The exercise should allow for easy weight or rep increases over time, a crucial factor in promoting muscle growth.
Now, let’s delve into the anatomy of the biceps. The biceps brachii muscle, commonly referred to as the biceps, is a two-headed muscle (hence the name “bi-ceps”).
- Short Head: Located on the inside of your arm.
- Long Head: Situated on the back of your arm, this head contributes more to the coveted “biceps peak.”
But there’s another player in the game: the brachialis. This often-overlooked muscle sits beneath the biceps and is actually larger than both biceps heads combined. A well-developed brachialis can push the biceps up, further enhancing that peaked look.
With that in mind, let’s explore which exercises effectively target each head and unveil the champion exercises for achieving peak-boosting results.
The biceps have two primary functions:
- Elbow Flexion: Bending your elbow, like during a curl.
- Supination: Rotating your palm to face upward. This movement automatically engages the biceps. To maximize supination, focus on “driving through your pinkies” as you curl.
Additionally, both heads of the biceps cross the shoulder joint, meaning the biceps are put under greater stretch when the arm is extended behind the torso.
Barbell Curl
The barbell curl is a classic biceps exercise. However, the tension on the biceps isn’t ideal throughout the movement. Tension peaks when the elbow is at a 90-degree angle and diminishes above and below this point, reaching zero tension at the bottom of the movement when the biceps are fully stretched.
A man performing a barbell curl
While the barbell curl allows for significant overload (making it great for progressive overload), it can strain the wrists due to the straight bar. Additionally, in a busy gym, monopolizing a squat rack for curls is generally frowned upon.
Verdict: C-tier (Bumped up to B-tier for accessibility).
EZ Bar Curl
The EZ bar curl provides a more wrist-friendly alternative to the barbell curl thanks to its curved handles. Using a shoulder-width grip on the outer portion of the EZ bar is recommended for comfort. This grip angle falls between a fully supinated grip (barbell curls) and a neutral grip (hammer curls).
A man doing EZ bar curls
Be mindful that this in-between grip partially takes the biceps out of supination, potentially shifting some tension to the brachialis and brachioradialis. To counteract this, remember to “drive through your pinkies” during the curl to ensure optimal biceps activation.
Verdict: B-tier (Bumped up to A-tier for convenience, simplicity, and overload potential).
Standing Dumbbell Curl
Similar to barbell and EZ bar curls, the standing dumbbell curl lacks tension in the fully stretched position.
This exercise does allow for individual arm work, which is beneficial for addressing strength or size imbalances between sides.
A man performing dumbbell curls
To optimize muscle growth, perform dumbbell curls with both arms simultaneously rather than alternating, as this minimizes rest periods and maintains tension on the biceps.
Verdict: Low A-tier
Preacher Curl
Elevating your dumbbell curls to preacher curls instantly enhances the exercise’s effectiveness. By angling your upper arm on the preacher bench, you significantly increase the tension placed on the biceps in the stretched position.
A man performing a preacher curl
Preacher curls effectively lock your elbows in place, minimizing cheating and ensuring consistent form.
Verdict: S-tier
Incline Curl
While incline curls provide a significant stretch, particularly in the upper bicep region near the shoulder, they lack tension in the fully stretched position, making them less effective for stimulating muscle growth compared to preacher curls.
A man performing an incline curl
Verdict: Low A-tier
Lying Dumbbell Curl
This variation takes the incline curl to the extreme, maximizing the stretch in the biceps.
While this exercise may not be suitable for those with shoulder issues, it’s worth exploring if you’re looking for an intense biceps stretch.
Verdict: A-tier
Scott Curl
Despite being named after the legendary bodybuilder Larry Scott, the Scott curl isn’t the most effective biceps exercise. By positioning your arm vertically, you eliminate tension in the stretched position, essentially making it a less efficient version of the preacher curl.
A man performing a Scott curl
Verdict: C-tier
Flat Bench Curl
This unique variation involves performing curls with your back flat on a bench, maximizing biceps tension in the fully stretched position. However, this exercise limits you to lighter weights and higher reps due to the extreme stretch and the difficulty of maintaining stability.
A man performing a flat bench curl
Verdict: Low B-tier
Machine Preacher Curl
Machine preacher curls provide the stability and controlled movement of a machine, making them an excellent choice for isolating the biceps. Focus on the bottom half of the range of motion to emphasize the stretch.
A man performing a machine preacher curl
Verdict: S-tier
Waiter Curl
This exercise involves holding a weight plate like a waiter carrying a tray.
The waiter curl is awkward, strains the wrists, and severely limits your ability to progressively overload. You’re better off sticking to dumbbells for similar benefits without the drawbacks.
Verdict: F-tier
Drag Curl
The drag curl, characterized by moving your elbows back as you curl, does increase the stretch on the biceps. However, simultaneously shortening the biceps at the elbow and lengthening it at the shoulder results in minimal change in overall muscle length throughout the movement. This is similar to how the hamstrings don’t experience significant length changes during squats, which explains why squats aren’t the most effective hamstring exercise.
Verdict: C-tier
Spider Curl
Spider curls, performed with your chest against an incline bench, place your biceps in a shortened position throughout the entire range of motion. This prevents the biceps from experiencing a significant stretch, limiting muscle growth potential.
A man performing a spider curl
Verdict: C-tier
Chin-Ups
Chin-ups, a compound exercise primarily targeting the back, can effectively engage the biceps.
A man performing a chin-up
While chin-ups will contribute to biceps growth, particularly for beginners, your back muscles are likely to fatigue before your biceps, limiting their effectiveness as a primary biceps-building exercise.
Verdict: B-tier
21s
This classic bodybuilding technique involves breaking down a curl set into three parts: seven reps from the bottom to the halfway point, seven reps from the halfway point to the top, and finally, seven full-range-of-motion reps.
The traditional order (lengthened, shortened, full) isn’t optimal for maximizing muscle growth. Instead, prioritize this order:
- Shortened: Perform seven seated dumbbell curls to target the top half of the movement.
- Full: Stand up and perform seven full-range-of-motion curls.
- Lengthened: Finish with seven bottom-half curls, maximizing the time under tension in the stretched position.
Verdict: High C-tier (Traditional Order); Low A-tier (Modified Order)
Cable Curl
The standard cable curl, performed with arms at your sides, doesn’t offer the most significant biceps stretch.
A man performing a cable curl
Verdict: Low A-tier
Face-Away Cable Curl
This variation, performed facing away from the cable machine, transforms the cable curl into a biceps-building powerhouse. By positioning your arms behind your torso, you maximize the stretch on the biceps.
A man performing a face away cable curl
Verdict: S-tier
“No Name” Cable Curl
This innovative variation involves achieving a 90-degree angle between the cable and your forearm while the biceps is maximally stretched. This unique angle maximizes tension on the biceps in the fully stretched position.
Verdict: A-tier (Potential for S-tier with further research)
Cheat Curl
Contrary to popular belief, incorporating controlled cheating into your curls can be an effective strategy for muscle growth. By using a bit of momentum to initiate the lift, you can handle heavier weights, increasing the load on the biceps during the eccentric (lowering) portion of the exercise. However, it’s crucial to maintain control of the weight and avoid excessive cheating, which can lead to injury.
Verdict: Bottom of A-tier (for experienced lifters)
Strict Curl
Strict curls, as the name implies, involve maintaining impeccable form throughout the exercise. By bracing against a wall, you eliminate any momentum or assistance from other muscle groups, ensuring that the biceps are doing all the work.
Verdict: A-tier
Hammer Curl
Hammer curls, performed with a neutral grip (palms facing each other), shift emphasis away from the biceps and onto the brachialis muscle.
A man performing a hammer curl
Verdict: A-tier (Top Choice for Biceps Peak)
Hammer Grip Preacher Curl
Combining the benefits of hammer curls with the enhanced tension of the preacher curl creates a highly effective exercise for targeting both the brachialis and the biceps.
Verdict: S-tier
Inverse Zottman Curl
This unique curl variation involves performing a hammer curl on the concentric (lifting) portion and a standard supinated curl on the eccentric (lowering) portion. This combination allows you to overload the biceps on the eccentric phase, where they are stronger.
Verdict: High A-tier
The Best and Worst Biceps Exercises
And the winners are…
Best of the Best: Face-away cable curl, with the 45-degree preacher curl coming in as a close second.
Worst of the Worst: Waiter curl.