Are you looking for an effective way to build strength and tone your biceps from the comfort of your home? Bicep workouts are a great way to build muscles, burn calories, and develop a stronger upper body.
This article will provide you with some of the best bicep exercises you can do in your home gym. From dumbbell and barbell curls to chin-ups, there are plenty of options to choose from depending on what equipment you currently have.
The tips and advice in this article are all info I give to my clients as a certified personal trainer. There is enough variation here to ensure you’ll be prepared and motivated to make the most of your home gym!
Standing Bicep Curl
Bicep curls are one of the most popular bicep workouts for your home gym. You can perform these with dumbbells, barbells, or cables.
The exercise is simple:
- Start with your arms extended at your sides and your palms facing forward.
- Slowly hinge at the elbows and lift the weights up toward your shoulders, keeping your elbows close to your body.
- Pause briefly at the top of the curl, and slowly lower the weights back to the starting position.
Though they may seem straightforward, there are key things to remember to get the most out of your bicep curls.
Tips
First, focus on quality over quantity during bicep workouts – it’s better to do a few well-executed reps than to try to muscle through a set of sloppy ones.
Second, keep your core engaged throughout the exercise. This will help you maintain good form and prevent you from swinging the weights up with momentum.
Finally, don’t forget to breathe. Exhaling as you curl and inhaling as you lower will help improve your stamina. It will also prevent you from getting lightheaded. With a little practice, you’ll be able to master the basic bicep curl and start seeing results in no time!
Keep the above tips in mind as you read more about the other bicep workouts you can do at home.
Seated Bicep Curl
The seated bicep curl is a great exercise to isolate the bicep muscle for optimal growth. You can do these with an overhand, underhand, or neutral grip.
To do the exercise:
- Start by sitting on a bench with a weight in each hand.
- Rest your elbows on your knees and curl the weights towards your shoulders, keeping your back straight.
- Once the weights reach your shoulders, slowly lower them back down to the starting position.
Standing Bicep Curl Vs. Seated Bicep Curl
Though there are many variations of bicep curls, the two primary types utilized in most bicep workouts are standing and seated. Both can effectively strengthen the biceps but differ slightly in their approach.
The standing bicep curl is a compound exercise that targets multiple muscles at once. By engaging the core and other stabilizing muscles, this version of the curl is beneficial for building overall strength.
The seated bicep curl is an isolation exercise that primarily works one muscle group. By limiting the number of muscles involved, this version of the curl enables you to focus on targeting and toning the biceps.
Which variation is right for you ultimately depends on your goals and preferences. The standing bicep curl may be your best bet if you’re looking for a more balanced workout.
The seated variation may be ideal if you’d prefer to focus more on the biceps.
Hammer Curls
This variation of the standard bicep curl requires you to keep your palms facing each other in a neutral grip throughout the exercise. Similarly to traditional bicep curls, you can do these seated or standing.
To do them:
- Start by holding a weight in each hand with your palms facing your thighs.
- Keeping your upper arms stationary, curl the weights forward until your palms face your shoulders.
- Slowly lower the weights back to the starting position.
Bicep Curls vs. Hammer Curls
The main difference between a bicep curl and a hammer curl lies in the grip used during the exercise. This grip activates more muscles than a traditional bicep curl.
The main additional muscles activated during a hammer curl are the brachioradialis and the brachialis. A brachialis muscle joins the biceps and triceps; a brachioradialis muscle connects the upper arm and forearm.
Standing Cable Curl
The standing cable curl is an excellent option for bicep workouts and can be done in your at-home gym using a functional fitness trainer.
To perform this curl:
- Start by attaching a curl bar to a low pulley.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and grasp the cable with a neutral grip.
- Keeping your elbows close to your sides, curl the cable until your hands are at shoulder level.
- Squeeze your biceps at the top of the movement.
- Slowly lower the cable back to the starting position.
Cable Curls Vs. Free Weight Curls
The main difference between cable curls and free-weight curls is the resistance provided.
Cable curls provide constant tension throughout the exercise. This is because the cable is constantly pulling against you as you move the weight in either direction. This helps to maximize the activity of your biceps.
Free-weight curls provide variable resistance. This is because gravity affects the weight differently at different points throughout the exercise. This makes the exercise more challenging, as your bicep muscles must work harder to move and stabilize the weight.
So, depending on your goals, you may consider using cable or free-weight curls. Both can provide great results when it comes to building overall strength. It’s a great idea to mix it up and reap the benefits of both!
Preacher Curl
A preacher curl exercise is a killer option if your main goal is to increase the mass of your biceps. The unfortunate part of this exercise is you require a preacher curl bench, preacher pad, or preacher curl attachment for your bench. You can do this exercise with dumbbells, barbells, or cables. These instructions will explain how to perform a preacher curl with an EZ curl bar.
To do the exercise:
- Start by sitting on a preacher bench with an underhand grip on your curl bar.
- Curl your weights to shoulder level and squeeze your biceps at the top of the movement.
- Slowly lower the weights back to the starting position.
Reverse Grip Preacher Curl
The reverse grip preacher curls produce a different result than the traditional preacher curl. You still do this exercise on a preacher bench but use a reverse grip. This means your palms will be facing away from you instead of toward you.
To do the exercise:
- Start by sitting on a preacher’s bench and placing your arms on the pads.
- Grab your weights with an overhand grip.
- Curl your arms up until your hands are close to your shoulders.
- Squeeze your biceps at the top of the movement.
- Slowly lower the bar to the starting position.
The reverse grip preacher curl emphasizes your brachioradialis (the muscle on top of your forearm) while simultaneously working your biceps.
Benefits of a Preacher Bench
The preacher bench provides good support for your upper arms, helping to keep them in place and preventing you from using momentum during the exercise.
The support also helps to keep your wrists in a neutral position, reducing the risk of injury. The angled pad also allows for a greater range of motion, which helps to target more muscles and work them harder.
Overall, the preacher curl is an excellent exercise for isolating the biceps and increasing their size. It can also help to improve your overall strength and form when doing other exercises, such as a barbell curl.
So, if you’re looking to take your bicep training up a notch, this is one exercise you should consider!
EZ Curl Bar Vs. Dumbbells
When it comes to curls, you may be wondering whether to use an EZ curl bar or dumbbells.
The EZ curl bar offers several benefits. It has an angled shape, allowing for a more comfortable grip and reducing the strain on wrists and elbows. The curved shape also helps to target more muscles, making it a great exercise for isolating the biceps.
Dumbbells, on the other hand, provide a great range of motion and more challenge to stabilize the muscles. This is because you must balance each dumbbell independently.
When adding any bicep workouts to your training plan, assessing your goals and deciding which option is best for you is vital. That may be alternating between the two, or sticking to one for a more extended period.
Either way, you can still see great results when using both tools!
Chin-Ups
If you want to feel the burn and work the biceps in a challenging way, consider adding chin-ups to your routine.
This exercise requires you to hold onto an overhead bar and pull yourself up until your chin is above the bar. The key to this exercise is proper form and a slow and controlled movement. You want to use an underhand grip to get the most out of this exercise for your biceps.
To do the exercise correctly, follow these steps:
- Grab your overhead bar with an underhand grip.
- Start by pulling your body weight until your chin is above the bar.
- Slowly lower yourself back to the starting position. The slower you perform this movement, the longer your muscles will be under tension and the more benefit.
Be sure to keep your body in a straight line, and don’t swing for momentum. Chin-ups are an advanced exercise and require a lot of upper body strength. If you are new to chin-ups, start with a few assisted chin-ups and add more reps as your strength increases.
Assisted Chin-ups
There are a few different options for doing assisted chin-ups.
One option is to use a resistance band. You can do this by looping the band around the overhead bar and placing your feet in the band. As you pull yourself up, the resistance from the band helps to provide further strain.
Another option is to use a spotter. This person can help to support your body weight as you pull yourself up. Make sure to rely on your spotter sparingly.
There is also the option to use an elevated platform such as a box or chair. You can add a slight jump from this platform to help you get yourself up. Once at the top, try to lower yourself down as slowly and controlled as possible until you cannot hold your weight anymore.
Things To Keep In Mind
Always remember the following steps when doing bicep workouts at home.
Stay Stable
First, keep your back and core tight, as this will help to keep you safe and supported. This is important because it helps to protect your spine and lower back from injury. It also ensures the load is placed on your biceps and not other muscles.
Maintain Control
Second, keep your movements slow and controlled. Not only does this help to reduce the risk of injury, but it also helps to keep your muscles under tension for a more extended time. This is key in building strength and muscle size.
We suggest counting to four on both the concentric and eccentric parts of each exercise. This will help to keep you consistent with your tempo.
Maintain Proper Form
Remember to keep proper form when performing each exercise. This will look different for each exercise, so check that you perform each correctly. You can research the proper form, watch the videos, and film yourself to help you with this.
When performing an exercise, it can feel like you are practicing good form when you are not. Filming yourself can provide insight that is not visible to you and help you perfect your form.
Pay Attention to the Grip
Grip plays a massive role when it comes to bicep exercises. Some standard grips used in bicep workouts are underhand, overhand, neutral, close-grip, and wide-grip. Each grip has its benefits and will target your biceps differently. Do your research to understand the differences.
Warmup, Rest, and Recover
Lastly, take proper care of your body. Warming up, resting between sets, and allowing enough time to recover between training sessions is vital.
Cool Down
These bicep workouts for your home gym will help you get the most out of your training without stepping foot into a gym. As with any workout, it is vital to understand what you are doing to maximize your results. Make sure to follow our tips to stay motivated and reap all of the benefits that strength training has to offer.
