Best Bicep Dumbbell Workout Routine
In the workout below, we’ve combined the four best bicep exercises to create bigger, thicker arms. This bicep workout can be added to the arm day of your 3-day workout split.
Exercise | Sets x Reps |
|---|---|
| Dumbbell Concentration Curl | 3–4 sets x 8–10 reps |
| Dumbbell Preacher Curl | 3–4 sets x 8–10 reps |
| Dumbbell Cross-Body Hammer Curl | 3–4 sets x 8–10 reps |
| Dumbbell Bicep Curl | 3–4 sets x 12–20 reps |
Anatomy Of The Biceps
The biceps brachii occupies the front of the upper arm. It consists of two heads — the short head (inner side) and the long head (outside). Its primary functions are to flex the elbow and stabilize shoulder movement.
Biceps Short Head
Most inside portion of the biceps. Located at the front of your upper arm closest to your chest.
Biceps Long Head
Most outside part of your bicep.The front of your upper arm.
Biceps Short Head
Your biceps short head is located on the inner side of the front of the arm. It originates from the humerus, or upper arm bone, to the ulna, or forearm bone.
The primary function of the short head is to flex the elbows, bringing the forearm toward the body. Alongside this, it helps to stabilize the shoulder during arm movement.
The exercises listed above are all great for targeting the bicep short head. For each exercise, there is a slight adjustment to hand position, which alters activation rates.
Bicep curls using a supinated grip such as the preacher curl and concentration show greater bicep activation. Movements that use a neutral grip show a high activation of the brachialis at approximately 20% of a maximum contraction. An example movement from above would be the dumbbell cross-body hammer curl.
Using a combination of these exercises helps to contribute to overall bicep strength, bicep thickness, and grip strength.
Biceps Long Head
The long head of biceps is located on the front of the upper arm on the outer side. It originates from the front of the upper arm and inserts into the forearm. Similar to the biceps short head, it is a powerful elbow flexor and shoulder stabilizer.
The long head of the biceps is active in all the exercises above. However, its position on the outer side of the humerus means it is most active during cross-body curls. This is also the case when using a narrow grip.
This can be applied when using different long-head bicep exercises to target this head better.
Benefits Of Bicep Workouts With Dumbbells
Building bigger biceps can vastly improve your physique. However, they have far-reaching benefits including increased strength and function which carry over into daily life.
Below we discuss three reasons you should consider adding a biceps workout with dumbbells to your training.
Increases Muscle Mass
Building lean muscle requires progressive overload at a moderate to high intensity. When we apply mechanical tension and metabolic stress through regular and repeated stimulus, it promotes hypertrophy. Isolation exercises increase training volume to specific muscles while allowing us to develop a greater mind-muscle connection.
Bicep workouts with dumbbells use a variety of exercises to isolate and directly overload the long and short head fibers. When this happens, volume and intensity stimulate growth, while adjustments of arm positions target different fibers. This allows us to develop fuller, thicker biceps.
Enhances Physique
Developing a lean, muscular physique requires a change in body composition. A combination of increasing lean muscle mass, and reducing body fat, is required to reveal enhanced muscular definition.
Body recomposition entails a combination of compound and isolation exercises. Compound movements target more muscle groups, increasing training volume. Isolation exercises increase volume and apply focused contraction to develop our mind-muscle connection and enhance symmetry.
The exercises above are great examples of isolation-type movements that help to enhance the biceps when applied correctly. The biceps make up an important part of a well-rounded upper-body physique. They also improve performance in many compound movements, further enhancing this.
Greater Range Of Motion
Resistance training exercises performed through a full range of motion enhance strength, speed, power, and muscle size.
Dumbbell bicep exercises allow a greater range of motion compared to a barbell. This has been shown to improve maximal muscle strength, function, and hypertrophy.
Unlike barbells, dumbbell bicep exercises are not restricted by the straight bar. This means we can take the elbow and shoulder through greater extension, and apply rotation to our movements. This allows us to increase the range of motion for greater adaptations.
Expert tip
Perform each of the movements above using a full range of motion. Ensure you use slow and controlled movements throughout
Training Tips To Keep In Mind
- When performing bicep free-weight exercises, focus on tensing the long-head and short-head fibers. This will help you establish a greater mind-muscle connection, improving results.
- Focus on performing each movement through a full range of motion. This can enhance your strength, power, and hypertrophy results.
- Firmly plant your feet, inhale, and brace your core. This will create a stable base and rigidity through the torso, improving lifting capacity.
- Consider experimenting with rotation of the forearm. Pronating and supinating the forearm can increase contraction for both heads of the biceps, and brachialis.
Conclusion
Bicep workouts with dumbbells are excellent for developing, strong muscular arms. Their versatility and freedom of movement allow us to take our biceps through a great range of motion. This helps us increase great muscle growth and enhances our physique.
Frequently Asked Questions
The best free-weight bicep exercises come down to your personal preference and training goals. To increase bicep size, perform a variety of curls using a supinated, pronated, and neutral grip. This will help you target different fibers, stimulating growth.
Yes, you can get bigger biceps with just dumbbells. Aim to progressively overload the muscle by increasing weight, volume, and intensity. This will create a mechanical and metabolic stimulus, promoting muscle hypertrophy.
Weight for a biceps workout depends on your training goals. For hypertrophy, perform sets of 8–12 repetitions at 60%–80% of your one repetition maximum. This is the maximum amount of weight you can lift for one repetition.
You should avoid doing bicep workouts every day. While it is possible, it may lead to overtraining. Consider a recovery period of 24-72 hours between bicep workouts. This will give you adequate time to rest.
Resources
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