Bicep workouts for women can be a game-changer for improving their upper body strength and enhancing their physique. The biceps brachii play a prominent role in a leaner and stronger upper body.
Made of two heads, the biceps brachii can help establish a strong and functional appearance. Incorporating quality exercises that target these long and short heads of the biceps brachii can promote hypertrophy and strength gains. The benefits can provide desirable results like improved posture, toned muscles, and increased functionality in everyday activities.
These bicep exercises have been specifically chosen for women. Each exercise can help women looking to improve upper body strength and establish a more defined physique.
7 Best Bicep Exercises For Women
The seven best bicep workouts for women include:
- Dumbbell concentration curl.
- Dumbbell bicep curl.
- Dumbbell cross-body hammer curl.
- Dumbbell preacher curl.
- Cable preacher curl.
- EZ bar preacher curl.
- Dumbbell Zottman curl.
Each of these exercises provides a slightly different bicep training stimulus to target this muscle. They’re presented in no particular order and can be adapted accordingly to your training style.
7 Best Bicep Workouts For Women
We’ve picked the top bicep exercises that women can easily incorporate into their training routine to improve upper body strength.
Dumbbell Concentration Curl
The dumbbell concentration curl is a unilateral exercise that emphasizes the use of one arm at a time. Lifters often use unilateral training to focus on potential muscular imbalances between both sides of the body.
The biceps short heads work as the primary movers. The secondary movers are the biceps long heads, brachialis, and wrist flexors.
In this exercise, both heads of the biceps brachii, short and long, are used to perform the dumbbell concentration curl. The exercise’s seated position restricts momentum to prevent it from decreasing bicep muscle engagement. This allows for better muscle activation to promote muscle growth and improved bicep strength.
How To Do
- Grab a dumbbell from the weight rack.
- Locate a flat bench and sit at the front with both feet flat on the floor.
- Pick up the dumbbell with one hand.
- Place the back of your upper arm on your thigh, where the bottom of the tricep is located.
- Allow your arm to fully extend and hang with the dumbbell in hand.
- Inhale and engage your core. Exhale and curl the dumbbell towards shoulder height.
- Pause briefly at the top position. Inhale and return to the starting position under control.
- Repeat for desired reps and sets. Switch arms to work both biceps.
Tips
- Do not wedge your elbow into your thigh. Instead, drive the triceps portion of the upper arm into your thigh.
- Do not lean back as you perform the bicep curl. This detracts from proper muscle engagement for the concentrated bicep curl.
Optimal Sets & Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–5 | 4–6 |
| Hypertrophy | 3-4 | 8–12 |
| Endurance Training | 3-4 | 12–20 |
| Power Training | 3–5 | 1–3 (Explosive) |
Dumbbell Bicep Curl
Dumbbell bicep curls are the most well-known exercise for targeting the biceps. This beginner-friendly movement incorporates the use of two dumbbells. This makes it a must-add to any upper body workout for women as it uses a simple and proven movement pattern.
Labeled as an isolation exercise, the dumbbell bicep curl emphasizes the activation of the biceps brachii. The biceps short heads are the primary movers. Secondary movers include the biceps long heads, wrist flexors, and wrist extensors.
For women new to exercising, the dumbbell bicep curl is a beginner-friendly exercise that isolates the biceps. It requires little space to be performed and only two dumbbells for equipment.
How To Do
- Pick up two dumbbells from a weight rack. Hold one dumbbell in each hand by your sides.
- Allow your arms to hang at your sides with palms facing in front of you.
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Keep a neutral spine with your back straight and gaze forward.
- Inhale and engage your core. Exhale and bend at the elbows to curl the dumbbells up towards your shoulders.
- Pause briefly at the top position. Inhale and slowly lower down to the starting position.
- Repeat for desired reps and sets.
Tips
- Avoid using momentum to pull the weight back up. To prevent this, pause at the starting position before curling.
- Keep the elbows to your sides during the exercise. Do not allow the elbows to draw forward while performing the bicep curl, as this detracts muscle engagement.
Optimal Sets & Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–5 | 4–6 |
| Hypertrophy | 3-4 | 8–12 |
| Endurance Training | 3-4 | 12–20 |
| Power Training | 3–5 | 1–3 (Explosive) |
Dumbbell Cross-Body Hammer Curl
Dumbbell cross-body hammer curls are another great addition to bicep workouts for women. The alternating exercise prioritizes the biceps brachii as the primary muscle movers to curl the dumbbells across the torso. It uses a slightly different movement pattern, adding exercise variety.
The biceps short heads and wrist extensors function as the primary movers. The secondary movers are the biceps long heads.
Adding the dumbbell cross-body hammer curl to your training routine can boost muscle growth and strength in the biceps. Improving strength in these muscles is essential for supporting functionality for daily actions like lifting items and pulling open doors.
How To Do
- Take two dumbbells from the weight rack.
- Hold the dumbbells by your sides, palms facing away from you.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Your chest should be up with your head facing forward.
- Maintain a neutral spine and straight back throughout the movement.
- Inhale and engage your core. Exhale and curl the dumbbell across your body towards the opposing shoulder. Keep your elbow as close to your body as possible.
- Inhale and bring the dumbbell back down under control.
- Complete the movement on the opposite arm.
- Repeat for desired reps and sets.
Tips
- Maintain a slow and controlled pace while performing the cross-body bicep curl. This will encourage more tension on the biceps, resulting in greater muscle engagement.
- Keep the elbows close to your body to prevent them from flaring out. Be strict with your elbow position to emphasize greater bicep engagement.
Optimal Sets & Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–5 | 4–6 |
| Hypertrophy | 3-4 | 8–12 |
| Endurance Training | 3-4 | 12–20 |
| Power Training | 3–5 | 1–3 (Explosive) |
Dumbbell Preacher Curl
Dumbbell preacher curls are a productive isolation exercise for targeting the biceps brachii, especially the biceps short heads. This exercise removes the body’s ability to use momentum by using a preacher bench under the arms. The isolation of the biceps allows for greater muscle engagement and focus.
The biceps short heads function as the primary movers. The biceps long heads, brachialis, and wrist flexors are the secondary movers.
The benefit of the dumbbell preacher curl is that it prioritizes strict form to improve muscle activation. This makes it an excellent exercise for beginners as it limits the potential for error in exercise form. It is a great exercise to use in arm workouts for women.
How To Do
- Take two dumbbells from a weight rack. Hold them at the sides of your body.
- Adjust the preacher bench so your chest is against the front of it. Sit on the preacher seat.
- Holding both dumbbells in hand, lay both upper arms on the arm pad. Use an underhand grip, palms facing upwards.
- Inhale and engage your curl. Exhale and curl the dumbbells towards the shoulders.
- Pause briefly at the top position. Inhale and return them to the starting position under control.
- Repeat for desired reps and sets.
Tips
- There shouldn’t be any space between your upper arms and the pad. This will encourage a consistent arm angle and prevent you from using momentum.
- Focus on restricting movement in the wrists and keeping them straight. Only the biceps should be used to curl the dumbbells up.
Optimal Sets & Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–5 | 4–6 |
| Hypertrophy | 3-4 | 8–12 |
| Endurance Training | 3-4 | 12–20 |
| Power Training | 3–5 | 1–3 (Explosive) |
Cable Preacher Curl
The cable preacher curl is an upper-body exercise that emphasizes the biceps muscle. Like the preacher curl, the cable variation is an isolation exercise that increases muscle engagement. It eliminates the potential use of the body’s momentum to perform the bicep curl.
The primary movers are the biceps short heads. The biceps long heads, brachialis, brachioradialis, and wrist flexors work are secondary movers.
Thanks to its incorporation of the cable pulley machine, this preacher curl variation allows for a longer time under tension throughout the full range of motion.
How To Do
- Connect a straight bar to the cable pulley. Set the pulley to the lowest setting.
- Adjust the seat so the preacher bench is at chest height.
- Sit at the preacher bench with your feet flat on the floor.
- Grab the bar and extend both arms.
- Inhale and engage your core. Exhale and engage the biceps to curl the bar towards your shoulders.
- Pause at the top position. Inhale and slowly return to the starting position.
- Repeat for desired reps and sets.
Tips
- Do not lean back as you curl the bar towards you. This decreases muscle engagement in the biceps.
- Control the lowering portion of the exercise to create more tension on the biceps. Try slowing the movement down.
Optimal Sets & Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–5 | 4–6 |
| Hypertrophy | 3-4 | 8–12 |
| Endurance Training | 3-4 | 12–20 |
| Power Training | 3–5 | 1–3 (Explosive) |
EZ Bar Preacher Curl
The EZ bar preacher curl is a variation of the preacher curl exercise. It utilizes a piece of equipment called the EZ bar, a type of curved barbell designed for better grip. This can help to provide a grip-friendly alternative for those looking for reduced wrist stress.
In the EZ bar preacher curl, the biceps short heads are the primary movers. The biceps long heads, brachialis, brachioradialis, and wrist flexors act as secondary movers.
As an isolation exercise, the EZ bar preacher curl effectively eliminates excess momentum and encourages better muscle activation. It’s an excellent selection for women looking to improve strength and muscle tone for stronger arms while reducing wrist stress.
How To Do
- Set up an EZ bar with the appropriate weight for your goals and fitness level.
- Adjust the seat height so your chest is level with the preacher bench. Sit on the preacher seat with your feet flat on the floor.
- Extend your arms and grab the EZ bar about shoulder-width distance apart, with both palms facing up.
- Inhale and engage your core. Exhale and curl the EZ bar towards your shoulders by flexing your elbows.
- Pause briefly at the top position. Inhale and slowly return to the starting position.
- Repeat for desired reps and sets.
Tips
- Prioritize slow and controlled movement to create more tension in the biceps. This increases time under tension.
- Ensure to emphasize healthy range of motion while performing the EZ bar preacher curl. Allow the arms to straighten out at the bottom portion of the movement before curling the EZ bar.
Optimal Sets & Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–5 | 4–6 |
| Hypertrophy | 3-4 | 8–12 |
| Endurance Training | 3-4 | 12–20 |
| Power Training | 3–5 | 1–3 (Explosive) |
Dumbbell Zottman Curl
The dumbbell Zottman curl is an exercise that utilizes two different hand grips — the pronated (palms down) grip and the supinated (palms up) grip. It primarily targets both heads of the biceps brachii during the curling motion. Secondary movers include the brachialis, brachioradialis, wrist flexors, and wrist extensors.
The forearms are engaged in the movement during the lowering phase, which emphasizes the pronated grip, palms facing down. This part of the exercise’s movement pattern places more load and tension on the forearm muscles.
Different hand grips in bicep exercises reveal varying muscle activation rates and muscle group engagement. The use of the pronated and supinated grip in the Zottman curl helps target different elbow flexors. This helps to improve bicep thickness and appearance.
How To Do
- Take two dumbbells from a weight rack.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart with the dumbbell by your sides.
- Keep your chest up and head facing forward. Rotate the dumbbells so your palms are facing in front of you.
- Inhale and engage your core. Exhale and curl the weights up to your shoulder.
- When you reach this position, rotate your wrists so your palms are facing now pronated, palms facing down.
- Inhale and slowly lower the weights down to the starting position.
- At the bottom portion of the movement, rotate the wrists again so your palms are facing in front of you.
- Repeat for the desired reps and sets.
Tips
- Focus on eliminating the use of momentum to perform the Zottman curl. Before rotating the wrists, pause to eliminate any arm swinging or body momentum.
- Keep the elbows by your sides. Prevent them from swinging forward or flaring out while performing the exercise.
Optimal Sets & Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–5 | 4–6 |
| Hypertrophy | 3-4 | 8–12 |
| Endurance Training | 3-4 | 12–20 |
| Power Training | 3–5 | 1–3 (Explosive) |
Best Bicep Workout Routine For Women
Below is the best bicep workout routine for women looking to promote muscular hypertrophy. This workout can encourage better muscle tone in the upper arms for women looking for more defined muscles.
Exercise | Sets x Reps |
|---|---|
| Dumbbell Curl | 3–4 sets x 8–12 reps |
| Dumbbell Cross-Body Curl | 3–4 sets x 8–12 reps |
| Zottman Curl | 3–4 sets x 8–12 reps |
| EZ Bar Preacher Curl | 3–4 sets x 8–12 reps |
| Dumbbell Concentration Curl | 3–4 sets x 8–12 reps |
Anatomy Of The Biceps
Understanding the anatomy of the biceps is important for a better understanding of muscle growth and workout programming. Below, let’s examine the different parts of the biceps.
Biceps Short Head
The biceps brachii, more commonly known as the biceps, is a muscle in the upper arm. It has two heads, the short and long biceps heads.
The biceps short head is the shortest of the two. It is found closest to the body’s midline at the medial section of the upper arm. It originates from the upper arm, or humerus, and inserts into the ulna, or forearm.
This head’s responsibility lies with supporting forearm rotation and elbow flexion. This means rotating the forearm and bringing it towards the body.
Each exercise listed above uses elbow flexion as its main movement. With this, each one incorporates the biceps short head to prioritize strength in this crucial muscle.
Biceps Long Head
The biceps long head is the longer and larger of the two heads. It’s located on the lateral side of the biceps brachii. This means away from the body’s midline at the front of the upper arm. Because of the outer location, exercises using a narrow grip will lead to a bigger activation of the biceps long head.
The role of the biceps long head includes elbow flexion and inward rotation of the arm. Because of this, it works alongside the biceps short head for the movements above.
As women, we use elbow flexion when we pull open doors, lift objects, scratch our heads, and carry our children. Incorporating these bicep exercises into our workout routines can strengthen the biceps long head to support these daily activities.
Benefits Of Bicep Exercises For Women
There are various benefits of bicep exercises for women that should not be overlooked. From muscle toning to strength building, find out more about the benefits of strong biceps below.
Tones Muscles
One benefit of implementing bicep exercises into women’s workout routines is that they tone these muscles. By incorporating exercises that stimulate hypertrophy, muscle growth can occur, establishing a more defined physique.
Exercises like the preacher curl and its many variations are excellent for targeting the biceps to encourage muscle growth. By incorporating these bicep workouts into their routine, women can benefit from changes in muscle tone.
It is important to note that significant muscle tone differences can differ between lifters. This is because of differences in body fat and muscle mass percentages. A lifter with lower body fat and higher lean body mass percentage will have greater noticeable progress in muscle tone.
Builds Strength
Incorporating these bicep exercises into their routines can benefit women seeking upper-body strength. Utilizing volume and intensity in these exercises can help build muscle and promote strength improvements in the biceps. By incorporating these isolation exercises into your workout routine, you can specifically promote strength and its related benefits.
Most of these bicep exercises concentrate solely on the bicep brachii rather than targeting other upper-body muscles. This provides a much larger workout intensity to stimulate strength gains. They emphasize growth and strength in this muscle to improve functionality and support in daily activities.
Pairing them with exercises to target the back, shoulders, and tricep muscles is productive for enhancing total upper body strength.
Expert tip
Perform the bicep exercises above after your main compound movements. Good examples include when using a full-body routine or an upper-body split.
Improves Posture
Due to poor posture in work and school environments, a large population is affected by back and neck pain. Desk workers who work at computers can experience pain in the shoulder (49.6%), elbow (18.2%), and wrist (35.5%). These individuals can practice more postural awareness to reduce pain and strengthen posture-related muscles.
Some examples of posture-related muscles include the trapezius, abdominals, and erector spinae. The biceps help maintain correct movement paths in exercises like rows and squats to build strength in these key postural muscles.
Strengthening the biceps can improve posture by providing better support for the shoulder joint to reduce hunching or rounded shoulders. A correlation was found between rounded shoulders and increased thoracic kyphosis, a spinal deformity of a humpback appearance. Promoting good posture is an effective way to reduce this risk.
Expert tip
When sitting down or walking around, think about pushing your chest forward and keeping your shoulders back. This may help to improve posture.
Expert Training Tips
- Different grips can promote different muscle engagement. A wide grip targets the biceps short head, while a narrow grip engages more of the long head. A neutral grip will promote more brachialis engagement, while a pronated grip uses more of the brachioradialis.
- Supersetting the triceps and biceps is an excellent method of temporarily enhancing a muscle’s appearance. This will help establish a fuller and well-rounded upper-arm appearance.
- When squeezing your biceps at the top of the movements above, think about working them. An improved mind-muscle connection has been shown to have a big impact on muscular hypertrophy.
Conclusion
This guide provides the best bicep exercises for women to include in their workout routine. These exercises offer numerous benefits. These include increased upper body strength and muscle growth to improved posture and muscle tone.
When it comes to a workout routine for women, muscle groups like the biceps and triceps should be incorporated. The biceps brachii are essential in everyday activities like brushing our teeth and supporting good posture. Emphasizing strength and functionality in the biceps is productive for enhancing overall quality of life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Women can benefit from bicep exercises, as this muscle is used in everyday activities. Strengthening the biceps brachii makes these activities easier. Plus, muscle tone can lead to a stronger and leaner appearance.
Like with any muscle group, a combination of a balanced diet and exercise should be prioritized to promote hypertrophy. Eating enough protein and targeting the biceps are vital steps for growing biceps as a woman.
It is not recommended to train the biceps every day. The bicep muscles need at least 48 hours to recover and grow stronger. Without rest, progress can be stunted, and injury risk increases.
With proper nutrition and exercise, women can see improvements in bicep growth in approximately 4-8 weeks. Some experts also suggest this is around 18 training sessions. Rest exercise, and nutrition can significantly determine the quality of the results.
Resources
Endomondo.com refrains from utilizing tertiary references. We uphold stringent sourcing criteria and depend on peer-reviewed studies and academic research conducted by medical associations and institutions. For more detailed insights, you can explore further by reading our editorial process.
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About the Author
Kaelyn Buzzo, PT Personal Trainer & Nutrition Coach
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