Exercises · Muscle group · Updated
Biceps exercises
Biceps exercises train the biceps brachii and the brachialis underneath it. Both bend the elbow, and the biceps also turns the palm up. That is why your grip largely decides which muscle works more: an underhand grip favours the biceps, a hammer grip the brachialis.
- Exercises
- 18 exercise pages
- Most common equipment
- Dumbbell, Cable, Barbell
- Most logged exercise
- Cable Curl
Biceps muscles: what biceps exercises train
- Biceps brachii (biceps brachii)
- The biceps has a long and a short head that attach to the shoulder blade. It bends the elbow and turns the palm up, and it works most with an underhand grip. The long head stretches when the upper arm is behind the body, as in an incline curl.
- Brachialis (brachialis)
- The muscle under the biceps is the strongest elbow flexor. It works with every grip, but especially with a hammer grip. When the brachialis grows, it pushes the biceps up and makes the arm thicker.
- Brachioradialis (brachioradialis)
- The muscle at the top of the forearm bends the elbow especially with a hammer or overhand grip. It is visible on the outside of the forearm, and it also belongs to forearm exercises.
Most-logged biceps exercises among SisuLift users
The order comes from how many SisuLift users have logged sets of each exercise. It includes exercises that have a guide page in the exercise library, and it updates as people log their workouts.
How to train your biceps
The biceps works in every pulling exercise, so it already gets load from rows and lat pulldowns. Direct biceps work usually comes toward the end of a workout. Two different exercises are enough: one heavier curl with a barbell or dumbbells and one where the biceps is stretched or the resistance stays even, such as an incline curl or a cable curl.
Keep your elbows by your sides and lower the weight slowly. Swinging shifts the work to your back and shoulders, and it usually means the weight is too heavy. Add weight only when every set reaches the top of the rep range cleanly.
How many weekly sets for the biceps
These are the numbers SisuLift starts your weekly volume from before you have any training history. As your logs build up, the app moves the target based on how your strength develops. Only hard sets count: a direct exercise counts as one set, and an exercise where the muscle assists counts as half a set.
| Experience | Minimum | Target | Upper limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 5 sets | 9 sets | 14 sets |
| Intermediate | 7 sets | 12 sets | 17 sets |
| Advanced | 8 sets | 14 sets | 20 sets |
Minimum is the amount that usually still drives progress. Upper limit is the amount beyond which recovery usually starts to suffer. Split the weekly sets across two or three workouts.
Example workout from the most-logged exercises
The most-logged exercises from different exercise families, compound movements first. Sets, reps and rest are the same ones SisuLift uses for a muscle growth goal.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cable Curl | 3 | 10–15 | 1.5 min |
| Dumbbell Hammer Curl | 3 | 10–15 | 1.5 min |
| Bayesian Curl | 3 | 10–15 | 1.5 min |
| Dumbbell Incline Hammer Curl | 3 | 10–15 | 1.5 min |
Done twice a week, this adds up to 24–24 sets per week. The rep ranges are those for a muscle growth goal.
Main exercises and their variations
These exercises have their own page with variations, sets and reps and the most common questions in one place.
All biceps exercises (18)
Every exercise with a guide page in the exercise library, grouped by equipment. The equipment heading takes you to all exercises for that equipment.
Dumbbell8 exercises
Barbell2 exercises
EZ bar1 exercise
Machine1 exercise
Resistance band1 exercise
Bodyweight1 exercise
Frequently asked
What is the best biceps exercise?
The most-logged biceps exercise among SisuLift users is Cable Curl. There is no single best exercise, but a good combination is a dumbbell or barbell curl, a hammer curl for the brachialis and an incline or cable curl for the stretched position. The biceps curl variations have their own page.
How do you get a biceps peak?
The shape and peak of the biceps are largely genetic, because muscle attachment points cannot be changed. Training grows the muscle as a whole. Exercises with the upper arm in front of the body, such as preacher curls, and hammer curls for the brachialis make the arm look fuller.
How many sets for the biceps per week?
At intermediate level SisuLift starts the biceps at 12 sets per week, with a minimum of 7. For beginners the target is 9. Rows and pulls where the biceps assists count as half sets, so two or three direct biceps exercises per week are enough for many people.
How do you train biceps at home?
Dumbbells or a resistance band are enough. Curls, hammer curls and concentration curls work just as well at home as in the gym. Without equipment, the chin-up is the best biceps exercise, and a backpack with water bottles works in a pinch.
Are pull-ups enough for the biceps?
For beginners they often are, because chin-ups and rows load the biceps a lot. For more experienced lifters growth slows down, and direct biceps work adds load specifically to the biceps. Two or three sets of curls twice a week is a small addition that shows.