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Building Bigger Biceps:
Are You Training Them Right?

Mark Ferrera

Lets face it, anyone who is just starting to workout wants big biceps. Even those of us who have been training for years still want to improve the size and shape of our arms. Finding the right workout routine is simple, right? Well, actually it is, and I say this because I see most people doing the correct movements but doing everything else wrong. So lets take a look at some of the dos and donts of training biceps.

What I have noticed, especially watching beginners, is that most are overtraining the arms. I see people training their biceps three times a week and then complain that they are not growing. No kidding! The bicep is a small body part and needs only to be trained a maximum of twice a week.  Remember, more is not always better. As I have gotten older, I have found that if I train biceps hard once a week, and I mean push them hard, blow-them-out kind of workout, that all I need is a second day that only involves around 4 sets, 2 exercises. The second day is used just for pumping some blood into the biceps to keep them hard, and full. I find that this works best for me, but each person should listen to their own body and determine if a full workout on a second day is right for them.

The second thing I see is bad form during the exercise.  This includes throwing too much back into the movement while trying to go too heavy and not getting a full extension on the movement. How many times have you seen someone doing this with straight bar curls? The bottom line here is to always get a full extension on the movement (without locking out the elbow joint) so youre not wasting your time and cheating the muscle. Its ok if you are going heavy on a set and you have to cheat a little for the last 2 or 3 reps, but if you are using your back from the start, then you are going too heavy and you need to lighten the weight. When bringing the weight down on the negative part of the movement, its very important to control the weight and not let the weight just drop down to the starting position. You get so much more growth from the exercise if you control the weight on the negative part of the movement.

Finally, Ive watched some in the gym try to fit in every conceivable bicep exercise known to man in a single workout that lasts over an hour. While Im not opposed to variety in a workout, I believe when trying to add size you should stick to your basic exercises. Beginners especially should stick to this because you will know for sure what is and is not working for you. A safe bet would be about 4 exercises and 12 sets. If you are giving it your all on each set, this should be sufficient. Advanced persons may, on occasion, add 1 more exercise and 2 more sets. A bicep workout should not take more than 20-25 minutes. The bottom line here is keep it short and simple with high intensity. 

Now lets take a look at some of the best exercises for building bigger biceps. Standing straight bar curls are the squat of biceps exercises and possibly the most effective of all biceps movements. This exercise strongly stresses the biceps muscle. Another great movement is seated dumbbell curls. This exercise is almost the same as standing curls except for an even stricter isolation on the arms during the exercise. I like to do these alternating style and sometimes on an incline for a more radical workout. The next movement I like is the preacher curl. You can do these with a dumbbell or barbell. This exercise is one of the best for isolating the biceps and great for filling in the lower biceps. If you have problems with the wrists, you may want to use an ez-curl bar for better comfort. Its important to stay strict during this movement, lowering the bar in a slow and controlled manner. If you let the bar drop in a sloppy manner, you may wind up with a blown bicep. The last movement is overhead cable curls. This exercise is a great movement for hitting the peak of your biceps and a great way to finish your biceps workout. I keep all movements between the 6 to 8 reps range, always doing at least one set per exercise with a strict 8 reps.

So there you have it. This is not the end-all biceps workout, but a very effective one. After a good eight weeks or so, you may want to change things around a bit and try different variations. Individual results may vary. You may discover staleness occurring at 2-3 weeks. This workout routine never fails for me so I do this most of the time, but will try something new when I get bored or feel like I need to stress the biceps in a different way. Now, get going and work those biceps and make them grow.

  • Standing Barbell Curls  -  3 sets  6-8 reps

  • Seated Dumbbell Curls  -  3 sets  6-8 reps

  • Preacher Curls  -  3 sets  6-8 reps

  • Overhead Cable Curls  -  3 sets  6-8 reps

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