# Biceps......what's your favorite builder for these?



## HollyWoodCole (Jul 3, 2018)

So for the most part I focus very much on the big three with some accessory work to fill out the rest of my workout.

One thing I never hit directly is biceps...I usually look at the guys that come in for a "bicep day" as douchebags but I'm getting to the point I would like to have a much better set of bi's than I do now.  My triceps have grown to the point where my arms are very heavily back loaded with muscle but not nearly as much on the front, I need more bicep to even them out in my opinion.  

So the question stands.......what are your favorite ways to encourage growth for biceps.  I will NOT have a full bicep day but I would love to hear what you guys use to build yours.  GO!


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## jennerrator (Jul 3, 2018)

lol...that was part of my issue...not making a "day" for them...but then my days were full so I fuuucked putting them in..but was lucky they built with all the other stuff I was doing...:32 (20):


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## Seeker (Jul 3, 2018)

Pretty simple. 5 sets of standing barbel curls. Really all you need for what you're looking for.


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## HollyWoodCole (Jul 3, 2018)

Seeker said:


> Pretty simple. 5 sets of standing barbel curls. Really all you need for what you're looking for.


Straight or Z bar?


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## jennerrator (Jul 3, 2018)

Seeker said:


> Pretty simple. 5 sets of standing barbel curls. Really all you need for what you're looking for.




lol...I hated barbell curls...especially if it was the straight bar...I had to use the EZ curl bar


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## BrotherJ (Jul 3, 2018)

I don't think you need a designated "bicep day" - I work it in via any upper body movement day is supplemented with bicep work at the end. My favorite exercises are preacher curls (heavy/low reps and light/high reps), "21's" with an EZ bar, and doing drop sets - 8-10 reps at 45lbs, 40lbs, 35lbs, 30lbs, 25lbs, 20lbs, and 15lbs. Sure, I look weird struggling to curl 15lbs but it blows up your arms. Getting my arms to grow has been a bitch so I have had to focus on a lot of hypertrophy work at least 3x per week. Spongebob anchor arms here I come


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## Seeker (Jul 3, 2018)

HollyWoodCole said:


> Straight or Z bar?



I would use the ez bar for close grip and straight for wider grip. You don't need all that other crap work. Just straight up and they'll react. You do enough with everything else as you mentioned. I usually just do them at the end of every other workout.


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## gymrat827 (Jul 3, 2018)

Seeker said:


> I would use the ez bar for close grip and straight for wider grip. You don't need all that other crap work. Just straight up and they'll react. You do enough with everything else as you mentioned. I usually just do them at the end of every other workout.



this...

5 sets dedicated to bi's and then all the pulling for back workouts will take care of the rest.


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## PillarofBalance (Jul 3, 2018)

Hammer curls are great to also hit the brachioradialus. Don't skip these!!!


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## flyingsquirrel (Jul 3, 2018)

Preacher curls, straight bar 4x20 then 4x5.
I also started doing what Rich Piana called "feeder sets" 3 or 4 times a week at the end of my workouts. 3 supersets of 100 rep dumbbell skullcrushers and 100 reps dumbbell alternate curls, no rest all 3 sets. OUCH!!
I think Rich was a flawed individual in many respects (aren't we all?), But he was right on this, it works. I've been doing it for over a year now and my arms keep growing.


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## Jin (Jul 3, 2018)

Don't forget: Gain weight. IME that really helps.


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## dk8594 (Jul 3, 2018)

I am the same way. I haven’t done biceps in months and I can’t stand the guys who do twenty plus sets for them.   Let me k ow what you think once you start training them.


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## Gadawg (Jul 3, 2018)

Ill have to disagree with some of you but everyones body is different. If I go a few weeks without focusing on arms I definitely feel strength declines a little and that if you want really great arms, most people have to work them on their own. 130lb dumbell rows definitely do a lot for bis and forearms but I need a day of just curls as well.  I think the two best mass builders for bis are straight bar barbell curls and single arm hammer curls with either dumbells or a single rope on a cable machine. 

For general arm growth in general also, if you are using straps for back workouts, STOP!


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## nimrod69 (Jul 4, 2018)

Spider curls


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## Oblivious (Jul 4, 2018)

I have a bit of a hard time with my triceps, always had the biigest biceps around friends and all...one asian kid told me they looked like balloons. my triceps are tiny


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## stonetag (Jul 4, 2018)

Seeker said:


> Pretty simple. 5 sets of standing barbel curls. Really all you need for what you're looking for.



Right here, all you need! Heavy weeks, light weeks, its the ultimate builder.
And yes, hammer curls, thanks POB.


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## ccpro (Jul 4, 2018)

I think all this is good info.  I don't have huge biceps but my triceps respond well, my arms get very round and fat...I definitely don't have that "from the side arms are big and looking straight at them they're narrow" look.  Do you bros know what I mean?  I love doing dumbell curls on preacher...they seem to blast me.  I don't usually do any more than 8 sets on biceps period.


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## BigJohnny (Jul 4, 2018)

PillarofBalance said:


> Hammer curls are great to also hit the brachioradialus. Don't skip these!!!


That’s the only bicep specific movement I do. Of course I’m no where close to having the physique you guys have!


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## Megatron28 (Jul 4, 2018)

Seeker said:


> Pretty simple. 5 sets of standing barbel curls. Really all you need for what you're looking for.


You forgot to add that they should be done in the squat rack.  ;-)


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## stevenmd (Jul 4, 2018)

ccpro said:


> I think all this is good info.  I don't have huge biceps but my triceps respond well, my arms get very round and fat...I definitely don't have that "from the side arms are big and looking straight at them they're narrow" look.  Do you bros know what I mean?  I love doing dumbell curls on preacher...they seem to blast me.  I don't usually do any more than 8 sets on biceps period.



That's my current struggle... my arms look big from the side but narrow from the front.  My tris are pretty big but my biceps look narrow.  I have tried everything under the sun to get them to grow thicker.  Back to the lab...


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## Chillinlow (Jul 5, 2018)

Seeker said:


> Pretty simple. 5 sets of standing barbel curls. Really all you need for what you're looking for.



How often you recommend three days a week? 

Three days seems best for me anything over and not enough recovery time


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## HollyWoodCole (Jul 9, 2018)

Added standing BB curls and hammers, 5 sets of each, to my workout on Saturday.  I used some weight but nothing crazy heavy.

Going to be adding these to my MWF workouts and will post up to let you guys know how its going.


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## HeiseTX (Jul 10, 2018)

I like the seated bicep curl from hanging and turning the wrist facing out.

Also don't forget strict drag curls


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## Intense (Jul 11, 2018)

For the guys that don’t train biceps specifically probably have decent bicep genetics. It’s needed imo for most all of us. If you’re a bodybuilder, you need to be hitting bis directly as well as indirectly. 


As for my favorites probably preacher curls and hammer curls. I always warm up really good and get a lot of blood in there before doing preachers though, as I have seen some pretty bad tears in guys.


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## HollyWoodCole (Aug 7, 2018)

Back from the dead(ish).

Have been running what I initially stated, 5 sets of 8 with standing BB curls and hammers 2x - 3x per week for about a month now.  I can definitely see a change in my bicep shape as they are rounding out some for me.  The problem I have run into is my forearm and ligaments leading into my elbow have gotten pretty fiery over this thing.


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## Elivo (Aug 7, 2018)

HollyWoodCole said:


> Back from the dead(ish).
> 
> Have been running what I initially stated, 5 sets of 8 with standing BB curls and hammers 2x - 3x per week for about a month now.  I can definitely see a change in my bicep shape as they are rounding out some for me.  The problem I have run into is my forearm and ligaments leading into my elbow have gotten pretty fiery over this thing.



I get the same, i only hit biceps directly twice a week and do pretty much the same stuff, except one of the days ill do preacher curls instead of hammer.


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## BRICKS (Aug 7, 2018)

The brachialis is the primary flexor of the elbow.  If you want big arms (ignoring the triceps for this discussion) hammer curls are numerous uno.  The biceps primarily supinate and are secondary flexors.   
I train biceps after back, so it doesn't take much.  I've also found that I get better growth with lighter weight (dumbells under 60 lbs) vs heavier.

My bicep training yesterday is typical of what I do.

Standing dumbell curls 3x10x50
 superset with
 single arm cable curls 3x10x60

Seated incline dumbell curls 3x10x40
Superset with 
Dumbell hammer curls 3x10x40

I taped my arms last week, no pump, at just a hair under 20"

Heavy back work and bicep work focused on time under tension and squeeze.  And a sh*to load of food


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## HollyWoodCole (Aug 8, 2018)

Thanks for that bricks, much appreciated.

For my DB's I don't usually go over 45's very much.  I can do more but not with taking the time on each rep to squeeze and get the full potential out of each movement.  Just feels like I get better work out of them that way.


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## Bicepticon (Aug 10, 2018)

Try seated dumbbell curls, 8 sets of 8reps with 25 sec rest....try it with the 25’s. Leave your ego at the door.


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## Bizzybone (Aug 13, 2018)

interesting, I always believed heavy back days was more than enough but i definitely noticed growth since i added bicep workouts to my routine.


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## ECKSRATED (Aug 13, 2018)

I don't see what's wrong with an arm day. Since I switched to powerlifting I haven't had an arm day in years but when I did have arm days I loved it. Everyone likes blasting their arms and getting that pump I don't care what u say.  Everyone wants big arms so get in the gym and destroy them just like every other muscle.


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## HollyWoodCole (Aug 13, 2018)

I still feel weird going over and having a few movements on just biceps, but don't disagree with you Ecks.


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## DevilDoc87 (Aug 18, 2018)

ECKSRATED said:


> I don't see what's wrong with an arm day. Since I switched to powerlifting I haven't had an arm day in years but when I did have arm days I loved it. Everyone likes blasting their arms and getting that pump I don't care what u say.  Everyone wants big arms so get in the gym and destroy them just like every other muscle.



For sure.. feels great to have biceps feeling like they are gonna blow up.. 

and agreed it definitely feels belittling to use small weights .. but screw the judges.


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## HollyWoodCole (Aug 20, 2018)

Well I guess I went too heavy or too often.  

Either way, I've got a smoldering case of tendinitis in my right arm/elbow from the curls.  I was doing 5 sets of 8 on standing BB curl and hammers 3x/week.  Stayed out of the gym last week to let it simmer down some but that doesn't seem to have helped.  Anyone have a silver bullet on this one?


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## Elivo (Aug 20, 2018)

Got the same going on in my right arm HWC. Was hoping the weekend would help calm it down but still pretty painful. I’m going to order the voodoo floss this week and see if it helps.


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## DevilDoc87 (Aug 20, 2018)

HollyWoodCole said:


> Well I guess I went too heavy or too often.
> 
> Either way, I've got a smoldering case of tendinitis in my right arm/elbow from the curls.  I was doing 5 sets of 8 on standing BB curl and hammers 3x/week.  Stayed out of the gym last week to let it simmer down some but that doesn't seem to have helped.  *Anyone have a silver bullet* on this one?



i knew you’d ask eventually... :32 (18):


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## DJ21 (Aug 25, 2018)

*Utilizing Mike Mentzer's HIT program:*


> Standing barbell curls 1 x 6-8





> Concentration curls 2 x 6-8



_Also focusing on supination of dumbbell bicep curls to focus on the head of the bicep _


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## HollyWoodCole (Aug 25, 2018)

I may be trying to add them back in without the hammer curls next week, it is calming down a bit for me now.


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## Sohoguy (Sep 4, 2018)

[FONT=&quot]A variety of barbell curls are always best to target this area.  Try using the barbells themselves and switching out with an actual weight plate.[/FONT]


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## IronJack (Sep 11, 2018)

I like bent over concentration curls. It's like I can feel every fiber in my bicep from top to bottom.


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