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If you want to have big guns, you need to work on your biceps. These muscles, more formally known as the biceps brachii, are comprised of two heads (the short and long heads), and they provide you with that beautiful, 3D arm look when they’re sufficiently developed. To get there, however, bicep training is due.
Whether you’re going for the iconic guns, for more toned arms, or simply for stronger, healthier biceps, we’ve got you covered. Below, you can find out how to perform 14 of the best and most popular bicep exercises like a pro. After the list, don’t forget to check out our tips for maximizing your bicep gains!
Performed standing, the barbell curl is one of the essential bicep exercises. Keeping the elbows close to the torso, curl the barbell up towards your chest. Then, make a little pause at the top for an extra squeeze before lowering the barbell and repeating the movement.
Hold the barbell with both hands facing forward (meaning you can see your palms) and focus on activating just the biceps and forearms. The same goes for the rest of the body, as you should always avoid swinging while performing the barbell curl.
The alternating dumbbell curl is a variation of the barbell curl that uses dumbbells instead of a barbell. It may sound like a small difference, but it has a greater impact on the range of the movement. Additionally, the alternating dumbbell curl requires you to curl only one arm at a time.
The grip is the same (palms facing forward), but it’s easier to mess up this detail with the alternating barbell curl, as people tend to hold their resting arm’s dumbbell on the side of their bodies. To prevent swaying, keep that core strong and tight!
The next exercise on the list is the rope cable curl, which requires access to a cable machine. The machine should be set to a low position, with a rope used as the attachment. We suggest that you grab the rope with both palms facing each other before curling it in the direction of your forehead; naturally, there’s no need to go all the way up, as the movement should stop at chest level.
Remember that the ideal rope cable curl should be done by bending the elbows and activating the biceps, all while keeping the upper arms stationary. For improved results, we recommend that you apply some extra bicep contraction at the top of the movement and a deep, deep stretch.
This bicep exercise is shaped by yet another change in equipment, and can be described as a version of the barbell curl that uses an EZ barbell. Because both bars are very similar, you just need to follow our instructions on how to do the barbell curl to nail this exercise.
Despite being close relatives, the EZ and straight-barbell curls are somewhat different, as the EZ barbell’s neutral grip activates the forearms’ brachioradialis a bit more.
Our second EZ barbell exercise is a very interesting variation that employs a preacher bench. To perform it correctly, we suggest that you hold the EZ barbell with your hands at shoulder-width. Then, rest your arms on the preacher pad and direct the curl towards your shoulders. Finally, lower the EZ barbell to its original position, maintaining as much control as possible.
Press your chest firmly against the pad and lower the weight fully to feel a deep stretch. On the way up, stop just short of the top—there’s little muscle tension at the top, so staying slightly below keeps the burn alive.
The best way to simplify the hammer curl is to call it a variation of the alternating dumbbell curl, but with the palms facing the torso. The movement is the same.
The essentials of the incline dumbbell curl? Using a bench with back support inclined at roughly 45 degrees, holding a dumbbell in each hand with the palms facing the torso, and curling the dumbbells up in the direction of the shoulders, one arm at a time.
While bringing the dumbbell down, it’s recommended that you extend your arms, but don’t use momentum to make the movement easier. As usual with bicep exercises, your upper arms and elbows should remain stationary.
When it comes to the dumbbell concentration curl, positioning is particularly important. So, to correctly perform this exercise, you will need a bench, dumbbells, and a clear notion of how to position your body. Here are some ground rules:
Lean back slightly to limit the arm’s range at the bottom—this creates a deeper stretch, which is key for muscle activation.
Another standing workout that can help you get more developed biceps. The single-arm low pulley cable curl is performed on the cable machine. As the name implies, it’s done by attaching a single handle to the low pulley of the machine.
The rest should be pretty familiar: one arm at a time, grab the handle with the palm facing forward, and curl it in the direction of your shoulder. As always, do your best to make sure those elbows stay in place!
If you don’t feel like working out one arm at a time, the straight bar low pulley cable curl is an excellent alternative to the previous exercise. This time, you’re supposed to attach a straight bar instead of a single handle to the low pulley of the cable machine.
The standing high pulley cable curl is the type of exercise that will make you feel like a superhero, as you’re supposed to grab the handles of the machine with both arms extended (placing your body in a cross-like position). Then, keeping your torso as still as possible, curl the rope in the direction of your head.
This isn’t a biceps exercise, even if it might remind you of the dumbbell concentration curl. The seated barbell wrist curl targets the forearms- often overlooked but crucial for a balanced, powerful physique.
Sit on the edge of a bench and rest your elbows on your thighs. But here’s the key—only your wrists should move. Keep your upper arms and forearms locked in place to isolate the forearms and get the most out of every rep.
This variation mirrors the seated barbell wrist curl, but with your palms facing down instead of up. The change in grip shifts emphasis slightly, but both exercises target the forearms and work similar muscle groups.
We have decided to go full circle by leaving the reverse barbell curl (a variation of the standard barbell curl, our first exercise) for last. To correctly perform the reverse barbell curl, we recommend that you:
Unlike tricep exercises (for example), which are great at muscle isolation, most bicep exercises tend to affect the same four fundamental muscles: the biceps brachii, the brachialis, the brachioradialis, and several muscles in the forearm. However, they do so at different intensities, meaning some bicep exercises activate some muscles more than others.
Here’s a table comparing the level of intensity provided by each bicep exercise in terms of muscle activation:
| Bicep exercise | Biceps brachii | Brachialis | Brachioradialis | Forearm muscles (wrist flexors/extensors) |
| Barbell curl | High | Minor | Minor | Minor |
| Alternating dumbbell curl | High | Minor | Minor | Minor |
| Rope cable curl | High | Minor | Minor | Minor |
| EZ barbell curl | High | Minor | Minor | Minor |
| EZ barbell preacher curl | High | Minor | Minor | Minor |
| Hammer curl | Moderate | Moderate | High | Minor |
| Incline dumbbell curl | High | Minor | Minor | Minor |
| Dumbbell concentration curl | High | Minor | Minor | Minor |
| Single-arm low pulley cable curl | High | Minor | Minor | Minor |
| Straight bar low pulley cable curl | High | Minor | Minor | Minor |
| Standing high pulley cable curl | High | Minor | Minor | Minor |
| Seated barbell wrist curl | Moderate | Minor | Minor | High |
| Seated barbell wrist extension | Moderate | Minor | Minor | High |
| Reverse barbell curl | Moderate | High | High | Minor |
Even though most bicep exercises activate the biceps brachii with much more intensity than other muscles, there are some exceptions to the rule that are worth considering, including the reverse barbell curl and the two barbell forearm exercises.
It might sound like basic advice—but training with real intensity is more complex than it seems. It’s not just about going through the motions or adding more weight. True intensity means controlling every part of the rep, especially the stretched position, where the muscle is under the most tension.
This is often the part lifters rush through or avoid entirely, but that deep stretch under load is where a lot of the growth happens. Focusing on maximizing that tension—not just moving the weight—makes each set more effective and brings better results over time.
Good technique isn’t just about looking clean in the gym—it’s key to staying injury-free and making real progress. Sloppy form shifts the load away from the biceps and puts unnecessary strain on joints and supporting muscles.
By training with proper form, you keep the focus exactly where it should be—on the biceps. That means better activation, better results, and a lower risk of setbacks.
Training hard is only part of the equation—rest is where the real growth happens. No matter how intense your workouts are, if you’re not getting enough quality sleep, you’re leaving gains on the table.
Muscles need time to recover, especially after pushing them through deep stretches and heavy loads. Aim for at least 7–9 hours of sleep per night to support muscle repair, hormone regulation, and overall performance.
Ensure your diet includes a balanced intake of macronutrients—proteins, carbohydrates, and fats—to support energy, recovery, and muscle growth.
For a more professional and customized approach to bicep training, we recommend that you join a workout routine that was created with your goals in mind. That’s precisely what we do, so please don’t forget to check out our workout programs!
Training biceps every day isn’t just ineffective—it can lead to greater fatigue across your entire system and slow your progress. Without adequate recovery, your performance suffers, growth is limited, and injury risk goes up.
Most experts recommend allowing 42 to 72 hours of rest between biceps sessions. Give your muscles time to recover so they can come back stronger. We recommend training them two times per week, with 16 to 24 sets total for most people.
To do bicep curls correctly, make sure you keep your chest up, engage your core, and reduce body swinging to a minimum. Keep your elbows close to your torso, standing with feet shoulder-width apart.
They are not considered a bicep exercise because they mainly target the chest, shoulders, and triceps. Yet, push-ups do engage the biceps because they are required to stabilize the elbow joints in between reps. In sum, they technically work the biceps, but are far from being any good for bicep training.
Examples of exercises that hit both bicep heads include barbell curls, hammer curls, EZ barbell curls, and incline dumbbell curls.
The 10×10 for biceps is a method that consists of performing 10 sets of 10 reps, prioritizing volume over weight. This method has one main goal in mind: hypertrophy development.
Want to get stronger, leaner, and take your fitness to the next level? Explore our workout programs now!
