Best exercises for biceps

Importance and benefits of training the biceps

Exercising the biceps helps in building your upper body strength and neglecting to work out this muscle group can result to imbalance. As you get older, strength training is very important for maintaining your overall muscle and bone mass to avoid injuries and joint pain.

The biceps help in mostly pulling and carrying movements such as:

• Opening the door
• Gardening tasks like sweeping, raking, pulling out weeds, carrying pots
• Carrying groceries
• Lifting items and also your child

We have listed four (4) exercises that will help tone your biceps. Include these in your next weights workout program and perform for 3 rounds. Don’t forget to execute with proper posture!

Bicep curls

1. Sit or stand, hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides, palms facing forward, and keep your back straight and chest up.
2. Without moving your upper arms, bend your elbows and curl the weights toward your shoulders.
3. Slowly lower the weights back to the starting position, straightening your arms completely.

Hammer curls

1. Sit or stand, holding a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing in, and keep your back straight and chest up.
2. Bend the elbow and curl the dumbbell up until your forearm is horizontal, keeping the palm of the hand facing towards your chest as you curl. Hold for a moment before slowly returning the dumbbell to its initial position.

Lunges with bicep curls

1. While holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, stand with your feet hip distance apart and place your right foot at a stride’s distance in front of you.
2. Inhale as you bend the opposite knee until your thigh is horizontal, bringing your back knee almost to the ground. Once at the bottom of the movement preform a bicep curl. Exhale as you squeeze your butt and shift you weight forward into the starting position.
3. Repeat the movement alternating between legs.

Swiss ball wall squat with bicep curls

1. Firstly, place the Swiss ball behind your back up against a wall. Make sure the ball is positioned in the small of your lower back.
2. Your feet are shoulder width a part, flat on the ground and slightly out in front of you.
3. Your hands are holding dumbbells at your side and you have your elbows close.
4. While maintaining pressure on the ball and putting your weight through your heels, sit down to perform a squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor. As you preform the squat movement lift dumbbells to complete a bicep curl.
5. Then return to the starting position.

Note: Do not squat below 90 degree, choose a safe weight.

If you need guidance on doing these exercises, you can approach any of our lovely staff so they can assist. You can also check out our library of workout videos here in Fernwood Pulse.