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Exercises

Exercises for bigger biceps: one curl for each part of the arm

Published October 29, 2026

Bigger biceps need curls that load each part of the upper arm. For the long head, which makes the peak, use incline dumbbell curls and drag curls with the elbow behind you. For the short head, which adds thickness from the front, use preacher, spider and overhead cable curls with the elbow in front. Hammer and reverse curls build the brachialis underneath, and the EZ-bar curl and close-grip chin-up carry the heaviest loads. Aim for 10 to 16 hard sets a week spread over two or three days, mostly 6 to 15 reps, with sets ending 0 to 2 reps from failure.

  1. Incline Dumbbell Curl Biceps
  2. EZ-Bar Curl Biceps
  3. Preacher Curl Biceps
  4. Hammer Curl Biceps, Forearms
  5. Dumbbell Drag Curl Biceps
  6. Overhead Cable Curl Biceps
  7. Close-Grip Chin-Up Lats, Biceps

Heavy curls and chin-ups for overall mass

Start each biceps session with the exercise you can load the most. Both arms work together, the weight goes up in small steps, and sets of 6 to 10 build the base that the other curls shape.

Biceps, heavy two-arm curl

EZ-Bar Curl

Biceps

It carries more weight than any dumbbell curl, and the angled grip spares your wrists at heavy loads. Make it the first curl of your heaviest biceps day, for sets of 6 to 10.

How to do it

  1. Grip the angled parts of the bar with palms slightly turned in.
  2. Curl the bar toward your chest while the upper arms stay still.
  3. Lower until your arms are straight.

Cues

  • Upper arms still
  • Finish with straight arms

Common mistakes

  • Cutting the bottom short: every rep starts with straight elbows.

Swap for: Barbell Curl, Preacher Curl, Cable Curl

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Biceps and lats, underhand pull

Close-Grip Chin-Up

Lats, Biceps

A palms-up grip with hands close puts the biceps through a heavy load from full stretch to full bend. If you can do 10, hang a weight from a belt and it becomes the heaviest biceps work you do.

How to do it

  1. Grab the bar palms-up with your hands about a fist's width apart.
  2. From a straight-arm hang, pull until your upper chest nears the bar.
  3. Squeeze at the top with your elbows tight to your body.
  4. Lower slowly to a full hang.

Cues

  • Hands close
  • Chest to the bar
  • Three seconds down

Common mistakes

  • Shrugging your shoulders to your ears at the bottom: keep a little tension so the shoulders stay set.
  • Swinging between reps: pause in the hang until your body is still.

Swap for: Chin-Up, Reverse-Grip Lat Pulldown, TRX Chin-Up

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Biceps, cable curl

Cable Curl

Biceps

The cable keeps tension on the biceps at the bottom of the rep, where a dumbbell goes slack. Use it as the second heavy-ish curl or for drop sets on the last set.

How to do it

  1. Attach a bar to a low pulley and grip it palms up.
  2. Stand close and curl the bar toward your chest.
  3. Lower until your arms are straight, keeping tension on the cable.

Cues

  • Elbows pinned
  • Straight arms at the bottom

Common mistakes

  • Stepping too far from the stack: stand close so the cable pulls straight up.

Swap for: EZ-Bar Curl, Dumbbell Curl, Band Hammer Curl

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Long head: curls with the elbow behind you

The long head crosses the shoulder, so it is stretched most when your upper arm points behind your body. Curls from that position load it where it grows best and build the peak you see when you flex.

Biceps long head, stretched curl

Incline Dumbbell Curl

Biceps

Your arms hang behind your torso, so the long head is stretched at the start of every rep. If you only add one curl for a bigger peak, add this one.

How to do it

  1. Tilt an adjustable bench back to about 45 to 60 degrees and sit back holding a pair of dumbbells.
  2. Let your arms hang straight down behind your torso with your palms forward.
  3. Curl both dumbbells up without letting your elbows travel forward.
  4. Lower all the way until your arms hang fully stretched again.

Cues

  • Head and shoulders on the pad
  • Elbows point at the floor
  • Full stretch at the bottom

Common mistakes

  • Bringing the elbows forward to make the curl easier: that removes the stretch that makes this exercise worth doing.
  • Choosing your usual curl weight: this angle is harder, so start a little lighter.

Swap for: Spider Curl, Cable Curl, Dumbbell Curl

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Biceps long head, elbows-back curl

Dumbbell Drag Curl

Biceps

Sliding the dumbbells up your body takes the shoulder out and keeps the elbow behind you all the way. It is a long-head curl you can do standing, without a bench.

How to do it

  1. Stand with the dumbbells against the front of your thighs, palms forward.
  2. Pull your elbows back behind you as you curl, so the dumbbells slide up along your body.
  3. Stop when the dumbbells reach your lower chest and your elbows point behind you.
  4. Reverse the path, keeping the dumbbells close to your body, until your arms are straight.

Cues

  • Dumbbells brush your shirt
  • Elbows travel back
  • Shoulders stay down

Common mistakes

  • Shrugging to lift the dumbbells higher: the top is lower chest, not chin height.
  • Letting the dumbbells drift away from your body: that makes it a regular curl with worse form.

Swap for: Dumbbell Curl, Barbell Drag Curl

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Short head: curls with the elbow in front

With the upper arm in front of you or out to the side, the long head goes slack and the short head does more of the lifting. The spider and overhead cable curls are also hardest near the top, the opposite of the incline curl.

Biceps short head, supported curl

Preacher Curl

Biceps

The pad holds your upper arms in front of you and stops any swing. That makes it the short-head curl to push close to failure, at 8 to 12 reps.

How to do it

  1. Sit down at the preacher station, armpits snug against the top of the pad.
  2. Hold an EZ bar on its angled grips, palms up, with your arms almost straight down the pad.
  3. Curl the bar up until your forearms are close to vertical.
  4. Lower slowly until your elbows are almost straight, then curl again.

Cues

  • Armpits on the pad
  • Three-second lowering
  • Stop just short of locking out

Common mistakes

  • Letting the bar drop fast at the bottom: that is where elbows get hurt. Control every inch.
  • Lifting your elbows off the pad at the top: keep the upper arms down and stop the curl earlier.

Swap for: Machine Preacher Curl, Spider Curl, Kettlebell Preacher Curl

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Biceps short head, chest-supported curl

Spider Curl

Biceps

Lying face down on an incline leaves your arms hanging straight down, so the curl is hardest at the top where the biceps are fully shortened. It pairs well with the incline curl, which is hardest at the bottom.

How to do it

  1. Set an incline bench to about 45 degrees and lie face down on it with your chest on the top of the pad and your feet planted on the floor behind.
  2. Hold one dumbbell per hand with your palms facing forward and let both arms drop vertically toward the floor.
  3. Curl both dumbbells toward your shoulders by bending only at the elbows, with your upper arms pointing at the floor.
  4. Squeeze hard at the top for a moment, with your pinkies turned slightly up toward your shoulders.
  5. Lower slowly until your arms are straight again, and start the next rep without letting the dumbbells swing.

Cues

  • Upper arms stay pointing at the floor
  • Chest glued to the pad
  • Squeeze, then lower slowly

Common mistakes

  • Pulling the elbows back as you curl: that turns it into a row and takes load off the biceps; keep your elbows directly under your shoulders and use lighter dumbbells.
  • Cutting the bottom short: let your arms go fully straight on every rep, or you lose half of the range.
  • Lifting your chest off the pad to get the last rep: once your chest moves, the set is over; record the rep you got cleanly.

Swap for: Preacher Curl, Machine Preacher Curl, Concentration Curl

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Biceps short head, arms-out cable curl

Overhead Cable Curl

Biceps

With your arms raised to the sides, the long head is short and the short head does most of the work. Use it as a finisher for 12 to 15 reps with a squeeze at the ears.

How to do it

  1. Stand centered between two high pulleys, one handle per hand, palms up.
  2. Lift your arms wide until they are level with your shoulders.
  3. Bend your elbows to bring the handles toward your ears without dropping your upper arms.
  4. Straighten your arms back out against the cables and repeat.

Cues

  • Upper arms stay level
  • Handles toward your ears
  • Slow return

Common mistakes

  • Letting your elbows sink as you tire: keep them level or end the set.
  • Pulling with your shoulders and chest: keep your torso still and bend only at the elbows.

Swap for: Cable Curl, Spider Curl, Incline Dumbbell Curl

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Biceps, braced one-arm curl

Concentration Curl

Biceps

Bracing the arm on your thigh leaves no way to cheat, so a light dumbbell gets each arm close to failure on its own. Good for evening out a smaller arm.

How to do it

  1. Sit on the end of a bench with your feet wider than your hips and flat on the floor.
  2. Pick up a dumbbell, lean forward slightly from the hips and set the back of your working upper arm against the inside of the same-side thigh, just above the knee.
  3. Let the arm hang straight with the dumbbell near the floor, palm facing the other leg, and rest your free hand on your other knee.
  4. Curl the dumbbell up toward your shoulder while your upper arm stays pressed against your leg, and squeeze for a second at the top.
  5. Lower slowly until your arm is straight again, finish the set, then switch sides.

Cues

  • Arm stays on the thigh
  • Pinky turns up at the top
  • Slow on the way down

Common mistakes

  • Lifting the elbow off the thigh: once the arm leaves your leg the shoulder starts to help. Keep the contact for the whole set.
  • Rocking the torso up to finish the rep: if you have to sit up to complete it, stop the set there or use a lighter dumbbell.
  • Stopping short of a straight arm: the bottom of the rep counts, so let the elbow open fully before each curl.

Swap for: Spider Curl, Kettlebell Concentration Curl, Dumbbell Curl

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Brachialis and forearm: neutral and overhand curls

The brachialis lies under the biceps and pushes it up when it grows. A thumbs-up or palms-down grip makes it and the brachioradialis do the work, which shows as a thicker arm from the side.

Brachialis and brachioradialis, neutral curl

Hammer Curl

Biceps, Forearms

A thumbs-up grip shifts the work under the biceps and onto the top of the forearm. You can load it heavier than a palms-up curl, so it adds real volume without much extra fatigue.

How to do it

  1. Hold the dumbbells at your sides with your palms facing your thighs.
  2. Bend one elbow to bring that dumbbell up, thumb leading.
  3. Keep the dumbbell vertical the whole way, then lower it slowly to the start.
  4. Curl the other arm, and keep alternating until the set is done.

Cues

  • Thumbs lead
  • Dumbbells vertical
  • Elbows by your sides

Common mistakes

  • Swinging heavier weight with your back: keep your torso still.
  • Curling across your body: keep each dumbbell in line with its shoulder.

Swap for: Band Hammer Curl, Alternating Hammer Curl

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Brachioradialis and brachialis, overhand curl

Reverse Curl

Biceps, Forearms

A palms-down grip takes the biceps out of their strongest position, so the brachialis and forearm do the lifting. Use a light bar and strict reps, 10 to 15 per set.

How to do it

  1. Take the barbell palms down at shoulder-width, bar hanging against your thighs.
  2. Tuck your elbows in and hold your wrists straight.
  3. Curl the bar up toward your shoulders with your knuckles leading.
  4. Lower it under control to straight arms.

Cues

  • Knuckles up all the way
  • Wrists flat
  • Light bar, strict reps

Common mistakes

  • Letting your wrists bend back under the load: lower the weight until they stay straight.
  • Swinging the bar up: overhand curls are easy to cheat, so keep the tempo slow.

Swap for: Zottman Curl, Hammer Curl, EZ-Bar Curl

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With no weights

Your bodyweight is enough load for the biceps if you set the angle right. The doorway curl gets harder the closer your feet walk in.

Biceps, doorway bodyweight curl

Bodyweight Bicep Curl

Biceps

Leaning back from a door frame and curling your body in loads the biceps with no equipment at all. Walking your feet closer makes each rep heavier, so you can progress it like a weight.

How to do it

  1. Grip both sides of a door frame around hip level, step one foot ahead of the other and walk your feet in toward it.
  2. Lean back until your arms are straight and your body is rigid from heels to head.
  3. Bend your elbows to bring your chest to the frame.
  4. Lower back out under control.

Cues

  • Elbows pinned to your sides
  • Body rigid
  • Feet in to make it harder

Common mistakes

  • Rowing instead of curling: keep your upper arms still at your sides and bend only at the elbows.
  • Bending at the hips: tense your glutes and keep a straight line.

Swap for: Chin-Up, TRX Chin-Up

Build a session with Bodyweight Bicep Curl
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Put them together: example sessions

Each session below picks from the exercises above for one situation, with the sets, reps, rest and RIR filled in.

Session 1

Biceps priority for 8 weeks, gym

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts3× a week
  • Working sets15 a week
  • Per workout~15 min
  • EquipmentPull-Up Bar, EZ Bar, Dumbbells, Incline Bench +2

You train in a gym four or more days a week and your biceps are the part you most want to grow right now.

Three short biceps blocks of 5 sets each give 15 direct sets a week, the upper end of the 10 to 16 range, plus the indirect work from your rows. Each day covers a different part of the arm so no single position gets beaten up.

Biceps A: Heavy
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Close-Grip Chin-Up1 warm-up set first 3 × 5–8 2 2:30 min
EZ-Bar Curl 2 × 6–10 1 2 min

Open Biceps A: Heavy in the session builder

Biceps B: Stretch
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Incline Dumbbell Curl 3 × 8–12 1 90 s
Hammer Curl 2 × 10–12 1 75 s

Open Biceps B: Stretch in the session builder

Biceps C: Squeeze
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Preacher Curl 3 × 10–12 1 90 s
Overhead Cable Curl 2 × 12–15 0 1 min

Open Biceps C: Squeeze in the session builder

How to run it
Add one routine to the end of three different sessions, at least 48 hours apart, for example Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Do the heaviest one on the day you are freshest.
How to progress
The chin-up and EZ-bar curl get heavier as soon as every set lands at the top of its range with the planned reps left. On cables and dumbbells, add one rep per set each week, then go up a step. After 8 weeks, drop back to two days to recover and keep the gains.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

Dumbbells and an incline bench at home

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets14 a week
  • Per workout~15 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells, Incline Bench

Your setup is a pair of adjustable dumbbells and an incline bench, with no barbell or cable station.

Without a heavy bar, volume does the work: 7 sets on Day 1 and 7 on Day 2 make 14 a week. Day 1 leans on the stretched long-head curls, Day 2 on the squeezed short-head curls, and each day ends with a brachialis curl.

Day 1: Long head
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Incline Dumbbell Curl 3 × 8–12 1 90 s
Dumbbell Drag Curl 2 × 10–12 1 75 s
Hammer Curl 2 × 8–12 1 75 s

Open Day 1: Long head in the session builder

Day 2: Short head
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Spider Curl 3 × 10–12 1 75 s
Concentration CurlPer arm. 2 × 10–15 0 1 min
Hammer Curl 2 × 12–15 1 1 min

Open Day 2: Short head in the session builder

How to run it
Do Day 1 and Day 2 three or four days apart, after your back or upper body training, or as their own 25 minute sessions.
How to progress
Dumbbells jump in big steps, so stay on a weight until you can do 2 more reps than the top of the range on the first set, then move up and expect to drop to the bottom.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

No weights: a pull-up bar and a doorway

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts3× a week
  • Working sets15 a week
  • Per workout~15 min
  • EquipmentPull-Up Bar

You have no dumbbells, only a pull-up bar and a sturdy door frame, and want to grow your biceps anyway.

Bodyweight is hard to scale in small steps, so the plan uses frequency: 5 sets three times a week, 15 in total. Chin-ups give the heavy work and the doorway curl gives the isolation.

Bar and doorway biceps
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Close-Grip Chin-Up 3 × 4–10 2 2:30 min
Bodyweight Bicep Curl 2 × 10–20 1 75 s
How to run it
Do it three times a week on non-consecutive days, at the start of whatever else you train that day.
How to progress
Chin-ups: one more rep each week up to 10, then make the way down last 4 seconds. On doorway curls, walk your feet one step closer once every set reaches 20 reps.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

What is the 7-7-7 bicep exercise?

It is a curl set split into thirds: 7 partial reps low, 7 partial reps high, then 7 full ones, straight through. It is a hard way to end a session, but regular sets you add weight to every few weeks build more size over time.

Is a 20 lb bicep curl good?

The number matters less than the reps and the form behind it. A strict 20 lb curl for 10 reps, with no swing, is a fine place to be early on. The useful test is whether it climbs: 25 or 30 lb for the same reps a year later means your biceps grew.

Is it OK to train biceps and triceps together?

Yes. They are opposite muscles, so one rests while the other works and you can alternate sets to save time. Keep the heavy curl first while your grip is fresh.

How do I get 20 inch arms?

Most men need years of training and a fair amount of body weight to reach 20 inches. Train biceps and triceps two or three times a week each, eat enough to gain weight slowly, and add load every few weeks. Measure cold, not pumped, to see real progress.

How often should I train biceps to make them bigger?

Split the work into two or three shorter biceps sessions with a rest day between, rather than one long arm day. Spread 10 to 16 hard sets across those sessions.