5 Effective Upper Bicep Exercises
With beach season almost here, it’s time to show off all the hard work you’ve put into your arms and upper body. While it’s great to get a comprehensive workout that hits every part of your arms, sometimes you need a little extra help targeting specific areas like the upper bicep so you can achieve the look you want and get stronger.
In this article, we’ll briefly review the anatomy of the upper bicep before recommending five targeted upper bicep exercises that will help you sculpt your upper biceps and have your arms turning heads this spring and summer.
Anatomy of the Upper Bicep
Before you head to the gym and start hitting reps, it’s always a good idea to understand the mechanics of the muscles you’re about to work. Knowing your body helps with form and reduces the risk of getting injured while you exercise.
In anatomical terms, the biceps are called the biceps brachii, and they’re responsible for flexing the elbows and supinating the forearms. The biceps brachii has two heads: the long head and the short head. Both originate at your shoulder blades and converge to form the main body of the muscle, which runs down the length of your arm and inserts into your forearm.
When it comes to working the upper portion of the biceps, focusing on exercises that emphasize the long head can help you achieve a more defined look and give your arms more overall stability. For a wider routine, see our best upper-body exercises for building muscle.
5 Upper Bicep Workouts to Sculpt Your Muscles
If you’d like to sculpt your biceps and make them stronger, add the following five upper bicep exercises to your workout.
1. Incline Dumbbell Curl
The incline dumbbell curl is a great way to really zero in on the long head of your biceps. By performing curls on an incline bench, you specifically hit the upper part of the bicep, as opposed to standard curls that work the whole muscle.
How to do it:
1. Set an incline bench to about 55 to 65 degrees, then sit back so your back is flat against it and you’re sitting up straight.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and let your arms hang straight down by your sides.
3. Slowly curl the dumbbells upward until your biceps are fully contracted.
4. Lower the weight slowly to get a great burn, then repeat.
Sets and reps: 3 sets of 15 reps per arm.
Form tip: Keep your upper arms back and still against the bench. Letting your elbows drift forward takes the focus off the long head.
2. Hammer Curl
Hammer curls work your biceps while also engaging the brachialis, the muscle inside the bicep that adds overall arm thickness when properly trained. The brachialis also helps stabilize the elbow flexor, so strengthening it can help with issues like tendinitis.
How to do it:
1. Stand or sit holding a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing each other.
2. Keeping your upper arms stationary, lift one dumbbell toward your shoulder with your wrist in line with your forearm.
3. Hold the weight at the top of the movement for about a second.
4. Lower it back down slowly, then alternate arms.
Sets and reps: 3 sets of 15 reps per arm.
Form tip: Keep your palms facing each other the whole time and avoid swinging. The neutral grip is what shifts the work onto your brachialis.
3. Concentration Curl
Concentration curls bypass any wasted movement and really focus on your upper biceps. They also work your forearms and grip, which is always an added benefit.
How to do it:
1. Sit on a bench with a dumbbell in one hand and your feet planted wide.
2. Place the back of your upper arm against the inside of your thigh and brace your core so your torso stays still.
3. Curl the weight up in a controlled manner, emphasizing the squeeze at the top.
4. Lower the weight slowly until your arm is straight, keeping your torso in the same position throughout.
Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps per arm.
Form tip: Let your arm do all the work. If your torso starts to move or swing, drop to a lighter dumbbell.
4. Zottman Curl
The Zottman curl is a unique variation that targets both the biceps and forearms, building upper-arm size along with grip and forearm strength. It’s named after the 1800s American strongman George Zottman, who developed the lift.
How to do it:
1. Stand holding a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing up.
2. Curl the weights toward your shoulders as you would with a standard bicep curl.
3. At the top, rotate your wrists so your palms face away from you.
4. Slowly lower the weights in that position back to the start, then rotate back to begin the next rep.
Sets and reps: 3 sets of 15 reps.
Form tip: Start lighter than your usual curl weight. The wrist rotation adds difficulty and the slow lower is where the forearm work happens, so technique comes first.
5. Chin-Ups
Chin-ups build upper-bicep strength while training your back at the same time. An underhand, shoulder-width grip puts more emphasis on your biceps than a wide pull-up grip, which hits more of your back.
How to do it:
1. Grab the bar with your palms facing you and your hands about shoulder-width apart.
2. Pull your body weight up using mainly your bicep strength, squeezing the muscles as you reach the top.
3. Hold yourself over the bar for a moment.
4. Lower back down slowly without letting your feet touch the floor, then repeat.
Sets and reps: 3 sets of as many controlled reps as you can manage.
Form tip: For extra difficulty, hold yourself over the bar for five seconds between reps to build arm and grip strength. Chin-ups also hit your back, so they pair well with our 10 best back exercises.
Let Gold’s Gym Help You Get the Biceps of Your Dreams
If you want to get your upper arms stronger and more defined, our expert trainers at Gold’s Gym have you covered. Gold’s offers personal training options and a variety of high-quality strength-training equipment you can use to sculpt the arms you’ve always wanted.
Take advantage of a Free Pass to come see what Gold’s Gym is all about. If you’re newer to lifting, our guide on how to start going to the gym is a great place to begin.
