Standing Barbell Curl
Stand with your feet approx shoulder width apart, your midsection firm and your chest out. Keep your knees slightly bent, do not lock your knees out. Hold the barbell using an underhand grip and your hands shoulder width apart. Curl the bar up towards your shoulders in an arc motion, until you feel the pump in your biceps. Lower the bar down slowly, then repeat.
Standing EZ Bar Curl – narrow grip
Stand with your feet approx shoulder width apart, your midsection firm and your chest out. Keep your knees slightly bent, do not lock your knees out. Hold the EZ bar using an underhand grip. Your hands should be on the first section of the bar that bends (your fingers / knuckles are slightly facing each other, like a “v”). Curl the bar up towards your shoulders, until you feel the pump in your biceps. Lower the bar down slowly, then repeat.
EZ Bar Preacher Curl
Sit on the preacher bench, leaning forward, with your arms rested over the top pad. You may need to adjust the seat so you can reach the top pad. Place your hands on the EZ bar with a shoulder width underhand grip. Curl the bar up towards your chin. When you feel the pump of your biceps lower the weights, until your arms are only slightly bent. Then repeat. Make sure you keep your midsection firm while performing this exercise.
Seated Concentration Curl
Sitting on a bench bending forward slightly, keeping your midsection firm and your back straight. Have your legs wider than shoulder width apart. Take a dumbbell in your right hand, keeping your right elbow pivoted on the inside of the inner thigh of your right leg. Have your right arm extended so the dumbbell is at ankle height. Now curl the dumbbell up towards your chest. Squeeze your bicep then lower the dumbbell to starting position. Repeat. Keep your free arm on your left thigh for stability. When you have performed that set swap over to your left side. Alternate your sets from one side to the other.
Alternating Dumbbell Curls
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, and knees slightly bent. Keep your chest out and tummy firm, do not arch your back. Hold a dumbbell in each hand down by your sides, palms facing inwards. Start with your right arm. As you curl the dumbbell upwards twist your hand outwards so your palm is facing upward. Curl the dumbbell up towards your shoulders until you feel the “pump” in your bicep. Lower the dumbell down slowly twisting the dumbbell back to starting position (palm facing inwards). Swap sides then repeat with your left arm.
Dumbbell Hammer Curls
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, and knees slightly bent. Keep your chest out and tummy firm, do not arch your back. Hold a dumbbell in each hand down by your sides, palms facing inwards. Curl the dumbbells up (keeping them in hammer position) towards your shoulders until you feel the “pump” in your biceps. Now lower the dumbbells down to starting position and repeat exercise. This exercise can be performed seated on a bench or standing.
Dumbbell Curls
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, and knees slightly bent. Keep your chest out and tummy firm, do not arch your back. Hold a dumbbell in each hand down by your sides, palms facing inwards. As you curl the dumbbells upwards twist your hands outwards so your palms are facing upward. Curl the dumbbells up towards your shoulders until you feel the “pump” in your biceps. Lower the dumbbells down slowly twisting the dumbbells back to starting position (palm facing inwards).
Incline Dumbbell Curls
Sit on a incline bench with your feet flat on the floor. Keep your chest out and midsection firm. Hold a dumbbell in each hand down by your sides, palms facing inwards. As you curl the dumbbells upwards twist your hands outwards so your palms are facing upward. Curl the dumbbells up towards your shoulders until you feel the “pump” in your biceps. Lower the dumbbells down slowly twisting the dumbbells back to starting position (palm facing inwards).
Lying Biceps High Cable Curl
Get a training buddy to help you with this one. Use a bar attachment on the high pulley. Lie flat on your back on a bench under the cable machine. With your head under the high pulley. Making sure your friend is keeping a watchful eye on the bar while you’re doing this. Have your friend pull the bar down so it is directly at arms length above your body. Using an underhand grip, bend your arms, keeping your elbows pivoted, as you curl the bar down in an arc motion towards your head so it virtually touches your forehead. Feel the pull in your biceps then slowly return the bar back to arms length, do not lock out your elbows, repeat the exercise to complete your reps.
IMPORTANT: Don’t go too heavy with this exercise. If the bar is pulling you up off the bench, and you can’t perform the exercise with good form, your weight stack is too heavy.
Machine Preacher Curl
This is the same exercise as the EZ Bar Preacher Curl, except you are using a machine. You can adjust the seat and the pad to suit your height. Sitting in the same position, lean forward and grab hold of the handles with an underhand grip. Curl the bar up towards your shoulders, squeeze, then lower the weights, until your arms are only slightly bent. Then repeat the exercise until you have completed your reps and sets. Make sure you keep your midsection firm while performing this exercise.
Cable Bar Bicep Curls
Stand with your knees bent, chest out, midsection firm and facing the cable machine. Use a low pulley with a bar attachment. Using an underhand grip, curl the bar up towards your shoulders, keeping your elbows pivoted at your sides, squeezing your bicep muscles at the top of the movement, then lower the bar down to arms length. Repeat the required repetitions.
Cable Rope Bicep Curls
Stand with your knees bent, chest out, midsection firm and facing the cable machine. Use a low pulley with a rope attachment. Place your hands around the rope grips with your palms facing inwards. Curl the rope grips up towards your shoulders, keeping your elbows pivoted at your sides , squeezing your bicep muscles then lowering the bar down to arms length. Repeat the required repetitions. You may want to wear weight gloves while performing this exercise – which I’d suggest you should be doing anyway.
2 Arm High Cable Bicep Curls
Stand with a pulley machine either side of you. Use a high pulley for each side with a handle attachment on each. Have your feet shoulder width apart and your knees slightly bent. Keeping your misection firm and back straight. Grab the high pulley handles in each hand, with your palms facing upward and your arms directly out to your sides. Pull the handles in towards your shoulders. Keep your elbows up and pivoted. Feel the pump in your biceps then extend your arms back out to your sides, do not lock your elbows out. Repeat the exercise until you have completed your set. Keep your body stable during this exercise.
Machine Bicep Curl
Sit in the bicep curl machine, place your feet on the steps or pads to keep your body stable. You can adjust the seat to ensure you’re at the correct height and are close to the handles. Keep your midsection firm and your back stable into the back pad of the machine. Place your arms and elbows in the pads provided. Using an underhand grip pull the handles upwards, squeezing your biceps when you hit the top of the movement. Return to starting position and repeat the exercise until you have completed your set. The machines will vary with some of them offering a hammer curl style option.
© Mandy Gibbons
Virtual Fitness Trainer
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