How to Get Bigger Biceps in 7 Steps + Top 15 Exercises

How to Get Bigger Biceps: 7 Steps to Achieve Your Goal

Building bigger biceps is a fitness goal that many aspire to achieve. However, it requires more than just lifting weights—it’s about proper technique, recovery, and strategic training. This guide provides actionable steps and a comprehensive list of exercises to help you grow stronger and more defined biceps.

1. Avoid Lifting Too Heavy

While heavy lifting has its place, using excessively heavy weights often sacrifices form for the sake of lifting. This leads to “cheat curls,” where momentum, rather than muscle contraction, drives the movement. This not only reduces bicep engagement but increases the risk of injury.

Why It Matters:

• Proper form ensures the biceps are doing most of the work.
• It minimizes strain on other muscles like the shoulders and lower back.

Best Practice:

• Choose weights that allow you to complete 8–12 reps with perfect form.
• The last 2–4 reps of a set should feel challenging but achievable without compromising technique.
• Avoid swinging your body or using your legs to assist in lifting.

Pro Tip:
Instead of increasing weight prematurely, focus on performing each rep with precision. A controlled curl using lighter weights is far more effective than a sloppy curl with heavier ones.

2. Perfect Your Technique

Good form is critical for isolating the biceps and achieving optimal muscle engagement. Poor technique, such as using your back or shoulders to lift the weight, reduces the effectiveness of your workout.

Key Tips:

1. Keep Your Elbows Stable: Your elbows should remain stationary and close to your body throughout the movement. This prevents other muscles from taking over the load.
2. Engage Your Core: Tighten your core to maintain stability and prevent swaying.
3. Control the Weight: Avoid letting the weight drop quickly during the lowering phase. Both the upward and downward motions should be deliberate and controlled.

Common Mistake to Avoid:

• Do not fully lock your elbows at the bottom of the movement, as this takes tension off the biceps.

3. Increase Time Under Tension

Time under tension (TUT) refers to the duration your muscles are under strain during a set. Prolonging this tension, especially during the eccentric (lowering) phase, is a proven way to stimulate muscle growth.

Why It Works:

• The eccentric phase causes more micro-tears in the muscle fibers, leading to greater muscle repair and growth during recovery.

How to Do It:

1. Slow Eccentric Phase: Lower the weight over 3–5 seconds, resisting gravity.
2. Controlled Movements: Avoid rushing through the concentric (lifting) phase as well, ensuring full muscle engagement.

Pro Tip:
If you’re struggling to maintain proper form during slow reps, reduce the weight to focus on quality over quantity.

4. Target Different Angles

The biceps are not a single-function muscle; they cross both the elbow and shoulder joints. To fully activate them and promote balanced growth, train them through various angles and ranges of motion.

Movements to Include:

1. Elbow Flexion and Supination: Curls with supinated grips target the biceps brachii.
2. Shoulder Flexion: Exercises like high pulley curls incorporate the long head of the biceps.

Example Exercise Pairings:

• Combine incline dumbbell curls (to target the long head) with hammer curls (for the brachialis).
• Use spider curls to isolate the short head of the biceps.

Pro Tip:
Incorporate a mix of free weights, cables, and resistance bands to train your biceps from multiple angles effectively.

5. Prioritize Recovery

Muscle growth doesn’t happen in the gym—it occurs during recovery. Without adequate rest and nutrition, your body won’t repair the muscle damage caused by training, limiting your progress.

Recovery Essentials:

1. Sleep: Aim for 7–9 hours of quality sleep each night to allow your muscles to recover and grow.
2. Nutrition: Consume 1.8–2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily. Incorporate a mix of lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats.
3. Hydration: Stay hydrated to support muscle function and recovery.
4. Calorie Surplus: To build muscle, your body needs extra calories. Focus on nutrient-dense foods rather than empty calories.

Pro Tip:
Implement active recovery strategies like foam rolling or light cardio to reduce muscle soreness and improve blood flow.

6. Avoid Overtraining

Overtraining occurs when you work a muscle group too frequently or with excessive volume, leaving insufficient time for recovery. Conversely, undertraining won’t provide enough stimulus for growth.

How to Strike a Balance:

• Train your biceps 2–3 times per week, allowing at least 48 hours between sessions.
• Include compound exercises like pull-ups and rows, which also engage the biceps.

Volume Guidelines:

1. Maximum Recoverable Volume (MRV): The maximum amount of work your muscles can recover from. Exceeding this leads to overtraining.
2. Minimum Effective Volume (MEV): The least amount of work required to stimulate muscle growth.

Pro Tip:
Progressively increase volume over time but monitor your recovery. Signs of overtraining include persistent soreness, fatigue, and reduced performance.

7. Incorporate Progressive Overload

Muscle growth occurs when you challenge your muscles with increasing intensity over time. Progressive overload involves gradually increasing the demands placed on your muscles.

Ways to Implement Progressive Overload:

1. Increase Weight: Add small increments of weight as your strength improves.
2. Add Reps or Sets: Gradually increase the number of reps or sets performed.
3. Vary Exercises: Rotate between different bicep exercises to avoid plateaus.

Example Progression Plan:

• Week 1: Perform 3 sets of 10 reps with 15-pound dumbbells.
• Week 2: Perform 3 sets of 12 reps with 15-pound dumbbells.
• Week 3: Increase to 20-pound dumbbells for 3 sets of 10 reps.

Pro Tip:
Keep a workout journal to track your progress and identify areas where you can push harder.

Final Thoughts

Growing bigger biceps is a process that requires consistency, proper technique, and a holistic approach to training. By following these seven steps, you’ll not only improve the size and definition of your biceps but also build functional strength and reduce your risk of injury. Combine these strategies with patience and dedication, and you’ll see significant results over time.

15 Best Exercises for Bigger Biceps

1. Chin-Ups

How to Perform:

• Grip the pull-up bar with an underhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
• Hang with arms fully extended and feet off the ground.
• Pull yourself up by bending your elbows, bringing your chin above the bar.
• Lower yourself slowly until your arms are fully extended.

Pro Tips:

• Keep your elbows close to your torso for better biceps activation.
• Avoid swinging or using momentum. Focus on controlled movements.

2. Bodyweight Incline Curls

How to Perform:

• Use a secure anchor point (like a towel or suspension trainer). Lean back with your arms extended and palms facing up.
• Curl your hands toward your face by bending your elbows.
• Slowly return to the starting position.

Pro Tips:

• Maintain a straight line from your head to your heels.
• Adjust your body angle to increase or decrease resistance.

3. Resistance Band Supinated Curls

How to Perform:

• Secure a resistance band under your feet. Hold the band with palms facing up.
• Bend your elbows to curl the band toward your shoulders.
• Slowly lower your arms back to the starting position.

Pro Tips:

• Keep tension on the band throughout the movement.
• Avoid locking your elbows at the bottom for continuous muscle engagement.

4. Resistance Band Hammer Curls

How to Perform:

• Hold the resistance band with a neutral grip (palms facing each other).
• Curl the band upward, keeping your elbows stationary.
• Lower the band slowly to the start.

Pro Tips:

• Ensure the band is taut at the start for consistent resistance.
• Squeeze your biceps at the top of the curl for maximum activation.

5. Supinated Barbell Curls

How to Perform:

• Hold a barbell with an underhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
• Curl the bar toward your chest by bending your elbows.
• Lower the bar slowly back to the start.

Pro Tips:

• Engage your core to avoid swinging.
• Focus on a smooth motion for both lifting and lowering phases.

6. Pronated Barbell Curls

How to Perform:

• Grip the barbell with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
• Bend your elbows to curl the bar upward.
• Lower the bar back to the starting position.

Pro Tips:

• Use a lighter weight than supinated curls, as this variation targets the brachialis.
• Keep your wrists neutral to avoid strain.

7. Dumbbell Hammer Curls

How to Perform:

• Hold a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing your torso.
• Curl the dumbbells simultaneously or alternately toward your shoulders.
• Lower the dumbbells in a controlled manner.

Pro Tips:

• Avoid rotating your wrists; keep a neutral grip throughout the movement.
• Keep your elbows close to your body.

8. High Pulley Cable Curls

How to Perform:

• Set the pulley at eye level and grab the handle with an underhand grip.
• Stand away from the machine with your arm extended.
• Curl the handle toward your shoulder and lower it slowly.

Pro Tips:

• Maintain slight tension on the cable at the starting position.
• Avoid leaning forward or backward during the movement.

9. Shoulder Extended Cable Curls

How to Perform:

• Set the pulley at a low position behind you. Hold the handle with your arm extended back.
• Curl the handle toward your shoulder, keeping your elbow stationary.
• Lower it back to the starting position.

Pro Tips:

• Focus on isolating the biceps by minimizing shoulder movement.
• Start with a lighter weight to master the form.

10. Incline Bench Curls

How to Perform:

• Sit on an incline bench with dumbbells in hand, arms hanging down.
• Curl the dumbbells toward your shoulders.
• Lower them back down slowly.

Pro Tips:

• Avoid moving your upper arms; keep them stationary throughout the movement.
• Use full range of motion to maximize muscle engagement.

11. Preacher Curls

How to Perform:

• Rest your arms on a preacher bench with palms facing up, holding a barbell or dumbbell.
• Curl the weight toward your shoulders.
• Lower it back to the starting position.

Pro Tips:

• Keep your movements controlled to avoid bouncing.
• Focus on the stretch at the bottom of the movement.

12. Spider Curls

How to Perform:

• Lie prone on an incline bench with your arms hanging down holding dumbbells.
• Curl the dumbbells toward your shoulders.
• Lower them back in a controlled motion.

Pro Tips:

• Squeeze your biceps at the top of each curl.
• Keep your upper arms perpendicular to the floor for maximum isolation.

13. 21’s (Method)

How to Perform:

• Perform 7 reps from the bottom to the midpoint.
• Then, perform 7 reps from the midpoint to the top.
• Finally, complete 7 reps with a full range of motion.

Pro Tips:

• Use a moderate weight to ensure proper form throughout all phases.
• Avoid resting between phases.

14. Zottman Curls

How to Perform:

• Perform a supinated curl upward.
• Rotate your wrists at the top so your palms face down, then lower the weight.
• Return to the starting position and repeat.

Pro Tips:

• Control the descent for maximum tension on the biceps.
• Focus on wrist stability to avoid strain.

15. Pyramid Sets (Method)

How to Perform:

• Start with a light weight and increase it progressively while reducing reps.
• Reverse the process, decreasing weight while increasing reps.

Pro Tips:

• Ensure you maintain proper form as the weights get heavier.
• Track your progress to gradually increase load over time.

Key Takeaways for Effective Performance

• Warm Up: Always prepare your muscles with light cardio and dynamic stretches.
• Mind-Muscle Connection: Focus on engaging your biceps during every rep.
• Controlled Movements: Avoid rushing through sets; prioritize form over speed.
• Track Progress: Keep a log of your weights, reps, and sets to measure improvement.

By applying these techniques, you’ll not only maximize the effectiveness of each exercise but also reduce the risk of injury and achieve consistent progress. Stay disciplined and patient—your results will follow!

FAQs About Building Bigger Biceps

1. How often should I train my biceps?
Train your biceps 2–3 times per week, allowing 48 hours of recovery between sessions.

2. Can I grow my biceps with bodyweight exercises?
Yes, exercises like chin-ups and incline curls can effectively target biceps.

3. How long does it take to see results?
Visible progress typically takes 4–6 weeks with consistent training and proper nutrition.

4. Should I train my biceps on back day?
Yes, many back exercises like pull-ups also engage the biceps, making it an efficient pairing.

5. What if I plateau in my bicep growth?
Introduce new exercises, adjust your rep ranges, or focus on progressive overload to overcome plateaus.

Conclusion

Building bigger biceps requires a combination of proper technique, strategic programming, and adequate recovery. By following these seven steps and incorporating the best bicep exercises into your routine, you can achieve stronger and more defined arms. Stay consistent, track your progress, and adjust your plan as needed to keep growing