If you get the opportunity to visit the Poliquin Strength Institute, you’ll see that I have a wide variety of machines, from selectorized weight stacks to pulley systems and leverage units. Commercial gyms also have a variety of machines, including some specifically for the arms. But you don’t need to work out in a gym to get a great biceps workout – you can do that with just a flat-to-incline bench and an adjustable dumbbell set. I’ll show you how.
I wrote two books on arm training that contain the most effective exercises for training the arms, so I suggest you check these out if you’re serious about looking good in short-sleeve shirts. But to get you home trainees started, I’ll share three great dumbbell exercises, each made popular by a bodybuilder who had a considerable influence in the evolution of bodybuilding as a sport.
Incline Dumbbell Curls. This exercise was popularized by the late Steve Reeves, who won the AAU Mr. America in 1947 and won the first NABBA Mr. Universe in 1950. Reeves became a household name through his appearance as Hercules in the 1959 movie Hercules Unchained.
In this exercise the incline position of the bench permits the elbows to be drawn back, away from the body, making it one of the most effective exercises for isolating the long head of the biceps.
Recline on a multi-angle bench with a dumbbell in each hand. The more flexible you are, the lower you can set the bench; however, bringing it down to a flat position may be too hard on your rotator cuff muscles. As a rule of thumb, the lower the angle of the bench, the more recruitment of the long head of the biceps, especially if the angle of the bench is 30 degrees or less. Conversely, the steeper the angle, the less the shoulders are extended and the less the elbows are behind the midline of the body (and thus less recruitment of the long head).
With your arms fully extended, curl the dumbbells up simultaneously while keeping the elbows directly in line with the ground for at least the first 90 degrees (try pretending your elbows are rifles that you are trying to point towards the ground). After the first 90 degrees your elbows will begin to come slightly forward, especially if you’re using gargantuan weights. As long as you keep your elbows in line for the first 90 degrees of the movement, don’t worry about it. Also, keep the palms supinated at all times so that the elbow flexors are well stretched.
Prone One-Arm Incline Curl. With the prone one arm incline curl you rest your upper chest on an incline bench, which enables you to isolate the medial (short head) of the biceps. This position makes it difficult to cheat by using other muscle groups. Start the exercise with either arm. As you curl the weight, keep your neck in proper alignment by looking straight ahead. Also, make certain that you lower the weight all the way down; to do this, fire the triceps as go to the end of the eccentric range.
Concentration Dumbbell Curl. After Arnold Schwarzenegger was shown performing concentration curls in the 1977 documentary movie Pumping Iron, this exercise became a mainstay of every serious bodybuilder.
The concentration dumbbell curl is one of the most basic of all exercises. In fact, a neophyte, if left alone, would no doubt “invent” this movement after a workout or two. It probably got its name from the undivided attention a trainee usually gives to the arm being worked, and it’s a known physiological fact that you can increase muscle facilitation when you look at the muscle.
The concentration curl can be performed in either a standing or a sitting position, but I prefer the seated type. When you’re standing, your nervous system is “distracted” because it’s maintaining balance. If, however, you sit down during this movement, it will allow full attention to the movement and your neural drive will be enhanced.
Sit on a bench, lean over and grab the dumbbell. Sit back and rest your triceps against your inner thigh. Keep a slight arch in your back while leaning over the dumbbell. Make certain to curl the dumbbell slowly and deliberately until the full range of movement is completed, which is when the dumbbell is near your pectoral muscle. Also, it’s crucial that you lower the dumbbell until the arm is fully extended and that you make an effort to vary the angle at which you curl the dumbbell towards you to ensure that you recruit and knock off different motor units.
As with any dumbbell exercise, concentration curls allow you the luxury of performing 1 to 2 forced reps once you’ve achieved concentric muscle failure.
Although training in a commercial gym offers the opportunity to get the most comprehensive workouts, you can still get a great workout at home. Give these three exercises a try for starters and you’ll see what I mean.