What Are the Best and Worst Biceps Exercises?

TL;DR

The preacher curl is the best biceps exercise because it delivers high tension in the stretched position, locks the elbows in place, and makes cheating difficult, while the waiter curl ranks worst because it strains the wrists, feels awkward, and limits overload. Other strong options include machine preacher curls and face-away Bayesian cable curls. Read on to compare the rankings and choose movements for growth, symmetry, or a stronger biceps peak.

Transcript

the biceps get a lot of attention and for good reason simply growing this one muscle can make a dramatic difference in how jacked you look in a t-shirt so in this video I'll be covering the best and worst biceps exercises based on the latest science I'm going to rank them on a tier list from s for super to F for fail and at the end I'll Crown one e... Read More

Key Insights

• The key to effective biceps exercises is high tension in the stretched position.
• Preacher curls provide high tension and are ranked in the S tier.
• Barbell curls are accessible but have a suboptimal tension curve.
• Easy bar curls ease wrist torque and are effective in the 6-8 rep range.
• Dumbbell curls can help fix bicep size asymmetries.
• Hammer curls target the brachialis, enhancing bicep peak appearance.
• Chin-ups are accessible but not as effective as isolation exercises.
• The face away Bayesian cable curl offers maximum stretch and tension.

Questions & Answers

Q: What are the best and worst biceps exercises?

The preacher curl is ranked as the best because it provides high tension in the stretched position and prevents cheating by locking the elbows in place. The waiter curl is ranked worst because it strains the wrists, feels awkward, and offers limited overload.

Q: What makes a biceps exercise effective?

An effective biceps exercise provides high tension, especially when the muscle is stretched, without causing elbow pain. It should also have a smooth resistance profile and allow simple progression by adding weight or reps over time.

Q: Why is the preacher curl ranked in S tier?

Angling the upper arm during a preacher curl increases tension on the biceps in the stretched position. Preacher curls also lock the elbows in place, making cheating difficult, and they produced more growth near the elbow joint than incline curls in the study discussed.

Q: Which exercise can help build a stronger biceps peak?

The face-away Bayesian cable curl is recommended for improving the biceps peak. Holding the arms behind the torso stretches the biceps and targets the long head, which contributes more to the peak.

Q: How do hammer curls improve the appearance of the biceps peak?

Hammer curls shift more tension toward the brachialis, the muscle beneath the biceps. Developing the brachialis can push the biceps upward and create the appearance of a larger peak.

Q: Are chin-ups effective for building biceps?

Chin-ups can grow the biceps, especially for beginners, because they provide a solid range of motion at the elbow. However, the back muscles are also heavily involved, so the biceps may not be the limiting factor; the exercise is therefore ranked in B tier.

Q: What are the drawbacks of barbell curls?

Barbell curls are hardest when the elbow reaches 90 degrees, while tension decreases above and below that point and reaches zero at the bottom. The straight bar can also strain the wrists, although the exercise remains accessible and makes adding weight easy.

Q: How should 21s be performed for better biceps training?

Traditional 21s use seven bottom-half reps, seven top-half reps, and seven full-range reps. The suggested modification reverses the emphasis: perform seven shortened top-half curls, seven full-range curls, and then seven bottom-half curls so the movement becomes easier as the biceps fatigue and finishes with lengthened partials.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The preacher curl is the top-ranked biceps exercise due to its ability to provide high tension in the stretched position, leading to significant muscle growth near the elbow joint. It locks elbows in place, preventing cheating and ensuring effective muscle engagement.

• Hammer curls are highlighted for targeting the brachialis, a muscle beneath the biceps, which can enhance the appearance of the biceps peak. They provide an effective way to shift tension toward the brachialis and are recommended for those aiming to improve biceps aesthetics.

• The face away Bayesian cable curl is praised for its optimal tension profile, offering maximum stretch and tension throughout the range of motion. This exercise is particularly effective for targeting the long head of the biceps and is recommended for those looking to enhance biceps peak.