When building big, powerful triceps, not all exercises are created equal. Some moves might be popular in the gym, but they’re not always the most effective. If you've been struggling to see the gains you want, it might be time to rethink your workout routine. In this post, I'll guide you through the tricep exercises you need to drop and the ones you should be doing instead for maximum growth.
We'll cover why some traditional tricep moves fall short and how better alternatives can give you the muscle definition you're aiming for. Whether it's avoiding exercises that limit your range of motion or swapping out routines that don't fully engage the triceps, this guide will help you optimize your arm workouts. You'll learn about the importance of form, the best exercises to hit all three tricep heads, and how to effectively incorporate these moves into your training program.
Let's dive into what you should stop doing, and discover the powerful exercises that will transform your triceps and take your arm game to the next level. Say goodbye to ineffective workouts and hello to bigger, stronger triceps!
The Don't List
The Don't List: Concentration Curl
Description: The concentration curl is a classic bodybuilder movement that has been a staple in arm workout routines for decades. This exercise involves sitting down and curling a dumbbell with one arm while bracing the elbow against the inner thigh. The goal is to isolate the biceps and achieve a peak contraction. While the concentration curl aims to focus intensely on the biceps, it often falls short due to common execution errors.
Problem: The primary issue with concentration curls is the ease with which one can cheat. Many lifters tend to dig their elbows into their thighs, creating a leverage point that reduces the effort required by the biceps. This not only diminishes the effectiveness of the exercise but also shifts the work to other muscles, such as the shoulder and forearm. Moreover, because the concentration curl requires intense focus on form and muscle engagement, it’s easy to get distracted or become lax in maintaining proper technique, further reducing its efficacy. The exercise’s setup also limits the range of motion, preventing a full stretch and contraction of the biceps, which are crucial for muscle growth.
Alternative: Spider Curl
Benefits: The spider curl is a superior alternative that addresses many of the concentration curl's shortcomings. This exercise involves using an incline bench, which supports the chest and allows the arms to hang straight down. This setup ensures that the biceps are fully isolated and prevents the use of momentum or other muscles to assist in the lift. By positioning the body face down on an incline bench, the spider curl provides a more complete range of motion, allowing for a better stretch at the bottom and a stronger contraction at the top of the movement
Equipment: Incline bench
How to Perform the Spider Curl: To perform the spider curl, set an incline bench at a 45-degree angle. Lie face down on the bench with your chest supported and your arms hanging straight down, holding a dumbbell in each hand. With a controlled movement, curl the weights up towards your shoulders, focusing on squeezing the biceps at the top of the lift. Slowly lower the weights back down to the starting position, ensuring you maintain tension in the biceps throughout the exercise. Perform 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions, keeping your movements controlled and deliberate to maximize the benefits.
The Don't List: Wide Grip Barbell Curl
Wide Grip Barbell Curl
Description: The wide grip barbell curl is a traditional exercise that dates back to the early days of bodybuilding. This exercise involves gripping the barbell with your hands placed significantly wider than shoulder-width apart and performing a curling motion to target the biceps. The intention behind the wide grip is to emphasize different angles of the bicep muscles. However, this exercise often falls short of its intended benefits and can lead to suboptimal results.
Problem: One of the main issues with the wide grip barbell curl is that it reduces the force generation capability of the biceps. When the hands are placed wider than shoulder-width, the biomechanical efficiency of the lift is compromised. This wide grip changes the angle of the elbow joint and reduces the ability to apply maximum force throughout the range of motion. As a result, lifters may not be able to lift as much weight as they could with a narrower grip, which can limit muscle stimulation and growth.
Furthermore, the wide grip reduces the effectiveness of the squeeze at the top of the movement. The biceps are responsible for flexing the elbow and supinating the forearm. When the grip is too wide, it becomes difficult to achieve a full contraction, and the peak tension on the biceps is diminished. This can lead to less muscle activation and ultimately slower progress in bicep development.
Alternative: Standard Shoulder Width Barbell Biceps Curl
Benefits: The standard shoulder width barbell biceps curl is a more effective alternative that addresses the shortcomings of the wide grip version. By placing your hands shoulder-width apart on the barbell, you position your muscles in a more optimal alignment for generating force. This grip allows for better leverage and enables you to lift heavier weights, which is crucial for muscle growth and strength development.
The shoulder-width grip also facilitates a more complete range of motion and a stronger squeeze at the top of the movement. With this grip, the biceps can achieve full flexion and supination, leading to greater muscle activation and a more pronounced peak contraction. This enhanced muscle engagement translates to more effective workouts and faster gains in size and strength.
Adjustment: Shoulder-Width Grip
To perform the standard shoulder width barbell biceps curl, follow these steps:
Starting Position: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell with an underhand grip. Position your hands shoulder-width apart on the barbell.
Curling Movement: Keeping your elbows close to your torso, curl the barbell upwards by contracting your biceps. Focus on maintaining a controlled motion and avoiding any swinging or jerking.
Full Contraction: As you lift the barbell, ensure you achieve a full contraction at the top of the movement by squeezing your biceps. Hold this position briefly to maximize muscle activation.
Lowering Phase: Slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position, maintaining tension in your biceps throughout the descent. Avoid letting the barbell drop quickly or using momentum to lift it.
Repetition: Perform 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions, maintaining proper form and controlled movements for each rep.
The Don't List:Cross-Body Hammer Curl
Description: The cross-body hammer curl is a popular exercise among fitness enthusiasts, often referred to as a "bro lift." It involves lifting a dumbbell with a hammer grip (palms facing inward) and curling it across the body toward the opposite shoulder. This movement is intended to target the brachialis muscle and the outer portion of the biceps.
Problem: Despite its popularity, the cross-body hammer curl has inherent limitations that can impact its effectiveness. One primary issue is the internal rotation of the shoulder that occurs during the movement. As you curl the weight across your body, the shoulder tends to rotate inward, placing the arm in a suboptimal position for achieving a maximal contraction of the biceps. This internal rotation can lead to reduced muscle activation and may increase the risk of shoulder discomfort or injury over time.
Another drawback of the cross-body hammer curl is its tendency to limit the range of motion and the ability to perform a full eccentric contraction of the biceps. The eccentric phase of an exercise, where the muscle lengthens under tension, is crucial for muscle growth and strength development. The cross-body movement restricts the natural path of the curl, preventing the biceps from fully stretching and contracting throughout the exercise.
Alternative: Regular Hammer Curl
Benefits: The regular hammer curl offers a more effective alternative by eliminating the cross-body movement and focusing on a straightforward up-and-down motion. This exercise allows you to maintain a neutral wrist position with palms facing inward throughout the entire range of motion, which minimizes shoulder rotation and optimizes bicep contraction.
via: training.fit
Adjustment: Remove Cross-Body Movement
To perform the regular hammer curl:
Starting Position: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip (palms facing inward).
Curling Movement: Keeping your elbows close to your sides, curl the dumbbells upward toward your shoulders while maintaining a controlled motion. Focus on squeezing your biceps at the top of the movement to maximize muscle contraction.
Lowering Phase: Slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position, resisting the weight and maintaining tension in your biceps throughout the descent.
Repetition: Perform 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions, ensuring smooth and controlled movements for each rep.
The Don't List: Seated EZ-Bar Curl
Description: The seated EZ-bar curl is a common exercise where you sit on a bench or chair and curl an EZ-bar (a curved barbell with angled hand grips) towards your shoulders. This exercise is popular for targeting the biceps while providing stability and support during the lift.
Problem: Despite its popularity, the seated EZ-bar curl has inherent limitations that can hinder its effectiveness. One of the primary issues is the obstruction caused by the lap when sitting down. As you curl the EZ-bar upward, it can come into contact with your thighs or lap, limiting the range of motion and preventing a full contraction of the biceps. This incomplete range of motion reduces the overall effectiveness of the exercise and may prevent you from fully engaging the biceps muscles.
Another drawback of the seated position is that it restricts your ability to generate momentum and power throughout the lift. The stability provided by sitting down can lead to a tendency to rely on momentum rather than muscle strength, which diminishes the intensity of the workout and slows down muscle development.
Alternative: Standing EZ-Bar Curl
Benefits: The standing EZ-bar curl offers a superior alternative by allowing for a full range of motion and promoting greater muscle activation. By standing upright, you can freely move the EZ-bar without obstruction from the lap, enabling a complete extension of the arms at the bottom of the movement and a full contraction of the biceps at the top.
Adjustment: Perform Standing
To perform the standing EZ-bar curl:
Starting Position: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding an EZ-bar with an underhand grip (palms facing upward). Keep your elbows close to your body throughout the exercise.
Curling Movement: Slowly curl the EZ-bar upwards towards your shoulders, focusing on squeezing your biceps at the top of the movement. Maintain a controlled motion and avoid swinging the weight to ensure muscle engagement.
Lowering Phase: Gradually lower the EZ-bar back down to the starting position, resisting the weight and maintaining tension in your biceps throughout the descent.
Repetition: Perform 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions, maintaining proper form and controlled movements for each rep.
The Don't List: Biceps Push up
Description: The biceps pushup is a calisthenics exercise that is often touted as targeting the biceps. In this exercise, the hands are placed closer together than in a traditional pushup, supposedly emphasizing the biceps during the movement.
Problem: Despite its reputation, the primary engagement in a biceps pushup is not in the biceps but rather in the chest and triceps. The positioning of the hands and the movement mechanics predominantly activate the chest muscles for pushing and the triceps for extending the arms. This results in minimal stimulation of the biceps, making the exercise ineffective for biceps development.
Moreover, the biceps pushup does not allow for a full range of motion that optimally targets the biceps. The movement primarily involves pushing the body away from the ground, which limits the ability to achieve a meaningful contraction of the biceps muscles.
Alternative: Chin up
Benefits: The chinup is a highly effective bodyweight exercise specifically designed to target the biceps. By using a chinup grip with your hands facing inward (palms towards you), you engage the biceps more directly during the pulling motion. This grip position emphasizes the biceps brachii muscle while also recruiting the muscles of the back, shoulders, and forearms.
Adjustment: Use Chin-up Grip
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To perform a chin-up:
Starting Position: Hang from a chin-up bar with your hands shoulder-width apart and palms facing towards you (underhand grip).
Pulling Motion: Pull yourself upward until your chin passes the bar, focusing on squeezing your biceps at the top of the movement. Keep your elbows close to your body throughout the exercise to maximize biceps activation.
Lowering Phase: Slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position, maintaining control and resisting the descent to keep tension on your muscles.
Repetition: Aim for 3 sets of 8-12 repetitions, adjusting the difficulty by using a resistance band for assistance or adding weight with a weight belt as you progress.
Conclusion
In conclusion, mastering effective biceps training boils down to embracing simplicity and prioritizing exercises that deliver results. Throughout this exploration of what not to do in biceps training, it becomes clear that certain exercises, while popular, may not yield the desired outcomes due to their mechanics or limitations in muscle activation. By understanding these pitfalls and making informed adjustments, you can significantly enhance the effectiveness of your workouts and accelerate your progress toward stronger, more defined biceps.
The journey to sculpting impressive biceps begins with recognizing the importance of choosing exercises that maximize muscle engagement and promote growth. It's crucial to replace ineffective movements, such as those that compromise range of motion or fail to target the biceps effectively, with alternatives that offer superior muscle activation and stimulation. Whether it's opting for a standing EZ-bar curl over a seated variation to achieve a fuller range of motion or prioritizing chinups to directly target the biceps, each adjustment plays a pivotal role in optimizing your workout routine.
Moreover, consistency and dedication are key to achieving better biceps growth. By committing to a well-rounded training program that incorporates proven exercises like the standing EZ-bar curl and chinups, you set yourself up for success. These exercises not only challenge your muscles effectively but also encourage proper form and technique, essential for maximizing gains over time.
As you embark on your journey to build stronger and more defined biceps, remember that every workout counts toward your goals. Celebrate your progress, no matter how small, and stay motivated by focusing on the positive changes you're making in your fitness journey. With the right exercises and a mindset geared toward continual improvement, you can achieve the biceps development you desire and cultivate a physique that reflects your hard work and dedication.
In closing, choose simplicity, prioritize effectiveness, and embrace the journey of transforming your biceps through smart training choices. By making these adjustments and staying committed to your goals, you're not just working out—you're sculpting a stronger, more confident version of yourself with every rep.