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Biceps Exercises Ranked (BEST TO WORST)

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Rating: 4.5; Vote: 2

There are so many biceps exercises, but which ones should you be focusing your efforts on if you want to build bigger biceps? In this video, I m going to give you the most popular bicep exercises ranked from worst to best and help you to determine which ones you should be doing and which you can probably do without. With that said, we have to lay out the criteria for the biceps exercise selection, which you will find laid out in the video. Now, let s break down the ranking categories and see where each bicep exercise sits on the list. WORST 1. Concentration Curls 2. Reverse Curls 3. Biceps Pushup The concentration curl kicks off this list in the worst category. Why? Well, the concentration curl is non-athletic version of the curl where you are completely seated and off your feet. The reverse curl is a great curling movement, but not a great biceps exercise. It comes down to the simple anatomy and bio-mechanics; the reverse curl does not target the biceps, but instead the brachioradialis. The biceps pushup will always remain at the bottom of the list for me for one simple reason it doesn t hit your biceps. At all. You re better off skipping this one entirely if you want bigger arms. BETTER 4. Inverted Chin Curls 5. Zottman Curls 6. Preacher Curls 7. Cable Curls Inverted chin curls are a solid bodyweight option to train your biceps, but can be hard to overload. This can be an issue because the movement will become too easy unless you can start adding weight via a weighted vest. Zottman curls allow for the biceps to achieve their main function of elbow flexion, but the limiter of this exercise is the lack of eccentric overload on the biceps with eccentric portion being the strongest function of the biceps. By pronating the hands, the eccentric focus goes to the brachioradialis instead. Preacher curls often give a false sense of security because you are bracing your elbows against the pad, giving the impression that you can handle more weight. Unfortunately, this line of thinking is risky. Cable curls are great for achieving a good contraction on the biceps at the top of the movement. Unfortunately, at the bottom of the movement, you lose tension on the biceps due to the line force being in direct line with the muscles. BETTER STILL 8. Spider Curls 9. Drag Curls 10. Cable Flex Curls / Lip Buster Curls 11. Waiter Curls Spider curls are awesome for developing mind-muscle-connection with the biceps in their peak contracted state. Not only that, but there is a freedom of movement that you don t find in some other bicep exercises. Drag curls are the first option on this list to target the long head of the biceps. This is done by getting the elbows back behind the body, which allows for more stretch on the long head of the biceps. Cable flex curls (also known as the lip buster curl, using a higher anchor point elaborates on the cable curl by getting the shoulder into flexion, an important secondary component of biceps function. The waiter curl is an awesome option for getting peak contraction of the biceps that is achievable by keeping the wrists back into extension based on the way you have to hold to dumbbell throughout the exercise. ALMOST BEST 12. Incline DB Curls 13. Chinups 14. Barbell Curls The incline db curl is an exercise that I consider to be the best for getting the biceps into that all-important stretch position that is not possible with other biceps exercises outside of the drag curl. Chinups are probably the best bang for your buck bodyweight bicep builders. Another great benefit is the ease of accessibility since it s just a reliance on a simple pullup bar. The barbell curl is a versatile biceps movement in that you can load this exercise well, progressively overload it, and perform it strict or in cheat fashion. Both options, strict or cheat, have different benefits but will get you big biceps. BEST 15. Alternating Standing DB Curls The alternating standing db curl is ranked number one on this list due to its effectiveness and versatility. You can offset the dumbbell to achieve maximum load under supination, add external rotation to benefit the shoulders at the same time, and even adding bands to accommodate overlapping strength curves.
Date: 2022-05-31

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Comments and reviews: 9

Tony
Thanks for this! I enjoy standing dumbbell curls because of the combination of engaging my core while strengthening the mind body connection for each bicep with variations and a great pump.
My question: what bicep exercises do you recommend given my right elbow pain?
Background, taken from my chiropractors notes:
Diagnosis: (M99. 07) segmental and somatic dysfunction of upper extremity (M25. 521) right elbow pain
Objective: palpation still reveals hypertonicity of both the anterior and posterior forearm compartments where there is tenderness to palpation along the radial head and range of motion is still partially reduced through supination and pronation and also in wrist flexion and extension combined with radial and ulnar deviation. General misalignment is noted at the proximal radial ulnar joint, distal radial ulnar joint and the carpals. Manual muscle strength is intact. Deep tendon reflexes are intact.
Treatment plan: mobilization of the joints listed above. Myofascial release of the anterior posterior forearm compartments for approximately 10 minutes. Additional home exercise
Thanks for any exercises you can point me towards, Jeff!
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Mitchell
I learned an exercise from a friend years ago, but I ve never seen anyone else ever doing them so I have no clue if it s actually effective other than the pump I get from them which is definitely significant. They re essentially an alternating curl exercise and somewhat similar to the Zottman curls, but not fully pronated. You kind of do a clockwise motion with your palm initially facing diagonally away from your body and curling up followed by a hammer motion back down across your body. The other arm begins when the first is at the peak of contraction. I follow that up with a set in the reverse direction (hammer up, regular curl down. Sorry for the long explanation, but can anyone tell me if this is a bad exercise? I imagine if I went really heavy, it could be bad for my elbows maybe?
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Shamanbear
How about some advice for those of us with elbow issues? Should I get a black elbow brace of some kind? If I pick up an empty preacher/EZ curl bar, there is no place/position I can come up with where one simple curl doesn't hurt in the left elbow. There is a bit of a click on the inside of it. After watching your video on the proper way to do pushups, I got on the floor to give it a go and spent the next 6 weeks with such pain that opening a jar of peanut butter was a battle and no weight lifting of any kind. I'm thinking the culprit is my big wooden computer desk and how much time my left elbow spends on it resting or propping my head watching your videos: ) Seriously, how do we improve our elbows?
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EricvdBrink
I love AthleanX but I must say that his point of the bodyweight bicep curl having rarely any progression possibilities, I must disagree. If two handed bicep curls are too easy, you can slowly shift focus to one bicep while assisting with your other hand. You can progress that into less and less fingers assisting until you can do one arm bicep curls.
This allows you to swap exercises: you can now start at a chin up (top) position and then go for a 1-h eccentric. This is an insane stress on the bicep!
This is just my opinion, I'm open to comments/critique! Cheers!
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Vikhyat
& NO ONE will trust me when I'll say that Due to my several past injuries because of choosing the wrong exercises. Today only I made a list of all ALMOST BEST exercises in almost every domain of C, T, B, S - in afternoon on my notes app, then this happened; )
Q- Jeff I made the best gains possible in past few months but right now its been 1 MONTH since I tore my ROTATOR CUFF: ( & then had exams which made me skip gym for so long, I LOST ALL GAINS_ please tell how to REHAB & also get back to my best form?
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Rudy
Timestamps
Worst:
1: 16 - Concentration Curls
2: 23 - Reverse Curls
3: 13 - Bicep Pushups
Better:
4: 13 - Inverted Chin Curls
5: 00 - Zottman Curls
5: 47 - Preacher Curls
6: 55 - Cable Curls
Better Still:
8: 14 - Cable Flex Curls
8: 52 - Drag Curls
9: 44 - Spider Curl
10: 34 - DB Waiter Curls
Almost Best:
11: 47 - Incline DB Curls
12: 45 - Chinups
13: 50 - Barbell Curls
Best:
15: 01 - Alt. Standing DB Curls
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ATHLEAN-X
NEW FAST ACTION Q&A - What's your favorite biceps exercise and why? Leave your most burning question about this video or any other training, PT or nutrition question within the first 2 hours of this video s release (AS A SEPARATE COMMENT) and I will pick 8 to get a detailed reply from me right here in the comments. Answers will be posted within the first 24-48 hours of you leaving the question. Good luck!
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Kbeezyk
I really love all my biceps workouts but my favorite would have to be barbell curls. I feel like it is the most effective for me in building biceps. Like you mentioned you can cheat and can focus on the eccentric or you can perform the exercise on a wall to focus on more on the bicep.
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Yvette
Thank you for this one. Not sure if it was already in the making when I asked about it, thank you.
Looking forward to some of these. I dont have a cable machine so I cant to those. Didnt even know a bicep push up existed. Glad I didnt know if it made the worst list. Lol.
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