In todays’ Coaching Log I have the Two Best Bicep Exercises You’re Not Doing, and not just because it’s a click bait heading. It’s really because they are awesome and hit the upper arm a little different, and possibly better than what it typically done.
In most typical training programs, I’d argue the biceps are grossly over trained. Go to any commercial gym and look around. Every day is arm day. To the contrary, I feel like in a lot of strength training and athletic programs, the biceps are undertrained.
Regardless of whether you over train or under train the biceps, try adding in my Two Best Bicep Exercises You’re Not Doing and see how it goes. I’d bet that you get stronger biceps and lower your risk of injury.
In Powerlifting the biceps do more work than you think on the Bench Press and the Deadlift. They help stabilize the weight on the way down in the Bench Press. You ever see someone lowering a HEAVY bench and their biceps start shaking and quivering? Chances are they don’t do much direct training; or it’s just that the biceps are small in comparison to the other movers and they are a weak link by nature.
Either way, building stronger biceps will make your bench go up because stronger biceps can stabilize more weight than weaker ones.
Moving on to the Deadlift, the biceps also assist in stabilizing to a small degree, but they take a beating if poor form is used.
Didja ever see someone pull with their arms bent?
Of course you have.
This puts a metric shit ton of harmful force on the bicep tendon and belly. I’ll tell you, I’ve seen more than one bicep roll up like a window shade on a shitty deadlift.
Strongmen fall victim too!
The Tire Flip is notorious for tearing biceps when done poorly.
This is a perfect reason to add in my Two Best Bicep Exercises You’re Not Doing
So what are the The Two Best Bicep Exercises You’re Not Doing?
The Spider Curl and the Kettlebell Curl.
A Spider Curl works the bicep from an extended position and really hits the belly of the muscle. It does an excellent job of strengthening the entire bicep through a full range of motion.
To do the Spider Curl, lay chest down on an incline bench and extend your arms all the way keeping your palms up. Slowly and forcefully, contract your biceps and lift the weight as high as you can, hold and squeeze for a moment and lower slowly under full control. Flex the tricep at the bottom and start again.
I prefer these to be done a little lighter until you get used to them to teach you to maintain full control through the entire range. I like higher reps too.
Set of 10+ are great. I do them in my own training for sets of 10-50 reps. Start light.
You’ll feel these the next day!
Up next on the list of the Two Best Bicep Exercise You’re Not Doing is the Kettlebell Curl.
This one hammers your grip and forearm muscles like no other. It smashes the Brachialis and the Brachioradialis like the bejeezus. Of course it hits the bicep as well, the forearm takes a beating, in a good way.
Kettlebell Curls will strengthen your wrists and grip too. That’s one of the big reasons I like this variation of the Curl. You get a lot of bang for the buck.
To perform the Kettlebell Curl, grab a bell and hold it at your side by the center of the handle.
Begin by curling it up and keeping the wrist neutral as in a Hammer Curl. Go all the way up, and at the top, try to pull your thumb back towards your shoulder for added misery.
Slowly lower and flex the tricep at the bottom and repeat.
I like these done slow and controlled as well. Make sure that you use a weight that you can control through the entire range. Ego has no place here.
An added benefit of the Kettlebell Curl is that you will have more control on the barbell in Presses, Bench Presses and other exercise that need a stable wrist.
Ok, enough reading and looking at pictures.
Hit the gym and add in my Two Best Bicep Exercise You’re Not Doing and watch your progress go up.
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Vincere vel mori
C.J. Murphy
July 21, 2022
