Different Workouts for Different Parts of the Bicep

You want the most benefits from your strength-training routine. Your upper arms, the biceps, are noticeable, whether or not you are wearing sleeves. A strong, toned upper arm shows workout dedication. As with other muscles, the biceps respond best when subjected to a variety of training that stimulates all the different parts of the muscle.

  1. Biceps

    • The biceps muscle is a two-headed, two-joint muscle. It begins above your shoulders, which is the first joint, and finishes on your lower arm bone below your elbow, which is the second joint. The biceps have a long and short head, which work together. When your biceps contract, the muscle shortens, pulls on your lower arm bone and flexes your elbow. Your hands in a palms-up position results in the best contraction for the biceps. The use of three exercises successfully challenges the upper, middle and lower parts of your biceps for strong upper arms.

    Preacher Curl

    • The preacher curl emphasizes the lowest part of your biceps. The preacher curl bench is positioned at a level that places your elbows in the center of the pad, whether you are standing or seated. Your choice of strength-training tool is either a pair of dumbbells, a straight barbell or an EZ curl bar. Hold onto your resistance with your palms facing up, space your hands shoulder-distance apart, set your upper arms and elbows on the bench and straighten your arms. Exhale, bend your elbows and raise your hands until your forearms are perpendicular to the floor. Inhale, straighten your arms and return to the starting position. Complete one to three sets of eight to 12 repetitions.

    Barbell Curl

    • A standing barbell curl focuses on strengthening the middle portion of your biceps. Stand tall with your feet at hips-distance apart and keep a slight bend in your knees. Hold onto a barbell in both hands with your arms straight down. Rest the backs of your hands on or near your thighs, with your hands positioned a shoulder-width apart. Exhale, bend your elbows and raise your hands to the fronts of your shoulders. Inhale and slowly lower the weight to the starting position. Choose a resistance amount that you can curl for one to three sets of eight to 12 repetitions.

    Concentration Curl

    • The concentration curl is a seated exercise that focuses on the upper portion of your biceps. Select a dumbbell amount that you can curl eight to 12 times. Sit on a weight bench or a sturdy chair with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Spread apart your legs so you can hold a dumbbell in your right hand with your right elbow pressed against your right inner thigh. Straighten your arm toward the floor and position your palm facing away from your lower leg. Keep your elbow against your leg as you exhale and raise the weight toward your shoulder. At the top of the curl, slightly rotate your little finger until it is closer to your shoulder than your thumb. Inhale and slowly return to the starting position. Complete one to three sets of eight to 12 repetitions on each arm.

    Guidelines

    • Spend five to 10 minutes warming up before you train your biceps. Perform full-body movements such as walking, stair climbing, rowing, cycling or using an elliptical trainer with moveable arms to warm your muscles. At the end of your workout, stretch your biceps with a few minutes of flexibility exercises. For example, stand in a doorway with your arm bent to a 90-degree angle. Rest your forearm and elbow on the wall next to the doorway and gently step forward until you feel the stretch on your biceps.