Written by Menswear Style in Health & Fitness on the 24th August 2021

From the shoulders to the arms, abs, pectorals, and legs, the body is made up of different types of muscles in different parts. If you want a toned and more muscular body, you often have to engage in different kinds of workouts. In other words, you will need to have a workout routine that targets different muscle groups in different sessions. Now, the arms are among the most conspicuous parts of the body when it comes to muscle building. Getting bigger and ripped arms from your workouts, means performing different exercises for the shoulders, triceps, biceps, and forearm muscles. If you’ve ever been to a bodybuilding show, you for sure know how attractive bigger and more defined biceps look.

Oftentimes, however, most beginners aren't even sure what they should be doing when working out their arms. Bicep exercises are an essential element to building muscle. While building your biceps with chin-ups, dips and curls are a good way to build your biceps, sometimes it can be hard to maximize your time in the gym to get the results you desire. It’s no wonder that many people give up on their fitness journeys – but don’t do that just yet. You just need to know which exercises are the most effective for achieving bigger and more defined biceps, and how to do them correctly. This way, you can be sure that your time in the gym pays off and that. In this article, we shall be looking at several bicep workouts you can perform to build muscle. They shall be divided into two categories: bicep workouts without weights and bicep workouts with weights.

A: Workouts for Building Bicep Muscles with Weights 

Weight lifting is among the most effective ways to build muscle. When seeking explosive gains in muscle mass and toning for your biceps, the barbell and dumbbell weights should be the first things to think about. Let’s look at a few exercises you can perform using weights to grow your biceps. 

1. Standing Dumbbell Curls 

As already mentioned, dumbbells should be your friend if you want bigger and more defined biceps. This is why in the list of bicep workouts for men; you will never lack several dumbbell exercises. Bicep curls are highly effective in promoting growth and toning in this part of the arm. To be specific, the standing dumbbell curl is a great exercise for targeting the biceps. That dumbbell standing curl places a lot of stress on the muscle and helps improve your strength in the arms. If your aim is to grow your arms then performing curls is the way to go. It helps in lifting and defining the biceps muscles. When doing standing dumbbell curls, make sure to keep your arms straight, ensuring your shoulders are pushed down and back. 

2. Reverse Dumbbell Curl 

A reverse curl exercise targets the bicep muscles. To perform the curl, a dumbbell is held with both hands, with the handgrips facing each other. The arms are positioned straight out to the sides, parallel to the floor, with the palms of the hands facing the body. The arms are then raised until the bicep muscles are fully contracted. The arms are then slowly lowered to the starting position. Note: One can vary the stretch to grip width, hand position, and angle of rotation to target different portions of the bicep muscles. When doing reverse curls, it is important to avoid forcing your arm to go too low. As the bicep is a small muscle, it is easy to tear it. It is also important to let the weight sit in your hand while doing this exercise and to avoid sagging.

3. Dumbbell Hammer Curl 

This is another great exercise for building muscle in your arms using dumbbell weights. The name comes from the fact that the dumbbells are held as if the individual is holding a hammer and using it to pound something. It specifically targets the biceps, along with other muscles such as the shoulders and forearm. First, hold two dumbbells of equal weight in your hands. Then, lift the dumbbells up to your sides so they are parallel to the floor. Next, slowly bring the dumbbells together and use your biceps to lift them to your shoulders. Once you have reached your shoulders, bring the dumbbells back down to your sides to complete the repetition. It is a great exercise for toning the upper arms. 

4. Standing Barbell Curl 

Standing Barbell Curl is a very efficient way to train biceps. You can notice the difference during training, but even more after it. It can be used for both men and women. The exercises help strengthen muscles in your arms, chest, shoulder, and back. Using it regularly can greatly improve your overall health, toning, and muscle mass. It is a perfect complement to deadlift and bent-over rows. Here's why: it provides an alternative to doing arm curls seated, which can be uncomfortable at times when performing biceps-focused workouts. The standing barbell curl targets the tops of your arms and is a great exercise to start with for beginners. Here's how to do it: 

- Grasp the barbell firmly with an underhand grip. 

- Lift the barbell from the rack to a standing position. 

- Bend your elbows and slowly lower the bar until your forearms are vertical, keeping your upper arms perpendicular to the floor. 

- Straighten your elbows and lift the bar to the starting position, contracting your biceps as you move through the full range of motion 

- Repeat for as many repetitions as you.

5. Alternating Incline Dumbbell Curl 

This is an isolation exercise that will help to shape the bicep muscles, but you will also more likely target another muscle: the forearm, which is critical in weight lifting. When looking to build muscle, a stronger forearm can help maximize your gains. Alternating incline dumbbell curl is ideal for isolating one arm at a time and can therefore be utilized to provide more intense concentration on each arm. It is ideal for individuals who need to correct any muscular imbalance in their biceps. To perform this exercise, follow the steps below: 

- First, you will need an exercise bench alongside your dumbbell weights. 

- After setting the bench at a 45-degree incline angle, lie with your back with the dumbbells close within reach on the floor. 

- Next, grab the dumbbell and bend your elbow, curling it towards your shoulder as far as you can go. 

- Lower the weights gradually back to the starting position so your arms are completely straightened. 

- Repeat the procedure using the other arm and do as many reps as you can with each arm at a time. 

6. Standing Zottman Curl 

The Zottman curl exercise targets majorly the biceps, engaging all the three different types of muscles that form this part of the arm. The curls engage the brachioradialis, brachii, and brachialis of the biceps as you rotate your arm from underhand to overhand grips in half moves. Here’s how to do the Zottman workout curls using your dumbbell pair. 

- Standing straight and tall, grab a dumbbell on each arm, ensuring they hang at your arms’ length with the palms facing forward. 

- Making sure not to move the upper arms, bend the elbows to achieve a curl towards your shoulders with each arm. 

- From an overhand position, pause and rotate the weights, slowly lowering the weights to the initial position with the palms facing forward. 

- Repeat the procedure for ten reps or more.

7. Dumbbell Twisting Curl 

This is yet another dumbbell exercise that works magic in growing bicep muscle. While at it, it also helps strengthen your forearms enough to handle heavier weights for other workouts like bench presses and shoulder presses. To perform dumbbell twisting curls, hold weight with each hand on the sides, with the palms facing your body. Next, curl the dumbbells alternately towards the shoulders, making twists at the wrists as you lift. Repeat the move after lowering the dumbbells back to the starting position. This exercise can be a great way to uplift your biceps while adding juice to your forearm muscles. 

8. Preacher Curl (Dumbell) 

Yet another dumbbell exercise, the preacher curl can be a great way to give your upper arms a boost in strength and muscle growth. It comes in handy when you don’t have an E-Z bar or another suitable setup to do preacher curls in the gym. With an adjustable bench and a pair of dumbbells, you are good to go. 

- Holding a dumbbell, place your arm firmly on the bench – leaving no space between the benchtop and your underarm. 

- Get into a sitting position to avoid engaging the glutes core during your curls… the main impact should be felt in the upper arm as you lift. 

- Squeezing your bicep muscles, lift the dumbbell up and back down while maintaining a constant tension 

- Do as many reps as you can

9. Leaning -Forward EZ Bar Curl 

The EZ Bar is the rather infamous squiggly-shaped barbell in the gym. They come in handy during barbell curls because they are designed to minimize strain in the wrists when curling. This way, they ensure that a lot of the effort comes from the biceps, thus possibly maximizing your workout gains over time. These M-shaped bars are used for several different types of exercises, but the learning-forward curl is perhaps the most popular one. To perform this exercise: 

- Grab the EZ bar with a shoulder-wide underhand so that it is in front of your thighs 

- Lean forward a bit with approximately 30 degrees angle between the hips and your torso 

- Curl the EZ bar to your shoulders, squeezing your biceps and breathing in with the upward movement 

- Lower the bar slowly back to the original position, controlling the tension 

When performing the learn-forward curls, make sure you don’t use your hips or core to swing the move. The last thing you want is to end up with back pain or injuries, so stick to rep numbers you can comfortably handle without much strain. 

10. Reverse-Grip Straight Bar Curls 

This is among the best workouts for the often neglected brachialis muscles of the biceps. Exercising these muscles well can have explosive gains on your overall bicep muscle mass and toning. The flex is more impressive. As the name suggests, this exercise involves holding the barbell with a reverse overhand grip at shoulder width. In a standing position, curl upwards so the bar is aligned with your shoulders and the palms facing away from your body. Lower it back down slowly and repeat.

B: Workouts for Building Bicep Muscle Without Weights 

11. Cable Hammer Curl 

Well, this one utilizes weights, but not directly. Instead of curling using weights on a bar, you simply pull a cable to lift weights loaded at one end of the low pulley system. It is a great exercise for thicker arms and more defined biceps. The main difference between cable dumbbell hammer curls is that the load is steadier and more constant in the former. 

- With the palms facing each other and elbows pressing slightly into your sides, hold both ends of the cable. 

- Keep a shoulder-width distance between each foot, the knees bent slightly, and the torso upright. 

- Squeeze the biceps as you curl upward to your shoulders by pulling the rope 

- Pause for one or two seconds, and lower the cable slowly back down to the starting position 

- Repeat the steps ten or more times 

12. Chin-Ups (Pull-Ups) 

Even if you don’t have access to the gym, chin-ups can make a great way to build bicep muscles. They utilize your body weight to improve strength in your upper arms, shoulders, and forearms, as well as your core and other muscles. Grab a steady bar overhead, with the palms facing your body and the grip narrower than your shoulder width. Pull your body upward, so the head goes slightly above the bar, and reverse the move slowly. Do several reps and sets, and you are good to go.

13. Resistance Band Curls 

Resistance bands are also great in working out the biceps. Most of these bands are designed to also help strengthen your core, lats, and pecs, among others. Just step on the resistant band firmly and curl it upward as if you are lifting a barbell or dumbbell curl. Use of both the upward lift and the lowering (resistance) move for the best bicep gains. Repeat until you feel your bicep muscles burning. 

14: Other Bicep Workouts 

Without Weights There are tons of other exercises to grow your biceps without weights. Most of them, however, will help you keep your upper arms toned and muscular rather than increase muscle mass. Some of these include the following: 

- Bicep Push Ups 

- Isometric and Negative Towel Curls 

- Boxing Uppercut and Hooks Training 

- Bodyweight Door Frame Curls 

- Pull Workouts 

While this list provides you with many ways to gain impressive biceps, make sure you mix it up and do not do the same exercise every workout. Failure to do so can derail your progress due to injuries and slow recovery. While performing these and other exercises, make sure to get a protein-rich diet, lots of vitamins, and just enough calories to fuel your workouts.

Standing Dumbbell Curls, Reverse Dumbbell Curl, Dumbbell Hammer Curl, and Standing Barbell Curl are among the Top 14 Bicep Exercises For Men To Build Muscle.