Bicep help........

[bex]

Standing EZ-Bar Curl
Possibly the most common arm exercise performed at the gym, and one of the most effective for building baseball-sized biceps. This movement will hit all three of the major arm flexors (brachialis and lateral and medial biceps heads), but the medial head may feel most of the emphasis. While it's similar to the standing barbell curl, this exercise will involve the biceps slightly more, and many athletes say it's easier on their wrists. Use a wide, palms-up grip, with your hands about shoulder-width apart.

* Rest the bar at thigh level, keeping your knees slightly bent and your torso erect.
* Raise the weight in a slow, controlled manner to about neck level. Keep your elbows in close to your body as you perform the exercise.
* After a brief pause -- not rest -- at the top of the movement, lower the bar slowly, being sure to maximize the eccentric contraction (the lowering phase).



Standing Dumbbell Curl

This is a slight variation of the alternating dumbbell curl, except that you complete all reps for one side before moving to the next, and the idea is to really emphasize the biceps. When you use heavy weight, this exercise can stimulate serious growth!

* Hold on to a dumbbell rack or another free-standing, stable structure (an incline bench will also do).
* Hold a dumbbell in a neutral position at thigh level. Slowly bring it up as far as possible, slightly rotating your wrist as you curl the weight up to move through the full range of motion.
* At the top of the movement, your wrist should rotate out so your thumb points away from your body. This rotation of the forearm and wrist is called supination.
* Squeeze at the top to stress the medial head of the biceps.


Seated Incline Hammer Curl

If you typically rotate your wrists during this movement, try to instead maintain a neutral position throughout the range of motion. This puts incredible stress on the brachialis and lateral head of the biceps, while involving the medial head to a slightly lesser extent.

* Use an incline bench with the angle set at approximately 60 degrees. Hold the dumbbells with your palms facing your body.
* In one controlled movement, bring the dumbbells up to shoulder level (you'll almost touch your front delts at the finish of this movement) and squeeze at the top.
* Lower the weight slowly, being careful to keep your palms in the neutral position. Allow the dumbbells to slowly return to the starting position. Feel those biceps stretch and contract!



Standing Barbell Curl
This is one of the classics in biceps training that has formed the foundation of many a pro's arm routine. The barbell curl hits all three major elbow flexors almost equally and permits a full range of motion in the upper-arm muscles.

*As with the EZ-bar curl, start with the bar resting on your upper thighs.
*Use a palms-up, moderately close grip. You could even go slightly nar-rower than shoulder width.
*Bring the bar up to your neck, keeping your elbows in at your sides.
*After a slight pause and squeeze at the top, lower the bar, focusing on the eccentric phase of the movement. Don't just let the bar drop to the starting position. If you do this exercise properly, you should feel it throughout the entire biceps.



Cable Curl with Rope Handle
One of the better-kept secrets of bodybuilders who have really huge arms. Essentially, this movement is a variation of the standing dumbbell curl. It combines some of the best elements of both barbell and dumbbell exercises, involves all three of the major arm flexors with particular emphasis on the biceps, and allows you to maintain constant tension.

*Use a rope handle attached to a low cable pulley. Begin with your hands at your thighs and your palms facing in (neutral grip). Stand far enough from the cable station so that the weights are slightly above the stack when your arms are fully extended. This will keep maximum tension on your biceps.
*As you raise the weight, slowly supinate your wrists so that your palms face your body at the top of the movement. Keep your elbows close to your body throughout.
*Momentarily squeeze your biceps at the top, then slowly lower the weight, pronating your wrists so your palms face each other at the bottom of the movement.



Keep it Simple & Grow
In this six-week program for biceps, you'll use what scientific types and elite athletes call periodized training. This type of workout involves gradual changes over a period of weeks in the intensity (poundage) and volume (number of sets and reps) that you handle in a given training session. A unique benefit is that you'll continually increase the stress placed on the biceps, making you bigger and stronger as an end result. You'll only be working your biceps once a week, but if your form is good and you're training with proper intensity, it will be plenty.

We begin the six-week cycle with 10 reps. Choose weights for each exercise that allow you to complete the sets with good form; go with light to moderate weight the first week. After all, Rome wasn't built in a day, and you can't create colossal biceps in a day, either.

The periodization schedule is broken down into two-week segments. Try to increase the amount of weight you use each week by about 5 pounds, but let proper form be your guide. If you can't maintain impeccable form, hold off on the weight increase. Make the muscle work -- no cheating allowed!

Weeks 1-2
Straight-bar biceps curl (close grip) : 3 sets, 10 reps
Incline hammer curl: 2 sets, 10 reps
Standing dumbbell curl: 2 sets, 10 reps

Weeks 3-4
EZ-bar biceps curl (close grip): 3 sets, 10-8 reps
Incline hammer curl: 2 sets, 10-8 reps
Rope curl: 2 sets, 10-8 reps

Weeks 5-6
Straight-bar biceps curl (close grip): 3 sets, 6-8 reps
Standing dumbbell curl: 2 sets, 6-8 reps
Rope curl: 3 sets, 10-8-6 rep

Artical from M&F

[Billy Boy]

Good post Bex

[sp9]

Good post, I have to say I never feel like I work my bicpes enough. Everywhere else I feel sore over the next day or so but never the biceps. I need to change that. Thanks, good post.

[Vegas Kid]

Good post. My bi's seem to be my "trouble area". They just wont grow upwards. No peek, only thickness. I'll try anything.

[devilscabanaboy19]

Muscle and Fitness gonna sue somebody......

[Neo]

Good post, Bex. I've been getting frustrated the day after my arm workouts because my tris will hurt but not my bis!!!! To quote the great Charlie Brown..."ARGH!"

[Terinox]

Awesome post dude, i'm gonna print this shit out and give it a try starting next week!!!

[ironmike7000]

Bexsome.....The cable curls w/rope are excellant for getting a pump in your biceps. I've been doing them on and off for years. I do them last in my bicep routine for a finishing movement.

[NightOp]

Originally posted by scottp999
Good post, I have to say I never feel like I work my bicpes enough. Everywhere else I feel sore over the next day or so but never the biceps. I need to change that. Thanks, good post.

same story here bro... I feel like I should be working biceps 2xweek because it is so rare for them to get sore like my other muscles... however 1xweek is working good for me in terms of strength gains.

Currently I do back on thursday and biceps on friday... I'm thinking I might switch back to tues or weds that way my biceps get a little work during the long stretch of inactivity before they get hit hard on friday...