This is a popular bicep curl variation that simply involves curling with a pronated (palms facing downward) grip. Think about carrying shopping, which often involves a slight shrug and flexion of the elbow simultaneously. This is useful as we use the traps in conjunction with the biceps during normal activities. What you will also be engaging here, though, is the traps as you’ll need to perform a slight shrug at the top of the ROM. This type of curl can reduce injury risk, prevent cheating, and better target the biceps by limiting the role of the anterior deltoids in the movement. The drag curl is a slight variation of the regular curl that involves bringing the elbows back and “dragging” the bar up your body as you curl. They’re extremely time-efficient, and they can translate to more powerful arms during running. Dumbbell runners are fantastic because they allow you to train across all these joints on either side. Likewise, the triceps are involved in shoulder extension. Thus, in order to utilize the bicep to its fullest, you shoulder also be flexing the shoulder during a curl. Keep in mind that the biceps are biarticular both bicep heads cross the shoulder joint and play a role in shoulder stabilization and flexion. More to the point, though, this is also crucial when it comes to performance. Your upper arm should be 2/3rds tricep and 1/3 rd bicep, and yet many people spend the vast majority of their time working on biceps.Īnd if you have no shoulder definition to speak of, your arms will lack definition near the top. If you want your arms to look big, then you need to focus equally on the triceps and the shoulders. Like you’re on Baywatch! As one arm comes forward into a curl with shoulder some shoulder flexion, the other extends backwards into a shoulder extension. The dumbbell runner is a move I learned from Sylvester Stallone’s book “Sly Moves.” To perform this one, grab a dumbbell in either hand using a neutral grip, then perform essentially a slow motion run while maintaining a staggered stance and slight forward lean. This is true for any bicep curl variation with a neutral grip. This muscle actually originates at the humerus and therefore plays a supporting role in elbow extension but only when the forearm is semi-pronated. The hammer curl also targets the brachioradialis – the large muscle on the lateral part of the posterior forearm that bulges just by the elbow when flexed. See also: It’s Time to Reconsider the Three Set Approach Finish with cheat hammer curls for a true burn! Utilizing regular curls I can pre-exhaust my biceps and then focus exclusively on the brachialis. I like to use the hammer curls as part of a mechanical drop set. You may find you can lift more weight with hammer curls, and it can also help to reduce discomfort if you have wrist issues. The hammer curl is a curl that keeps the palms in a neutral position and thereby keeps the focus purely on flexion. That is to say that, unlike the biceps, it plays no role in supination or pronation (twisting the arm). The brachialis inserts at the coronoid process and tuberosity of the ulna and is a pure flexor of the elbow joint. Again: that’s because the brachialis is the strongest muscle that flexes the elbow joint. The good news is that you are always training the brachialis when performing curls. Of course, it’s crucial for overall strength. It also contributes to the overall appear of the arm by pushing the biceps up and out. If you have enough arm definition, the brachialis will appear as a small bulge on the side of the arm. Specifically, the brachialis is actually around 50% more powerful than the biceps brachii! That’s one of the things that makes this bicep curl variation so useful. Conversely, the shorter, inner head is what most people see when you strike a bicep pose! Cross Body Hammer Curlsĭid you know that the biceps are not the strongest elbow flexors in the upper arm? Rather, that distinction goes to the brachialis, which is a deeper muscle located between the biceps and triceps. Consider that the outer head of the bicep is the longest and thus can contribute the most to the overall size of the arm. Not only will training both heads of the muscle result in more powerful biceps, but it will help considerably with aesthetics. Conversely, narrowing your grip with an internal rotation will work the outer head of the bicep. When you externally rotate the shoulders, this increases the involvement of the short-head of the biceps. Your bicep muscle is actually comprised of two muscle heads with separate origin and insertion points and a shared belly (though there are no fibres connecting the two muscles). The reason this works is that it targets both the inner and the outer head of the bicep.

Bicep curl