Ditch the Curls: 7 More Effective Exercises for Bigger, Stronger Biceps + Workout
Whether you are a bodybuilder, athlete, gym bro, or fitness fan, you probably have at least a passing interest in the size and strength of your arms. This makes perfect sense, given how prominent the arms are and their critical role in appearance and function.
For many exercisers, this means curls are a big part of their upper body workouts. That’s not really surprising, as curls are not only an effective movement but also make your arms look great.
I mean, who doesn’t love standing in front of the mirror pumping out barbell or dumbbell curls? It’s addictive!
As a personal trainer with over three decades of experience, I’ve helped hundreds of people sculpt the arms of their dreams, and curls often feature in the workouts I write. However, I also recognize that curls are not the only way to build strong, muscular, shapely arms. In fact, there are lots of alternatives you can use to create awesome arms.
In this article, I share my top seven curl alternatives for jacked arms.
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While it may feel sacrilegious to say it, a steady diet of nothing but curls can eventually become boring – even if they do deliver a sleeve-busting pump. So, spice up your arm workout with these trainer-approved curl alternatives.
Chin-ups are a classic back builder that also delivers an incredible biceps workout. With chin-ups, you essentially curl your shoulders up to the bar instead of curling weights to your shoulders. This allows you to use more weight than you could ever use for curls, making chin-ups a superior arm strengthening exercise.
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Muscles generate force in three ways – as they shorten (concentric contraction), lengthen (eccentric contraction), and statically (isometric contraction). All three types of contraction build strength and muscle mass (1). This unique exercise works your biceps isometrically, and it’s a great option for anyone who enjoys a more dynamic arm workout.
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Snappy name, right?! You won’t see many people doing this exercise, and that’s a shame because it’s a certified biceps killer. Because it’s an isometric movement, the front curled good morning lets you lift heavy weights, making it ideal for building muscle mass and strength. Try it – I think you’re going to like it.
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Push-ups are primarily a chest, shoulders, and triceps exercise. However, one small change flips the script and turns them into a pretty decent biceps exercise. But be warned; this exercise can be hard on your elbows and shoulders. So, proceed with caution, especially if you already have cranky joints.
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While chin-ups are a fantastic back and biceps exercise, I acknowledge they are too challenging for some people. The good news is that you can achieve a similar training effect more easily with supinated inverted rows. This is an excellent option for beginners and heavier exercisers.
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This exercise is named after legendary bodybuilder Dorian “The Shadow” Yates. Famed for his incredible back development, this was his preferred way to do barbell rows. However, as well as being an excellent back builder, this movement also delivers a primo biceps workout. Do this exercise, and you’ll have Olympian-sized biceps in no time – maybe!
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When it comes to biceps training, the deadlift is not one of the exercises most people think of. However, in my experience, mixed-grip deadlifts put a massive amount of strain through your biceps, which can trigger unprecedented muscle growth. It’s no coincidence that many powerlifters have huge biceps despite doing very little direct arm training.
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While you could just add any of these exercises to your arm workout, you’ll make much better progress if you follow a more prescriptive approach to training. So, to that end, here is a tried and tested arm workout featuring several of the exercises from this article. Do this workout 1-2 times per week for best results.
But before you start, make sure you spend a few minutes warming up and preparing your muscles and joints for what you are about to do. Begin with 5-10 minutes of easy cardio followed by dynamic mobility and flexibility exercises for your elbows, wrists, shoulders, and lower back.
Ready to work? Then let’s do it!
Exercise | Sets | Reps | Recovery | |
1 | Mixed-Grip Deadlift | 4* | 6-8 | 2 minutes |
2 | Chin-Up | 3 | AMRAP** | 90 seconds |
3 | Farmer’s Walk – 90-Degree Arms | 3 | 15-20 yards | 90 seconds |
4 | Reverse Grip Yates Row | 2 | 10-12 | 60 seconds |
5 | Reverse Grip Push-Up | 1*** | 50 | N/A |
*Alternate your grip set by set.
**AMRAP = As Many Reps as Possible: Rep out to failure.
***Complete all 50 reps in as few sets as possible.
While there is nothing inherently wrong with curls, you can have too much of a good thing. Do curls too often, and they can become boring and may even lose some of their potency. In addition, some people simply do not enjoy curl-type exercises.
The good news is that you don’t have to do curls to build picture-perfect arms. There are numerous exercises that are as good as curls and some that may even be better. Chin-ups, for example, let you lift much heavier loads than you could ever hope to curl, making them a far superior strength builder.
So, whether you are bored of curls or just want to train your arms in conjunction with the rest of your body, the seven exercises revealed in this article will get the job done. They’re among my favorite arm builders, and after trying them, I reckon they’ll quickly become your favorites, too.
Questions? Comments? Please drop me a line below, and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible!
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