Are you tired of struggling to achieve the muscular biceps you’ve always dreamt of? Look no further!
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll unveil the best dumbbell exercises for biceps that will help you achieve awe-inspiring gains and transform your arms into a sculpted masterpiece.
When it comes to building bicep muscles, dumbbells are an excellent tool that allow you to target and isolate your biceps effectively.
Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast or a beginner, we have carefully selected the best dumbbell exercises for biceps that can form the foundation for your bicep growth journey.
We will look at each exercise in detail, explaining which part of the bicep the exercise targets and explain how to perform each movement with perfect form so that you maximise your results.
Whether you’re a gym regular or prefer to workout at home, these exercises can be incorporated into your existing routine.
It’s time to bid farewell to average arms and build some monster guns!!
THE ADVANTAGES OF TRAINING WITH DUMBBELLS
Arms are typically trained by using a barbell or a pair of dumbbells. Most commercial gyms will also have some machines or cables but of all these options it is the trusty dumbbell that offers the best bang for your buck, here are some of our selected advantages of training biceps with dumbbells:
- Range of Motion – Dumbbells allow you to achieve a vast range of motion than a barbell or cable which should lead to better bicep activation and training results.
- Symmetry / Balance – As dumbbells work unilaterally, each arm must work independently which prevents muscle imbalances i.e., a dominant / stronger side doing more of the work as can happen with a barbell.
- Versatility – There is such a wide range of different exercises that you can perform with dumbbells. We touch on the 7 best in this article and we will also cover some additional variations that you can add to your program to keep things interesting and those muscles firing!
- Adjustable Resistance – Dumbbells come in various shapes and sizes, most gyms these days are equipped with racks of dumbbells ranging from 2kg to 50kg and usually increasing in increments of 2kg. We will touch on some of the best options for working out at home later in this article as well.
- Convenience – A pair of dumbbells take up little storage space, they can fit under a bed, behind the sofa, in the garage etc. Getting started is quite simple, a set of plastic dumbbells will be a cheap entry option for any beginner or aspiring athlete on a budget!
THE ANATOMY OF THE BICEPS
Let us briefly just touch on some science behind the biceps. We’ll keep this brief; the term bicep is short for biceps brachii which means two-headed muscle.
The two heads of the bicep both originate from areas of the shoulder and come together at the elbow joint. These two heads work together perform the following functions:
- Elbow flexion
- Forearm rotation
- Forward flexion of the shoulder
The long head is positioned on the outside of the arm and the two come together to form the much sought after bicep peak.
THE 7 BEST DUMBBELL EXERCISES FOR BICEPS
Here is our selection of the best bicep dumbbell exercises
1.DUMBBELL BICEP CURL
Targets: Biceps Brachii (short head)
The classic dumbbell curl is possibly the most recognisable free weights and exercise and it is also highly effective at adding mass to your biceps.
Although the dumbbell curl appears to be a simple movement, people still perform the movement incorrectly.
How to Perform a Dumbbell Curl
- Stand with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward.
- Curl the dumbbells towards your shoulders keeping your elbows tight to your sides.
- Lower the dumbbells in a controlled manner back to the starting position.
Tip: You really want to feel an intense contraction of the muscle and squeeze hard at the top of the movement. As you lower the weight focus on the bicep controlling the movement.
With intense focus and mind-muscle connection, you should be able to achieve a killer workout with even a set of light dumbbells.
2. HAMMER CURL
Targets: Bicep Brachii (long head) and Brachialis. Forearms.
This movement is similar to the dumbbell curl with the subtle difference that your palms face each other instead of facing forward.
The hammer curl is a compound movement which also works the forearms more so than a standard curl and will help to improve grip strength which will help to improve performance in compound exercises like deadlifts, pull-ups and bench press.
How to Perform the Hammer Curl
- 1. Stand with a dumbbell in each hand with neutral-grip palms facing your body
- Curl the dumbbells towards your shoulders keeping your elbows tight to your sides and your wrists locked.
- Pause slightly and squeeze the bicep at the top of the movement.
- Lower the dumbbells in a controlled manner back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of sets and reps
3. INCLINE DUMBELL CURL
Targets: Long Head of the Bicep
The incline dumbbell curl is one the most demanding and subsequently effective exercises for developing the bicep muscle.
The seated incline position is an absolute game changer, you will find you get an intense stretch at the bottom of the movement which makes the weight feel heavier than with a traditional curl. Keep the weight fairly light and you’ll still find that you can get an incredible pump.
How to Perform a Dumbbell Incline Curl
- Sit down on an incline bench set to a 45-degree angle.
- Allow your arms to hang naturally and hold a dumbbell in each hand
- Curl the weight up, you can use any curling method that suits (bicep curl, hammer curl etc)
- Pause for a second at the top of the movement to squeeze the bicep then slowly lower the dumbbells to the starting position (feel that stretch!)
4. DUMBBELL PREACHER CURL
Targets: Long head of the bicep
This is a very effective variant of the conventional preacher curl performed with an EZ bar.
This exercise can be performed using a preacher bench or if you are training at home and have an incline bench then you can set that to a 45-degree angle and use as an alternative.
How to perform a Dumbbell Preacher Curl
Using a Preacher Bench
- Equipment Set Up – Adjust the seat so that your armpits rest comfortably on the angled pad.
- Starting Position – Grab a pair of dumbbells and position yourself so that your upper arms, i.e. just above the elbows rest against the pad.
- Set up to Curl – With an underhand grip, extend your arms fully, elbows should remain slightly bent and your palms facing upward.
- Begin the curl by flexing your elbows to bring the dumbbells towards your shoulders, keeping your upper arms pressed against the pad.
- Complete the curl by bringing the dumbbell up to your shoulder and squeezing the bicep hard at the top of the movement.
- Lower the dumbbells in a controlled manner, the slower the better back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of reps.
For the incline bench variation, set the bench to a 45-degree angle, grab a dumbbell, and follow steps 2-7 above. You’ll need to work on each arm at a time given the lack of width on the bench.
For more on preacher curls, you may want to check our article on here
5. ZOTTMAN CURL
Targets: Biceps brachii, brachialis and brachioradialis (forearm)
The Zottman curl combines the traditional bicep curl (concentric) with the reverse curl (eccentric) and helps to strengthen the biceps and the forearm.
How to Perform a Zottman Curl
1. Stand straight with arms straight and a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing inward. Arms should be fully extended and feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Curl the dumbbells keeping your upper arms tight to your body, and rotate your forearms as your curl the weight so that your palms are facing upwards at the top of the movement.
3. At the top of the curl, squeeze your bicep for a second
4. With palms still facing upward, begin to slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position. As you lower the weight rotate your forearms inward until your palms are facing downward and then continue the eccentric phase of the movement until your arms are fully extended and palms should still be facing downward
5. Pause at the bottom of the movement and then repeat again for the desired number of reps.
6. DUMBBELL REVERSE CURL
Targets: Brachialis and Brachioradialis (forearms)
The shift in focus here to the brachialis will help to provide balance your bicep development and you’ll also be hitting your forearms which combined will help to improve overall arm strength, forearm stability and overall bicep aesthetic.
How to Perform Reverse Curls
1. Stand up straight with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing downward and arms straight. Feet shoulder width apart
2. Curl the dumbbells upward by flexing your forearms, keep your upper arms tight to your body
7. CONCENTRATION CURL
Targets: Bicep Brachii (short head)
As the name implies, this exercise really does concentrate on the biceps. The seated position provides stability to isolate the bicep and you will work each arm at a time which helps to really focus on the mind-muscle connection to maximise the impact of each rep.
The concentration curl works each arm individually which will help to correct any imbalances that may exist between sides.
You will need to select a lighter weight for this exercise, as always, form and a full range of motion are the priority.
How to Perform Concentration Curls
- Grab a dumbbell and sit down on a bench with your legs apart.
- Lean forward and place your tricep into your inner thigh and straighten out your arm.
- Curl the dumbbell towards your shoulder
- Pause for a second at the top of the movement to squeeze and feel the bicep contraction.
- Slowly return the dumbbell to the starting position by straightening the arm.
- Repeat for the desired sets and reps.
SAMPLE DUMBBELL WORKOUTS
Beginner
If you are completely new to training, we have stripped this workout down to the core essentials.
The only equipment you will need is one set of dumbbells.
Try this workout twice a week:
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell Curls | 3 | 8-10 |
| Hammer Curls | 3 | 8-10 |
| Concentration Curls | 3 | 10-12 |
AF Tip – Start with a light weight and focus on mastering the feel of each movement
Focus on quality of reps rather than quantity of weight!
Intermediate
If you have already accumulated a decent amount of training experience, then this workout will be more suitable. Here we add some low-rep range work to focus on strength development and some supplementary forearm work to build overall arm strength.
Try building in the below workout to your existing program or simply add in any of the exercises here that are new to you. Aim to complete 1-2 per week.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell Curls | 3 | 5-8 |
| Seated Preacher Curls | 3 | 8-10 |
| Reverse Curls | 3 | 10-12 |
| Concentration Curls | 3 | 10-12 |
Advanced
Depending on your current goals and objectives, we have 2 workouts here for you. If your schedule permits, try to perform each workout once per week.
Here we introduce supersets which is when you perform two exercises back-to-back with no rest in between. This will add more intensity and guarantee that you feel the burn!
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Zottmann Curls | 2 | 6-8 |
| Hammer Curls | 2 | 10-12 |
| Superset: | ||
| Seated Dumbbell Curls | 2 | 8-10 |
| Concentration Curls | 2 | 10-12 |
| Dumbbell Curls | 2 | 6-8 |
| Reverse Curls | 2 | 10-12 |
TYPES OF DUMBBELLS
If you are following our dumbbell bicep workout routine at home then you will need a set of dumbbells.
Dumbbells come in all types of different styles and designs which can have a significant impact on the price but typically there are 2 types of dumbbell you should consider before parting with your hard earned cash!
1- Fixed Dumbbells – These are fixed in weight, usually made of rubber and are often called “hex dumbbells” , the hexagonal rubber shape of the weight is a nice safety feature which prevents rolling as protects the floor which helps if you are training in a home gym.
Rubber dumbbells are not cheap though and are usually supplied in 2kg increments so building a dumbbell station up from low to high weight requires a lot of storage space and cash!
2 – Adjustable Dumbbells – There are typically two types – traditional collar or spinlock with cast iron plates or the selectorised style.
Spinlock/Collar – The old-school cast iron or plastic (cement-filled) dumbbells are how many of us started training back in the 90s and early 00s.
You need to add/remove small-weight discs to change the weight and whilst this can get a little onerous this style of dumbbell is cost-effective and ideal for beginners who are more likely to make rapid gains and therefore grow out of a fixed weight set pretty quickly.
Selectorised – This style of dumbbell allows you to adjust the weight at the turn of a dial and removes the hassle of removing and loading plates or having to use a multiple sets of fixed weight dumbbells.
Weight ranges can range from as low as 2kg to north of 50kg which ensures you can perform a wide range of exercises.
The entry cost here is quite high but when compared to the equivalent cost of acquiring a pair of dumbbells per 2kg increment then the price is very competitive and furthermore you need very little storage space!
RECOMMENDED DUMBBELLS
Best Fixed Weight Dumbbells
Bulldog Gear
Best Spinlock / Plate Dumbbells
York 20kg Dumbell Set
Best Adjustable Single Dumbbells
Bowflex SelectTech
WRAP UP
In this post we have discussed the benefits of training arms with dumbbells and have carefully selected the 7 best dumbbell exercises for biceps to specifically help you to build a killer set of guns!
We have also shown how these exercises can be incorporated into a workout plan for beginners through to advanced trainers which you can incorporate into a biceps workout at home or the next time you are in the gym.
Now you just need to get out there and start training!
0 Comments