Exercises for the biceps muscles. How to pump up the biceps brachii muscle in the gym? Functions of the arm muscles

Have you been pumping your biceps in training for a long time, but are not satisfied with their strength and volume? After reading this article, you can achieve the desired result.

Most people who start training in gym, the main goal is huge biceps, developed chest and abs.

Are you trying to build powerful biceps but not getting the desired results? All your efforts are crushed by the harsh reality and mistakes you make when drafting training plan. Next, you will learn what you need to do to start growing biceps without using steroids.

Biceps muscle anatomy

The biceps consists of two heads:

• Biceps brachii muscle. Located on the outer part of the arm. This muscle works when performing almost any biceps exercise;
• Brachial muscle. Located on the inside of the arm, deeper than the biceps muscle. With a developed brachialis muscle, there is a clear separation between the biceps and triceps. Also with growth brachialis muscle There is an increase in the peak of the biceps.

Functions of the biceps:

• Flexion of the forearm at the elbow joint;
• Flexion of the shoulder at the shoulder joint.

Biceps workout

There are many theories on how to build biceps. This is not to say that they are all wrong, but from each statement you need to highlight the best and create the only correct biceps training program.

• 1.Many people believe that doing basic exercises is enough to stimulate biceps growth.

Indeed, heavy back exercises involve the biceps. But this is not enough to form the required volume of the target muscle - isolation exercises are needed.

1. 2.Heavy lifts of barbells and dumbbells are the best exercises for developing biceps. Multi-repetition type of exercises can be included in training program, but it cannot replace hard training.

1. 3.One biceps workout per week is enough to start muscle growth. You shouldn’t work your butt off, pumping up your biceps every workout - at this pace, the muscles won’t have time to recover.
2. 4.Focus on a certain number of repetitions per week.

In this case, an immutable rule applies: the heavier the working weight, the fewer repetitions you can perform. You must keep this balance under control. This is especially true for exercises such as deadlift and squats, as you will need a lot of recovery time.

Optimal quantity repetitions when working with a weight of 80-85% of the one-rep maximum - 60-70 times a week. This system applies not only to training biceps, but also other muscle groups.

Please note that the biceps work when training other muscle groups. So don't do another 60 reps that focus solely on your biceps. This will be too much - overload cannot be avoided.

Optimize your biceps reps and get them down to 30-40 per week.

If your biceps stubbornly refuse to grow even after all the above recommendations, then try the following system:

• Horizontal block thrust

9 heavy sets of 4–6 reps;

• Standing biceps curl

3 sets of 8–10 reps;

• A few days later, perform barbell curls again (6 heavy sets).

This method will give a powerful impetus to the development of biceps, and will also help and provoke muscle growth.

Now let's take a look best exercises for biceps growth.

The best biceps exercises

You don't have to do dozens of exercises with numerous sets and repetitions. There are many exercises for developing biceps, but only a few of them work.

1.Barbell curl

It is considered one of the main and effective exercises on the biceps.

This exercise can be performed standing with an underhand or overhand grip, as well as sitting in a Scott bench;

A great exercise that will not only give a boost to the development of your biceps, but will also relieve tension from your wrists;

3.Alternating dumbbell lifts for biceps;

4.“Hammer” (Dumbbell Curls)

This exercise can be performed by lifting dumbbells either together or alternately;

5.Reverse grip pull-ups to chin level

An exercise that makes not only the biceps work, but also other parts of the body. If you find it easy to do this exercise with own weight, then you can use weights.

Increase the load

To start the process muscle growth, you must increase the working weight of the shells. The fact is that the body skillfully adapts to monotonous loads, which stops muscle growth. You need to shock the muscles so that they take the path of progress and development.

It is important to remember that the load must be increased gradually to avoid the possibility of injury.

If you follow this advice and don’t forget, your muscles will definitely grow. This rule applies not only to the biceps, but also to all other muscle groups.

Biceps training program

A productive workout includes exercises that can pump up all the components of the biceps muscles.

Be sure to do it before exercise. This will allow you to warm up your entire body and prepare it for the upcoming stress.

• Barbell curl

3 sets of 4–6 reps;

3 sets of 4–6 reps;

• Dumbbell Curls

3 sets of 6–8 reps.

Don't be surprised that you only need to do 9 bicep curls for the entire workout. There is no need to lift weights to the point of exhaustion.

Over the next 8 weeks, try the training program described above for yourself and see if it really works.

After 8 weeks, modify your training program slightly to include other exercises.

• Reverse grip pull-ups

3 sets of 6–8 reps;

• Barbell curl using an EZ bar

3 sets of 4–6 reps;

• Hammer dumbbell curls

3 sets of 6–8 reps.

Alternating the type of load is necessary for the muscles to continue to grow.

Selection of optimal projectile weight

• If you can easily complete the maximum number of repetitions required to perform specific exercise, or even more, then you should increase the weight of the projectile;
• If you are not able to get close to the lower limit in the number of repetitions required, then you have taken too much. heavy weight. Reduce it and perform quality work with optimal weight;
• Add weight only if you can confidently perform the maximum number of repetitions required for this exercise, with working weight. For example, if you did 8 reps on a 6kg dumbbell curl, then pick up the 8kg dumbbells and keep going.

If with the new weight you cannot do even 4 repetitions, then you clearly rushed to increase the weight, overestimating your capabilities. Go back to the old weight and work with it for a while.

There is nothing wrong with trying to lift more and more weight. The main thing is to do it wisely.

The biceps is a prominent muscle on the athlete's body. But why doesn’t pumping it always bring the desired result? The problem lies in incorrect exercise technique or incorrect alternation of basic and isolated complexes.

In order for the training to bring tangible results, it is worth understanding the principle of how the muscle works, and then move on to exercises in the gym.

Biceps training mechanism

Otherwise The biceps is called the biceps brachii muscle. It has two beams and two heads. Long head located in the front part of the arm, short - with inside. Most biceps exercises involve complex work of muscle elements, resulting in sculpted arms.

The function of the biceps is to help the arm work with the elbow. For this reason, the exercises involve flexion and extension of this part of the body. In addition to gaining muscle relief, basic training strengthens ligaments elbow joint.

By doing special exercises biceps relief is achieved. However effective training should not be chaotic, since the sequence of actions is clearly indicated.

Classification of exercises

training should include basic and isolated exercises

Species found strength work aimed at developing several muscle groups. They are called basic. The advantages of such training:

• burning a lot of calories;
• rational use of time allocated for training;
• simulation of everyday activities, only with increased load, this reduces the likelihood of injury;
• uniform training of several muscle groups.

Isolation exercises are necessary to target a specific muscle group.

• stable growth of the pumped muscle;
• a way to avoid muscle imbalance (for example, if the arms are more developed);
• a reasonable solution for people whose muscles do not function well.

Basic work is much more useful than isolated work.

It is recommended to perform basic exercises first, then isolated ones.

The second criterion for classifying strength work on the biceps is the position occupied by the athlete. So there are two groups of exercises:

• performed while standing;
• performed while sitting.

Most basic exercises are performed while standing, since this position promotes uniform development of a number of muscles in the body. In a sitting position, isolated actions are more often performed. Consideration of specific examples will allow you to understand the above more clearly.

Video of training in the gym.

Popular basic exercises

Below are the types of work that affect the growth of the biceps brachii muscle. Listed exercises are performed standing.

Dumbbell Raise

lifting dumbbells involves rotating your wrists (outward rotation)

The goal of the work is comprehensive pumping of the upper forearm. The optimal number of approaches is 3-4, 10-15 repetitions.

Subsequence:

• feet shoulder-width apart, dumbbells held neutrally and positioned at the hips, back slightly bent forward;
• with inhalation, lifting of the load begins. When your hands form a horizontal line with your elbows, turn the dumbbells outward and then continue the movement;
• upon reaching the cargo top position take a two-second pause, tense your biceps;
• exhale, straighten your arms; repetition of actions.

Pushing your elbows forward reduces the usefulness of the exercise.

The exercise builds biceps, strengthens the ligaments of the elbow joint, the muscles of the lower back, and the forearm.

Lifting the bar

fix your elbows at the sides of your body and do not move them

The goal is a comprehensive pumping of the upper forearm, strengthening the lumbar region.

Subsequence:

• Feet are shoulder-width apart, toes pointing slightly to the sides. The load is taken from below, the distance between the hands is the same as between the feet;
• the back is slightly bent forward, it is recommended to bend the knees slightly;
• after inhalation, the bar rises, reaching the top of the chest;
• after a two-second delay of the load in this position, begin to lower it to its original state.

Make sure your shoulders remain still otherwise there is a risk of injury to the spine.

You can increase the usefulness of the exercise by controlling the position of your elbows (they do not move forward) and wrists (they do not bend).

Hammer grip

This shaping exercise thickens the biceps and forearm

The goal is to pump up the biceps, partially the triceps, to form the “peak” of the muscle.

The number of repetitions is 15-20 in each of 4-5 approaches.

Subsequence:

• feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, body straight;
• neutral grip of the loads, after which one of the hands begins to move upward;
• the forearms and palms are motionless, only the elbow joint works;
• feeling the contraction of the working biceps, fix the dumbbell at the top for a second, then gently lower it;
• do the same with the other hand.

Pull-ups on the bar

if you can easily do more than 15 pull-ups per set, then use extra weight

Does possible implementation another exercise for biceps. More useful for pull-ups reverse grip, The distance between the palms is not so important. Perform 3-4 sets of 5-15 repetitions (depending on ability).

Do not straighten your arms completely - there is a risk of injury and reduced work efficiency.

When the load seems easy, it is better to attach additional weight to the body rather than increase the number of repetitions.

If basic exercises have been completed, it is permissible to perform 1-2 isolated ones, aimed strictly at biceps muscle.

Popular isolated exercises

The following types of work are performed while sitting. The goal of each of them is to increase the volume of the biceps.

Dumbbell Raise

Starting position - sit on a chair or bench, straighten your back, straighten your shoulders. It’s easy to lean forward and tense your lower back.

The sequence of work, the number of repetitions and approaches coincides with lifting weights while standing.

Scott bench training

lifting a barbell on a Scott bench is used to hone the shape and relief of the biceps

It differs from the traditional exercise in the presence of a special device that allows you to fix the forearms.

Accept vertical position bodies. The shell is taken underhand grip. The top of the hands presses on the surface of the bench, the elbows are motionless.

While holding your breath after inhaling, the barbell rises with both hands, fixes for a couple of seconds, then lowers down.

The end of the repetition is accompanied by full extension of the arms.

It is optimal to perform 3-4 sets of 10-15 repetitions.

To other useful isolated exercises include:

• concentrated curls with a dumbbell (one of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s favorite exercises);
• using a biceps machine during training (a special simulator for working the biceps and triceps muscles);
• use of the lower block of the simulator;
• lifting a load next to an incline bench.

Useful exercises for girls

to avoid pumping up your biceps, do fewer sets

To prevent the fair half of humanity from becoming like men with pumped up biceps, they are recommended to do fewer approaches and be more loyal to themselves in terms of the amount of load. These include:

arm curls while lying on a bench (lie horizontally, lower your arms down as far as possible; hold the dumbbells neutrally; as the load rises, turn your wrists upward);

bending the arms while sitting or standing (description of actions is above).

It is advisable to do 2-3 sets of 10-15 repetitions.

Video training for girls.

Features of biceps pumping

to avoid injury, control the weight of the dumbbells

Exercises that seem banal at first glance can not only cause harm to the body. In order to prevent such a training outcome, it is important to consider the following recommendations:

1. Work is useless if muscle mass is small. At the same time, muscle pumping increases total weight bodies.
2. Control the weight of the equipment and do not work to the point of exhaustion, otherwise the muscles may not have time to recover. In the worst case, tissue microtraumas, damage or ruptures of hand ligaments are possible.
3. Combine exercises with pumping other muscle groups.
4. Don't ignore training small muscles (wrists, forearms).
5. Can make your hand joints flexible and strong punching bag, work with it a couple of times a week, striking it.
6. If pain occurs, stop lifting weights.
7. Watch the technique of doing the exercises. A good fitness club will have a mentor who will tell you how to do specific exercises correctly.

Contraindications

Alas, not every person can easily pump up their biceps muscle. Working with dumbbells or barbells is strictly prohibited for people who:

• bronchial asthma;
• pressure changes;
• chronic heart disease;
• mid-pregnancy;
• period.

However, some health problems can be corrected if biceps exercises are performed with great care. These include:

• osteochondrosis;
• scoliosis;
• problems with the thyroid gland;
• lack of physical activity.

A preliminary consultation with a doctor is also advisable.

If you follow the tips for giving the biceps brachii muscle an aesthetic, prominent, impressive shape, you will achieve visible result It will be possible in a couple of months. Regular work on yourself and control of loads - this tandem can lead to success even for a beginner.

Biceps – large muscle shoulder, involved in flexing the forearm at the elbow, the shoulder at the shoulder joint, turning and rotating the arms. With the help of training, you can significantly increase and strengthen the muscle in your arm.

The effect of “pumping up” the biceps is achieved not only by training in the gym, but also by doing independent exercises at home. There are many biceps exercises with sports equipment and using your own weight, which, with persistence and constant implementation, will give good results.

Correctly selected exercises, when performed correctly, effectively affect the biceps, increasing its size and strength.

Before any exercise, a warm-up is necessary to warm up the muscles and prevent possible injuries.

Push-ups

The most accessible exercise, which is basic, and does not require additional equipment and devices. Despite the fact that when performing this type of exercise, the muscles of the chest and triceps are maximally pumped, almost all the muscles of the body are involved in it. Some muscles are used dynamically, while others statically support the body in the desired position. This also applies to the biceps, which are involved in the exercise. In addition, push-ups will increase the triceps, making the arm larger in size and in harmony with the biceps.

Push-ups from the floor, loading the triceps, promote increased blood circulation in the biceps, which is located in close proximity and activates metabolism in them. Therefore, simultaneous training of these muscles gives significantly greater result than when they are studied separately.
To work more muscles, you can diversify your push-ups by changing the width of your arms.

Pull-up

Refers to basic exercises and is considered by many athletes to be one of the most effective for increasing biceps. When performing pull-ups, the elbow and shoulder joints work, which allows you not only to enlarge the muscles, but also to significantly strengthen them. For example, when pumping up the biceps using exercise machines, only the elbow joint muscle works, isolating all additional muscles.

The biceps are worked most effectively when doing pull-ups with an inside grip, with your palms facing you:

• At narrow grip being worked on outer part biceps Hands should be together or as close to each other as possible.
• At medium grip internal and outside biceps Palms are slightly narrower than shoulder width or at their level.
• When pulling up wide grip The outer biceps are worked. In this type of pull-up, your palms are wider than your shoulders.

The number of exercises and approaches is calculated individually and depends on physical fitness, body type, health restrictions.

You need to start with a small number of repetitions, gradually increasing them.

On average, the optimal amount is 3 sets of 10 times.

The maximum result when “pumping up” your biceps on the horizontal bar is possible if you follow the correct pull-up technique:

• You need to pull yourself up smoothly without jerking or swinging, using only muscle strength;
• When pulling up, inhale, and when lowering, exhale without holding your breath.

Exercise with dumbbells

Another effective method biceps loads, which gives a noticeable result in its increase.

An exercise to work the outer part of the biceps is performed by raising your arms with a weight to your chest, turning your hands upward with your fingers.

Standing option:

• Stand straight with dumbbells in your hands along your body, palms facing your hips.
• When lifting sports equipment, turn your palms up.
• Fix your hands at the top for a few seconds and then slowly lower them.
• Watch your breathing. Breathe deeply, exhaling as you bend your arms and inhaling as you lower them.
• The movements are made by the biceps itself without swinging or the help of the body.
• The elbows should be fixed parallel to the body, without pushing forward when lifting the dumbbells.
• Pick up correct weight so that you can do 7-10 repetitions, feeling the load on the arm muscles.
• You can perform this exercise alternately, raising one hand, lowering the other, or with both hands at the same time.

Lifting dumbbells from a sitting position:

• You need to sit on a chair or bench, with your arms down with sports equipment along your body, with your fingers facing you.
• Do a slow lift of the dumbbells, bending the elbow joint of your arm while rotating your hand upward.
• Control your breathing by exhaling as you rise and doing deep breath, lowering his hands.
• The exercise can be started 7-10 times in 2-3 approaches, gradually increasing the weight.

Option with hand fixation.

This exercise is called a concentrated press:

• Sitting on a stool, with your feet slightly apart, rest your elbow on inner part legs in the knee area.
• Slowly lift the dumbbell by bending your elbow, rotating your hand until your forearm is parallel to the floor. Fix your hand at the top for a few seconds and while lowering it slowly, turn your hand to its initial state.

• Do the same for the other hand.

Hammer (hammer) with dumbbells.

Another type of biceps training with dumbbells, which works on the inner part. The exercise is performed with both hands synchronously and alternately.

Correct execution:

• While sitting or standing, grab dumbbells with your hand toward your thigh.
• Raise the dumbbells while keeping your back straight. The elbow is fixed and does not move upward.
• At the top of the lift, hold the dumbbells for a couple of seconds, and then slowly lower them, not reaching the point of muscle relaxation. In the lower position they should be bent at the elbow and tense.

The amplitude of the movement is similar to a hammer blow, in slow motion.

This exercise is performed without twisting the forearm when raising the arms, with the hand always facing inward.

Barbell exercise

If you have a barbell at home, you can and should perform exercises with it that develop the muscles of your arms.

Not everyone has one Sports Equipment there is, so you can try using your imagination and improvised means to make similar sports equipment.

This exercise is simple to perform, but requires proper technique.

It is important to choose the correct weight of the equipment so that the barbell is not too light, but not too heavy.

• To accept correct stance, it is better to stand holding the barbell in your hands, with your back to the wall.
• Only with muscular effort of the arms, while exhaling, lift the barbell to the chest, fix it for a few seconds and slowly return to its original state.
• At the bottom, your arms should be kept slightly bent, which will prevent the biceps from completely relaxing, ensuring a constant load on it.

The grip plays a big role in engaging different parts of the biceps:

• A close grip, with your palms facing you, when your hands are at a distance narrower than shoulder width, works the outer part of the biceps.
• A wide grip, when your palms are wider than your shoulders, works the inside of the muscle more.

When lifting the barbell, your back and elbows should remain in place without helping to lift it.

Training frequency and number of repetitions

It is advisable to do exercises 1 to 3 times a week, alternating loads with days of rest. This regimen will allow time for recovery and increase the efficiency of muscle growth.

For beginners, it is optimal to rest for 2 days after training due to the slow recovery of fibers in muscles unprepared for stress. The better physical training, the more often you can perform the exercises, bringing them up to 5 times a week.

There is an opinion that to pump up your biceps you need to train hard. Proponents of this theory claim that micro tears occur under heavy loads. muscle fibers, and when they heal, biceps growth occurs. Adherents of this method need increased nutrition and more time for recovery. At the initial stages, this method of training is contraindicated, as there is a high probability of injury. And to restore stretched or torn tendons will require a lot of time and, possibly, medical attention.

Muscles can get used to the same loads and stop their growth, so the loads need to be both increased and decreased, and the types of exercises and their intensity must be changed.
After each month of training, you need to change your training program.

When performing exercises at home, it is necessary to maintain regularity. In the absence of a coach, motivation is needed for constant training.

Biceps - important muscle for a man's figure. To increase muscle size, you need to choose the right exercises and simultaneously develop other muscles of the body. Biceps look more impressive against the general background of an athletic body.

When starting training aimed at increasing muscle mass, every beginner dreams of only one thing - about big biceps, and all his training is aimed specifically at increasing it. Biceps, so to speak, is the most popular muscle, which is among ordinary people and is associated with the development of strength. Since the biceps is physiologically quite a large muscle, it should be trained no more than 1-2 times a week, otherwise it will not have time to recover and there will be no muscle growth or it will be very slow.

Develop your biceps muscles gradually until they get used to heavy loads. To begin with, it will be enough to train the biceps muscle once a week and perform two exercises, three sets per workout. After a few months, you can increase the number of exercises to three or four, and the number of approaches to four or five.

Also, do not forget that arm muscles love a large number of repetitions and training through force (to failure) - this will not only create muscle relief, but will also contribute to the growth of the biceps brachii muscle. Therefore, select such a weight on the apparatus so that you can perform at least eight repetitions efficiently in one approach.

Rules for training biceps

1. For beginner athletes, it is enough to train the biceps once a week and perform two exercises of 3 approaches each. Experienced athletes can train the biceps muscle twice a week and perform 3-5 exercises of 3-5 approaches each.

2. Do at least eight repetitions for each set. The optimal number of repetitions for biceps growth is 8-12. To increase biceps strength, 6-8 repetitions (for experienced athletes).

3. If possible, try to gradually increase the weight of the apparatus at each workout or every other workout. If you feel that by increasing the weight, you cannot qualitatively perform the required number of repetitions or the technique of performing the exercise suffers, then it is too early to increase the weight.

4. Train your biceps on the same day as your triceps. This training method has proven itself well among both professionals and novice athletes.

01.06.2018

Translation by Serey Strukov.

BASIC POINTS

The direct tensile load on the biceps brachii tendon in basic powerlifting movements is relatively small. Excessive loading leading to biceps tendinopathy is likely due to compression of the tendon by surrounding soft tissue and bony structures.

The best option- simply reduce the load applied to the tendon by changing the training variables, allowing the reaction in the tendon to decrease, and try to improve the specific abilities of the tendon through direct training, as far as possible.

Updated 06/01/2018 16:06

When bench pressing, the main focus should be on the lower part of the amplitude. This position represents the most vulnerable part of the lift due to the simultaneous compression and stretching of the biceps tendon. Either avoid this position entirely by using pressing variations that limit the bar's descent (restrictor press, floor press, board press), or use variable resistance to reduce the load in vulnerable positions.

Save instability training for better times. Although scientific evidence regarding the role of the biceps muscle in shoulder stabilization is controversial, Additional requirements may place additional stress on the biceps tendon compared to more stable options.

Replace the amount of work done in the press with push-ups and variations of the press without restricting the movement of the shoulder blades. This will help reduce possible compressive load on the tendon due to a violation of the scapulohumeral rhythm.

Pay attention to the position of your hands in all auxiliary exercises. Putting stress on the shoulder joint in a hyperextended position can cause tenderness in the tendon and limit overall exercise tolerance.

When performing squats, the main problem is passive tension on the front of the shoulder. Reduce shoulder extension by switching to an open grip and moving your elbows closer to the bar. Increase the grip width of the bar to reduce external shoulder rotation.

Strengthen the biceps tendon by gradually adding stress to the tissue. Incorporate forearm curl variations that keep your shoulders passively flexed, then gradually increase the angle of extension as you perform the exercises.

The health of the biceps tendon closely correlates with the function and integrity of the rotator cuff. Deterioration of the rotator cuff ability may enhance the intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms of degradation of the long head of the biceps tendon.

Although there is a lack of scientific evidence on this topic, it appears to be reasonable to include rotator cuff exercises in your training program to reduce compensatory biceps brachii muscle tension during training.

When training and competing in powerlifting, the body is often subjected to significant stress in hopes of causing physiological adaptation. Injury rates in resistance training are quite low compared to other sports, but injuries do occur (62). I discussed a common tendon pathology in a previous article on Stronger by Science. lower limb– patellar tendinopathy – and ways to eliminate this condition without completely stopping training. Now I want to address a common upper body problem: long head of biceps brachii (LHC) tendinopathy. From experience, this is a commonly suspected condition in the powerlifting community, especially during frequent and/or high-volume, low-bar bench presses and squats. I wrote “suggested” because there are MANY reasons why athletes have pain in the anterior shoulder that is not related to damage to the ASD (31). Although this should be obvious without words, I will repeat my public statement: this article is not a substitute for consulting a doctor. If you have pain that exceeds normal soreness associated with exercise, you should seek differential diagnosis and treatment.

Hypertrophy, Diseases / Disorders, Health, Medicine, Scientific research, Personal training, Power training, Exercises, Physiology