Learn the correct biceps barbell curl technique and why it is the most effective arm exercise. It is the barbell curl with a straight bar that is the most popular movement for working out this muscle. Surely there are no training programs in which this movement is absent. However, there is nothing to be surprised at, because there is no doubt about the effectiveness of the climbs. But you should remember that maximum results can be obtained only if all the technical nuances of the movement are observed.
Muscle Atlas and the Benefits of Straight Barbell Curls
You already understood that today we will tell all the secrets of lifting the bar for biceps with a straight bar. About the technique of movement a little lower, but now let's find out which muscles work in this exercise. It is quite obvious that the targeting muscle is the biceps. Its synergists in this case are the brachial and brachioradial muscles. There are slightly more stabilizers, and this role is played by the anterior deltas, the upper and middle trapeziums, the wrist flexors, and the scapula levator.
Let's take a look at the benefits of this movement when done correctly, and you'll quickly see why the straight barbell lift is so effective:
- Produces a complex effect on the biceps, allowing you to simultaneously gain mass, increase strength, endurance and definition.
- A sufficiently large range of motion, together with the possibility of using free weights, makes it possible to pump the targeting muscle with high quality.
- By changing the type of grip, you can work out the biceps as fully as possible.
- Using the EZ bar removes the load from the spinal column and also relieves the wrists and you can use large weights.
How to properly lift a bar with a straight bar?
Although this movement is one of the most popular, athletes often violate the technique. As a result, you cannot get a good result. Take a sports equipment slightly wider than the level of the shoulder joints and position your legs in the same way. The back should be flat and the knee joints should be slightly bent. The palms are facing up, and the elbow joints are located close to the body. It is also necessary to keep the abdominal muscles in tension. This is your starting position.
Keeping the shoulder joints motionless, start lifting the projectile only by contracting the biceps and forearms. When the projectile is in the area of the shoulder joints, and the biceps are reduced as much as possible, the movement stops, you need to pause for two counts. The breathing technique is as follows - when the projectile moves up, you must exhale, and inhale when you return to the starting position. Note that the movement should be smooth and under your control.
Bicep Curl Tips
The exercise is not the most difficult, but you need to master its technique thoroughly. Only in this case can you get the maximum result. Here are some tips to help you make the most of your movement:
- The projectile should move upward as smoothly as possible, and you should try to exclude all kinds of jerks, swinging, etc.
- Lift the sports equipment from the hip in a wide trajectory.
- In the uppermost position, pause for two or three counts.
- The bar should move up faster than it goes down.
- Always lower the barbell as smoothly as possible.
- In the lower end position of the trajectory, it is not worth fully straightening the elbow joints.
As for the number of sets and approaches, their number depends on the task:
- Strength increase - 5 sets with 3-5 reps each.
- For mass - 3 sets with 7-10 repetitions.
- For definition - from 2 to 3 sets with 15-20 repetitions.
If you work with high weights, and the number of repetitions in a set is from 4 to 8, then cheating can be used in the last repetitions. It is also recommended to use straps to relieve the load from the wrists. It should also be recalled that there are several varieties of this movement. Actually, the differences between them are in the use of the EZ-bar of the lower block and dumbbells. The best option for lifting the bar for biceps with a straight bar is a standing position with a vertical support.
The nuances of performing a barbell curl for biceps with a straight bar
It's time to move on to considering the main technical nuances, which in our case are enough.
Grip width
By changing the type of grip, you can shift the load on different parts of the targeting muscle:
- Standard grip - both sections of the biceps are involved in the work, and you can work with a lot of weight.
- Narrow grip - the emphasis of the load is shifted to the external department, and you will not be able to use large weights.
- Wide grip - the load is shifted to the internal section and you again have the opportunity to use a large working weight.
When we talk about using different grips, we are not trying to figure out which one is better. You should be perfectly aware that such a question is simply meaningless. With their help, you can solve a specific problem and nothing more. For example, if your internal department is lagging behind in development, then instead of the standard grip, you should use a wide one. You can also recommend periodically changing the type of grip in order to pump all sections of the biceps evenly.
Two techniques for performing the biceps barbell curl
Using this movement in your training program, you need to be aware of the existence of two techniques for its implementation. Moreover, they can be used both with a barbell and with dumbbells. Above, we talked about the classic technique, for years the projectile moves along an arc trajectory.
In this case, for most athletes, the most difficult point of the trajectory is the moment when the arms are perpendicular to the body. After this point, the bar (dumbbells) are harder to move. It is quite obvious that this fact is a serious limitation that does not allow the use of large weights, because otherwise you simply will not lift the projectile.
The second technique for performing the movement consists in moving the projectile not along an arc trajectory, but in a vertical plane. In this case, when lifting the projectile, the elbow joints are pulled back. As a result, the most difficult point disappears, and the muscles are evenly tense along the entire trajectory of the barbell movement. Of course, the second technique has one drawback, namely, a decrease in the time of muscle tension. However, you can completely neutralize it by slowing down the pace of movement. Thus, you can try both techniques and choose the one that works best for you.
Using the straight and EZ-necks
Novice builders often wonder which of these bars is the best to use. However, there is no fundamental difference between them, and this cannot in any way affect the effectiveness of the exercise. The thing is that the EZ-bar allows you to take the load off the wrists and it is just more comfortable to work with this neck. It is also easier for you to navigate when determining the center of the neck.
As a result, you will be able to grab the bar correctly and evenly load both biceps, because if you move the center of the bar, then the load on the arms will also be different. Also, the increase in comfort when performing the movement is influenced by the fact that you can take the EZ-bar so that the palms are located in relation to each other at a certain angle.
For most athletes, the outer curvature of the EZ bar matches the level of the shoulder joints, which is the standard grip. If you have had biceps injuries before, then it is better to use EZ or dumbbells instead of a straight graph. Perhaps the ideal option for training biceps with the help of a barbell is not only the alternation of grips, but also the bars.
Other exercises for pumping biceps
In addition to the various types of barbell lifts for the biceps, which we mentioned today, several more movements can be performed to train this muscle. First of all, these are concentrated lifts. This movement is performed while sitting with dumbbells alternately with each hand. The lower part of the triceps should be pressed tightly against the thigh, as if you had glued it on.
After a deep breath, you should hold your breath while the sports equipment moves up. This will make it easier for you to keep your back straight with a natural bend in the lumbar region. To load both sections of the biceps, grip the projectile with a neutral grip with the palm facing you and up. Also, to increase the load on the targeting muscle, you can rotate the hand while lifting the projectile. In the lower position of the trajectory, the palm is located in a vertical plane, and in the upper position - the lower grip. During the downward movement of the dumbbell, the hand unfolds to its original position.
You can load your biceps well with push-ups. To do this, you need to take the plank position, but your fingers should not look forward, but backward. You should also firmly press the elbow joints against the body. When you do the exercise, the elbows should not spread out to the sides, otherwise the effectiveness will drop dramatically.
When doing any biceps exercise, you must make sure that only the forearms move. Only in this case, the targeting muscle will participate in the work, and you will be able to work it out qualitatively. As with other body muscles, we recommend alternating between heavy and light exercises to build your biceps.
For the most common mistakes when doing biceps curls, see here:
