“Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links.”
IF YOU’RE LIKE MOST GUYS, then building big arms is likely one of your gym goals (even if you don’t want to admit it!). And that’s likely led you to do plenty of standing barbell and dumbbell biceps curls.
Thing is, while this exercise is classic and fundamental, it just may not be the best route to mountainous arms. At least that’s what exercise physiologist and strength coach Dr. Pat Davidson told MH fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S. when the two broke down the best biceps exercises in the latest episode of Strong Talk. Sure, the moves are good, and of course you’ll feel a good biceps pump. But dive deeper into the physics of a standing biceps curl of any sort, and you’ll discover that you have better options.
Davidson’s main issue with dumbbell and barbell biceps curls: You don’t truly get maximum “torque” on your biceps when you’re doing those curls. And it’s that torque that pushes your biceps to work hardest, stimulating growth in the long-term. “Torque is going to be the combination of weight and the horizontal distance that the weight is away from the joint that’s rotating,” he explains. “Muscles don’t respond to load, they respond to torque.”
Your goal on any biceps exercise, according to Davidson, should be this: You want the weight to be as far as possible from the elbow joint when your biceps is stretched. This occurs when your forearm is parallel to the ground. During a standing biceps curl, that horizontal moment occurs when your elbow is at a 90-degree angle, so your biceps isn’t fully stretched. During a preacher curl, however, that horizontal moment occurs when your elbow is at a much wider angle, creating more torque and more potential for growth.
That’s why both Davidson and Samuel recommend preacher curls as your top option for growing biceps. Preacher curls are also better at stabilizing the shoulder compared to standing biceps curls, thanks to the support of a preacher bench or incline bench. “It provides external stability rather than you using your muscles at your shoulder to do internal stability,” Davidson says.
That’s not to say standing biceps curls are worthless. Exercises with high torque are also more prone to bugging your joints, says Davidson, especially if you’ve just gotten into training or returned to heavy biceps work after a long layoff. Classic standing biceps curls prevent that stress, and they’re a great place for beginners to start, says Samuel. “There’s nothing wrong with a standing dumbbell or a standing barbell curl,” says Davidson. “From a pure stimulus perspective, it’s [just] not quite as powerful rep to rep as a preacher curl.”
But it has its place, like all biceps curl options, from incline curls to cable curls. And even though preacher curls are best for growth, the other motions can help bulletproof your arms and build awareness and mind-muscle connection over the full range of motion.
Want more deep-dive fitness wisdom from Samuel, Davidson, and other celebs and experts who’ve been on our Strong Talk podcast? Check out all our episodes here.
You Might Also Like
-
The Best Hair Growth Shampoos for Men to Buy Now
-
25 Vegetables That Are Surprising Sources of Protein