The Best Biceps Workout

Here’s the best route to bigger biceps this four-week, six-move supersets workout.

So it’s bigger biceps you’re after, eh? There are plenty of fine biceps exercises to try the next time you’re in the gym, but if you’re serious it’s worth adopting a more structured approach.

This routine involves superset pairs, which you can substitute for your current biceps plan.

Superset Biceps Workout

The plan is simple: it’s a six-move workout made up of three supersets. Do the moves in order, sticking to the sets, reps, tempo and rest periods.

Do it twice a week for four weeks, aiming to increase the weights you’re lifting every second session. This will consistently keep your biceps muscles out of their comfort zone and expose them to an ever-increasing workload, which is the key to impressive muscle mass gains.

The best bit – aside from building bigger biceps – is that you simply incorporate this into your existing programme. To avoid overtaxing the muscles, drop any biceps moves you’re already doing and replace them with pressing moves that work the chest, triceps and shoulders to help keep your body balanced.

How To Get The Most Out Of This Workout

Move through a full range Moving your muscles through the full range of motion will engage the maximum number of muscle fibres, which is the key to faster growth. And avoid swinging the weights up using momentum – cheat reps will hinder, not help, your gains.

Squeeze at the top of the move At the top of every rep (when your hands are closest to your chin), squeeze your biceps as hard as possible for one second. This will fire up extra muscle fibres to hold the weight steady and increase blood flow for a muscle-building pump.

Stretch at the bottom At the bottom of every rep (when you arms are fully straight), stretch your triceps as hard as possible for one second. This will help ensure you go through a full range of motion, as well as removing any momentum from your reps.

Use Your Mind To Build Muscle

The three mental workout rules to follow to accelerate your progress

Visualise the move Thinking about how your biceps are contracting to move the weight will build quicker neural pathways between your brain and biceps. The faster they fire, the faster you grow. Count the tempo Sticking to the detailed tempo will expose your biceps to more tension. Counting the two-second lowering part – in your head, ideally – will make sure you don’t rush your reps. Go high to low Counting down your reps will help you push through hard sets because you know the end is in sight. Counting up, especially for long sets, makes it harder to stay motivated.

The Workout

1A Dumbbell curl

Sets 3 Reps 12 Tempo 2111 Rest 0sec

Lie on an incline bench with a weight in each hand with palms facing forward. Curl the weights up, pause at the top, then lower back down under complete control.

1B Hammer curl

Sets 3 Reps 15 Tempo 2111 Rest 60sec

Using a lighter set of dumbbells than in exercise 1A, lie on the incline bench with palms facing each other. Curl them up, pause at the top, then lower under control. Squeeze your biceps at the top of the lift to work your muscles harder.

2A Preacher curl

Sets 3 Reps 10 Tempo 2111 Rest 0sec

Sit at a preacher bench holding an EZ-bar with an underhand grip. Curl the bar up to the top, pause and squeeze, then lower the bar slowly until your arms are fully straight.

2B Preacher reverse curl

Sets 3 Reps 10 Tempo 2111 Rest 60sec

With the same weight on the EZ-bar as in 2A, change your grip to a double-overhand hold. Curl the bar up, pause, then lower until your arms are fully straight.

3A Cable bar curl

Sets 3 Reps 15 Tempo 2111 Rest 0sec

Hold a straight bar that’s attached to the lower pulley. Keeping your elbows by your sides, curl the bar up, pause, then lower under control.

3B Cable hammer curl

Sets 3 Reps 15 Tempo 2111 Rest 60sec

Reduce the weight by a plate or two and switch cable attachments to a double-handed rope. Hold it with palms facing. Curl it up, pause, then lower under control.

Photography: Tom Miles. Model: Richard Scrivener

Written by Men’s Fitness for Coach and legally licensed through the Matcha publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@getmatcha.com.