Best Dumbbell Exercises for Bigger Biceps

To build bigger biceps using dumbbells, you need to focus on exercises that effectively target the biceps muscles, specifically the biceps brachii (long and short head), brachialis, and brachioradialis. Here are some of the best dumbbell exercises for bigger biceps:

1. Dumbbell Bicep Curls (Standard Curl)

Muscles Targeted: Biceps brachii (long and short head)

How to Do It:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing forward.
• Curl the weights up toward your shoulders by bending your elbows, keeping your upper arms stationary.
• Squeeze at the top of the movement, then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.

Pro Tip: Control the movement, especially on the way down, to maximise muscle tension. Avoid swinging your body or using momentum.

 

2. Hammer Curls

Muscles Targeted: Brachialis (under the biceps) and brachioradialis (forearm)

How to Do It:

• Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your torso (neutral grip).
• Keeping your elbows close to your sides, curl the weights up toward your shoulders.
• Lower the dumbbells slowly and repeat.

Pro Tip: Hammer curls target not only the biceps but also the brachialis, adding overall arm thickness.

 

3. Concentration Curls

Muscles Targeted: Biceps brachii (primarily the short head)

How to Do It:

• Sit on a bench with your legs spread apart. Hold a dumbbell in one hand, resting your elbow on the inside of your thigh.
• Curl the weight up towards your shoulder, concentrating on squeezing your biceps at the top of the movement.
• Lower slowly and repeat, then switch arms.

Pro Tip: This exercise isolates the biceps, so focus on slow, controlled movements to feel the muscle working.

 

4. Incline Dumbbell Curls

Muscles Targeted: Long head of the biceps

How to Do It:

• Set a bench to a 45-degree incline and sit back with a dumbbell in each hand, arms fully extended.
• Curl the dumbbells upward while keeping your elbows in place and focus on the stretch at the bottom of the movement.
• Slowly lower the weights to the starting position.

Pro Tip: The incline position stretches the biceps more, providing a greater range of motion and targeting the long head for more peak development.

 

5. Zottman Curls

Muscles Targeted: Biceps brachii (curl) and brachioradialis (pronated lower)

How to Do It:

• Start with a standard bicep curl, lifting the dumbbells with your palms facing up.
• At the top of the movement, rotate your wrists so your palms are facing down (pronated grip).
• Slowly lower the dumbbells to the starting position with the palms down.

Pro Tip: Zottman curls combine a bicep curl and reverse curl in one movement, hitting both the biceps and forearms for balanced arm development.

 

6. Cross-Body Hammer Curls

Muscles Targeted: Brachialis and brachioradialis

How to Do It:

• Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your torso.
• Curl one dumbbell across your body toward the opposite shoulder, keeping your palm facing in.
• Lower the weight and repeat on the other side.

Pro Tip: This variation of the hammer curl adds a different angle of tension on the brachialis, which helps thicken the upper arm.

 

7. Spider Curls

Muscles Targeted: Short head of the biceps

How to Do It:

• Lie chest-down on an incline bench (angled around 45 degrees), with your arms hanging straight down holding dumbbells.
• Curl the dumbbells upward, keeping your elbows close to your body and focusing on squeezing your biceps at the top.
• Lower the weights slowly and repeat.

Pro Tip: Spider curls isolate the short head of the biceps, helping you build the inner portion of the muscle and create a fuller appearance.

 

8. Reverse Curls

Muscles Targeted: Brachioradialis and biceps brachii

How to Do It:

• Hold the dumbbells with a pronated grip (palms facing down).
• Curl the weights upward while keeping your elbows stationary and forearms straight.
• Slowly lower the dumbbells to the starting position.

Pro Tip: Reverse curls emphasise the forearms and brachialis, which aids in overall arm thickness.

 

9. Drag Curls

Muscles Targeted: Biceps brachii

How to Do It:

• Stand holding dumbbells with your palms facing forward (supinated grip).
• As you curl the weights, focus on dragging your elbows backward rather than keeping them stationary.
• The dumbbells should move vertically along your torso as you drag them up and squeeze at the top.

Pro Tip: Drag curls shift tension toward the long head of the biceps, helping to create more peak in the biceps.

 

10. Supinated Curls

Muscles Targeted: Biceps brachii (long and short head)

How to Do It:

• Start with dumbbells at your sides, palms facing your legs (neutral grip).
• As you curl the weights up, rotate your wrists so that your palms face upward (supinated grip) by the time they reach your shoulders.
• Lower the weights with controlled motion.

Pro Tip: The wrist rotation adds extra engagement to the biceps, enhancing the muscle’s activation.

 

 

Bonus Tips for Bigger Biceps

• Progressive overload: Increase the weight or number of reps over time to keep your muscles challenged.
• Time under tension: Slow down the eccentric (lowering) phase to increase the time your muscles are under tension, which promotes growth.
• Rest and recovery: Biceps are small muscles, so allow them enough time to recover. Train them 1-2 times per week with 48 hours of rest between sessions.
• Proper nutrition: Make sure you’re consuming enough protein (about 1.6-2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight) and calories to support muscle growth.

By incorporating these dumbbell exercises into your routine, you'll be on your way to building bigger, stronger biceps.