Three key exercises, according to a strength coach, are essential for developing powerful biceps.
Domenic Angelino, a certified personal trainer and strength and conditioning coach, shares his insights on the importance of training the biceps. Strengthening the biceps can significantly improve performance in compound exercises like pull-ups and bent-over rows, as well as in sports and everyday activities. Not only does it enhance physical ability, but it can also increase the size of these muscles, leading to more muscular-looking arms. Moreover, having stronger biceps could help protect from injury, such as preventing biceps tendon tears. Angelino recommends three exercises to effectively target the biceps: the chin-up, standing dumbbell hammer curl, and barbell curl. To perform a standing dumbbell hammer curl, stand upright with arms by your side, keep your elbows tucked into your sides, raise the front heads of both dumbbells towards your shoulders, squeeze your biceps at the top of the movement, and control the dumbbell back to the starting position. For a chin-up, stand underneath a pull-up bar, grasp it with an underhand grip, retract your shoulder blades, pull yourself upwards until your chin is above the bar, and control yourself back to the starting position. If a chin-up is too difficult, an alternative is the underhand inverted row where you find a bar at roughly hip-height, grasp it with an underhand grip, keep your feet on the floor, brace your core, form a straight line with your body, pull yourself towards the bar until your chest is almost touching it, and lower yourself back to the starting position. The barbell curl is a strength and muscle-building exercise that targets the biceps. It is preferred because it focuses on the biceps rather than recruiting other supporting muscles. Any exercise that involves the biceps will inherently help train them effectively. Angelino suggests using different rep ranges to shift the emphasis of training towards building either muscle or strength. If you want to train to increase muscle size, use sets of six to 12 reps. If you want to increase strength, use sets of three to five reps. Both rep ranges will still result in some progress towards both goals, but by opting for one over the other, you will focus on building either muscle or strength. In addition to his fitness credentials, Angelino holds a master's degree in kinesiology, as well as further fitness qualifications from the American Council of Exercise and National Strength and Conditioning Association. He has been involved with several research projects and worked with fitness apps, fitness influencers, athletes, and educational institutions as an expert consultant. Lastly, it's worth noting that the biceps respond best when exercises are performed using a supinated grip, such as in the barbell curl. This activation of the biceps is more effective than exercises performed with a pronated grip. By incorporating these exercises into your workout routine, you can effectively strengthen your biceps, improve your performance, and reduce the risk of injury.
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