Q&A for How to Do Bicep Curls

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  • Question
    Do bicep curls work?
    Monica Morris
    ACE Certified Personal Trainer
    Monica Morris is an ACE (American Council on Exercise) Certified Personal Trainer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 15 years of fitness training experience, Monica started her own physical training practice and gained her ACE Certification in 2017. Her workouts emphasize proper warm-ups, cool-downs, and stretching techniques.
    ACE Certified Personal Trainer
    Expert Answer
    Absolutely! There's a reason they're a popular exercise; bicep curls are easily the most efficient way to build your biceps up. There are plenty of variations from the standard curl as well. You can use a barbell, or change your range of motion over a large number of repetitions to target different parts of the bicep.
  • Question
    Is it OK to do biceps every day?
    Monica Morris
    ACE Certified Personal Trainer
    Monica Morris is an ACE (American Council on Exercise) Certified Personal Trainer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 15 years of fitness training experience, Monica started her own physical training practice and gained her ACE Certification in 2017. Her workouts emphasize proper warm-ups, cool-downs, and stretching techniques.
    ACE Certified Personal Trainer
    Expert Answer
    Don't work your biceps every day. Take at least 1 day off in between lifting sessions to give your muscles time to repair themselves.
  • Question
    What is the best time to do bicep curls, morning or evening?
    Michele Dolan
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Expert Answer
    There is no evidence proving that the time of day makes any difference. Therefore, you should do your curls when it works best for you, and after you have finished the bigger, multi-joint moves like pull ups, bench press and rows.
  • Question
    What bones are used in a bicep curl?
    Michele Dolan
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Expert Answer
    The biceps span the upper arm from the shoulder joint (the coracoid process and the glenoid fossa) to the forearm (the ulna and the radius).
  • Question
    Why are bicep curls good?
    Michele Dolan
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Expert Answer
    Bicep curls are a good exercise for building the bicep muscle strength and size, making lifting easier.
  • Question
    How many sets of bicep curls should you do?
    Michele Dolan
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Expert Answer
    Start with one set, increasing as it becomes easier, to 3-5 sets with heavy weight.
  • Question
    After a few reps, I run out of power to lift the weights. How can I gain power on my biceps?
    Michele Dolan
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Expert Answer
    Try doing drop sets. Using your heaviest weight, for instance 35 pounds, begin your set. As soon as you reach failure, quickly continue reps with the next lower weight, 33.5 pounds, do as many reps as you can, until failure again, then drop the weight, 31 pounds, and continue like this until you reach total failure and you cannot continue. Also, try push ups and push up variations to hit the biceps in a variety of ways.
  • Question
    What do bicep curls work out?
    Michele Dolan
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.
    Certified Fitness Trainer
    Expert Answer
    Bicep curls work the bicep muscles in the front of the arm, between the shoulder and the inside of your elbow.
  • Question
    I am not able to gain muscle. Can I go on steroids? If so, what is a proper schedule?
    Community Answer
    Don't take steroids. There are plenty of useful supplements and methods to gain muscle in a healthy way. My first suggestion is to increase your workout intensity. A short, high-intensity workout is better than 3 hours of wandering around a gym. My second suggestion is to use protein. 1g/lb of body weight is the optimal way to increase muscle mass, although bodybuilders can use up to 2g/lb due to their training style. My third suggestion is using supplements -legal ones. Creatine is the #1 studied and researched supplement because it is astoundingly effective, completely natural, and has no side-effects.
  • Question
    How often should I do barbell curls to develop upper arm muscle definition?
    Community Answer
    2-3 times a week, and you should try to do as many repetitions as you can without overworking your muscles.
  • Question
    How can I get muscle mass using dumbbells that I can curl more than 20 times?
    Austin Trent
    Community Answer
    You're not going to build size by doing more than 10 reps of anything. Once you pass about 8 reps your body starts to extend your muscles and train them to be longer and stronger in that way. Try sets of 8, then 6 the next day on that muscle group, then 3 on the next day. Monday: 4 sets of 8 reps barbell curl (with bench bar), 3 sets of 8 reps concentration curls, 3 sets of 8 reps preacher curls. Following Monday: 4 sets of 6 reps barbell curl (with bench bar), 3 sets of 6 reps concentration curls, 3 sets of 6 reps preacher curls. 3rd Monday: 4 sets of 3 reps barbell curl (with bench bar), 3 sets of 3 reps concentration curls, 3 sets of 3 reps preacher curls.
  • Question
    How many reps per set should I do? I am currently doing 30 reps at 25 lbs.
    Community Answer
    It depends on what you are trying to achieve: if you are looking for muscle strength, you should choose a weight that allows you to complete around 3 reps; if your goal is building muscle mass, choose a weight that lets you do 8-12 reps; for muscle definition, go for 15-20 reps. Remember to warm up first!
  • Question
    I am 14, and I do have formed biceps, but they are not visible until I make muscle. Any solution?
    Community Answer
    If you're looking for appearances and not sustained athletic ability, you may want to increase the weight you use when lifting. Talk to a trainer or someone experienced with weights to get some tips and to make sure you're not overdoing it.
  • Question
    What is a half bicep curl?
    Lachlann
    Community Answer
    It's where you curl a dumbbell halfway to your shoulder. It's a little less intensive than a full bicep curl.
  • Question
    Can you think of a hood substitute for a bar weight if I only have dumbells?
    HTH(HopeToHelp)
    Community Answer
    Put a PVC pipe in milk bottles filled with sand, or make your own bar weight out of concrete. You can also use a heavy metal pipe.
  • Question
    I worked out for almost 2 years, but I don't see any difference. I'm disappointed. What should I do?
    Lori Deysher
    Community Answer
    Even though you can't physically see what is happening, you are making your body stronger and giving it the ability to do more things. If this exercise isn't making you happy with the results, maybe this workout isn't for you or your body. Find another workout! It could be similar or completely different. There are many options out for you to try.
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