Ever wonder why your biceps still look narrow despite endless hours of curling in the gym? The problem might not be what you think. Most people believe growing their biceps peak will result in bigger, more impressive arms. But if you want arms that pop from every angle and fill out your sleeves, you need to focus on width, not just height. This means targeting not only the biceps but also the brachialis, a muscle often overlooked in traditional bicep workouts.
Below, we dive into the 10 best exercises that will make your arms look wider and thicker, fast!
1. Hammer Curls
One of the best exercises to hit the brachialis is the hammer curl. This classic move targets the muscle with a neutral grip, which reduces bicep activation and shifts focus onto the brachialis, helping increase your arm's width. For optimal results, keep your elbows close to your body and squeeze at the top of each rep.
Don’t rush – slow, controlled movements are key to maximum muscle engagement.
Pro Tip:
Avoid swinging the dumbbells. This common mistake shifts the tension away from the biceps and brachialis, reducing the effectiveness of the exercise.
2. Crossbody Hammer Curls
This variation of the hammer curl further isolates the brachialis by moving the dumbbell across the body to the opposite pec. It shifts more emphasis on the brachialis, ensuring the muscle does the bulk of the work.
Incorporate this exercise into your routine, alternating sides to ensure balanced development.
Why It Works:
Crossbody movements force the brachialis to work harder because the angle makes it more difficult for your biceps to take over.
3. Zottman Curls
Combining the benefits of both regular curls and reverse curls, the Zottman curl is a double-duty exercise. The curl-up portion focuses on your biceps, but when you rotate your wrists and lower the weights, the brachialis and forearm muscles take over.
This hybrid move maximizes your arm growth from every angle.
4. Barbell Reverse Curls
Reverse curls are a fantastic way to strengthen not only your brachialis but also your forearms. Using a pronated (palms-down) grip forces the brachialis to work harder, resulting in more muscle growth in that area. Keep your elbows locked by your sides, and lower the bar slowly to maximize tension.
5. Preacher Curls (Wide Grip)
For a more targeted approach to your inner biceps, try preacher curls with a wide grip. This position reduces your ability to use momentum, forcing strict form and activating the short head of your biceps, which contributes to arm width.
6. Spider Curls
If you want to eliminate cheating and ensure your biceps get a full contraction, spider curls are an excellent choice. This exercise positions your arms ahead of your body, reducing the chance of using your back or shoulders to assist in the movement.
This isolates the brachialis and short head of the biceps.
7. Incline Dumbbell Curls
Incline curls stretch your biceps through a longer range of motion, which puts more stress on the muscle and leads to greater hypertrophy. Sitting on an incline bench forces you to fully extend your arms at the bottom, ensuring you engage both the long and short heads of the biceps.
Tip:
Slow down the eccentric (lowering) phase of this exercise to maximize muscle fiber recruitment and increase overall arm size.
8. Reverse Cable Curls
Cables provide constant tension throughout the movement, making them great for increasing muscle activation. In **reverse cable curls**, you hold the handle with a pronated grip to target the brachialis while the cable's resistance ensures the muscle is under stress throughout the entire rep.
9. Chin-Ups
Yes, chin-ups. While not typically considered a biceps-specific exercise, chin-ups with a supinated (palms-up) grip are great for working both the biceps and brachialis.
They also help strengthen your back, which is key for overall upper body development.
Challenge Yourself:
If regular chin-ups are too easy, add weight with a dip belt or weighted vest.
10. Concentration Curls
Finally, concentration curls isolate the biceps like no other exercise, making them a great finisher for your arm day. Sitting down and bracing your elbow on your thigh helps focus all the tension on your biceps, especially the short head, which will add more width to your arms.
If your goal is to get wider biceps that look impressive from every angle, you need to think beyond just traditional curls. By incorporating these exercises into your routine, focusing on slower reps, and ensuring you hit the brachialis effectively, you'll start seeing improvements in arm width in no time. Don’t forget that consistent progress comes with balanced training, so be sure to hit all parts of your arms, not just the peaks.
Keep pushing your limits, vary your exercises, and soon, you'll be filling out those sleeves like never before!
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