Bicep curls - a waste of time?

OFDM

Currently I'm doing barbell bicep curls at the end of my workout, but I don't get the feeling that the benefits from doing them really justify the time and energy I'm putting into them. Currently, due to a lack of gym access I'm not doing any leg work so my workout consists of upper body exercises at home as follows:

Dumbbell Bench Press 3 x 8 reps
Dumbbell Standing Shoulder Press 3 x 8 reps
Shrugs 3 x 8 reps
Barbell Bent Over Row (Supinated) 3 x 8 reps
Deadlift 3 x 8 reps
Bicep Curls 3 x 8 reps

I have a hanging bar, so would I be better off dumping the bicep curls and going for something like hanging hip raises?

kazzer

Why not do pullups on the pullup bar, to work both your back and biceps? The pullup is a tremendous exercise for the biceps.

Cojofl

It depends what your goal is. If its overall strength ditch the curls, if it's to have nice looking arms keep the curls.

Also you don't need weights to work out your legs. Doing sets of bodyweight squats or even better those squats the sumo wrestlers do at the start of their matches would be very beneficial.

logic1

Alot of people seem to forget to put an inch of size on your arms usually takes an increase in approx. 10lbs all overall lean bodymass.

In what way do you feel you're not getting any benefit from training biceps?

Some people find biceps very easy to overtrain and never include direct bicep work others find them very hard to train and need to include drop sets, super sets and high reps.

You need to find the method that works for you and remember if your aim is to increase size then you need to increase it all over.

.logic.

OFDM

logic1 wrote:

In what way do you feel you're not getting any benefit from training biceps?

Well the fact that it's more of an isolation exercise than a compound exercise - I also feel like I'm cheating because body swing starts to be introduced into the movement towards the end of a set.

logic1

OFDM wrote:

Well the fact that it's more of an isolation exercise than a compound exercise - I also feel like I'm cheating because the body swing starts to be introduced into the movement towards the end of a set.

Isolations definately have their part in any routine. As for the body swing have you tried seated alternate dumbell curls keeping your back tight against the seat, or standing curl with your rear delts against a wall and your body angled.

There's alot of techniques to stop cheating, although for the last few reps in a set sometimes cheating is a good technique.

.logic.

OFDM

Well I think I'll try dropping the weight using using some of the techniques you suggested for avoiding cheating. Will also give the pull-ups a shot and see what feels best...

kazzer

Alot of people seem to forget to put an inch of size on your arms usually takes an increase in approx. 10lbs all overall lean bodymass.

Very important point. (Should be made a sticky!)

Musashi

You could try doing the biceps earlier in the set so your not as weakened from the other stuff?
Standing curls leaning back against the wall stops the swinging of the bar up.
Try some "21's" for a bad burn in the muscle.
Finally, a little cheating to push out a few extra reps can help you move up your weight on the curl,but you must be cheating to hurt the muscle more,not make the movement easier
Use it sparingly and don't turn it into a deadlift like second pull movement!
Good form makes the muscle work and keeps injuries down, so train smarter and harder.Drop some weight from your curl if needs be to focus the work where it's needed, I often see guys lifting huge weight with ****e form,no point to it at all.
Good for the Ego maybe but not doing much for building the body.

joc_06

Ya 21s are a brillaint exercise for the biceps but remember that your tricep is 2/3 the makeup of your arm so if you want big upper arms then work the triceps.
But it really does depend on your goal.
I think theres something noble about the chin up so i always do em. They work your abs and core to a certain degree as you stabilize yourself. Great exercise...