Barbell Curl
Execution
1. Hold a barbell at arms' length, using a shoulder-width underhand grip.
2. Curl the bar up to shoulder level by bending your elbows.
3. Lower the bar back down to the arms' extended position.
Muscles Involved
Primary: Biceps.
Secondary: Brachialis, brachioradialis, anterior deltoid, forearm.
Anatomic Focus
Handing: A wide grip focuses effort on the inner biceps (short head), whereas a narrow grip arks the outer biceps (long head).
Grip: With a straight bar, the underhand grip is fixed in supination (palms upward). Grip may be adjusted using an EZ bar (see Variation section).
Trajectory: The bar should move up and down in an arc close to the body. To isolate the biceps, motion should occur at the elbow and not the shoulder.
Range of motion: Stopping a few degrees short of full elbow extension keeps tension on the biceps as the barbell is lowered.
Body position: Stand upright with the spine straight. Tilting the torso is often used as a method of cheating the bar upward with momentum. Leaning slightly forward makes the initial phase of the curl easier. Leaning slightly backward helps complete the final phase of the repetition.
Concentration Curl
Execution
1. Sit on the edge of a bench. Hold a dumbbell at arm's length, supporting your arm against the inside of your thigh.
2. Curl the dumbbell up toward your shoulder by bending at the elbow.
3. lower the dumbbell back down to the start position.
Muscles Involved
Primary: Biceps.
Secondary: Brachialis, brachioradialis, forearm muscles.
Anatomic Focus
Grip: An underhand grip places the hand in supination and thereby maximizes biceps contraction.
Trajectory: The position of the upper arm (relative to the floor) changes the focus of effort. When the arm is vertical (shoulder directly above the elbow), resistance increases as the dumbbell is raised, and effort is focused on the upper biceps (peak). With the arm at an inclined angle (elbow in front of the shoulder), resistance is maximal at the start, so effort is targeted on the lower section of the biceps at the elbow.
Range of motion: Resting the upper arm against the thigh prevents movement at the shoulder and is an excellent way to isolate the biceps.
Body position: The torso should remain motionless, supported by your free hand on the opposite thigh.
Lying Triceps Extension
Execution
1. Lying on a flat bench, hold a barbell at arms' length above your chest with a narrow overhand grip, hands approximately 6 inches (15 em) apart.
2. Bend at the elbows and lower the bar down to touch your forehead.
3. Push the bar upward until your elbows lock out.
Muscles Involved
Primary: Triceps.
Secondary: Chest, deltoid, forearm.
Anatomic Focus
Hand pacing: A wide grip emphasizes the inner triceps (long head), whereas a narrow grip targets the outer triceps (lateral head). Keep the elbows close, and do not allow them to flaie outward to the sides.
Grip: Using a straight bar, you may perform this exercise with an overhand (pronated) grip or an underhand (supinated) grip. Using an EZ bar or dumbbells requires a neutral grip. An overhand grip works the inner (long) head, an underhand grip emphasizes the outer (lateral) head, and a neutral grip works all three heads of the triceps.
Trajectory: The vertical position of the arm stretches the inner (long) head of the triceps, so this exercise targets this section of the muscle. Lowering the bar beyond the forehead toward the bench generates a greater stretch in the long head, favoring its contraction during the movement.
Body position: Keep your elbows pointing up and upper arms vertical. Do not lower the bar toward your face or chin, because this causes the elbows to drop and allows the deltoid and pectoral muscles to assist in the movement.
Range of motion: To isolate the triceps, motion should occur only at the elbow, not at the shoulder.
Close-Grip bench Press
Execution
1. Take a narrow (6-inch, or 15-centimeter) overhand grip on the bar.
2. Lower the weight down slowly to touch the middle chest.
3. Push the bar straight up until your elbows lock out.
Muscles Involved
Primary: Triceps, pectoralis major.
Secondary: Anterior deltoid.
Anatomic Focus
Hand spacing: To target the triceps, hand spacing should be narrower than shoulder width.
Grip: An underhand (supinated) grip on the bar also targets the triceps, but this grip requires the hands to be spaced wide apart .
Trajectory: Keep your elbows close to your sides to emphasize the triceps, not the chest.
Range of motion: A full range of motion (achieving full lockout) is required for maximizing triceps effort.
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