When it comes to building muscle, two principles are key: mechanical tension – the force generated through resistance – and progressive overload, the art of gradually increasing that load over time.

These 14 biceps curl variations—including barbell curls, hammer curls, concentration curls, and more—will help you build big arm muscles.

Bicep curls increase arm size and tone the arms making them the better exercise for aesthetic goals. Hammer curls target more ...

Bicep curls are easy to do wrong, which can lead to back pain. Learn the most common mistakes and how to fix them to do a bicep curl with dumbbells correctly.

Are you stuck in a biceps training rut? Frustrating, right? Reignite your progress with these secret old-school arm-building ...

One of the biceps’ main jobs is to turn the palm upward. Exercises like dumbbell curls with a twist (starting in a neutral ...

Bicep curl: Muscles worked and benefits. We use our biceps for everyday activities, like picking up bags of groceries. And strengthening the front of the arm can help create a leaner and more ...

Wagener also recommends this bicep curl variation that works multiple muscle groups at once. “It can be done with either dumbbells or a barbell, making it a versatile option,” he says.

Bicep curls vs hammer curls: which is best for bigger biceps? If your goal is to purely beef up your biceps, then you can’t go wrong with the bicep curl.

“Bicep curls are largely undertaken to increase strength and muscle size, while hammer curls increase thickness in your muscles and create an overall more aesthetically pleasing arm,” he says.

I did 30 biceps curls every day for a week — here’s what happened I started off with two 17.5lb dumbbells and was surprised at how difficult it was to maintain form.