Discover the ultimate guide to achieving strong, defined biceps from the comfort of your home with Lindsey Bomgren's “5 Best Bicep Exercises To Do At Home” on Nourish Move Love. This structured 20-minute workout focuses on lifting heavy weights and performing reps close to failure, utilizing a drop set format for impressive muscle growth. You'll explore exercises like the classic Standing Dumbbell Curl, targeted Alternating Hammer Curl, combined Top-Half Bicep Curl with Wide Curl, muscle-building Eccentric Curl, and the time-under-tension focused Bottom-Half Bicep Curl. With just a pair of medium-weight dumbbells, you can effectively work your biceps while following tips on progressive overload, variety in curls, and proper rest and recovery. Plus, you'll have access to a guided workout video, a free 2-week strength program, and a supportive community to keep you motivated. Ready to take your bicep training to the next level? Let's get started! Have you ever wondered how you can build strong, defined biceps without stepping into the gym? Whether you're a fitness enthusiast or just starting out, building impressive biceps can be accomplished right at home! In this article, we're going to dive into the 5 Best Bicep Exercises to Do At Home. This 20-minute workout is created by Lindsey Bomgren, a certified personal trainer (CPT) from Nourish Move Love. So, let's get started on the journey to sculpted biceps!
Overview
Building muscle is all about strategy and consistency. With a structured workout, you can achieve strong and well-defined biceps even without a gym membership. The key to this workout is using heavy weights and performing reps close to failure, formatted in a drop set style to enhance muscular hypertrophy (muscle growth). Whether you have a pair of dumbbells or need to get creative with household items, this workout can help you reach your goals.
What is a Drop Set?
A drop set involves performing a set of an exercise until muscle failure or near failure, then immediately reducing the weight and performing another set until failure. This technique is excellent for stimulating muscle growth, as it maximizes time under tension and forces the muscles to work harder.
Equipment Needed
- Medium-weight dumbbells: Typically ranging from 8-25 lbs.
Workout Routine Breakdown
For this 20-minute bicep workout, you will perform 5 bicep exercises in the following drop set format:
- Start with 15 reps, then 12 reps, followed by 10 reps.
- Repeat all exercises for 3 sets, maintaining the same weight throughout.
1. Standing Dumbbell Curl
The standing dumbbell curl is a classic exercise that primarily targets the biceps brachii.
How to Do It
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing forward.
- Keep your elbows close to your torso and curl the weights by squeezing your biceps.
- Once the dumbbells reach shoulder level, pause, then slowly lower back to the starting position.
Tips
- Avoid swinging your body. Use only your biceps to lift the dumbbells.
- Control the movement to maximize tension on the biceps.
2. Alternating Hammer Curl
The alternating hammer curl focuses on the long head of the biceps, brachialis, and brachioradialis.
How to Do It
- Stand with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your torso (neutral grip).
- Curl one dumbbell while keeping your wrist neutral, and bring it towards your shoulder.
- Lower back to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
Tips
- Focus on maintaining a steady, controlled movement.
- Keep your elbows tight to your sides.
3. Top-Half Bicep Curl and Wide Curl
This exercise targets the forearms, biceps, and rotator cuff by combining a traditional curl with an external shoulder rotation.
How to Do It
- Start with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your thighs.
- Curl the weights halfway up, then rotate your palms to face up.
- Continue the curl to shoulder height.
- Reverse the movement back to the starting position.
Tips
- Ensure smooth transitions between grips.
- Focus on your form to prevent using your shoulders too much.
4. Eccentric Curl
Emphasizing the lowering part of the curl, the eccentric curl is crucial for muscle growth.
How to Do It
- Stand with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward.
- Curl the weights to shoulder height.
- Slowly lower the weights back down, taking 3-5 seconds to complete the movement.
Tips
- The slower you go on the eccentric phase, the better the muscle stimulation.
- Keep your core engaged to avoid swaying.
5. Bottom-Half Bicep Curl
Focusing on the long head of the biceps, this move increases time under tension.
How to Do It
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing up.
- Curl the weights halfway up, stopping when your forearms are parallel to the ground.
- Lower the weights back to the starting position and repeat.
Tips
- Maintain a steady pace to keep tension on the biceps.
- Avoid using momentum to lift the weights.
Additional Tips for Bicep Training
Progressive Overload
The key to building muscle is progressive overload. This means you need to gradually increase the weight, frequency, or number of repetitions in your strength training routine. Aim to challenge your muscles to promote growth.
Variety in Curls
Incorporating different curl variations like hammer curls, reverse curls, and more ensures that you engage all parts of your biceps for comprehensive muscle development.
Rest and Recovery
Muscles grow during rest periods, not during workouts. Make sure to give your biceps at least 48 hours to recover before training them again. Overtraining can lead to injury and hinder your progress.
Workout Routine Table
Here's a quick view of your bicep workout routine:
| Exercise | Reps | Sets | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standing Dumbbell Curl | 15, 12, 10 | 3 | Medium Weight |
| Alternating Hammer Curl | 15, 12, 10 | 3 | Medium Weight |
| Top-Half Bicep Curl & Wide Curl | 15, 12, 10 | 3 | Medium Weight |
| Eccentric Curl | 15, 12, 10 | 3 | Medium Weight |
| Bottom-Half Bicep Curl | 15, 12, 10 | 3 | Medium Weight |
Extra Resources
Stay motivated and on track with these additional resources:
- Guided Workout Video: Available on YouTube, Lindsey Bomgren offers a visual guide to help you follow along.
- Free 2-Week Strength Program Signup: Join a structured program to keep yourself accountable.
- Additional Workouts: Explore more routines targeting upper body, chest, triceps, and back on Nourish Move Love's website.
- Interactive Community: Share your challenges and achievements, and get feedback from trainers and other workout enthusiasts.
Additional Content
Recipes and Lifestyle Tips
A balanced diet complements your workout routine. Nourish Move Love provides nutritious recipes and lifestyle tips to help you get the most out of your fitness journey.
Discount Codes and Fitness Challenges
Stay tuned for exclusive discount codes and monthly fitness challenges to keep your routine interesting and cost-effective!
Conclusion
Building strong and defined biceps at home is entirely achievable with the right exercises and a consistent workout routine. The 5 bicep exercises outlined in this article offer a comprehensive approach to targeting all parts of the bicep for optimal growth. Remember to progressively overload your muscles, vary your exercises, and allow for proper rest and recovery. Don't forget to utilize the additional resources and tips provided to enhance your training experience. Happy lifting!
Now, grab those dumbbells and get to work on sculpting those impressive biceps!
