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YOUR TRUSTED SOURCE FOR ALL THINGS HEALTH, FITNESS AND NUTRITION
Big biceps are like the Holy Grail of workout regimes. They have been for a long time, and many of us hit the gym with a deep-rooted desire to build our guns for all to see.
But no matter how hard you try, you’re likely to encounter difficulties when you attempt to mould your bicep peaks. Some sources tell us that shaping your bicep peaks is genetic, and there’s little you can do about it.
But this isn’t accurate.
While your biceps, like other parts of your body, are largely shaped by genetics, there are specific exercises that you can do to target your bicep peaks purposely and build mass where you might have previously thought it impossible.
In this post, we introduce five tried and tested bicep peak exercises that will help you build mass in one of the most challenging areas of your body to do so. The exercises are as follows:
1] Spider curls.
2] High cable curls.
3] Incline curls.
4] Concentration curls.
5] Drag curls.
We introduce these exercises a little later on. But first, let’s look at what we mean by bicep peaks.
Turning to the anatomical composition of your upper arm, there are three main muscles in your ‘anterior compartment.’ These are as follows:
1] Biceps brachii – Your biceps contain two ‘heads’ that begin at the front and rear of your shoulder before joining down at your elbow. These are sometimes referred to as the long and short heads, and it’s the former that is regarded as your bicep peak.
2] Brachialis – This is positioned underneath your biceps and serves as a bridge between the bones within your upper arm.
3] Coracobrachialis – This is the muscle by your shoulder, which enables the adduction of your upper arm and flexion of your shoulder joint.
Targeting the ‘long head’ of your bicep.
It’s little secret in the gym community that the long head, or peak of your biceps, is one of the most challenging muscles to train in your upper body. It is located on the outside of your arm, and the reason it’s difficult to isolate and train is due to its position. But how do you target your long head and achieve gains?
Well, studies have indicated that mechanical tension is the most significant determinant of increasing muscle size. Essentially, lifting more weight over a more extended period of time is the most effective way of increasing the size of your muscles. The long head of your bicep is no different. But due to its location, you need to perform exercises that target the head and enable you to bulk your bicep peaks.
Below are five exercises that bodybuilders have long been performing to see results in their bicep peaks.
Form is perhaps the single most important part of weightlifting. If your form is poor, you won’t target the correct muscle groups, and you’re unlikely to see the results that you desire. To avoid bad form when targeting your bicep peaks, consider the following:
• Slow things down: Instead of rapidly executing your lifts, focus instead on slowly and surely lifting your weights and concentrate on what you’re doing. Slow and steady wins the race.
• Monitor your elbow: It’s common to see elbows flying all over the place when people are working their biceps. As a general rule, the position of your elbows shouldn’t move when performing a curl. If your elbows continue to move, it’s an indicator that you’re trying to lift too much.
• Isolate your exercises: Avoid using momentum in your shoulders or core to swing your weights into position. Keeping your core tight and maintaining a straight posture will ensure you perform your bicep exercises in isolation and means you will target the precise muscles that you intend.
Unfortunately, there’s no getting away from the fact that working on your bicep peaks is hard. And although genetics certainly play a part in defining your weightlifting capabilities, you shouldn’t use this as an excuse to neglect your bicep peaks altogether.
By performing the five exercises we’ve introduced in this post, you will begin to see results in your bicep peaks. But you must ensure that your form is perfect and you’re lifting the appropriate weight.
If you’re just starting out, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with seeking advice from a PT or other gym-goers who are more experienced than you.
Also, when you’re compiling your workout schedule, be sure to factor in rest days and never work your biceps on consecutive days. As you know, your muscles need time to recover and repair themselves, and the long head of the bicep, or peak, is no different.