Understand what makes an advanced bicep workout
If you already have some lifting experience and want more arm size and definition, you need an advanced bicep workout that goes beyond basic curls. At this level, your goal is to train all parts of the biceps and surrounding muscles, and to use smarter programming instead of just adding more random sets.
Your biceps training should aim to:
- Hit all key muscles:
- Biceps brachii short head
- Biceps brachii long head
- Brachialis
- Brachioradialis
- Train the three main biceps functions:
- Elbow flexion
- Forearm supination
- Shoulder flexion
To do that, you will use a mix of:
- Heavy compound moves like chin ups
- Different curl angles and grips
- Advanced intensity techniques such as mechanical drop sets and tempo work
This combination helps you get more growth from less time in the gym.
Structure your week for maximum growth
Advanced training is less about one “killer workout” and more about how you plan your entire week.
Train biceps often enough
Research suggests that training your biceps two to three times per week can improve muscle hypertrophy by around 3.1% per week compared with only once weekly, as reported in a 2024 Gymshark guide on bicep exercises. Training them every day is not advised, since your muscles still need recovery to grow.
A solid weekly pattern could look like:
- Day 1: Back + biceps (heavy focus)
- Day 3: Chest / shoulders (no direct biceps)
- Day 4 or 5: Pull or arms day (moderate biceps focus)
This gives you 2 focused biceps sessions per week with enough rest in between.
Choose the right number of exercises
For an advanced bicep workout, you do not need five different curls in a single session. According to science-based guidance from Dr. Mike Israetel and RP Strength in 2024, a good structure is:
- Per session: 1 to 3 biceps exercises
- Per week: 2 to 5 total biceps exercises rotated over time
This keeps training targeted and challenging but avoids overuse.
Use smart rep ranges
For hypertrophy, you benefit from a mix of heavy, moderate, and light work:
- About 50% of your weekly sets in the 10 to 20 rep range
- The remaining volume split between:
- 5 to 10 reps for heavy strength work
- 20 to 30 reps for lighter “pump” and metabolic stress
You do not have to hit all ranges in every workout. Think in terms of your whole week or training block.
Key advanced exercises you should use
You have many curl variations to choose from, but the best advanced bicep workouts revolve around a few proven moves.
1. Chin ups (supinated grip)
Chin ups with a supinated grip train both the long and short heads of the biceps and also involve your back and core. Grip width changes the emphasis:
- Closer grip: slightly more outer biceps and long head
- Wider grip: more inner biceps and short head
You can scale chin ups by:
- Using resistance bands for assistance
- Using an assisted chin up machine
- Performing negative reps if you cannot yet do full reps
Once bodyweight is easy, add weight with a belt or hold a dumbbell between your feet.
2. Hammer curls
Hammer curls use a neutral grip and primarily target the long head of the biceps while also working the brachialis and brachioradialis muscles. This is important for balanced arm size and forearm development, as highlighted in Gymshark’s 2024 biceps article.
You can adjust emphasis by where you hold the dumbbell:
- Hand closer to the top of the dumbbell: more focus on the biceps
- Hand closer to the lower end: more emphasis on the forearms and lower biceps near the elbow
Aim for 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps with controlled form and no swinging.
3. Concentration curls
Concentration curls are consistently rated among the best short head bicep exercises because they isolate the biceps and strengthen your mind muscle connection. Several studies and reviews rank them highly for short head activation and hypertrophy potential, as summarized in Gymshark’s 2024 guidance.
Key cues:
- Sit, brace your elbow against your inner thigh
- Curl the weight slowly, focus on the squeeze at the top
- Avoid using your shoulder or torso to help
Use them later in your workout with lighter weights in the 8 to 12 rep range, 3 sets.
4. EZ bar curls
EZ bar curls let you use a semi supinated grip that is easier on your wrists yet still targets the biceps, brachialis, and brachioradialis. Grip width changes which head you emphasize:
- Narrow grip: more long head focus
- Wide grip: more short head focus
You can even superset wide and narrow grips to create a strong pump by hitting both angles back to back.
Since you are standing, your core and glutes also need to stabilize, which adds extra full body demand.
5. Preacher curls
Preacher curls, done with a barbell, EZ bar, or dumbbell, reduce shoulder movement and make it hard to cheat. This builds strict strength, especially in the short head of the biceps.
You can increase isolation further by:
- Sitting sideways on the preacher bench
- Curling with only the arm resting on the pad
This limits body momentum so more tension stays on the bicep throughout the range of motion.
6. Single arm high cable curls
Single arm high cable curls work particularly well for the short head and let you maintain constant tension across the movement. To make them more advanced, you can:
- Add pauses at the peak contraction
- Use drop sets by quickly lowering the weight after near failure
Cables also allow easy adjustments in angle and resistance, so you can find a path where you feel the biceps most.
Build an advanced bicep workout for size
Use the exercises above to create a session that taxes your biceps from multiple angles and across different rep ranges.
Here is an example advanced bicep workout you can run 1 to 2 times per week.
Step 1: Start with a heavy compound move
Weighted chin ups or peak contraction chin ups
- 3 to 4 sets
- 5 to 8 reps
Use a supinated grip, control the way down, and think about pulling with your elbows. If you cannot yet do 5 reps with added weight, do bodyweight sets to near failure or use slow negatives.
Step 2: Add a mechanical drop set
Cheat curl to barbell drag curl
Mechanical drop sets work by changing the exercise to a slightly easier variation without putting the bar down. A good pairing is:
- Cheat curls:
- Use a weight that is challenging for 6 to 8 strict reps
- Let your hips help just enough to complete a couple of extra reps
- Focus on a slow 3 to 4 second negative
- Immediately switch to barbell drag curls:
- Keep the bar close to your torso
- Drag it up toward your chest by pulling your elbows back
- Aim for 6 to 8 more controlled reps
Do 2 to 3 of these paired sets. Cheating should only happen after strict reps break down, not from the very start of the set.
Step 3: Use a targeted dumbbell “trifecta”
You can create a dumbbell curl series that covers long head, brachialis, and short head in one sequence. One effective pattern is:
- Supinated cross body curl
- Targets the long head
- Curl across your body toward your opposite shoulder
- Pronated cross body curl
- Slight pronation stresses the brachialis more
- “No money” curl
- Elbows by your sides, forearms rotated outward
- Emphasizes the short head and external shoulder rotation
Alternate through these three movements for 24 total reps, for example 8 reps each without resting. Repeat this giant set 2 or 3 times.
Step 4: Finish with strict isolation work
Choose one of the following finishers per workout:
- Concentration curls: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps
- Preacher curls: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps
- Single arm high cable curls: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps
Use lighter loads, long squeezes at the top, and short rest periods to chase a deep pump.
Apply advanced training techniques safely
Advanced bicep workouts are as much about how you lift as what you lift. Small changes in tempo, range, and setup can make a big difference.
Focus on full range of motion
For maximum growth and lower injury risk, use as much range as you can control:
- Let the arm extend close to straight at the bottom to create a deep stretch
- Curl until your forearm is as close to your bicep as your mobility allows
- Avoid partial reps unless they are planned “lengthened partials” at the end of a set
Many lifters cut the bottom range short, which reduces tension in the most growth friendly portion of the movement.
Control the eccentric
The eccentric, or negative, part of the curl is where you lower the weight. Advanced trainees often get more out of their sets by:
- Using a 2 to 4 second negative
- Avoiding “free fall” on the way down
- Keeping tension on the biceps the whole time
This is especially important when you use cheat reps. Use momentum to get the weight up if needed, then fight the way down.
Keep your core tight
Heavy curls can tempt you to lean back and swing. To avoid leaking power and stressing your lower back:
- Brace your core as if you are about to be lightly punched
- Squeeze your glutes and keep your ribs over your hips
- Keep your elbows slightly in front of your body rather than drifting far behind
This keeps force on your biceps instead of shifting it into your shoulders and spine.
Use advanced intensity methods wisely
Some popular methods for advanced biceps training include:
- Straight sets: same weight and reps across all sets
- Down sets: heavy work first, then lighter sets after
- Giant sets: multiple exercises back to back for high total reps
- Myoreps: short clusters of reps with brief 5 to 15 second rests
- Drop sets: lower the weight as you approach failure and keep going
- Pre exhaust supersets: isolate first, then hit a compound exercise
- Occlusion or blood flow restriction training
For blood flow restriction, bands are tied above the biceps to limit venous return while still allowing arterial flow. This leads to a stronger pump and burn which can help strength and size gains. Use this sparingly, with light weights, high reps, and short sessions, and remove the bands right after your set.
Avoid common advanced bicep mistakes
Advanced does not mean reckless. Several habits can quietly limit your progress.
Overtraining a small muscle
Your biceps are smaller than your lats or quads, so they cannot handle the same direct training volume. Doing as many sets for biceps as for your big muscle groups can stall or even reverse gains.
If your biceps are constantly sore, your elbows ache, or your strength is dropping, you may need:
- Fewer total weekly sets
- More rest days between biceps sessions
- Fewer overlapping pulling movements on other days
Cheating too early in the set
A little cheating at the end of a set is a useful tool. Cheating from the first rep is not.
If you swing from the start:
- Your front delts and lower back take over
- Tension leaves the biceps
- You never fully challenge the muscle through its hardest range
Instead, do clean, strict reps first. Only use a small amount of body English to squeeze out the final one or two reps, always with a controlled negative.
Mixing curl patterns
One common mistake is blending hammer curls with standard curls by twisting halfway up. This often skips the hardest portion of the movement, which reduces bicep activation.
To get the most from each variation:
- For hammer curls, keep a neutral grip from bottom to top
- For standard curls, start neutral or slightly supinated, then rotate fully at the top for maximum short head contraction
- Avoid twisting in the middle just to make the movement easier
Ignoring grip and wrist tension
Loose hands mean less tension on the biceps. During curls, especially with dumbbells:
- Squeeze the handle tightly
- Slightly turn your wrist toward your body at the top
- Keep your wrists from collapsing backward
This increases activation throughout the movement, particularly in the bottom half of the curl.
Progress and adjust your routine
An advanced bicep workout should change over time as you adapt, but the principles stay the same.
You can progress by:
- Adding small amounts of weight while keeping form strict
- Doing more total reps at the same weight
- Increasing the difficulty of the exercise, for example bodyweight to weighted chin ups
- Rotating in new variations every 6 to 8 weeks while still covering long head, short head, brachialis, and brachioradialis
Each training block, aim to:
- Keep biceps frequency at 2 to 3 times per week
- Use 1 to 3 exercises per session
- Spread your sets across heavy, moderate, and light rep ranges
With that structure, your bicep training stays challenging, focused, and sustainable, so you can keep building size and strength over the long term.
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