Biceps

The biceps are the primary muscles located on the front of the upper arm and play an important role in bending the elbow and rotating the forearm. They consist of two heads: the long head and the short head, which work together during many pulling and lifting movements. The exercises below target one or both heads using only dumbbells.

Exercise Menu

Standard Dumbbell Curl

Primary muscle(s) targeted: Biceps Brachii

Secondary muscle(s) targeted: Brachialis, Brachioradialis muscles, & Anterior Deltoid

Compound/Isolation: Isolation

Set-up:

Feet shoulder width apart
Let arms hang fully extended at your sides
Keep palms turned completely forward

Execution:

Elbows pinned tightly against your ribs
Curl using only the elbow joint
Bring the dumbbells up to shoulder height,

then slowly lower them

The primary target is the biceps brachii, consisting of both the long and short heads, which creates the main bulk of the front arm [9].

Full Detailed Breakdown

This movement relies and works on the brachialis, the brachioradialis muscles within the forearm, and the front deltoid for overall joint stabilization [5] [8].

This exercise is classified as a strict isolation movement because mechanical rotation occurs exclusively at a single elbow joint axis.

To set up, stand upright with your feet planted at shoulder-width, grab two dumbbells, and extend your arms completely with your palms facing forward.

Start with the weights resting at your sides and your palms facing outward. Keep your elbows tucked flush against your ribs. Squeeze your biceps and exhale as you lift the dumbbells smoothly toward your shoulders without moving your upper arms. Hold the peak contraction for one full second while squeezing your arms tightly. Inhale deeply as you lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position over a slow, controlled 2-to-3-second descent [3].

Dumbbell Hammer Curl

Primary muscle(s) targeted: Brachialis & Brachioradialis

Secondary muscle(s) targeted: Biceps Brachii & Forearm Flexors

Compound/Isolation: Isolation

Set-up:

Stand with feet shoulder width apart
Let your arms extend down by your sides
Keep your palms facing each other

Execution:

Maintain a strict grip throughout
Keep your elbows locked
Curl upward toward your shoulders

The main muscles worked in the hammer dumbbell curl include the brachialis muscle, underneath the bicep, and the brachioradialis muscle, located on the upper forearm.

Full Detailed Breakdown

The secondary muscle targeted during this movement is the long head of the biceps brachii and forearm flexors for structural support [8].

This variation of the standard curl is an isolation exercise that restricts all active movement to the flexion of the elbow joint [6]

To set up, stand tall with your feet placed shoulder-width apart, grip a dumbbell of appropriate weight in each hand, and hang your arms down with the palms facing each other.

To begin the movement, keep your palms facing each other in a strict grip. Ensure your elbows remain completely locked against your torso. Engage the torso and core muscles throughout the exercise. Exhale as you lift the dumbbells upward toward your front shoulders while maintaining perfectly straight and rigid wrists. Flex the elbows while doing so. Pause for a couple seconds at the top of the motion to increase tension on the outer arm. Inhale as you move the weights back down until your arms are at the starting position [4].

Concentration Curl

Primary muscle(s) targeted: Biceps Brachii

Secondary muscle(s) targeted: Brachialis & Brachioradialis

Compound/Isolation: Isolation

Set-up:

Sit on bench/chair with a dumbbell
Lean the upper body forward a bit over the legs
Position upper arm against inner thigh muscle

Execution:

Start fully extending your arm straight down
Keep your upper body completely still throughout
Curl the dumbbell smoothly upward and slowly

reverse after pausing

The main muscle working here is the front of the arm, which is called the biceps brachii, and this specific movement puts extra focus on the long outer part of that muscle to help build a taller bicep peak [1].

Full Detailed Breakdown

The other muscles of the arm that help out during this lift include the brachialis muscle along with the brachioradialis muscle [5].

This exercise is known as an isolation movement because only one single joint, which is your elbow, is allowed to move the weight up and down [7] [8].

To set up for this exercise, sit down on the edge of a flat bench or a sturdy chair with a dumbbell in one hand, plant your feet wider than shoulder-width on the floor, lean your upper body forward, and press the back of your working arm firmly against the inside of your thigh.

To begin, start with your arm pointing down to the floor and your elbow pinned tight against your leg. Then, breathe out as you curl the dumbbell up toward your face by flexing your elbow while keeping the rest of your body completely still. When you reach the top of the lift, pause and squeeze the bicep. Then, breathe in as you slowly lower the dumbbell back down toward the floor in a controlled manner without letting gravity do most of the work [2].

References

[1] Building Better Biceps. (2025, December 5). American Council on Exercise. https://www.acefitness.org/resources/pros/expert-articles/9033/building-better-biceps-evidence-based-exercises-for-strength-and-function/?srsltid=AfmBOopnretAv_9YXz_NL0M19U8KT0u12T3mSaeIeaTGit3KocECl9yr

[2] Build your biceps workout. (2015, October 19). American Council on Exercise. https://www.acefitness.org/resources/everyone/blog/5694/build-your-biceps-workout/

[3] Cavaliere, J. (n.d.-c). How to do bicep curls. ATHLEAN-X. https://learn.athleanx.com/articles/how-to-do-bicep-curls

[4] Cavaliere, J. (n.d.-d). How to do hammer curls . ATHLEAN-X. https://learn.athleanx.com/articles/how-to-do-hammer-curls

[5] Coratella, G., Tornatore, G., Longo, S., Toninelli, N., Padovan, R., Esposito, F., & Cè, E. (2023). Biceps brachii and brachioradialis excitation in biceps curl exercise: different handgrips, different synergy. Sports, 11(3), 64. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports11030064

[6] Edwards, T. (2022, March 16). Hammer curls: How-to and variations. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness/hammer-curls

[7] Ethier, J. (2018, January 28). The best bicep peak exercises for taller & thicker biceps. Built with Science. https://builtwithscience.com/workouts/bicep-peak-workout/

[8] Myhre, J., & Sifris, D. (n.d.). The anatomy of the biceps. Verywell Health. https://www.verywellhealth.com/biceps-anatomy-4688616

[9] Parpa, K., Vasiliou, A., Michaelides, M., Govindasamy, K., Chernov, A., & Intziegianni, K. (2025). An exploratory study of biceps brachii electromyographic activity during traditional dumbbell versus Bayesian cable curls. Muscles, 4(4), 45. https://doi.org/10.3390/muscles4040045