Build Strong Arm Muscles for Everyday Activities

Carrying groceries. Lifting children. Pulling doors open.

Building strength and muscle mass in your arms – specifically your biceps – isn’t just for show. It’s important to have strong biceps for everyday activities.

But which exercise is best for targeting the biceps?

A recent independent study, commissioned by the American Council on Exercise, evaluated which of the most popular exercises for biceps most effectively strengthened the biceps brachii.

After analyzing data, the researchers observed that the concentration curl elicited significantly higher muscle activity in the biceps than any of the others. Concentration curls are performed with the upper arm pressed against the leg, resulting in better isolation of the biceps muscle, according to a news release from ACE.

“Part of our mission is to ensure people have the science-based information they need to safely and effectively achieve their health and fitness goals. For many people, that means selecting the most effective exercises for targeting the biceps,” said ACE Chief Science Officer Cedric Bryant, Ph.D. “This study helped us identify which exercise produced the highest degree of biceps engagement.”

Led by John Porcari, PhD, researchers fromthe University of Wisconsin, LaCrosse, recruited 16 healthy female and male volunteers to evaluate the cable curl, barbell curl, concentration curl, chin-up, EZ curl (both wide and narrow grip), incline curl and preacher curl.

Using data from electrodes attached to the biceps brachii, anterior deltoid and brachioradialis of each subject, muscle activity was measured during each exercise.

During the other exercises movements, the upper arm is able to sway and contribute the movement as indicated by a higher level of anterior deltoid muscle activity. According to Bryant,  “It’s important to note, however, that several of the other exercises elicited more than adequate biceps muscle activation and can serve as viable options for improving biceps muscle strength and function.”

Source: ACE news release

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