This list is in no particular order.
Standing Hammer Curl
Since your wrist doesn't turn in this exercise the bicep remains at full tension throughout the range of motion.
Muscle Group Worked: Biceps Brachii & Brachioradialis (forearms)
Method: Standing, arms straight against your sides, with a dumbbell in each hand and palms facing inward (touching the outside of the leg). Begin to curl the bicep while keeping your elbows in and making sure they don't move forward either since that is engaging the shoulder muscles and squeeze at the top of the motion. Keep your wrists in the original starting position throughout the motion like you are hitting a hammer. Alternate arms.
Seated Hammer Curl
Sitting down allows less movement in your back and further isolates the movement of the standing curl. Since your wrist doesn't turn in this exercise the bicep remains at full tension throughout the range of motion.
Muscle Group Worked: Biceps Brachii & Brachioradialis (forearms)
Method: Seated against a 90 degree bench, arms straight down your sides, with a dumbbell in each hand and palms facing inward. Begin to curl the bicep while keeping your elbows in and making sure they don't move forward either since that is engaging the shoulder muscles and squeeze at the top of the motion. Keep your wrists in the original starting position throughout the motion like you are hitting a hammer. Alternate arms.
Standing Dumbell Bicep Curl
This exercise is great for isolating the various parts of the bicep and strengthening the weaker arm. Any standing exercise does allow engagement of synergistic muscles so strict form is needed to complete isolation.
Muscle Group Worked: Biceps Brachii
Method: Standing, arms straight against your sides, with a dumbbell in each hand and palms facing inward (touching the outside of the leg). Begin to curl the bicep while keeping your elbows in, making sure they don't move forward and squeeze at the top of the motion. Halfway through the motion, twist your wrist so the thumb points away from the body. Alternate arms.
Seated Dumbell Bicep Curl
Sitting down allows less movement in your back and further isolates the movement of the standing curl.
Muscle Group Worked: Biceps Brachii
Method: Seated against a 90 degree bench, arms straight down your sides, with a dumbbell in each hand and palms facing inward. Begin to curl the bicep while keeping your elbows in and making sure they don't move forward either since that is engaging the shoulder muscles and squeeze at the top of the motion. Halfway through the motion, twist your wrist so the thumb points away from the body. Alternate arms.
Seated Dumbell Incline Curl
This exercise further isolates your bicep muscles so your minimally engaging the synergistic muscle groups and having the body positioned at an incline stresses the lower head of the bicep.
Muscle Group Worked: Biceps Brachii
Method: Seated on an incline bench set to 45 degrees, arms straight down to floor, with a dumbbell in each hand and palms facing inward with wrists in a neutral position. Begin to curl the bicep while keeping your elbows in, making sure they don't move forward and squeeze at the top of the motion. Halfway through the motion, twist your wrist so the thumb points away from the body. Alternate arms.
Variation: Do this same exercise as a Hammer Curl.
Standing Barbell Bicep Curl
This exercise is the best for building your core bicep strength and size.
Muscle Group Worked: Biceps Brachii
Method: Standing with the EZ curl bar against your thighs, gripping the inner handles and palms facing outwards. Begin to curl the bicep while keeping your elbows in, making sure they don't move forward and squeeze at the top of the motion.
Variations: Use a straight bar instead of the EZ bar and the Forearms are less engaged
Barbell Preacher Curl
The formation of this exercise positions your body in such a way that your bicep muscles are fully isolated and maximum strain placed upon the bicep. This exercise allows you to go heavier in weights due to the pads support.
Muscle Group Worked: Biceps Brachii
Method: Seated on preacher bench with back of arms resting against the pads and gripping the EZ curl bar with palms facing outward. Begin to curl the bicep while keeping your elbows in and squeeze at the top of the motion.
Dumbell Preacher Curl
The formation of this exercise positions your body in such a way that your bicep muscles are fully isolated and maximum strain placed upon the bicep. This exercise allows you to go heavier in weights due to the pads support. The use of the dumbbells gives you the chance to strengthen a weaker arm.
Muscle Group Worked: Biceps Brachii
Method: Seated on preacher bench with back of arms resting against the pads and gripping a single dumbell with palms facing outward. Begin to curl the bicep while keeping your elbows in and squeeze at the top of the motion. Alternate arms after a complete set.
Concentration Curl
This exercise is similar in the concept of the preacher curl in that it positions the arm in such a way that the bicep is completely isolated and maximum effort is produced by the muscle. Unlike the preacher curl, the amount of weight that you can do on this exercise will be decreased.
Muscle Group Worked: Biceps Brachii
Method: Sitting at the end of a bench with legs spread apart and the elbow resting against the inner thigh as you lean forward and hold the dumbbell with palm facing outward. Begin to curl the bicep and squeeze at the top of the motion. Towards the top of the motion continue to turn your thumb outwards causing a stress on the head of the bicep. Use a slow controlled motion for this exercise.
Variations: Use the cables instead of a dumbbell by placing the cable at its lowest position and curling as you would the dumbbell.
Cable Curl
Unlike a Barbell Curl, there is constant resistance from the cable and its weight so there is no resting even at the top of the motion. This exercise allows you to go heavier.
Muscle Group Worked: Biceps Brachii
Method: Standing in front of the cable machine with the pulley placed at its lowest position and gripping the EZ bar with palms facing outwards. Begin to curl the bicep and squeeze at the top of the motion, but remember to keep strict form and not lean backwards.
Variations: Use a straightbar instead of the EZ curl bar
Supine Cable Curl
This exercise is not common, but helps one keep constant form due to the back being restrained by the ground, which minimizes cheating and allows great isolation.
Muscle Group Worked: Biceps Brachii
Method: Sit in front of the cable machine and place your heels on the base of the pulley, which should be set to the lowest position. Grab the straight bar with an underhand grip while sitting up then lie back on the floor with arms to your side and keeping your elbows in. Begin to curl the bar and squeeze at the top of motion, then return to full extension.
