Have you ever worked out routinely for a month and noticed some muscle growth, but no real definition or form? Well you’re not alone, and the reason this happens is, while you might have been working out your biceps for example, you were not working out all of your bicep!
If you are not a personal trainer, chances are you don’t know the many more precise muscles that make up each muscle group. This can become a massive handicap if you are trying to put together your own weight training routine.
During this series we will explore the various areas of every muscle group and the best exercise for each specific muscle.
Pt.1 – The Bicep
When it comes to biceps, the most common mistake is thinking that your average arm curl is adequate. Well, this is hardly the truth!
Your bicep is made up of two parts, a long head and a short head. Whether you are trying to build mass or tone and define, it is very important that you work both the long and short heads equally for proper muscle development.
The best exercise for the long head is your average arm curl. In order to focus on the short head the best exercise is the hammer curl. A hammer curl is like a regular arm curl; however, you’re your palms are facing inwards, just like when using a hammer.
For best results, do both types of curls using a preacher bench. A preacher bench will hold your arms on an angle for maximum muscle isolation. That means that the movement in the exercise will be made by your biceps alone, without help from the muscles in your shoulders and back.
Steps to success:
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On your bicep day make time for both types of curls.
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Alternate which type of curl is your starting curl each time you work on your arms.
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Record the weight that you used and the number of reps/sets to track your progress.