Get Bigger Biceps: 10 Best Dumbbell Bicep Exercises

Who doesn’t love having big biceps right? Even as kids, we just loved showing off our biceps to our buddies.

But turns out, looking hot in a snug T-shirt isn’t the only reason you should do dumbbell bicep exercises!

A study published in The American Journal of Cardiology showed that male heart patients with the most arm and leg muscle and the least belly fat had a lower mortality risk compared to thin patients with smaller arms and less muscle!

Doing bicep exercises with dumbbells is a great way to get those dream “peaks” as you can target the different heads of your biceps just by changing the grip. Plus dumbbells are easy on your joints and allow for a greater range of motion resulting in higher muscle growth.

In this blog, we’re going to show you the best bicep exercises with dumbbells at home and step-by-step instructions on how to exercise biceps with dumbbells.

Shall we begin?

Bicep anatomy

The biceps brachii muscle consists of 2 heads:

Long head – this forms the outer half of the bicep and helps in pulling your arm away from your torso.

Short head – this forms the inner half of the bicep and helps in pulling your arm back to your torso.

If you want stronger biceps it is also important to do dumbbell bicep exercises that train these 2 muscles:

Brachialis – an upper-arm muscle that is situated under your biceps and is the primary mover of elbow flexion.

Brachioradialis – the largest muscle in your forearm that works alongside the biceps and brachialis to flex your forearm at the elbow. 

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Benefits of training the biceps

Here’s why you should do dumbbell bicep exercises.

1. Enhanced Shoulder Stability

The biceps long head starts just above the shoulder joint while the short head originates at the top of the scapula, thus assisting the rotator cuffs in stabilizing your shoulders. A study published in The American Journal of Sports Medicine also confirms the pivotal role that the biceps play in the anterior stability of the shoulder.

2. Improved exercise performance

When you talk about exercises such as chin-ups, pull-ups, and rows, your biceps also come into play as the secondary muscles. Unless your biceps are strong, you aren’t going to be able to work your back and shoulders to their full potential.

3. Ideal for shoulder rehabilitation

Bicep curls are a great way to strengthen both your rotator cuff and upper back. This is because when you do curls, your rhomboids, and trapezius muscles contract isometrically to stop your shoulders from rolling forward and thus maintain a good posture.

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Tips for training the biceps

1. Target both biceps heads by altering your grip. Use a narrow grip to recruit the long head and a wider grip to target the short head during your dumbbell bicep exercises.

2. Contract your biceps at the top of the movement to maximize your rep quality.

3. Squeeze your triceps at the bottom of the movement by fully extending your arm.

4. Select appropriate weights that place enough tension on your biceps and allow you to complete your reps with good form.

5. Focus on tempo. Ensure you spend the right amount of time on all 4 parts of your rep (eccentric, bottom, concentric, and lockout) so that your biceps are subject to longer time under tension which leads to bigger muscle growth.

6. Don’t skip your warm-up as this will improve the oxygenated blood flow to your biceps, prevent injuries, and improve your lifts too.

7. Rest is crucial. You should aim for 3-4 minutes of rest between sets or train other muscle groups (such as your triceps) during the rest period. Not only will your biceps get enough time to recover, but this type of training also leads to faster muscle growth.

8. Alternate between standing and sitting exercises for better gains. You can use heavier weights while doing standing dumbbell bicep exercises, but sitting can help you isolate your biceps.

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10 best dumbbell bicep exercises

Here are the 10 best dumbbell bicep exercises that you can do at home, the gym, or on the go!

1. Seated concentration curl

Want to know which dumbbell exercise is best for biceps? 

Concentration curls have been proven to be the best dumbbell biceps exercise for the short head, due to the forward placement of the arms. 

Targeted muscle: Short biceps head

Other muscles worked: Long biceps head, brachialis, brachioradialis, triceps.

How to perform

• Sit down on a flat bench with one dumbbell in front of you.
• Grab the dumbbell with your right hand using an underhand grip.
• Place the back of your right arm against your inner right thigh.
• Your arm should be extended with the dumbbell above the floor. This is your starting position.
• Now curl the dumbbell towards your shoulder, squeezing your biceps as you do so.
• Pause in the contracted position and then slowly return to the starting position.
• Perform the desired number of reps and then repeat with the left arm.

2. Dumbbell Spider curl

Targeted muscle: Short biceps head

Other muscles worked: Long biceps head, brachialis, triceps.

How to perform

• Set your bench to an incline position as shown in the video.
• Hold a dumbbell in each hand with an underhand grip and lie on the bench with your chest facing down.
• Begin by letting the dumbbells touch each other end to end. 
• Keeping your elbows stationary, slowly curl the dumbbells towards your shoulders.
• Squeeze your biceps at the top and then return to the starting position.
• Perform the desired number of reps.

3. Dumbbell Preacher curl

Targeted muscle: Short biceps head

Other muscles worked: Long biceps head, brachialis, triceps.

How to perform

• Hold a dumbbell with your right hand using an underhand grip. 
• Begin by placing your upper arm on top of a preacher bench or an incline bench.
• Now inhale and slowly lower the dumbbell until your upper arm is fully extended.
• Pause for a moment, exhale, and then return to the starting position.
• Perform the desired number of reps.

4. Dumbbell ‘no money’ curl

Targeted muscle: Short biceps head

Other muscles worked: Long biceps head, brachialis, brachioradialis, rotator cuff.

How to perform

• Hold one dumbbell in each hand with an underhand grip and position them in front of you with the tops of the dumbbells almost touching each other.
• Plant your feet firmly on the ground, and keep your core engaged and your shoulders back.
• Begin the motion by bringing the dumbbells up and out toward the side, slightly rotating the thumbs toward the ground, and giving the shoulders an external rotation.
• Feel the squeeze in your biceps then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.

• Perform the desired number of reps.

Check out our top dumbbell exercises for the chest, shoulders, and lower back here!

5. Incline Dumbbell curl

The incline dumbbell curl is one of the best dumbbell bicep exercises for the long head. 

Why? Because this exercise has an unusual strength curve that amps up the neuromuscular activation of your biceps throughout each phase of the curl.

Targeted muscle: Long biceps head

Other muscles worked: Short biceps head, brachialis, brachioradialis.

How to perform

• Grab a pair of dumbbells and sit on an incline bench that is set at 55-65 degrees.
• Lean back with your back flat against the bench.
• Hold the dumbbells with your palms facing up. This is the starting position.
• Now slowly curl the dumbbells towards your shoulder until your biceps are fully shortened.
• Return to the starting position.
• Perform the desired number of reps.

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6. Dumbbell drag curl

Targeted muscle: Long biceps head

Other muscles worked: Short biceps head, brachialis, brachioradialis.

How to perform

• Assume a shoulder-width stance with your knees slightly bent and core engaged.
• Hold two dumbbells by your side with your palms facing up. This is the starting position.
• Position your elbows and shoulders back slightly and curl the dumbbells directly up as if you were dragging them up your body.
• Continue this movement until your biceps are fully shortened.
• Pause for a moment and then return to the starting position.
• Perform the desired number of reps.

7. Dumbbell close-grip curl

Targeted muscle: Long biceps head

Other muscles worked: Short biceps head, brachialis, brachioradialis.

How to perform

• Stand erect with your feet together.
• Hold one dumbbell in each hand with an underhand grip.
• Keeping your arms close to your body, position the dumbbells such that they are touching each other in front of your waist. This is the starting position.
• Now slowly curl the dumbbells up towards your chest.
• Feel the squeeze in your biceps and then return to the starting position.
• Perform the desired number of reps.

8. Dumbbell waiter’s curl

Targeted muscle: Long biceps head

Other muscles worked: Short biceps head, brachialis, brachioradialis.

How to perform

• Assume a hip-width stance.
• Hold a dumbbell such that both your palms are under the plate, supporting the weight.
• Begin by positioning the dumbbell in front of you at thigh level.
• Keeping your back straight and shoulder bladed pressed back, curl the dumbbell towards your chest.
• Feel the squeeze in your biceps and then return to starting position.
• Perform the desired number of reps.

9. Dumbbell cross-body hammer curl

This dumbbell bicep exercise is perfect for targeting your brachialis as it uses an overhand grip. Ensure that you slow down on the eccentric (lowering) phase, to further increase brachialis activation.

Targeted muscle: Brachialis

Other muscles worked: Biceps brachii, brachioradialis

How to perform

• Stand erect and hold one dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing in.
• Begin by placing the dumbbells by your sides.
• Now curl the dumbbell in your left arm towards your right shoulder.
• Pause for a moment and then return to the starting position.
• Repeat the movement with your right arm.
• Alternate between both arms for the desired number of reps.

10. Zottman curl

Targeted muscle: Brachioradialis. 

Muscles worked: Biceps brachii, brachialis.

How to perform

• Stand erect and hold a dumbbell in each hand by your sides with your palms facing each other.
• Begin by rotating your palms outwards so that your palms are facing away from you.
• Now curl the dumbbell up towards your shoulders, keeping your elbows in place and your upper arm stationary.
• At the top of the curl, rotate the dumbbells so that your palms are facing downwards.
• Keeping your elbows in, lower the dumbbells until your arms are fully extended.
• Rotate the dumbbells again such that your palms are facing upward from the bottom position. This is one rep.
• Perform the desired number of reps.

Final words

We hope you now have a good idea of how to exercise with dumbbells for biceps and will be even more inspired to train your biceps.

Pick up Burnlab’s adjustable dumbbell set, try these fabulous bicep exercises with dumbbells at home and you’ll have a great set of guns in no time!