Working out at home is a very useful way to not lose fitness or muscle mass when you can’t go to the gym for whatever reason. In this article, we will focus on how to work your biceps at home, especially your biceps brachii.
Before continuing, it is good to make a clarification. Biceps It is the generic name given to the muscles of two bellies. Humans have biceps in their arms (biceps brachii) and legs (hamstrings).. In popular parlance, when you talk about it without further ado, you’re referring to the brachialis.
Benefits of biceps training
Many people believe that the importance of working on the biceps is that this muscle gives the arm a nice shape. And yes, that’s true. A well defined bicep is elegant and a bulging one is impressive. But the benefits of biceps training go beyond aesthetics.
The first thing to keep in mind is that not only is that muscle being trained, but everyone involved, both in the flexion-extension of the arm and in the stabilization of the body. For example, in flexion and extension movements of the biceps, it is the triceps that acts as an antagonist, providing support.
Moreover, if the work on the biceps is done correctly, a significant increase in strength is obtained of all muscle groups involved. This helps to be more efficient in training in general, but also in activities of daily living. Activities related to weight lifting under any circumstances become easier.
Another benefit of biceps training is that it helps prevent injuries. For example, in the event of a fall, impact or accident, your arms will be more efficient when it comes to supporting your body or resisting a blow. And, in the event of an injury, your recovery will be much faster.
Exercises to train biceps at home
You can train your biceps at home in a variety of ways. Moreover, training can be done with material and without material. Below we see several exercises to do it effectively.
Lift
Push-ups, also known as Lizardsthey are a bodyweight exercise that does not require any type of material. Furthermore, they are not only used to work the biceps, but also an important approach to the Chest.
To do push-ups or push-ups, lie down on a mat with your arms shoulder-width apart. The exercise consists of going up and down by flexing the arms, in this case with the elbows out, supporting the toes.
The body, from feet to head, must move as one piece. For this it is necessary to activate all the core muscles well. If that’s too difficult, you can do pushups with your knees bent and supported.
You need to take into account your overall body posture and arm span. If you separate them a lot, you’ll work more on the pecs; if you get close to them, the triceps.
crab walk
The crab walk is another no-equipment home bicep exercise that engages many muscle groups. To do this, sit on the mat with your legs bent, slightly apart and your hands resting next to your sides. Raise your hip off the ground.
In that position, begin your walk: forward, backward, side to side. It is an exercise that requires strength, but also a lot of coordination. That’s why it’s important to be careful in the beginning and be very aware of what needs to be moved where.
Background
Dips are another type of bodyweight exercise that only requires a stable surface to lean on, like a chair or something similar in height. If you use a chair, place it against the wall so it doesn’t move. You can also use an exercise bench, a bucket of fitness or the stairs of your house.
Stand with your back to the chosen support. Place your hands on the edge. The legs can be stretched forward or bent. The more you flex your legs, the easier it will be. Go up and down by bending your arms.
Biceps chin up
THE chin up they are a bodyweight exercise similar to traditional pull ups, but with a different grip. To perform them you need a strong bar.
Take the bar pronated, i.e. with your palm facing your face, so your arms are shoulder-width apart. Go up and down by flexing your arms. When you come down, do it slowly, with control and without fully extending your arms.
curl up of biceps
He curl up of the biceps is done with dumbbells, with an elastic band or with a bar. In both cases the execution is similar. To do it The weight is held in the hands, with the palms facing forward and the arms slightly bent. Make sure your shoulder, elbow and wrist are aligned in the same plane.
From here, bend your arms, bringing your wrist towards your shoulder. Do this slowly and with control, especially in arm extension. If you’re doing this with dumbbells, they should be raised and lowered at the same time. If it’s difficult for you, do the exercise with a barbell. With dumbbells you can do the curl up alternating biceps, i.e. flexing first one arm and then the other.
waiter curl
He waiter curl It’s a similar exercise to the previous one, in the same position, but with only one dumbbell. In this case, the push-up is performed by holding the dumbbell with your hands under the upper disc. He lifts it up to his chin, keeping it vertical.
The main difference with the curl up of biceps is that in the waiter curl the hands are placed towards the center, which makes a slight difference in the work. By making both muscles work more broadly.
Common mistakes when working the biceps
Working your biceps at home seems very simple at first glance. After all, all you have to do is flex and stretch your arms, right? But it is much more than that. Correct technique and posture are essential, not only to get results, but also to avoid injury.
With this in mind, we mention the main mistakes to consider, especially if you do it at home, without professional supervision:
- use only one corner: It’s not just a matter of incorporating various exercises, but that these work the biceps at different angles to obtain a more harmonious and balanced result.
- Do not train triceps: As an opposing muscle, the triceps also needs to be trained specifically.
- Move your elbows away from your body: your elbows should remain in line and at the correct angle. Moving them away to make the exercise easier makes it less effective and increases the risk of injury.
- Swing arms: the flexion of the arms must always be controlled. The swing may seem helpful in getting you to the end of the movement, but it only increases your risk of imbalance.
- Getting too fat: if you put on more weight than you are able to bear it is easy to hurt yourself. It is preferable to do more repetitions and a lower weight.
- Do not let the muscle rest for the necessary time: muscles need to rest between workouts. In the case of biceps, at least 48 hours must pass before training them again.
You can use professional help
If you want to train your biceps at home, keep in mind that you have to follow a well-defined program, integrating the exercises with the work of other muscle groups in a balanced way.
In case you do not have the necessary knowledge to design the floor, you can consult specialized books or enroll in specific programs on line to do at home. Also don’t forget that many personal trainers offer services remotely and virtually.
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