Arm Exercises - Strength Training for Biceps
by Hilton Hilton (reprinted from Personal Training on the Net)
STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION
The biceps attach to the radius, and the one head attaches to the caracoid process and the other to the glenoid. The biceps have two muscle bellies lying side by side on the front of the arm, thus the name biceps. Although the muscle bellies attach at two different points on the shoulder blade, they are joined at the distal end by a common tendon of insertion. This tendon weaves between the two bones of the forearm. The biceps is one of three muscles responsible for flexing the elbow against resistance. It is impossible to totally isolate the biceps from the other two elbow flexors (brachioradialis and brachialis), but it is believed that the biceps can be emphasised by maintaining a supinated grip during resisted elbow flexion. The other action of the biceps is supination.
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TRAINING THE BICEPS
It is important to maintain a supinated grip during elbow flexion. A neutral or pronated grip emphasizes the other two elbow flexors, as the biceps become mechanically weaker.
Barbell Curls
When performing a barbell curl, the first concern is to determine the grip width on the bar. Traditionally we are taught to use a "shoulder width grip". Now if you have ever attempted this on a regular basis and with considerable weight, you may have detected a sensation that, for lack of a better term, described as "shin splint" type pain deep within the wrist of the forearms.
This is due to the fact a shoulder width grip on a straight bar violates a key aspect of the skeletal anatomy … the carrying angle. If you stand in front of a mirror with your arms at your sides and fully supinated you will notice that, your hands do not hang at shoulder width.
This lateral angle that appears at the elbow (outward bend of the forearm) is the carrying angle.
Allowing for the carrying angle usually results in a grip that is only an inch or two wider than shoulder width. If you look in the mirror and it appears that your hands are eight inches wider than you shoulders, you may need to check the position of your upper arm. Did you turn your entire arm outward instead of just supinating?
Once you have the bar in hand, the key is to define the correct path of motion. Traditionally instructions only make reference to the motion of the bar. Curl the bar up to your chin and back down. This overly simplistic is actually misdirected teaching, leads to the two major mistakes that ultimately defeat bicep lovers everywhere:
- Shoulder extension to help initiate the movement
- Shoulder flexion to help finish the movement
The result … less biceps involvement and more shoulder work. To emphasize the biceps the shoulders have to be stabilised and the only joint moving is the elbows. It should go without saying that if you sway at the hips or in the back in an attempt to move the weight, you have defeated the purpose and increased the risk.
Dumbbell Curls
Performing curls unilaterally with dumbbells alleviates the carrying angle concern. Variations in shoulder position can also be used by doing seated incline curls or concentration curls. An extreme shoulder flexed position de-emphasizes the biceps due to slack in the bicep.
It is common to see people twisting the dumbbells as they near full extension. This actually emphasises the brachioradialis at the start and the biceps is not brought fully into action until full supination is achieved.
Barbell Preacher Curls
If the humerus is taken significantly out of the vertical position (precher curl), the direction of resistance may need to be altered with a cable to prevent loss of resistance due to balance through the joint (balance is when the resistance falls through a joint. There is not tension at this point).
Machine Curls
When using machines, it is important to line up your elbow with the axis of the machine. Poor construction may not allow you to do this well. It is also important to note that the cam on certain machines allow for maximum resistance when the bicep is at its’ weakest point in the range. This is at either the top or bottom of the movement.
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