10 Best Long Head Bicep Exercises For Your Workout

If you have a closer look at the anatomy of biceps, you will notice that it consists of three main muscles: the bicep brachii, the brachialis muscle, and the coracobrachialis muscle. The bicep brachii is further divided into two main heads: the short head and the long head.

While the short head lays close to the body and is situated near the inner arm, the long head usually runs through the outer part of the upper arm.

If you are looking for a higher peak, you need to pay close attention to training the long head. It is the long head that is accountable for the mind-boggling bicep peaks.

There are a plethora of bicep exercises that are popular among gym-goers. However, not attending adequately to the long head of the biceps can debar you from sporting the perfect huge peaks.

This article enlists ten most effective long head bicep exercises that will deliver the most desirable results if properly adhered to.

10 Best Long Head Bicep Exercises

Have a look at the ten most effective long head bicep workouts that will provide you with a surmounting peak:

Alternating dumbbell curls

Dumbbell curls are a popular staple in the gym regime of most fitness enthusiasts. If you wish to see a considerable change in your physique and strength level, you ought to include “Alternate Dumbbell Curls” in your fitness regime. The best thing about dumbbell curls is that you can perform them anywhere.

Why is it important:

Alternate dumbbell curls help to train both your upper as well as lower arm muscles. It involves two movements, namely: forearm supination and elbow flexion. When you are using alternate arms, it becomes easier to focus on one arm and establish a mind-muscle connection. This kind of exercise targets the bicep heads quite hard.

Instructions:

• Step 1: Stand tall. Your feet should be hip-width apart.
• Step 2: Hold the dumbbells and let your arms down on both sides of your body. Make sure that your palm is facing the front.
• Step 3: Keep your arms steady and ease your shoulders. Slowly try to lift one arm. Keep lifting till the weights touch your shoulder. Make sure that your elbows are tucked in near your ribs.
• Step 4: Lower the arm gently and repeat the same step with the other arm.

Repeat the curls 8-10 times and take some rest. The number of sets that you wish to do depends on how fast you wish to see your pumped-up biceps.

Hammer Curls

If you are desirous of huge bicep peaks, then you have to include hammer curls in your exercise routine. You can alternate them with dumbbell curls so that your exercise routine does not become monotonous.

Why is it important:

Dumbbell curls are quite important for your arm workout as they target the long heads of the biceps and the brachialis. They also add variety to your workout regime. This exercise will impart greater strength. It also works on other muscles like the pectoral muscles, deltoids, abdominal, and trapezius.

Instructions:

• Step 1: Hold one dumbbell in each hand. Make sure that your palms face your thighs.
• Step 2: Relax your shoulders and make sure that your elbows are fixed. Bend the elbow slowly and start lifting your lower arm up.
• Step 3: Check if your thumb is close to your shoulders to make sure that you are doing it right.
• Step 4: Slowly start lowering your arm to the starting position.

Do 8-10 reps and start adding more reps as you gain endurance. You can also add more weight to improvise your bodybuilding workout session.

Chin-Ups

This is a common exercise that plays an important role in easy muscle building. It also puts the entire upper body to work.

Why is it important:

This is one of the best exercises that can stimulate the growth of your biceps and lats. They are a compound exercise using which you can exercise your shoulder, chest, and back simultaneously. The underhand grip can trigger different muscles, including the biceps brachii. All you need is a horizontal bar to support the weight of your body throughout the exercise session.

Instructions:

• Step 1: Grip your chin-up bar firmly. Hang from the bar and position your body such that you can easily lift your feet off the ground.
• Step 2: Strengthen your core. Your head and back should remain stiff.
• Step 3: slowly lift your body till your chin reaches a position above the bar.
• Step 4: Hold the position above the bar for some time, and try to bring your body down slowly. If you want the exercise to be more effective, keep your grip close.

The number of reps and sets, again, varies from person to person depending on your endurance and how quickly you wish to see progress.

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Cable Curls

If you are looking forward to having amazing biceps, you need to get your curls right. Cable curls are one of the most effective bicep exercises that will give you bumpy biceps that you will be proud to flaunt.

Why is it important:

The primary function of cable curls is that it acts on the biceps brachii and brachialis. The exercise requires you to maintain the stability of the upper body. It also puts the deltoids and forearms to work.

Instructions:

• Step 1: To form your setup, you will have to attach a straight bar attachment to a pulley. Position the set up close to the floor.
• Step 2: Your feet should be your shoulder-width apart. Grab the bar and pull it close to your shoulders. Make sure that the movement engages your core, and the elbows are tucked in close to your body.
• Step 3: Hold the position at the top for some time and then bring the bar down. Repeat the same thing as many times as you want.

While performing this exercise, make sure that your biceps remain under tension.

Preacher Curls

 Preacher curls are an important long head bicep workout. They are very different from normal curls. The first and foremost prerequisite of performing preacher curls is that you require a preacher bench.

Why is it important:

In this kind of curls, the preacher bench helps to restrict the movement of the legs. This helps to ensure that the focus of your workout is concentrated on your biceps brachii, and it becomes easier for you to get massive arms faster.

Instructions:

• Step 1: To begin with, you need to sit on the preacher bench. Your armpits should rest on the upper sloped part. Lay your barbell on the barbell holder of the preacher curl bench.
• Step 2: Your torso should be pressed against the preacher bench padding. Rest your arms on the arm padding.
• Step 3: Your arms should be shoulder-width apart, and your palms should be facing upwards.
• Step 4: Hold the barbell and exhale as you raise it to your shoulders. Hold the squeezed position of your biceps for some time.
• Step 5: As you lower the barbell and start going back to the initial position, exhale.

Close-grip Barbell Curls

This is another simple yet effective exercise that you need to add to your exercise regime if you wish to fill the sleeve of your shirt.

Why is it important:

The close-grip barbell curl, a pulling strength training exercise, is an important training that will help you gain a bigger bicep peak. It targets the long head of the biceps. As we know by now, the long head of the biceps is responsible for imparting a “peak” to your biceps. Therefore, this kind of curl will give your biceps better strength and shape.

Instructions:

• Step 1: The key to beginning every exercise is that you have to maintain your form and position. Make sure that your body is straight and your feet are shoulder-length apart from one another.
• Step 2: Hold the barbell; make sure that the distance between the hands is less than the shoulder width and your fingers facing upwards.
• Step 3: Loosen your knees. Breathe out as you curl your biceps. This will bring the barbell near your chin.
• Step 4: Hold the position for a few seconds. Then gently breathe in and return to the initial position.

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Concentration Curls

 This is another variation of the traditional bicep curls that has made its way into the list of the most effective exercises for the long head of the biceps. This kind of curl helps to shape the front portion of the upper arm. Therefore, if you are looking forward to building high rising biceps and great muscle strength in your upper arm, concentration curls will help you achieve your goal.

Why is it important:

The importance of this curl lies in the fact that this exercise activates both short as well as long heads of the biceps brachii. Therefore, it is one of the most beneficial exercises that will help you tone your biceps and shape them.

Instructions:

• Step 1: To begin with, sit on a bench and hold a dumbbell in one hand. Rest the elbow on the inside of the thigh of the same side.
• Step 2: Next, you will have to squeeze the bicep of the arm in which you are holding the dumbbell. Bring the equipment close to your chest.
• Step 3: Hold the position for some time and then slowly lower the arm to the starting point. Once you are done, switch to the other arm and repeat the same steps.

Bayesian Cable Curls

 This exercise is similar to performing incline dumbbell curls. If you want to get pumped up muscles, you need to include the Bayesian cable curls in your exercise routine.

Why is it important:

The Bayesian Cable Curl is one of the most important bicep long head exercises and can fetch you great benefits. It stretches the biceps and extends the shoulder. This helps to increase the long head activation of the biceps.

Since you use a cable in this type of exercise, muscle activation is increased.

Instructions:

• Step 1: There should be a D-handle affixed to a low pulley machine. Get hold of the handle. Hold your position. Your back should face the weight stack.
• Step 2: Strengthen your core and stretch your arm backwards. Now, bend your elbow and slowly curl the handle so that it reaches up to your shoulder.
• Step 3: Hold the position for a while and extend it downwards again.

Repeat this as many times as you can.

Incline Dumbbell Curls

Another exercise that you can resort to in order to maintain a great shape of your biceps is the Incline Dumbbell Curls.

Why is it important:

Dumbbell curls barely require any equipment. Yet, they can work wonders on the body. If you want to target the long head of your biceps, make sure your palms are facing outwards. If you are aiming at the short heads, let your wrists be turned towards your body.

Instructions:

• Step 1: Keep a bench that is inclined at a 30-40 degree angle. Lean against the backrest.
• Step 2: Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Let your arms hang down straight.
• Step 3: To start the incline curl exercises, pull the weight up to your chest and then lower down again.

Repeat as many reps of this exercise you think is required to reach your bicep goals.

Make sure you keep your wrist still so that you don’t get a momentum move going or impact your range of motion.

Zottman Curl

 This is one of the best and the most effective variants of bicep curls that is sure to reap immense benefits.

Why is it important:

The speciality of this exercise lies in the fact that it acts on all the three major muscles of the biceps, that is, the biceps brachii, brachioradialis, and brachialis. The curl includes an overhand grip in the course of the movement, which makes it hit the different areas of the bicep.

Instructions:

• Step 1: Your dumbbells should hang by your side. Turn the arms in a way so that your palms are facing forward.
• Step 2: Do not move the upper arms. Bend the elbows. Slowly curl the dumbbells and bring them close to your shoulder.
• Step 3: Hold the position for some time. Rotate the dumbbells such that your palms should be facing forward. Now gently move back to your starting position.

Long Head Bicep Workout

If you tend to ignore the long head of your bicep brachii, you are not likely to be blessed with huge peaks. The table below lists the seven best long head bicep exercises that will help you gain tremendous growth in your arms.

However, you can alter the number of reps and sets based on your requirement. Try and see what works the best for you!  

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The bottom line

Paying attention to the long heads of your biceps will help you reshape your arm and impart an aesthetic appearance to it. You can gradually increase the intensity of your arm workout regime and build a massive peak in due course of time.

However, make it a point to balance your biceps long head exercises with proper tricep training so that your arms grow proportionately.