What Weights Do You Use For Biceps Training?

I love to read and keep up with quite a few journals. In some of them people will list weights used for bicep work. Ive noticed more use more weight than I do…

Biceps seem to be the slowest things for me to grow and they are also the one thing I wish would grow (and triceps)

How heavy are you guys going?

For dumbbell curls I usually never go above 20lbs (per dumbbell)

On cable curls I’m not really sure but guessing nothing over 55ish pounds.

On EZbar curls I never go above 75lbs.

I’d be curious to know what type of weight y’all are using and maybe how big your biceps are? Obviously it’s going to be different for everybody and I know there are tons of variables, but I’m just curious. I’ve tried a few rep schemes and intensity techniques but one thing I haven’t done yet is go “heavy”.

I don’t usually do bicep training, and think the best way to do so is by chin ups. That said, I do like to do fat gripz reverse curls, and will sometimes do DB curls if I’m running a program that calls for it. For reference, I’m 170 lbs and use two 45 lb DBs and do 10 reps. I’m not crazy strong like some people here, but have been lifting for some time and am pretty strong for my weight.

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Deadlifts and reverse-grip barbell row will both hit the biceps if you lift heavy.

You can spend hours training the short head, long head and brachialis muscle but if you aren’t progressively overloading the biceps, they won’t grow as much as you want them to. Try going heavy for 5x5 on bicep curls and ramping the weight after each set.

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Unfortunately due to injuries I can’t do chins, only pull ups.

I have no idea if it matters, but for data sake, what are some of your other upper body movement numbers? Bench, close grip bench, OHP?

I can’t do reverse grip barbell rows but I actually found out today using a weird attachment I can do reverse grip cable low rows! I felt it more in my last than biceps but I’m sure they are getting hit as well. I definitely plan to keep them in rotation.

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Another exercise you could do is the flexed arm farmer’s carry, driving the arms up as you walk.

You can ramp up the weight if you have an injury that prevents you from doing heavy rows or curls.

High volume on curls could work for a couple of weeks but your body will adapt quickly to the high volume.

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I like that idea.

Yea right now I’ve been doing what I think is a lot of volume? But nothing really heavy. It seems when ever I do go heavier I lose the mind muscle connection that I had at the lower weight. So I’ve been staying st the lighter weight but really concentrating on just using the biceps

I haven’t done much in the way of bicep training for years now, other than a couple of sets of dumbell curls or hammer curls at the end of a session. For hammer curls I would use 44lb dumbbells , for curls maybe a little lighter.
The last few weeks I have added some machine preacher curls to the end of my deadlift day. Light weight high reps, these things burn like hell and the pump is intense. No idea if it is making my arms grow but they feel pretty big at the end of the session LOL

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I’m almost positive you posted a picture the other day here from your Instagram and your arms looked pretty good from what I could see! I’m 6ft and while not big, I just have a huge (not in a muscular way) torso so my tiny arms look extra freaking tiny. Drives me crazy lol

Judging by the weights that have been posted I need to grow a set and actually use weight for curls and stuff.

I appreciate y’all taking the time to answer!

That was just good lighting !! It also helps when you are a short arse !! Mine have grown mostly from heavy dead lift, rows and pull ups. Maybe add some heavy cheat curls to you program, they worked for Arnie …lmao

I don’t think weight is that relevant in biceps training. Feeling the muscle and all is more important. I do like Haney (IIRC) which said that it was better to maje the exercise harder than using more weight. So for instance holding the DB with the index touching the edge so that there is more torque, or using slow tempo etc

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I used to be able to biceps curl more than I could strict press lol Ahhh to be a teenager again

Interestingly, my experience is that feeling the muscle is important, but doing heavy curls once a week is also important.

For me, I can’t gain strength if I don’t do the target lifts in the low-digit ranges. However, I find doing a high-rep unilateral exercise complements my lower rep work.

For biceps, I like to do heavy EZ curls once a week and light dumbbell curls on another day. A month or so ago, I was doing EZ curls for 3 sets of 4-6 reps with 90 pounds (raising the weight to 100 when I can do 3x6) and doing 3x12-15 or the 350 method with 30lb dumbbells, then increasing to 35s.

My elbows get cranky if I’m only rowing and doing pullups, so curls ftw!

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My bench is my strongest, and I get 225 for a set of 10. Max is in the high 200’s, but I don’t test that often at all. On OHP I still can’t do 135 lbs for a set of 10, but that’s what I’m working towards. Can do a set of 8 or so now with 135, and a max around my bodyweight but a bit below that. I don’t do CG BP, but I do weighted dips.

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Thanks for the data! Looks like it’s just time for me to put the Fischer price my first dumbbells away and get serious!

Incline dB curls. Really stretches the long head, and pinwheel curls. That’s about All you need

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I disagree

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Dudes got like 19” arms :man_shrugging:

@T3hPwnisher do you think Deadlifts are good to make biceps grow?

Honest question. What if he says yes