Arm day can become monotonous and repetitive when you’re cranking out the same exercises week after week. The incline bicep curl is an effective bicep exercise and curl variation that can improve your arm day training split. We’re going to talk more about the incline bicep curl, the benefits, and how this bicep exercise can support your body aesthetic goals.

What Is Incline Bicep Curl 

The incline bicep curl is an isotonic and isolated strength training movement. Bicep curls and curl variations are most utilized within bodybuilding training programs. Isolated movements, focus on one specific muscle, for aesthetic purposes of building more muscle and definition.

The incline bicep curl is performed sitting on an incline bench, with your arms hanging at your sides slightly positioned behind you, for a greater range of motion, which will contribute to greater muscle hypertrophy.

Incline Bicep Curls Muscles Worked

Without saying it works the biceps, the incline biceps curls works the biceps. 

The biceps includes a “short head” and a “long head” that work as a single muscle.

The biceps is attached to the arm bones by connective tissues called tendons. Tendons connect the biceps muscle to the shoulder joint in two places called the proximal biceps tendons. The tendon that attaches the biceps muscle to the forearm bones (radius and ulna) is called the distal biceps tendon. When the biceps contracts, it pulls the forearm up and rotates it outward.

Incline Bicep Curl Benefits

1. Strength

Strength and resistance training movements of any kind will help develop more strength. However, two of the contributing factors to greater strength and muscle mass, is time under tension and range of motion. The incline bicep curl achieves both. With a greater range of motion, your time under tension increases, which will inevitably increase strength and muscle size.

2. Body Aesthetic

Typically used in bodybuilding, one of the main benefits of the incline bicep curl, is helping develop better body composition and balanced body aesthetic. By incorporating more effective movements, that significantly stimulate your muscle tissue, you can increase size and build a better physique.

3. More Muscle Mass

Workload, time under tension, and range of motion all contribute to greater muscle hypertrophy and growth. The incline bicep curl can help you gain more muscle mass, especially since it elicits greater muscle recruitment and range of motion elongating the biceps brachii.

How To Incline Bicep Curl 

1. Position yourself on an incline bench at roughly 55-65 degrees.
2. select the desired dumbbells and weight from the rack, and sit upright with your back flat and flush against the pad.
3. Using a supinated (palms up) grip, take a deep breath, brace your core and curl both dumbbells towards your shoulders as far as they can go.
4. Slightly twist the dumbbells as you shorten the length and curl.
5. You can alternate the dumbbells or lift at the same time
6. Once your biceps are at full contraction, slowly lower the weights back to the starting position.
7. Repeat for the desired and prescribed number of repetitions.

Incline Bicep Curl: Takeaway

In conclusion, the incline bicep curl stands out as one of the most effective exercises for building muscle and strength in the arms. By increasing the range of motion and isolating the biceps more intensely than traditional curls, it forces the muscle to work harder, promoting greater hypertrophy and strength gains over time. Whether you’re a bodybuilder looking to add definition or someone aiming to improve overall upper body strength, incorporating incline bicep curls into your routine can accelerate your progress. Paired with proper nutrition and consistency, this exercise can take your arm development to the next level.

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