Biceps exercises: which work your biceps most?

The biceps bend the elbow and turn the palm up. Changing your grip on curls shifts the load between the biceps, the brachialis underneath them and the forearm muscles.

Last reviewed 13 November 2026. Every study cited is listed at the end.

The muscles that make up your biceps

• Biceps brachiiTwo heads (long and short) that cross both the shoulder and the elbow. The biceps bends the elbow and turns the palm up.^[1]
• BrachialisLies underneath the biceps and attaches to the ulna. Because it does not turn the forearm, it bends the elbow whatever your grip, so it works in every curl and every pull.^[1]
• BrachioradialisA forearm muscle that runs to the thumb side of the wrist and helps bend the elbow. In an EMG study, its share of the work changed most with a palms-down grip.^[1][2]

Exercises where the biceps is a primary mover

Ranked by how much of the work the biceps does in each exercise.

• Bicep Curl
• Hammer Curlalso forearms
• Preacher Curl
• Chin-Upalso lats, rhomboids
• Pull-Upalso lats, rhomboids
• Lat Pulldownalso lats, rhomboids

Exercises that also work the biceps

The biceps assists in these, but is not the main target.

• Barbell Rowalso lats, rhomboids, traps
• Dumbbell Rowalso lats, rhomboids, traps
• T-Bar Rowalso lats, rhomboids, traps
• Seated Cable Rowalso rhomboids, lats, traps
• Upright Rowalso side delts, traps
• Face Pullalso rear delts, traps, rhomboids
• Chest Flyalso chest

How to train your biceps: what the research shows

Your back day already trains them. In a study of 25 adults, chin-ups (palms towards you) worked the biceps significantly harder than pull-ups.^[3] Rows and pulldowns help too, so curls are a top-up rather than the only biceps work.

Grip matters less than you think. In an EMG study of 16 people, biceps activity did not differ significantly between palms-up, thumbs-up (hammer) and palms-down curls.^[2] Choose the grip that is comfortable on your wrists and elbows.

Do not skip the bottom of the curl. In an 8-week study, 19 young women trained one arm through the first half of a preacher curl, from straight to about 68°, and the other through the second half. The arm trained near straight grew more near the elbow end of the biceps and gained more strength in a full curl.^[4]

Arm position changes where it is hard. In a study of 22 men, the incline dumbbell curl activated the biceps through the whole range much like the standing curl, while in the preacher curl activity was high only over a short part of the movement, near the bottom.^[5]

Reps. Light and heavy loads built muscle about equally across studies when sets were taken close to failure; heavier loads built more maximal strength.^[6] A weight you can lift 6 to 15 times with good form, with the last two reps hard, is a practical range.

Sets. In a pooled analysis of 15 studies, more weekly sets per muscle led to more growth.^[7] Count chin-ups and rows too: 2 to 4 sets of curls on top of them is often enough.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best biceps exercise?

Chin-ups and curls cover it between them. Chin-ups worked the biceps harder than pull-ups in a study of 25 adults, and curls let you train the biceps directly through a full range.

Are hammer curls better than regular curls?

Not for the biceps: in an EMG study, biceps activity was similar with palms up, thumbs up and palms down. Hammer curls are often kinder to the wrists.

Should I straighten my arms fully on curls?

Lower until your arms are almost straight, under control. In an 8-week study, training near straight grew the lower biceps more and built more full-curl strength.

Why do I feel curls in my forearms?

The brachioradialis in your forearm helps bend the elbow, and your grip muscles hold the weight. Keeping your wrists straight stops them taking over.

Other muscle groups

Sources

1. OpenStax. Anatomy and Physiology 2e, section 11.5: Muscles of the pectoral girdle and upper limbs. Rice University, 2022. https://openstax.org/books/anatomy-and-physiology-2e/pages/11-5-muscles-of-the-pectoral-girdle-and-upper-limbs
2. Kleiber T, Kunz L, Disselhorst-Klug C. Muscular coordination of biceps brachii and brachioradialis in elbow flexion with respect to hand position. Frontiers in Physiology, 2015; 6:215. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4526813/
3. Youdas JW et al. Surface electromyographic activation patterns and elbow joint motion during a pull-up, chin-up, or Perfect-Pullup rotational exercise. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2010; 24(12):3404-3414. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21068680/
4. Pedrosa GF et al. Training in the initial range of motion promotes greater muscle adaptations than at final in the arm curl. Sports, 2023; 11(2):39. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36828324/
5. Oliveira LF et al. Effect of the shoulder position on the biceps brachii EMG in different dumbbell curls. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 2009; 8:24-29. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3737788/
6. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2017; 31(12):3508-3523. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28834797/
7. Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Dose-response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and increases in muscle mass: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Sports Sciences, 2017; 35(11):1073-1082. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27433992/

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Muscle involvement varies with form, grip and individual anatomy.