The biceps brachii, although one muscle, is divided into the long head and short head. These two sections assist in elbow movement and forearm supination. With well-developed biceps, both the long and short heads are visible. The short head creates width, while the long head adds to the “bicep peak.” Long-head exercises can also be called peak exercises.
Long-head biceps are called biceps peaks because they resemble mountain tops. The short head of the biceps is equivalent to the base of the hill, and it influences how wide the muscle is. On the other hand, just like mountains have rounded shapes at their peaks, long heads create that same shape on top of our muscles.
This guide will discuss the kind of workout routine you need for biceps mass, reps requirements, and the five best long-head biceps exercises. If you’re hoping to achieve maximum gains, keep reading.
Table of Contents
Location & Function of the Long Head Biceps
Most people know where their biceps are, but that’s usually as far as their knowledge of the muscle extends. The long head is located on the inside of your upper arm, with the short head underneath it. If you have defined muscles, you should be able to see a line under your skin when flexing your biceps.
The long-head biceps are key in bodybuilding because they create more definition and size in the upper arm. However, their most crucial function is stabilizing the humerus’s round top–the upper arm bone. The long head of the biceps does this by working with the brachioradialis during forearm supination or elbow flexion.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
People often fail to achieve their ideal biceps size because of repetitive mistakes. These can be due to an ineffective workout plan or incorrect performance of individual exercises. You’ll finally get the bigger biceps you desire by eliminating the following errors.
Lifting Too Much Weight
Taking on too much weight is a common occurrence at the gym. As a result, people need to show off or lift heavier weights than recommended to achieve beastly gains.
If you want to achieve hypertrophy, it might seem contradictory to use less weight. However, for most biceps exercises, using fewer reps with more weight won’t lead to as great of gains as doing more reps with less weight will. If the weight is too much, it’ll limit how far you can move during the exercise, making it less effective.
And this is also helpful to remember for your warm-ups. For example, if you plan on doing biceps curls as part of your workout, begin with 40 or 50 reps using light weights. By starting out this way, you’ll focus more on developing the long head bicep and getting your shoulders ready for the exercises that follow.
Lack of Focus
The part of an exercise that requires the most effort from a muscle is called the eccentric phase. For instance, during a biceps curl, this occurs when you are lowering the weight back down to the starting position. If you slow down during this portion of the movement, you will feel your biceps working harder than they did on the way up.
Exercising with tension is an excellent way to work out more efficiently. Rather than wasting energy by throwing around heavy weights, it’s better to understand which exercises work and how to do them effectively. In this way, you can make the most of your time at the gym.
Aiming for Muscle Failure
Biceps are extremely important for many upper body exercises, such as barbell rows and pull-ups. Experiment with fatigue sets before your main routine to see what works best for you, but be careful not to exhaust them completely. If your biceps give out during other exercises, it will negatively impact your workout overall.
If you want to train until failure, incorporate some high-rep bicep isolation exercises with isometric pauses. The highest tension will occur during the eccentric downward motion. You may be surprised at how quickly your biceps become exhausted – it may only take a few reps.
Lack of Variation
As previously said, the human body is incredibly adaptable. If you don’t change up your program, your body will become accustomed to it, and the muscular injury that causes hypertrophy will be reduced. For this reason, it is critical to perform a variety of workouts each week. You can even switch between exercises throughout a single workout session.
The biceps muscle’s short head also helps with forearm supination and elbow flexion. This is because it provides assistance to the brachialis muscle, which is in charge of these motions.
Cheating On Your Form
People often use swinging motions to complete the curl when they’re performing bicep curls and reach the halfway point. Cheating can help you achieve full-rep failure and build bigger muscles, but you won’t see maximum gains if you start cheating before that point.
To avoid making this mistake, restrict the movement of other parts of your body. For instance, when performing standing barbell curls, rest your back against a wall to keep from using momentum generated by your back muscles to supplement the work done by your front deltoids. When sitting for biceps curls, make sure that your legs are firmly planted and supported.
5 Exercises to Target The Long-Head Bicep Muscle
Standing Barbell Curl
This exercise helps build mass and strength in the biceps, primarily in the long head. Hold a barbell with an overhand grip about shoulder-width apart to perform this exercise. Stand up tall with feet shoulder-width apart and slowly curl the weight up to shoulder level. Slowly lower back to starting position and repeat for desired reps.
Standing Preacher Curls
This is great if you want to target your inner biceps, specifically the long head of your biceps. Start by sitting on a preacher bench and gripping an EZ bar or straight bar with palms facing up. Keep your elbows tucked in as you slowly curl until it is close to your chin and then lower back down.
EZ Bar Curls
This exercise targets the long head of your biceps and will help you develop strength and size. Start by holding an EZ bar with a wide grip, palms facing out. Keep your upper arms close to your body as you curl the weight up until it reaches shoulder level, then slowly lower back to starting position.
Seated Dumbbell Hammer Curl
This is great for building mass in your biceps, specifically targeting the long head of your biceps. Hold two dumbbells with a neutral grip (palms facing each other) to do this exercise. Keeping your elbows tucked in at your side, curl the weights up towards shoulder level and lower back down.
Concentration Curl
This exercise helps isolate the biceps, specifically targeting the long head of your biceps. To do this exercise, sit on a bench, hold a dumbbell with one hand, and place your arm against the inside of your thigh. Keep your upper arm still as you curl the weight up towards shoulder level and slowly lower your back to starting position. Repeat for desired reps and switch arms.
Conclusion
These five exercises are all effective for building long-head bicep strength, size, and shape. Remember to perform each exercise with good form; bad posture or improper technique can lead to injury or ineffective workouts. Aim for 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps per set with each exercise, and make sure to rest for at least one minute between sets. With dedication and consistency, you’ll soon have a set of long-head biceps that are looking great!