In this article, we discuss short head bicep exercises.
The biceps brachii, or biceps for short, is the most popular muscle in the human body. Two heads are distinct in the brachii biceps: the long head and the short head. Both come from the scapulae or shoulder blade and come together and insert into the forearm radius.
The Short Head Bicep Exercises are attached to the front of the scapula, while the long head is attached to the back. The short head is on the inside arm and gives its width to the biceps. By contrast, your biceps peak is caused by the long head.
Both biceps bend your elbow and are involved in your forearm supination and shoulder flexion. Although one head cannot be isolated from another, there are several biceps exercises that the short head emphasizes.
Here are the 7 best short head biceps exercises to help you channel your inner Arnold and gain some serious arm mass.
IN THIS ARTICLE
Where is the short head bicep?
The Short Head Bicep exercise is the smaller and more medial of the two bodies that make up the biceps brachii muscle in the upper arm. The small head of the biceps brachii, like the long head, is a flexor and supinator of the elbow joint. The short head improves the adduction of the humerus at the shoulder joint.
How do you work the short head of your bicep?
Supination and flexion have been shown to promote short head activity in studies. As a result, starting in a neutral position and finishing in a supinated position is required to target the Short Head Bicep Exercises. During the concentration curl, the hand position is crucial for producing brief head activation.
Is bicep peak long or short head?
The majority of the muscle’s mass/bulk is found in the Short Head Bicep Exercises (inner), while the long head (outer) is responsible for the “bicep peak.” The long-head (outer) pulls up and sits on top of/above the short-head (inner) as you flex your biceps (inner).
7 Best Short Head Bicep Exercises
Motion Dumbbell Curls
The different heads and the entire biceps muscle group are targeted independently in this variant of the standard bicep curl. Limit your range of motion to the top half of a standard dumbbell curl to isolate the short head bicep.
How to do:
- Grab a dumbbell with a supinated grip.
- Start with the dumbbell at the top of the concentric phase, snuggled tight to your chest, rather than at the bottom of the exercise. Your elbows should be near to your sides while your upper arm is in a stable position.
- In a smooth motion, lower the dumbbell to the floor. Come to a complete stop when your elbow joint is halfway stretched, and your arm is parallel to the floor.
- Squeeze your biceps as you curl the dumbbell back to your chest.
- Do it 10 times.
Rep: 3-5 sets
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Cable Hammer Curls For Short Head Biceps
You can boost your short head bicep targeting by substituting a rope for the bar attachment on standing cable curls. This attachment allows you to rotate your bicep curl for a more targeted contraction during the concentric phase.
How to do:
- Use a low pulley to connect a rope attachment to a cable machine.
- Take an athletic stance about a foot away from the pulley machine and grab the ropes with your palms facing inside.
- Keep your elbows tucked and your upper arms locked as you curl the ropes up toward your chest. Twist your fists outward as you near the apex of the action to emphasize the short head biceps.
- At the top of the movement, pause and squeeze the muscle.
- Switch your hands back to palms facing forward and drop the rope to the starting position to complete one rep.
- Do it 8-10 times.
Rep: 3-5 sets
Reverse Barbell Curls
This is an exercise I’m sure you’ve seen people execute after they’ve finished their biceps workout. It does not, however, work perfectly for the forearms. Because the technique to perform this exercise is extremely basic, the reverse curl is a wonderful way to train your forearms at the end of your workout.
How to do:
- This will necessitate the use of a barbell.
- After that, stand up straight.
- The barbell should be held with a slightly outstretched grip at shoulder width.
- Pull the barbell towards your chin to curl it.
- Do it 15-20 times
Rep: 3 sets.
Zottman Curls
Zottman curls combine the benefits of dumbbell curls, reverse curls, and the rotation of a rope hammer curl into one exercise. With just one compound exercise, this rigorous upper arm workout can help you create huge short head biceps.
How to do:
- Grab two dumbbells using a supinated grip.
- Curl the dumbbells up to your chest, keeping your elbows tucked in. At the top, pause and squeeze.
- Pronate/reverse curl your arms.
- Keep your elbows tucked and your upper arms locked as you lower the dumbbells back to the beginning position.
- Return your arms to a supinated position at the bottom of the action.
- Do it 10 times.
Rep: 3-5 times
Reverse Curls : Variant
A barbell, EZ bar, or dumbbell can be used to perform reverse curls. Reverse curls are distinguished by using a pronated (overhand) grip rather than the traditional supinated grip. You change the muscle activation in this way to help create bigger biceps while also working the forearms.
How to do:
- Using a pronated grip, grab a barbell or dumbbells.
- Lift the weights to the top of your range of motion, halting just before your shoulders, with your back straight and elbows tucked.
- Before carefully lowering back to the beginning position, pause and squeeze your short head biceps.
- Do it 10 times.
Rep: 3-5 sets
Preacher Curls
This is the most well-known biceps workout. Heavy biceps can be developed if done correctly. To improve the size of the short head biceps, advanced bodybuilders use several formats of this workout.
How to do:
- To do so, position yourself on a bench so that your armpits are near to the bench’s top end.
- Place your upper arms and chest against the upper bench pad while holding the E-Z curl bar at shoulder length.
- As you exhale, lower the weight with your biceps until the bar reaches shoulder height, and your short head biceps are fully strained.
- Squeeze and hold your biceps for a second.
- Slowly lower the bar as you inhale until your upper arm muscles and short head biceps are fully stretched.
- Rep the workout a total of 10 times.
Rep: 5-10 sets
Chin-ups
Chin-ups are one of the most basic short head biceps exercises. However, when striving to create big biceps, they often get overlooked. Weight belts or vests can be used to scale this adaptable upper body workout. During this exercise, you can also experiment with grip breadth to properly target the short head bicep.
How to do;
- Take a supinated grip on the pull-up bar, with your knuckles facing towards you.
- Allow yourself to stretch your arms and hang all the way down fully.
- By bracing your core, pull yourself up until your chin is above the bar.
- After pausing, slowly lower yourself back to full extension.
- Do it 10 times
Rep: 3-5 sets
Lying Cable Curls
When doing short head bicep workouts, form is crucial. As a result, for many new lifters, cable curls are a struggle. The muscle targeting can be redirected by slight changes in the apparatus’ height or a shift in the upper body. For a more effective bicep curl, use lying cable curls to eliminate momentum and height differences.
How to do:
- Use a low pulley to connect a straight bar to a cable machine. Sit on the ground, stretching your legs and placing your feet on either side of the cable.
- Lie down on your back with your head resting comfortably on the floor and take a firm underhand grip on the bar.
- Keep your elbows tucked at your sides as you curl the bar forward toward your chest. As with a standing curl, pause and squeeze at the peak of the exercise.
- Return to the starting position with a slow and controlled movement. Maintain a tiny bend in the elbow joint and don’t lockout at the bottom.
- Do it 10 times.
Rep: 3-5 sets
Wide Grip Barbell Curls
Shifting your grip width during a biceps workout is an excellent way to isolate your short or long head during an exercise. The larger grip used in a barbell bicep curl puts additional pressure on the inner biceps to complete the action.
How to do:
- Using a supinated grip, grab a barbell with your hands just outside shoulder-width.
- Curl the barbell upward until it reaches your chest, keeping your back straight, chest high, and elbows tucked.
- Squeeze the muscles as you pause at the top of the exercise. Then gradually return to the beginning position.
- Do it 10 times.
Rep: 4-5 times
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Seated Alternating Hammer Curl
Despite not being one of the most well-known bicep workouts, the Hammer Curl is a favourite among bodybuilders and strongmen. You may concentrate on each arm separately with this Seated Alternating Hammer Curl variation, allowing you to focus on individual growth and isolation.
Simply explained, the Hammer Curl allows you to switch muscle groups, strengthening and shaping your biceps brachialis, a deeper muscle that aids overall strength and shape.
How to do:
- With a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing in, and arms straight out to the floor, sit on a 90-degree bench.
- Move one weight to the front of your shoulder slowly while keeping your elbow and shoulder still.
- Squeeze your biceps at the top and pause.
- To get back to where you started, slowly reverse the movement.
- Rep the process on the other side.
- Do it 12-15 times.
Rep: 4-6 sets
Conclusion
A lack of variety in your biceps workouts can stymie your progress. In order to achieve more upper body goals, perform any five of these short head bicep exercises. It is sufficient to train your biceps two to three times per week.
