You want bigger biceps, right?

Of course not, that's crazy talk... ;)

Enter: partial training.

Now, partial training sometimes gets a bad rap, especially by those who don't truly understand the incredible benefits that properly-executed partial-range training has to offer.

It's not cheating...it's a tool in your training toolbox. That's it.

This partial-curl exercise is going to help you get bigger biceps not by directly building muscle but by strengthening the connective tissue (tendons, ligaments, etc.) in the upper arm so that you can lift heavier weight more safely...so that you can use more resistance for more reps...so that you can THAT to build bigger biceps.

In addition, partial training in this fashion also teaches your body how to use higher-threshold motor units (the groups of muscle fibers that only get turned with extremely heavy loads) more efficiently (which builds strength).

It's incredibly effective stuff.

Now, doing a regular standing barbell curl in the top/partial range of motion can be very good, however it does have a major downside that can affect how good it ends up being.

When you're using supra-maximal weights in the top range, there is a lot of pressure on the upper back, lower back, lungs and shoulders which can detract from the loading on the biceps as you may have to cut your set short due to other muscle groups fatiguing.

That's where THIS version of the barbell partial curl takes the next evolutionary step.

You're going to support your arms on a flat bench so that the ONLY loading is on the biceps, not on any other muscle groups.

This means you can push your BICEPS hard without being limited by fatigue in upper or lower back, shoulders or simply not being able to breather properly.

To perform this one, you will need a power rack, a barbell and a flat bench.

Set the rails about 4-6 inches higher than the bench height. Move the bench up against the uprights of the rack and set the bar on the rails, about 4-6 inches away from the uprights (you'll see why this part of the setup is important).

The first time you do this one, start with a weight that is at or a little below your 1RM for the barbell curl. One of the purposes of this exercise is strengthening the connective tissue. This process takes time so we want to start at a level that your biceps have already been proven to be able to handle. I've got 135 lbs on the bar here.

Kneel down in front of the bench, set your elbows on the bench and take a shoulder-width grip on the bar.

Now, develop tension in the biceps first...THEN curl the bar up to the top position. DO NOT "pop" the bar off the rails. This part is critical.

Trying to lift the bar off the rails too fast will put too much sudden loading on the connective tissue. Develop the tension then "squeeze" the bar off the rails.

Curl the bar up, contracting the biceps hard and with power, until the bar contacts the uprights of the rack. This should be just SHORT of a position where your forearms would be vertical.

The reason we want to stay short is to maintain tension and contraction on the biceps. Once your forearms go vertical, you lose tension in the biceps (which can be another issue with doing standing bicep curl partials).

Once you've pulled the bar up against the rails, hold it there...and pull your BODY in towards the bar.

This decreases the angle at the elbows, which is just like curling the weight only instead of curling the weight, you're closing the angle from the other end, by moving your body towards the bar...

...all while still pulling the bar against the uprights of the rack for a strong, isometric contraction.

Hold this for 3-5 seconds, squeezing hard, then lower the bar back down to the rails.

You can also test other body positions...knees a bit further back.

And body in a straight plank position (this position is the toughest and is most similar to the body position you'd be in for a regular standing curl top position).

Aim for sets of 5-7 reps of this exercise, performing 3-5 sets. I would recommend at least 90 seconds to 2 minutes rest in between sets to help the nervous system regenerate/recover.

This exercise should be done first in your bicep training routine, when your "local" connective tissue is at it's strongest. You can either do just this exercise for biceps and be done, or follow it up with other full-range exercises (e.g. incline dumbbell curls, which focus on max stretch).

When you perform another "normal" bicep exercise after this, the weight will feel lighter, due to the high-threshold motor unit activation from this exercise.

I would recommend performing this type of partial training no more than once a week, to ensure connective tissue recovery. Gradually increase your loads on this exercise each week, as long as you can maintain good form.

So just to sum it up, this exercise will NOT directly build bigger biceps.

This exercise will help you develop the MEANS to build bigger biceps via stronger connective tissue and improved nervous system efficiency and activation.

If you've been stuck in a plateau with your bicep growth, this could be just what you need to kick it back into gear.

Watch the video of the exercise in action here (very useful for seeing how short the range is and how to perform the reps).

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Want More Killer Bicep Training Like This?

You'll find it in my book "The Best Arm Exercises You've Never Heard Of"