If you want big biceps, you do curls.

Yes, rows and chins build mass...but to really maximize bicep size, you've still gotta do those curls.

I know...twist your arm, right.

This barbell curl is very similar in concept to a Preacher Curl, except done using a flat bench. Personally, for myself, I'm not a big fan of the normal Preacher Curl. I just find I don't get that much out of it.

THIS version, however, really lit up my biceps.

It gives you a nice stretch at the bottom while minimizing impact on the elbow joints and totally preventing any accidental hyperextension or overstretching of the joint at the bottom.

And, you don't need a Preacher bench...just a flat bench.

Start by loading up a bar with a weight you could normally do about 10 to 12 reps with. Pick up the bar and straddle the bench.

Sit on the end of the bench, resting the bar on your thighs. Now take a very narrow grip on the bar (hands almost touching). This is important because you want both forearms and elbows to be solidly on the bench during the exercise (you'll see). The close in grip prevents elbow torsion.

From here, dip your hands so that your fists are on the bench and stand up, then step back.

Your entire forearms (and elbows and hands) will be resting on the bench. Dip your body down so that your arms are almost straight.

This part is CRITICAL.

DO NOT immediately curl the bar powerfully. Because of the stretched position under tension, you need to first develop tension in the biceps...THEN start to curl gradually and with engagement of the biceps. We want ZERO momentum here to maximize the loading on the biceps.

As you curl up and get towards the top, you will notice a drop in tension. As this happens, shift your upper body forward to meet the bar.

This helps maintain tension for the contraction at the top. Your forearms should be kept just short of vertical, so you're not letting the weight rest fully on the forearms like posts.

Now lower the weight slowly and under complete control of the negative all the way down. Continue until you forearms are resting on the bench again.

Relax the biceps here, then re-engage them and start your next reps.

You can also stop just short of resting the forearms on the bench, and keep the tension and contraction on, going immediately to the next rep. If you prefer that method, lighten up the weight a little.

Aim for 6-8 reps in this manner.

If you want to really push your biceps even harder, once you hit conventional failure and can't curl the weight up again, move your torso forward and lock down the biceps in an isometric contraction.

Once your biceps are locked down, use your bodyweight to leverage the bar up to the top position.

Now perform an eccentric rep, actively fighting the weight all the way down. Don't try and just control the descent...you should be actively trying to curl the weight UP as gravity pulls it down.

THAT is how you perform a true negative.

And it will hurt.

Perform one or two negative reps like this. When you get to the point where you can no longer fight the descent, you're done...

...and your biceps will be pumped up like melons.

Overall, this is a great exercise for building bicep mass. It forces you to really control the weight while taking cheating out of the equation (unless you do it very much on purpose to push your biceps even harder).

You can watch the full video of this exercise in action on my YouTube channel here...

Enjoy!

Nick Nilsson
The "Mad Scientist of Muscle"

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