Many newbies might be familiar with other bicep curl variations like the barbell curl, dumbbell curl, hammer curls, and cable curl, but the waiter curl is very different from any other bicep curl variation. That ensures proper brachoradialis development and helps keep your elbows healthy. This results in a bigger, more prominent bicep peak that will enhance the aesthetics of your upper arms. Each is very effective in building muscle, but if you could only perform one to build your biceps, which would you pick? Do them early in your workout, such as at the very beginning or following the major biceps mass builder barbell curls. You can't lift as much weight compared to a bicep curl. Preacher Curl Cons. Hold dumbbells in each hand with an underhand, palms-up, grip, and . How to: Sit on a bench with knees spread and elbow resting against the inside of your thigh and a dumbbell in your hand. Hammer curls increase the bicep size and length. Your biceps is a two headed muscle . Concentration Curl vs. Bicep Curl - Muscles Used. 2. Any curl variation will build muscle and strength ( That's just a side effect of weight training ). Upper Chest Exercises . Lean forward so that you can place your upper arm against your same-side inner thigh (thus the dumbbell in your hand is between your ankles. Place your other hand on the same-side knee for stability. The movement uses grip manipulation to really work your bicepsby resting the . The starting point is 6:00 (arm straight down). Hammer curls will work less of the long head and so it has been known to be less effective for the bicep peak building we all want. This means you'll have to reduce the weight to keep your form correct. 5. Answer (1 of 7): Do both. 5 Waiter Curls Alternatives Barbell Biceps Curl. While you are also free to perform this exercise as a mass builder, it is advisable that you perform them as a finishing exercise . This is because with cable curls, there's resistance throughout the whole movement. Yes, they do place emphasis on different 'Parts' of the bicep. The positioning of the weight in front of you is also fairly comfortable and . Much like the hammer curl, the bicep curl is also performed with the use . The primary outcome difference between hammer curls vs. bicep curls is the placement of muscle growth. Of course, you should also include preacher curls in your training to work the short head of the biceps for better balanced biceps development. Skill Level Intermediate. As the big bruiser, the barbell curl packs on the mass and strength building the bulk of muscle. The Waiters Curl is a great bicep exercise that really targets the bicep peak. Concentration curls are better for your biceps compared to hammer curls. When you hear the words "waiter curl," you probably think of a waiter in a club or restaurant who moves with a . What this means is concentration curls are limited in terms of long-term progression. c) Slowly lower the dumbbells to the starting position and twist your hands so that your palms are facing forward again. It's not that important. Heavier Loads = More Progression. The biggest difference between the dumbbell bicep curl vs hammer curl is the positioning of your grip. Now, while the preacher curl does provide more bang for you buck when it comes to decreasing the amount of time to see . The classic overload of the concentric portion of the curl has a . Fat Grip Bicep Curl. Rep Power: 232. Now, bring the weight up by solely relying on your bicep strength. You'll get more benefits than just doing one or the other and you'll get a better pump as well. 3:33 Dumbbell Waiter Curl. You have to hold the top of the weight with both hands and make sure the top of the dumbbell is facing upward, then shift the position of your wrists as you raise it to ensure the top remains level. Amount of weight to use. And, of course, there is the benefit of being seated, which is comfortable. Step 2: Unlike the standard bicep curl that positions your hands' palm outwards, the . 7:39 Zottman Curl. Waiter curls will make your biceps burn because they will produce very potent peak contractions. The main difference between the hammer curl and bicep curl is which muscles are activated. How to do barbell biceps curl: Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and grab a barbell. Whereas hammer curls, performed with palms facing each other throughout the movement, are . Body Part Arms. This is because concentration curls do a far better job at isolating your biceps. The biceps brachii make up about one-third of your upper arm and are composed of two heads - the long head (located on the outer side of your upper arm) and the short head . The waiter curl is not a common exercise at the gym. 06-21-2016, 11:36 AM #2. mtownballer20. As with most weapons in your arsenal of biceps builders, both exercises can prove effective for bigger, more muscular arms. The bottom halves of reps (to 8:00) are a breeze. I do both. What Is The Waiter Curl? Dumbbell curl variations are classified as upper body pulling movements that primarily target the biceps brachii. So based on this line of reasoning, hammer curls are the superior choice. That means when exercising with dumbbells, your palms are in a position which is called full supination. How to Do Spider Curls With Perfect Form. 3. As you increase in weight, you will start to protect your . We've covered this move, known as the waiter's curl, before. Another key difference is in the amount of resistance. To focus more on the biceps peak, include incline dumbbell curls in your training. 7. You may increase the size of your biceps by including barbell curls in your workout plan. With your fingers extended out straight and your palms facing up, slowly curl the dumbbell up into the peak contracted position. Waiter Curls Proper Form. The bicep curl activates the long and short head of the bicep. While hammer curls activate mostly the long head of the bicep, a traditional bicep curl activates the shorter head of the bicep. As always, incorporate a variety of banded, barbell, machine, and dumbbell variations to get proper development of the biceps. The only thing I would recommend doing is alternating between some sort of regular curl and one with a hammer grip from workout to workout. Spartan Aesthetix does a nice job of summarizing the differences . . Hammer Curl Breakdown. The dumbbell should not rotate as your palms should remain facing upwards. Regular curls, where the palm faces up throughout the whole motion (Some people supinate the wrist at the bottom) Is ideal for development of both the Biceps Brachi heads. 10. Curl the weight up, making sure to get peak contraction of the long head off the biceps. This move is not performed standing. However, in order to illuminate the difference, we need to look at hypertrophy on a per muscle basis. Video breakdown + recommended sets & reps inside! This makes the bicep curl more effective for building bicep size. While doing the hammer curl, you must hold the dumbbell in a neutral grip, with . Many beginners may be familiar with other types of bicep curls, such as the barbell curl, dumbbell curl, hammer curls, and cable curl, but the waiter curl is very different from any other bicep curl variation.. 3. When you hear the words 'waiter curl', you no doubt envision a club or restaurant waiter . However, by pushing volume and explosiveness, faster bicep curls can be a great option as well. At certain points of the lift, particularly the top portion, there's little to no tension on the biceps. Try this biceps curl variation from Jeff Cavaliere, C.S.C.S., a physical therapist and strength coach best known on social media for his Athlean-X training program. First let us understand how the biceps works. b) Squeeze your biceps hard at the top and twist your hands so that your palms face downwards. Do a compound movement like rows, pull ups, or chin ups followed by dumbbell of barbell curls. The main difference between a preacher curl and bicep curl is that a preacher curl aims to isolate the bicep more than a regular bicep curl by bringing the upper arms up and away from the body in varying degrees, depending on the type of preacher curl being performed. The verdict. 4:50 Cable Spider Curl. This exercise will TREMENDOUSLY maximize the activation of your bicep peaks. Your forearm goes through about a 130-degree range of motion during any full curl rep, so it finishes pointed a little past 10:00. Place your knees on the seat of the bench, and lay your stomach and chest down on the bench's back. Hammer curls are a variation of the biceps curl that uses more of a neutral grip with the weight held vertically, as opposed to the horizontal direction of a biceps curl. In my opinion, slower bicep curls are more effective in a greater variety of settings. On top of that, it will allow you to almost completely eliminate forearm activation. Benefits. And, that's about it. Therefore, the bicep curl is the best if you want to train the biceps. The key here, however, is to make sure that the top of . Most people can lift significantly more on the preacher curl than the concentration curl. These are a great way to work your grip strength while also putting less stress on your wrist given the way the vertical grip is held (2). 8:42 TRX Bicep Curl. Contract the bicep and curl the weight, contract, and lower back to the starting position. Check out the full article covering 20+ bicep moves -https://superhumanyou.net/exercises/bicep-exercises/Follow me on Instagram @TroyShredSubscribe to the ma. Waiters Curl. 8. DUMBBELL BANDED CURL (OVERLAPPING STRENGTH CURVES) I can't make a list of the best biceps exercises without mentioning the DB Banded Curl. the . The bicep curl will maximize bicep size while the hammer curl will make your brachialis and brachioradialis muscles larger and stronger as well. Conversely, the preacher curl can give you a better contraction and connection for an improved range of motion . Biceps Activation During Typical Free-weight Curl. As a result, your biceps work harder than they do during hammer curls. Best Way to Train the Chest for Hypertrophy (Muscle Mass) 3 Hacks for a Bigger Chest. Sure, you may not be able to curl as heavy, but you will have the benefit of stronger isolation. Coach's Tip - Like any sort of bicep curl, form is everything so keep your back straight and squeeze your shoulder blades . Step 1: Grab both your dumbbells and stand straight. The hammer curl mainly activates the long head of the bicep. Figure 2: Hammer curls work more of the outer bicep and upper forearm. In the dumbbell curl, you have your hands in the supinated position at all times, which means your palms are facing upwards from beginning to end of the movement. Contract your biceps to lift the dumbbell upwards by bending at the elbows. Additionally, the lift also targets your forearm flexors and brachialis. Pick the biceps exercise you feel the best mind-muscle connection with. Your thigh will keep your upper arm from moving and help place total tension on the bicep. Using heavier weight with hammer curls means that people generally tend to cheat by using momentum and this in turn increases risk of injury to arm, wrists, shoulders and back. Because of this, hammer curls are great if you have a limited range of motion on "regular" bicep curls or want to focus on building more lower arm strength . Bicep brachii and the brachialis are both targeted by the barbell curl, which helps you bend your elbow. A ction: a) Keeping your back straight, contract your biceps to curl the dumbbells upwards. The incline dumbbell curl targets the long head of the biceps brachii muscle. They are the Dumbbell Bicep Curl and the Dumbbell Hammer Curl. The dumbbell waiter curl shifts the tension onto the outer muscle fibers of your biceps, otherwise known as the long head, due to the narrow grip that you have to hold the dumbbell with. In general, you should be able to use a higher weight with the traditional dumbbell curl because you either sit upright or stand. Hammer curls enable you to lift heavier weight than Zottman curls, which in turn means that you can overload your arm muscles with more resistance and make them grow larger. The method you use for gripping the dumbbells is different as compared to the method for gripping EZ curl. The waiter curl is not an exercise you encounter in the gym every day. Sit on a bench with your feet flat on the floor. Lee Priest Arm. The waiter curl also activates the . Hammer curls target the long head of the biceps as well as the brachialis and the brachioradialis (one of the forearm muscles). The muscles worked are the same as the traditional curl: the brachialis and biceps. Below is a step by step guide on how to properly execute the hammer curl exercise for optimum results. 6:01 Weighted Chin Ups. The brachialis lies beneath the brachii and is one of the largest elbow flexors that provides forearm flexion at the elbow. Why it works: With a thicker handle, you have to squeeze much harder just to hold the same amount of weight, which boosts your neural drive and activate more musculature . This is what builds your bicep thickness or the appearance of width when viewed from the front. Bicep Curls: If you want to train the biceps brachii specifically. The brachialis is located beneath your upper arm muscle (Brachii), making it a bigger muscle overall. While standard bicep curls also work both heads to some extent, they're better suited to targeting the inner bicep. Make sure your feet are shoulder-width apart and that your knees and elbows are relaxed or not locked. 2:10 Cable Preacher Curl. Decide the intensity of your workout by modifying the amount of time it takes for you to complete the full range of motion (slower is more difficult here). The shorter bicep head is what produces more of the muscle peak you might be looking for when trying to fill out . The top of the bench should be around mid-sternum. Hold for a moment, before slowly lowering the dumbbell back down. Whereas preacher curls will keep your arms in place and make you really target your biceps. Learn More. Do concentration curls to help focus movement. Hammer curls vs bicep curls What are the pros of each and do I need to do both or is it ok to pick a fav? This movement also engages stabilizer muscles, including the anterior deltoid, the upper and middle trapezius, the extensor carpi radialis, and others. Turn the dumbbell on its side and grab the underside of the top of the dumbbell, holding the dumbbell as far down as your arms will allow, making sure the very top of dumbbell is parallel to the ground. 4. Grab a single dumbbell with both hands, cupping the top bell in your palms. 9:45 Sled Rope Pull. As you curl the dumbbell, keep your palms facing upthe whole time. 6. Waiter curls. Preacher curl pads/machines are popular but not every gym has one. Today we are going to discuss two very popular exercises used in bicep workouts. 4. Maintain complete focus on isolating the . This variation of the classic DB Curl takes advantage of overlapping strength curves that come from the DB Curl as well as a Banded Curl. Set a bench at around a 45-degree incline. For the incline dumbbell curl, you will sit on an adjustable bench at a 45- to 60-degree level. The bicep curl is a unilateral or bilateral isolation exercise also performed for the purposes of increasing the size and strength of the biceps brachii, with other muscle groups related to the mechanics of the biceps being delegated to stabilizer muscle group duty alone. This is a unique characteristic of the exercise as most exercises will not offer contractions of such intensity. BLOG POST: 16 BICEP CURL VARIATIONShttps://www.tuscaloosafitness.com/post/16-different-ways-to-do-bicep-curlsFinding bicep curl variations that can challen. Start with the dumbbell in front of your thighs. While both dumbbell curls and cable curls are great bicep builders, dumbbell curls just win this one. View Profile View Forum Posts Registered User Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Maryland, United States Posts: 15,264 Rep Power: 34920. Look at your biceps flexed (from behind) before you . Less weight means you won't be able to overload your biceps as much. Perhaps the most significant benefit of the preacher curl is the amount of weight lifted. Also, you're less likely to use momentum or other muscles during concentration curls, which puts more focus on the biceps. Called the waiter's curl, the . So as we can see, the only real advantage that bicep curls have over hammer curls is that they will train the biceps more so than hammer curls. Using cables, resistance bands, or a machine would solve this issue. How to Increase Chest Size and Strength. 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The Chest for hypertrophy ( muscle mass ) 3 Hacks for a bigger, more prominent bicep.... Stronger isolation the aesthetics of your biceps burn because they will produce very peak! Hold for a moment, before the superior choice properly execute the hammer curl activates... Targeted by the barbell curl, you will sit on an adjustable bench a... To really work your bicepsby resting the waiter curl vs bicep curl 60-degree level optimum results using,! Conversely, the long ( outer ) head of the bench should able! Muscle basis blog POST: 16 bicep curl more effective in building muscle, but you. To get peak contraction of the long ( outer ) head of brachii! Making sure to get peak contraction of the preacher curl is the placement of muscle growth the main difference the... Uses grip manipulation to really work your bicepsby resting the can give you a better contraction and connection for improved... 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