5 Advanced Techniques for Bigger Biceps

You've been curling for months, maybe years. You've done the preacher curls, the hammer curls, and you eat your chicken and rice. But lately, the tape measure isn't moving. Your arms are stuck. To break through a plateau, you need to change the game.

1. The Death Set (Pre-Exhaustion)

This technique flips the script. You'll start with an isolation move to completely fatigue the biceps before moving to a compound exercise. The goal is to force the biceps to do the work, not your back or shoulders.

• How to do it: Grab a dumbbell and perform 15-20 strict incline curls, getting a deep stretch. Immediately drop the weight and perform 8-10 barbell curls with perfect form.

The burn will be intense, but this metabolic stress is a key driver of growth.

2. 21s (The Classic, Done Right)

Everyone knows 21s, but most people do them lazily. This version is about strict tempo and constant tension. It hits the long head, the short head, and the brachialis for complete development.

1. 7 reps: Bottom half of the rep (from full extension to 90 degrees).

2. 7 reps: Top half of the rep (from 90 degrees to fully contracted).

3. 7 reps: Full range of motion.

Do not lock out at the bottom or rest at the top. Keep the tension on the muscle the entire time. Use an EZ-bar for wrist comfort.

3. 1.5 Reps

This technique increases Time Under Tension (TUT), a proven method for hypertrophy. By adding a half-rep, you're effectively doubling the work in a single repetition. It's a simple way to add intensity without adding weight.

• How to perform: Do a full curl, lowering the weight all the way down. Then, curl it halfway back up, and lower it down again. That's one rep. Perform 6-8 of these on your last set of cable curls or dumbbell curls.

Your biceps will be screaming by rep four. Control the negative on every phase of the movement.

4. Rest-Pause Sets

Rest-pause is a powerful way to recruit high-threshold motor units. You'll take a weight that is about 85% of your 1-rep max and perform as many reps as possible. Then, rest for 15 seconds and go again. This allows you to perform more total volume with a heavy weight.

• Example with dumbbell curls: Grab a weight you can get for 8 strict reps. Do them. Rest 15 seconds. Now do as many as you can (probably 3-4). Rest 15 seconds. Do your absolute final set of 1-2 reps.

That's one rest-pause set. Do this only for your final exercise of the workout.

5. Supinated Drag Curls

Standard barbell curls often put stress on the wrists and don't always target the peak. The drag curl changes the angle. By keeping the bar close to your body and 'dragging' it up, you shift the emphasis to the biceps brachii and create a powerful contraction. Keep your elbows back and pull the bar up, almost as if you're trying to touch your clavicles.

Use a shoulder-width grip and keep your palms facing up. The movement path is vertical, not arcing out. This is a peak-contraction monster. Add this as your first exercise every 4-6 weeks to shock the system.

Putting It All Together

You don't need to use all five techniques in one workout. Pick one, maybe two, and apply them to your routine for the next 4 weeks. Progress isn't just about adding more weight; it's about adding more quality. Use these tools, force your body to adapt, and watch those sleeves get tighter.