Biceps push-ups: is there any point in the exercise?

Biceps press

You can effectively pump up your arm muscles by changing the position of your palms; according to the general recommendation, they should be spread as wide as possible. At the first stages, this condition may seem quite painful; it can be eliminated by correcting the condition of the elbows. It is important not to move them apart when performing movements. Increasing the load on the biceps can be achieved with as much amplitude as possible during the downward movement. Another way to target the biceps muscle is to use additional weights, such as dumbbells. The equipment is held with a reverse grip; it must be stable, which will prevent injury.

Doing planks is a great workout option before doing push-ups. The pose should be the same as when performing basic movements, but you need to be in this position for at least a minute.

There are many methods of doing push-ups on the floor, the simplest location is on a flat surface. Professionals consider this option not effective enough, but if you combine exercise with proper nutrition, you can achieve success.

Protein should predominate in an athlete's diet. This food will help build muscle mass. The amount of water consumed is of no small importance; proper fluid intake has a positive effect on the quality of muscle fibers.

Peculiarities

Experienced athletes know that push-ups are usually done for the triceps and pectoral muscles. But is it possible to pump up your biceps with push-ups? It turns out that it is possible. To do this, you should change the position of your palms:

• Point your toes towards your feet.
• Hands should be pressed tightly to the body. Do not spread your elbows to the sides.
• Your body weight should be shifted slightly forward.
• It is best to exercise using a special push-up rack.

The exercise is quite traumatic when performed this way, because flexibility of the hands and correct movement of the elbows are very important. This way you can effectively load your biceps. You need to take a short break between approaches. Rest for one or two minutes. Watch your breathing. You should not feel pain during movements. Change the position of your fingers and hands if you experience unpleasant pain.

Avoid arching your back. Concentrate on contracting your biceps, you should feel the work of your arms. A special stance for this exercise is best for beginners. By the way, you can also pump up your shoulders by doing push-ups with this hand position.

Exercise mechanics

Each stage of the exercise differs in the activity of different muscle groups. For example, when lying down in a static position, almost all fibers work, balance appears, and swaying and oscillations of the body are eliminated. In the absence of movement, the muscles receive little tension, and there is practically no load on the biceps.

The arms start to swing as you bend the elbows, but the downward movement activates the triceps. When at the lowest point, pushing occurs due to the anterior delta. The biceps muscles are activated in the less active phase of the exercise, when in the top position.

Alexander Shestov

TRX Certified Trainer

Ask a Question

With classic push-ups, the biceps receive the least amount of work and are mostly in a static mode.

Anatomy of push-ups

When pushing up from the floor, they mainly work:

• pectoralis major muscles;
• anterior delta;
• and triceps.

Depending on the position of the hands and the position above the floor , you can influence the fibers in different ways. For example:

• the wider your palms, the more you will develop the outer part of your chest;
• the narrower the better for the middle of the chest;
• And the higher the torso is above the floor, the better the upper pecs work;
• accordingly, the lower the position (when the legs are on a hill), the better for the lower part.

The best biceps press option

Biceps muscle activity increases when using dumbbells. The appropriate sports equipment must be taken so that the fingers are pointing forward when gripping. You need to sit on straightened arms, it is important to bring your legs together, and also avoid bending the lower back or moving the pelvis.

From the top position, a downward movement is made, and when bending the elbows, the body must be moved as close to the surface as possible. When straightening your arms, you lift up as if by force.

Training table

The greatest effectiveness can be achieved with explosive push-ups from the floor, but technically it is quite difficult to pump up like this; it is better to prepare it with a trainer.

Professionals recommend breaks between sets, which promotes muscle recovery. The speed of movements should be slow, which will allow you to monitor proper breathing, and this factor will increase the effectiveness of the exercises.

With constant practice, you need to acquire additional equipment. Special racks will increase the efficiency of inflation, so they will turn out to be a profitable investment. Conditions for regularity: 2-3 workouts per week, which it is important not to skip, but to increase the number of approaches each time.

Common Injuries

During bicep push-ups, you can damage the ligaments in your wrist and hand. Use a few tips to avoid unpleasant injuries:

• Always warm up before doing push-ups. Warm up your joints and ligaments.
• Work at a slow pace.
• Gradually increase the load, do not overexert yourself.
• Do not change your body position during movements.

Biceps push-ups are best performed with open palms. If your hands are injured, then exercise with your fists. This way you can perfectly work out and strengthen your forearms. Finger push-ups are another common variation of this exercise. Your grip strength will become much stronger.

The exercise is suitable for beginners and experienced athletes. During the movements, you can pump up your shoulders, increase the volume of your biceps, and also strengthen your entire torso. Exercise regularly, do not forget about the correct movement technique. Most experienced athletes can perform one-arm push-ups.

Tips and tricks for a beginner

At the initial stages of biceps push-ups from the floor, you will feel severe pain in your hands; the unusual load can cause injury to the joints. To avoid trouble, it is important to place your hands comfortably, and you can gradually move your limbs to the desired position.

If you don’t have practice, it’s better to avoid technically difficult push-ups with dumbbells. A beginner will benefit from a stance that will help bring him into better physical shape. Performing the push-up itself is impossible without the correct technique, so it is important to monitor your own movements and avoid jerking.

Home exercise should be feasible; there are no quick results in pumping up your biceps, so you don’t need to train without rest. Excessive exercise may result in joint sprains and other serious injuries.

Assessing your own strengths should be objective; you shouldn’t strain yourself.

It is worth noting that the main function of the biceps is flexion, so it will be useful to include barbell lifts, dumbbells, and any exercise options with additional weight in your training program. When performing pulling exercises, the biceps will really work well. Training the back muscles is also impossible without the work of this muscle.

Push-ups mainly affect:

• pectoral muscles;
• anterior delta;
• triceps

Different parts of the body can be affected by the following changes:

• wide stance of the palms (external pectoral muscles);
• narrow stance (middle of the chest);
• high position of the body (entire top);
• low position when the legs are elevated (the entire lower part).

The Best Home Split Workouts

Back-biceps. In this case, you can do 4 approaches for the back and 2 approaches for the biceps muscle. It is better to train twice a week, and on other days combine the load on the chest and triceps; you can also train triceps and biceps at once. If you change the patterns correctly, then doing push-ups to pump up your biceps will be enjoyable, and you won’t have to stop due to excess strain.

A set of exercises will really help build a man’s biceps, but a beginner in physical education is unlikely to have access to a large number of push-ups. Less than 15 repetitions will not be useful for increasing volumes, and it is impossible to overcome the weights right away. The athlete’s own weight will not allow the target muscles to be fully loaded if they only do push-ups.

Ask your question to the coach:

What exercises can you pump up your biceps?

As was said, the function of the biceps is flexion , therefore, for high-quality training it is necessary to include in the program: lifting barbells, dumbbells (together and alternately), that is, all variants of bending the elbow with weights, in which the biceps works in isolation.

The function of the biceps is also to flex the shoulder , and here the biceps can act as a synergist muscle , that is, an assistant to another muscle. For example, overhead pull-downs aimed at training the back muscles are also performed by contracting the biceps. Bent-over barbell and dumbbell rows additionally engage the biceps.

In addition to exercise machines, it is possible to work with your own weight, namely: pull-ups on the bar with any grip, in which the main flexor muscle is involved.

So,
exercises for biceps:

• barbell curls;
• Hammer dumbbell curls;
• biceps curls with supination;
• wide grip pull-ups;
• head pull-ups;
• pull-ups with a narrow reverse grip;
• block pull behind the head;
• wide grip block pull in front of you:
• pulling the block in front of you with a narrow grip;
• one-arm dumbbell row;
• Bent-over row of two dumbbells;
• barbell pull to the belt;
• Bent over and supported T-bar rows.

Everything else - bench presses, sitting, standing and push-ups from the floor or on the uneven bars, these are exercises for the triceps extensor muscle.

Therefore, the idea that there is a biceps push-up program should be dispelled by itself.

We pump up the chest muscles at home

All men dream of a wide and pumped chest, because it makes a man even more courageous and stronger. In addition, girls really like it when a guy has a beautiful, pumped up body, especially chest.

We pump up the chest muscles at home

Today, many guys are faced with this question - how to pump up the pectoral muscles with push-ups without going to the gym? But many athletes often say that it is almost impossible to pump up your chest at home without using additional weight. But this is far from the case.

We pump up our shoulders with push-ups

Is it possible to pump up your shoulders with push-ups and how? Of course you can, because push-ups use many muscles, including the shoulders. If you do push-ups with narrow arms, your shoulders will swing more effectively. In general, it is quite difficult to pump up your shoulders with push-ups, and if you want to build up your shoulders within a few months, then the barbell press will help you here.

• Standing barbell press:

This press is considered a basic exercise with which you can increase your shoulder muscles. To do this, you need to grab the bar slightly wider than your shoulders. Your legs should be slightly bent and your feet should be shoulder-width apart. When lifting the barbell, try to keep your palms facing up.

We pump up our shoulders with push-ups

When pressing, your back should be straight and your shoulders should be straightened. As you inhale, you should smoothly lift the barbell up without making sudden movements. You need to exhale at the most difficult moment. As soon as you lift the bar to the end point, your arms will need to be straightened, but not too much. As for the shoulders, they should be used as much as possible here. After a short stop at the top, you can inhale air and lower the barbell back, just as slowly. When bench pressing in a standing position, your back and abs should always be tense, this will help you avoid injury. Your head should only look straight ahead and you shouldn’t turn it, because you may lose your balance.

• Bench press in a standing position:

The main target of this exercise is the shoulders. In addition, the overhead barbell press will engage the triceps and chest muscles. This exercise is not very difficult, but it brings great results. You need to take the barbell and place it behind your head. At the same time, you must stand straight. During the exercise, bend your arms at the joints by about 90%. We lift the barbell and perform the necessary repetitions.

For such an exercise, it is important to have the correct weight, otherwise your training will give negative results. With the right weight selection, you can effectively pump up your muscles and avoid injury. The height at which the bar is placed is important. It should be suitable for a person's height. In general, if you choose the right weight and height, then doing the exercises will become not only convenient, but also effective.

Useful tips

How to pump up your biceps at home and consolidate the result for the longest possible time is possible only with the help of the recommendations of qualified fitness trainers who practice training with available weights and their own body weight.

It is important to do the following:

• before starting active work on transforming the biceps muscle of the upper extremities, it is extremely important to think through a strategy (given that the biceps and nearby muscle groups of the arms tend to quickly recover after strength training, it is recommended to perform exercises to give them definition at least 2 times a week);
• when working on the biceps, pay attention not only to the growth of its peak (the maximum size is determined by genetics), but also to the brachialis, located under the biceps brachii muscle (this will provide a platform for the biceps itself, making its top point visually higher than it actually is);

• when performing biceps exercises, regularly change the position of your elbows (varied training will not only ensure a more even distribution of the load, but will also prevent the occurrence of fatigue or muscle overtraining syndrome);
• you can achieve results in transforming your biceps in the shortest possible time only by regularly performing supersets (biceps-triceps exercises performed continuously and sequentially in groups, stopping only after completing one set);
• adjust your diet (it is not necessary to adhere to a sports diet, it is important to consume a balanced diet, most of which should be protein foods. This will not only help speed up the process of increasing muscle mass, but will also prevent loss of muscle volume due to increased strength training, regardless of the conditions, in which it is held);
• reconsider your habits (to effectively transform your body, it is important to provide it with all the conditions for a comfortable existence: minimize the number of stressful situations, devote the proper amount of sleep, take care of your skin, have your health examined by doctors on time even in the absence of specific complaints, and so on) .

How to pump up your biceps with push-ups

Push-ups with emphasis on biceps

The main difference from the classic version is the change in the position of the brushes. The palm turns with the fingers towards the legs. That is, the position of the hand is opposite to the position in the classic version.

This variation effectively focuses on the biceps. To be more precise, the load is shifted to the long head of the biceps. If the tendons and joints are not strengthened enough, pain may occur.

The technique is similar to the classic one, with the exception of a few points:

• Move your body weight forward a little so that your arms receive maximum load;
• Hands should be positioned as close to the body as possible to prevent elbows from spreading to the sides;
• When lowering, you need to touch the floor with your chest, this will allow you to work out your biceps as much as possible.

Don't think that by doing push-ups alone you will get biceps like Arnold or bodybuilding stars. To develop the biceps muscle as effectively as possible, other exercises will be required.

If you have just started training, it is not recommended to start training with biceps push-ups. Many men have a weakness for strong and powerful arms and want to get the same ones as soon as possible. In pursuit of quick results, you can get injured and forget about exercise for a long time.

Do not start this type of push-up until your physical fitness improves. Stretching, tearing, microcracks - all this will leave a negative imprint from improper physical activity.

Adequately and objectively assess your strengths! It’s better to get results slowly and surely than quickly and nothing!

Some practical tips when performing push-ups with an emphasis on the biceps:

Pain and discomfort may occur in the area of ​​the hands, caused by their specific position. To avoid unpleasant consequences, you should turn your palms slightly until they are comfortable and continue the exercise.

Gradually shift the angle to achieve the desired results. It is very important to follow the technique correctly, otherwise you cannot count on results, time will be wasted. Proper breathing is important for oxygen supply to the blood and muscles. Its violation can lead to fatigue and even loss of consciousness

Under no circumstances should he be detained! This will dramatically increase your blood pressure, after which it will simply become impossible to train.

Is it possible to find an alternative to push-ups? The best exercises for biceps

Lifting the bar

To maximally load the biceps muscles, you need to use weights in the exercises. Lifting the barbell helps to effectively increase the volume of the biceps, their harmonious development and strengthening. To perform lifts, use the bar with or without discs. Start with light weights and gradually increase the load.

Barbell curl

Technique for performing the exercise: correct position of the hands Technique for performing the exercise: correct position of the hands

Technique:

1. Hold the barbell in both hands.
2. Straighten your shoulders and begin to lift the barbell towards your chest, bending your elbows.
3. As you inhale, lower the barbell to the starting position.
4. Number of approaches and repetitions: 3×15.

Video instructions for the exercise:

Exercise "Hammer"

To perform the exercise you will need two dumbbells. The “hammer” can be done with both hands at once or alternately. For this:

1. Choose a comfortable starting position: standing or sitting.
2. Take dumbbells, straighten your back, straighten your shoulders.
3. Lift the dumbbells at the same time (alternately), bending your arms at the elbow joint.
4. The exercise should be performed slowly, without jerking.
5. Number of approaches and repetitions: 3–4 10–12 times.

"Hammer" for biceps

Technique for performing the exercise from various options for the starting position Technique for performing the exercise from various options for the starting position
Arm curls with dumbbells on a Scott bench

This exercise is performed using a special bench with support under your arms. The main goal is isolated biceps training. You can use all kinds of barbells, barbells, and dumbbells as weights.

Technique:

1. Take a bar or dumbbells and sit on a bench with your hands on the support.
2. Slowly lift the weight towards your chin.
3. When lowering the bar, do not straighten your arms too much to avoid injury to the elbow joint.

Number of sets: 3–4 Number of repetitions: 10–15

Scott Bench Curls

Technique for performing the exercise with various types of sports equipment Technique for performing the exercise with various types of sports equipment: Z-shaped barbell and dumbbells

Raising the lower block

A block exercise machine can guarantee a high-quality load on the biceps muscles. This exercise is not basic, but is great for diversifying your arm workout. The main goal is to create biceps relief.

Correct technique:

1. Stand near the crossover, take the handle of the lower block.
2. Take a deep breath and pull the block up, bending your elbows.
3. The handle should be near your chin.
4. Then slowly lower the block to its original position.

Number of approaches and repetitions: 3 10–15 times.

Video instructions for the exercise:

Concentrated arm curls

The goal of this exercise is to develop the volume of the biceps and the formation of their relief. Required equipment: one or two dumbbells. Starting position: sitting on a horizontal bench.

1. Take a dumbbell in one hand and place your other hand on your knee.
2. Focus on weighted arm curls.
3. Begin to lift the dumbbell towards your chin, bending your arm at the elbow.
4. Then slowly lower the dumbbell.
5. After 12–15 repetitions, change hands.

Number of approaches: 3–4.

Concentrated curls

Technique for performing the exercise: correct positioning of the hands and range of motion Technique for performing the exercise: correct positioning of the hands and range of motion

Exercises with weights are a high-quality and quick method of pumping up the biceps muscles. Unlike push-ups, these exercises give the biceps a good workout. The muscle deforms, grows, and acquires a beautiful aesthetic appearance. But it is not advisable to categorically refuse push-ups, since this type of physical activity perfectly develops the triceps, which make up the majority of the arm volume as a whole. Adjust your training program so that it includes exercises for both the biceps and triceps muscles.

Methods of push-ups in the gym

For the first time you need to do classic simple push-ups, but soon they will need to be replaced with something more difficult. If you do push-ups with wide arms, then in this way you will be able to quickly pump up your chest.

Push-up methods

If you are interested in the question - how to pump up your biceps with push-ups? The answer will be simple - do push-ups in a narrow hand position. You can also make regular push-ups more difficult by doing clapping exercises. In this way, a large load will be placed on the chest muscles.