Short head bicep exercises involve bending of the elbows while rotating your forearm, helping you achieve biceps that are toned, masculine and well defined.
This article sheds light on various exercises you can manipulate your biceps to focus on the short head. The exercises might sound just a little bit daunting, but the results you’ll get are more than worth the effort.
WHAT IS THE SHORT HEAD BICEP?
The short head bicep is the bicep located on your inner arm, which aids in the shoulder humerus’s adduction. It is responsible in the flexing of the elbow joint while adding width to your flex muscles.
However, they’re difficult to train as most people don’t target the specific muscles associated with them.
BICEPS ANATOMY
According to WebMD, the bicep is a huge muscle found at the upper arm’s front that is; between your shoulder and elbow. It’s made up of both the “short head” and “long head” which coordinate as a single muscle.
The short head of the bicep forms part of the biceps brachii muscles in your upper arms, and it bases more of its functions on the elbow flexor.
On the other hand, the long head runs from the supraglenoid tubercle up to the radial tuberosity. It is base it functions on the forearm supination.
Short head bicep exercises are best worked with your arms in front of the body. So, ensure your arms are in front of the body when working out to engage more of the short head muscles.
The long head is best worked with your arms at the sides. When doing long head, ensure your elbows don’t move forward.
SHORT HEAD BICEP EXERCISES
1. PREACHER CURLS
Preacher curls are a definite go-to exercise if you want to have huge arms. They become famous when Larry Scott came to limelight with his jaw-dropping biceps.
Preacher curls position your elbows at the far front of the body. As a result, you get to engage more of your short head muscles.
While you are doing this workout, your biceps are forced to stretch fully. Therefore, the addition of extra weights increases your muscle growth.
Try variations such as preacher dumbbell curls, preacher cable curls and preacher one-arm barbell curls for effective results.
2. SPIDER CURLS
Spider curls is a workout that will definitely blow up your short head biceps if you properly incorporate it into your workout routines. You only require a bench, set of dumbbells or a barbell to do it effectively.
Spider curls involve a larger range of motion, preventing injuries while increasing the size and strength of the biceps. It adds a symmetrical look on your biceps in both the short and long head, ensuring your arms look toned.
Position your toes firmly into the ground to avoid losing balance when doing spider curls. Variations of the spider curls include incline bench spider curls and preacher bench spider curls.
3. WIDE- GRIP CURLS
Every time you take equipment with a wider grip to perform curl exercise, you push your short head bicep muscles to work harder than before. You can use the wide- grip EZ-bar curl or a standing barbell to achieve this.
The downside of this workout is that you waste too much energy and time activating muscles in the legs, back and core. It’s also easy to cheat during a standing workout than in a lying workout.
Despite the shortcomings, it’s good to give wide-grip curls a chance in your workouts in the long-term development of your biceps.
4. CHIN-UP
Chin-up is a strength training exercise that challenges your short head muscles. It’s a simple short head bicep exercise as you only require a strong stationary horizontal bar to do it.
According to ACE fitness, chin-up works your biceps brachii, brachialis, latissimus dorsi, posterior deltoid and spinal stabilizers. The ability to lift your own weight when doing this exercise engages your short head muscles.
Besides, it improves your grip strength, posture and bicep appearance. This is because you use your back and arm muscles to lift yourself from a hanging position.
5. CONCENTRATION CURLS
Ebenezer Samuel, a top-level trainer, use concentration curls to build his league biceps.
The upside of concentration curls is that it prevents any excessive shift of the shoulder joint. This momentum, therefore, works more of your bicep muscles specifically, the short head.
This exercise prevents you from cheating as the arms only move around when squeezing the bicep while lifting weights working out your short head.
Your arm will always be perpendicular to the ground, making you focus on your biceps. Set a timer to do 10-12 repetition of concentration curls for 3 sets only.
Want to take your concentration curls to a top-notch level? Try using a barbell like they do in this illustration.
6. DUMBELL HAMMER CURLS
Dumbbell hammer curls, also called neutral grip biceps curl targets both the muscles in your biceps brachii, brachialis and brachioradialis.
This is a short head bicep exercise that only requires a dumbbell to engage your arm muscles.
It builds strength in both your upper arm and lower arm while improving the wrist stability.
If you want to get that athletic look with defined shoulders, biceps and back, make this exercise your best buddy!
However, before you incorporate dumbbell hammer curls in your workout plan, you should have a little bit of experience in lifting weights.
When doing this exercise, don’t make the blunder of using your body momentum when lifting weights. You’ll only short change yourself when you do that.
Curling too fast is also a clear indication that you are not lifting enough.
7. LYING CABLE CURLS
Lying cable curls definitely deserves a spot in your workout routine as it triggers your biceps’ growth.
It isolates your bicep muscles in a way no other workout does making curls to be a bit strict, resulting in well defined and toned arms.
Ensure your arms are completely stationary when doing this workout and contract the biceps when bending your elbows. Curl the bar down up to your forehead.
Then, engage your biceps while squeezing them for around 2 or 3 seconds then slowly extend your arms again.
8. REVERSE CURLS
Reverse curls are a short head bicep exercise that uses the pronated grip instead of the usual supinated grip hence engaging more of your forearm muscles.
To do reverse curls, get hold of the dumbbells using a pronated grip. Tuck your elbow while ensuring your back is straight then lift the dumbbell as high as possible. Only stop when you reach your shoulders.
Squeeze your biceps for 3 seconds then get back to the starting position.
9. ZOTTMAN CURLS
Zottman curls combine the movement of dumbbell curls, reverse curl and rotation of rope hammer curls. When you do this workout properly, it will help you build bigger biceps.
To do a zottman curls, grab two dumbbells in your overhead grip. Tuck your elbows then curl the dumbbells slowly towards your chest. Pause and squeeze your biceps. Then, rotate your arms to a reverse curl position. Keep your arms fixed then lower the dumbbells to the starting position.
Use a lighter dumbbell as this workout may tire your hands easily.
10. BANDED DUMBELL CURLS
Adding resistance bands to the dumbbell curls adds more muscles to the short head biceps. This workout mimics dumbbell curls’ movement with the only exception being; a resistance band is included to make the workout more effective.
TAKE AWAY
Not doing a variety of biceps workout can derail your progress. Therefore, incorporate five of these short head bicep exercises to achieve more of your upper body goals. Two to three times a week is enough is to train your biceps effectively.
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