The Ultimate Guide to the Best and Worst Biceps Exercises: A Science-Based Ranking
Building impressive biceps has been a goal for generations of lifters. The biceps are often the most visible upper-body muscle, and simply increasing their size can dramatically change how muscular you look in a t-shirt. While training your chest, back, and legs is essential for a balanced physique, there’s no denying the aesthetic and symbolic power of well-developed arms.
This article is a comprehensive, science-backed ranking of the most popular biceps exercises. We will examine each movement based on biomechanics, muscle activation, and practicality, then place them on a tier list from S (Super) to F (Fail). At the end, we will crown one exercise as the best of the best, and identify one as the least effective. Along the way, you’ll also learn how to structure your own biceps training for optimal growth.
Anatomy of the Biceps and Supporting Muscles
Before ranking the exercises, it’s important to understand the anatomy of the upper arm and how different movements can target different parts of the muscle.
Biceps Brachii
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Long Head: Runs along the outside/back of the arm and contributes to the “peak” of the biceps.
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Short Head: Located on the inner side of the arm, adding thickness when viewed from the front.
Brachialis
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Lies underneath the biceps brachii.
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When developed, it pushes the biceps upward, enhancing the peak.
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Though less famous, it’s just as large as both biceps heads combined.
Brachioradialis
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A forearm muscle that assists in elbow flexion.
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More active in hammer-grip curls.
Primary Functions of the Biceps
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Elbow Flexion: Bending the arm at the elbow, as in a curl.
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Supination: Rotating the forearm so the palm faces upward.
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Shoulder Flexion: Assists slightly in raising the arm forward.
This knowledge helps us evaluate which exercises emphasize stretch, contraction, or secondary muscles.
Ranking Criteria
For an exercise to rank highly, it must satisfy these three conditions:
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High Tension in the Stretched Position
Exercises that provide strong tension when the biceps are elongated (arms behind the torso or at full extension) tend to be more effective for growth. -
Joint Comfort and Resistance Profile
The movement should feel natural, without excessive wrist or elbow strain. The resistance should also follow the muscle’s strength curve, avoiding wasted effort at positions with no tension. -
Simple Progression
You should be able to progressively overload the exercise by adding weight, reps, or sets over time. Without progression, long-term growth will stall.
The Tier List: Best and Worst Biceps Exercises
S-Tier (Super)
1. Preacher Curl (45° Angle)
Locks the elbows in place, eliminates momentum, and provides high tension in a lengthened position. EMG studies show strong activation in the distal biceps (near the elbow). A gold standard for strict, isolated growth.
2. Machine Preacher Curl
Similar to free-weight preacher curls, but with a consistent resistance curve. Excellent for emphasizing the stretched position. Many lifters perform only the bottom half of the range for maximum effectiveness.
3. Face-Away Cable Curl
By standing a step forward from the cable stack, your arms extend behind your torso, maximizing biceps stretch. The cable provides constant tension, making this one of the best for both heads of the biceps and especially for peak development.
4. Preacher Hammer Curl
Targets the brachialis with the same locked-in position as the preacher curl. Essential if your goal is a bigger peak.
A-Tier (Excellent)
1. EZ Bar Curl
The angled grip reduces wrist strain compared to a straight bar. Provides good overload and convenience. Slightly less supination, but still highly effective.
2. Standing Dumbbell Curl
A classic. Allows unilateral work to correct imbalances. Loses points due to lack of tension at the bottom.
3. Incline Dumbbell Curl
Arms move behind the torso, increasing stretch. However, tension drops at the very bottom. Still a good lengthened-biased exercise.
4. Lying Dumbbell Curl
An extreme version of incline curls. Provides massive stretch, but can be awkward for those with shoulder issues.
5. Strict Curl (Against the Wall)
Eliminates cheating, ensuring all tension goes to the biceps. Great for measurable progress.
6. Cheat Curl (Controlled)
When done properly, cheating allows you to overload the negative phase. Useful for advanced lifters who can control momentum.
7. Inverse Zottman Curl
Combines hammer-grip concentric with supinated eccentric. Great for both biceps and brachialis.
8. Cable Curl (Standard)
Provides even tension throughout the range but lacks the deep stretch of the face-away variation.
9. Hammer Curl (Standard)
Less biceps activity, more brachialis recruitment. Great for peak, but loses points for free-weight tension profile.
B-Tier (Good but Not Optimal)
1. Barbell Curl
Highly accessible and good for overload, but awkward for wrists and poor tension at the bottom.
2. Chin-Ups
Great compound for beginners. Biceps grow, but back muscles often take over, making it less efficient for isolation.
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3. Flat Bench Curl
Provides great stretch but limited by light weights and progression.
C-Tier (Mediocre)
1. Scott Curl (Vertical Preacher Curl)
Eliminates stretch tension. Less effective than 45° preacher.
2. Spider Curl
Trains the biceps in a shortened position with minimal stretch. Limited growth potential.
3. Drag Curl
Theoretically increases stretch, but simultaneous lengthening and shortening cancel out much of the benefit.
4. 21s (Traditional Order)
Fun pump exercise but poorly sequenced. Modified order (short → full → long) improves its effectiveness.
F-Tier (Fail)
1. Waiter Curl
Awkward wrist position, limited progression, uncomfortable plate grip. Almost always better options available.
Best and Worst Overall
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Best of the Best: Face-Away Cable Curl
Maximizes stretch, constant tension, easy progression. One of the most biomechanically efficient biceps exercises. -
Worst of the Worst: Waiter Curl
Limited load, uncomfortable mechanics, and few unique benefits.
Practical Biceps Routine
Here’s how you could combine these findings into a balanced routine:
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Face-Away Cable Curl – 3 sets of 10–12 (stretch + peak)
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Preacher Curl (EZ Bar or Dumbbell) – 3 sets of 8–10 (strict overload)
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Hammer Curl (Dumbbell or Preacher) – 3 sets of 12–15 (brachialis focus)
Optional: Add Incline Dumbbell Curls or Strict Curls as accessories.
Train biceps 2x per week, ideally after pulling or back workouts. Progressive overload, consistent effort, and varied angles of attack will maximize growth.
Conclusion
The biceps are a relatively small muscle, but their visual impact is huge. By choosing exercises that emphasize tension in the stretched position, provide constant resistance, and allow progression, you can maximize growth efficiently. While classic moves like the barbell curl and dumbbell curl still have value, modern science and biomechanics highlight superior options—especially cable and preacher variations.
If you want bigger, stronger, and more aesthetic arms, don’t just curl for the pump. Train smart, focus on biomechanics, and prioritize exercises proven to deliver results. With consistent effort, your sleeves will fill out faster than you ever imagined.