Bodybuilding doesn’t get any more basic than the biceps curl. You pump out a bunch of reps with heavy weights and your arms get big. Simple as that really, end of story. But this tale doesn’t end there believe it or not, at least if you want to take arm development to the next level by working every muscle fiber, building the biggest guns genetically possible. Barbell curls also make a great exercise for Home Workout Routines at the comfort of your own home!

The biceps muscle (or biceps brachii) has a long and a short head and flexes the elbow joint when contracted. That you probably already knew. What you may not know is that the biceps also supinates the forearm. If you don’t specifically train this role of the biceps muscle, your arm-training will never reach its full potential.

Supination refers to rotation of the forearm and hand so that the palm faces upward. Aside from the smaller and deeper supinator muscle, the biceps brachii and the brachioradialis are the largest and most visible muscles involved in forearm supination. The brachioradialis is the meaty forearm muscle (on the thumb side) that puts the “Popeye” in your arms.

So you’re thinking, why not simply start with your hands in a different position so that you can turn them up and outward while you’re curling dumbbells or a cable? Bingo! You’ve just take a good a exercise and made it great! Now you’re recruiting more bicep muscle fibers and significantly elevating brachioradialis involvement. Twisting or rotating generally isn’t recommended during most exercises, but in this case the results are not only safe, but you’ll see the difference in the mirror. Try to include at least one movement each workout in which you can supinates your hands. Another tip to keep in mind is do your bicep exercises towards the end of a workout and also keep in mind this also is a great Home Workout Routine.

Keys to Supination:

-Use dumbbells or a single handle on the cable apparatus.
-Start exercise with body hands in a neutral position (palms facing inward/each other)
-As you begin the upward phase of the contraction, turn your hand outward, ending with your palm facing up.
-On the eccentric portion of the movement, rotate your hand in the opposite direction (pronate) to return to the starting position.

Tips for Enhanced Benefits:

-Perform seated to maintain focus on target muscles and prevent cheating.
-Grip dumbbell off-center, with top of hand against plates to increase the effective resistance of supination and prevent slippage.
-Perform on an incline bench to shift the exercise emphasis to the lower biceps, closer to the elbow.