8 Best Long Head Bicep Exercises For Stronger Well Formed Arms

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The biceps is part of the muscles in the upper arm. It is a two-headed muscle comprising the long head and the short head.

In our previous article on short head bicep exercises, we stated it is not easy to solely target one of the heads in complete isolation during your workout.

But it is possible to have long head bicep exercises that can shift emphasis onto the long head. How far you succeed depends on your choice of exercises and how you perform them.

The long head, which is above the short head of the biceps, gives it that peak when you flex your muscles.

Targeting the long head of your biceps will help you develop well-formed arms that will make them stand out. It is the goal of many bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts to achieve that.

We will however suggest that while it may be tempting to target the long head to give you a feel-good factor, well-rounded biceps training should include short head bicep exercises and others as well.

Do long head bicep exercises work?

The success of long head bicep exercises does not depend on the length of your training or how heavy you can lift. Your grip width, the position of your arms, and how you position yourself can influence the effectiveness of long head bicep exercises.

For long head bicep exercises to hit their intended target, you must ensure you do the following:

• Use a close grip when training with a barbell or EZ curl bar
• Use a hammer or neutral grip
• Move your elbows behind you when curling to extend the range of motion.
• Keep your elbows by your sides when doing curls.
• Supinate or twist your wrist when doing curls and other unilateral exercises

Doing these can help put you on the road to building the massive hands you want

Top long head bicep exercises for developing your peaks and building massive arms

Try these long head tricep exercises to enhance your peaks. They can help you build massive arms for a well-formed upper body.

Prone Incline Barbell Curl

Also referred to as the Barbell Spider Curl, the prone incline curl with a barbell is one of the best long head bicep exercises for massive arms.

Lying in the incline position will activate the long head (lateral head) of the Biceps Brachii much more than the short head. That is because the short head will contract and go into active insufficiency causing it to lose tension

You will need a barbell for the exercise. But you can also use an EZ Curl bar, which can help reduce the strain on your wrist.

Check out our best EZ Curl bars for the home gym here if you are yet to get one for your home gym

Required equipment: Weight bench, EZ curl bar, barbell, or weighted bar

Steps to follow

• Start the long head bicep exercises by placing the barbel at a spot within easy reach, or you will need a partner to help you to get the bar.
• Lie face downwards on an incline bench and rest your knees on the seat. You can also keep your legs on the floor on either side of the weight bench if you prefer.
• Using an underhand grip, grab the barbell. Ensure your palms are less than shoulder-width apart.
• Keeping your upper arm still, raise the bar towards you till you flex your arms
• Slowly lower the bar until your arms are fully stretched.
• Repeat for desired reps

Cable Concentration Curl

Cable concentration curls are an isolation exercise that can target the lateral head of the biceps much more than the short head. That makes it one of the best long head bicep exercises to rely on to build your peaks.

You will need a cable attached to the low pulley on a cable machine for the exercise.

Required equipment: Weight bench, cable machine

Steps to follow

• Sit on a bench or a seat, facing the cable machine
• Using an underhand grip, grab the cable handle.
• Support your upper arm with your inner thigh
• Curl your hand by pulling the cable towards your shoulder. Keep pulling until you flex your elbow completely.
• Then lower the cable until you stretch your arm fully, that is, to your starting position.
• Repeat for the desired reps.
• Switch sides and continue with the opposite arm

Cable Preacher Curl

The cable preacher curl is an isolation movement that can build strength and mass in your forearms and biceps.

It is one of the long head bicep exercises that can activate the lateral head much more than the short head of the bicep.

Using a cable for the exercise gives you better control and ensures constant resistance to your muscles.

You will need a preacher curl bench or an incline weight bench for these long head bicep exercises. You will also need a cable machine.

Required equipment: Preacher curl bench, cable machine

Steps to follow

• Attach the cable to the low pulley of the cable machine
• Position the preacher bench in front of the cable machine and rest your arms on the padding. Adjust the seat such that your armpits rest on top of the pad
• Sit on the preacher curl bench facing the cable machine.
• Using an underhand grip, grab the cable handles and place the back of your arm on the padding. Ensure you keep your grips within or less than shoulder width
• Keeping your upper arm still, start curling by raising the cable handle toward your shoulders.
• Pause at the top of the movement and slowly return the bar to your starting position. Ensure you keep the back of your upper arms stationary throughout the movement
• Repeat for the desired reps

Close Grip Barbell Curls

Barbell curls are very versatile and adaptable. They are also one of the best exercises for your biceps.

You can shift the emphasis of your training just by altering your grip position, allowing you to target a different muscle in your arms.

A close grip width will push more tension to the long head of your biceps, making it one of the best long head bicep exercises.

Use an EZ curl bar instead of a straight bar to reduce the stress on your wrists, if you prefer.

Required equipment: EZ curl bar

Steps to follow

• Stand upright with the bar in both arms. Your grip should be less than shoulder-width apart. Use an underhand grip to hold the bar. And keep your feet about a hip-width from each other.
• Keep your back straight and your eyes looking straight ahead.
• Engage your core, and keeping your shoulder back, curl the bar in the direction of your chest. Ensure you keep your upper arms still, your elbows by your sides, and marginally behind you.
• Pause at the top of the movement, then slowly lower the bar to your starting position
• Repeat for the desired reps

Incline Dumbbell Curls

Using an incline weight bench will help you target the long head much more than the short head of the bicep.

That is because having your elbows down by your sides and behind you will stretch the long head of the bicep, while your forearm will rotate from a neutral to supinated position during the movement. The combination will move the long head through an extended range of motion to give you success.

The incline dumbbell curls are one of the best long head bicep exercises worth including in your training.

Required equipment: Weight bench, Dumbbells

Steps to follow

• Set the weight bench to a 45-degree incline
• Grab a dumbbell in each hand, using an underhand or neutral grip
• Sit on the bench, with your back and shoulders resting on the bench. Let your hands hang straight down and as close to your armpit as possible
• Breath out and curl the dumbbells up to your armpit. Ensure the inside end of the dumbbells is close to your body. And keep your upper arms stationary.
• Pause, and, while breathing in, return the weights to your starting position.
• Repeat for the desired reps

Dumbbell Hammer Curls

If your goal is to build massive biceps with showy peaks, then hammer curls with dumbbells should not disappoint.

Hammer curls target the long head of the bicep as well as the brachialis. The brachialis is the muscle that plays a principal role in the flexion or bending of the forearm.

Hammer curls are some of the best-known long head bicep exercises favored by fitness enthusiasts. It is the go-to exercise for those looking to add mass to their upper arms or want their biceps to stand out.

You can use dumbbells, a cable machine, or suspension trainers for the exercises. And you can do them standing or sitting on a bench.

Compared to the traditional bicep curls, you will hold the dumbbells with the ends pointing ahead and behind you when your hands are down, and the weights will point upward and downward at the top of the movement. Holding the dumbbells in that way shifts the emphasis onto the long head of the biceps

Required equipment: Weight bench (optional), Dumbbells

Steps to follow

• Stand upright (or sit upright on a bench, if you prefer), with dumbbells in your hands, holding them either in the middle or towards the top. Hold the dumbbells such that they are parallel to your body.
• Keep your feet together or about shoulder-width apart. Ensure your wrists are straight and your spine is neutral.
• Bend your knees slightly and move your elbows marginally forward
• To start the long head bicep exercises, brace your core, then raise the dumbbells, and curl them toward your shoulders without moving your upper arm.
• Continue lifting until your lower arms are less than 90 degrees with your upper arms
• Then, lower the weights back to your starting position.
• Repeat for the desired reps. Ensure you keep your elbows in front of your hips throughout the movements

Bayesian Curls

It is a single-arm exercise that uses a cable attached to the lower pulley on the cable machine.

Using a cable will help you to maintain consistent tension throughout the movement. That will give you a wide range of motion and shift the emphasis onto the long head of the biceps, making the Bayesian Curls one of the best long head bicep exercises for your training arsenal.

Required equipment: cable machine

Attach a cable with a stirrup to the low pulley on a cable machine
Stand with back towards the cable machine, holding the cable with one hand. Ensure the cable is behind you.
Take a few steps forward to stretch your arms and put some tension on the cable. Ensure the front leg and the hand holding the cable are on the same side.
Lean forward, brace your core, and start curling your arm towards your shoulder.
Pause at the top of the movement and return to your starting position.
Repeat for the desired reps. Try to maintain the tension in the cable throughout the movement

Drag Curls

Drag curls are also one of the reliable long head bicep exercises for building bigger arms and peaks.

Required equipment: EZ curl bar

Steps to follow

• Using an underhand grip, hold the EZ curl bar with both hands.
• Stand with feet at hip width and rest the bar against your thighs. Ensure you keep your grip width shoulder width.
• Brace your core and curl the bar slowly towards your chest. Pull the bar towards your body by moving your elbows behind you during the process.
• Continue to drag the bar till it is close to your chest
• Pause and reverse the motion to return to your starting position.

Final words from LiveLIfe

Curls are the way to go when trying to build your biceps. But the choice of exercises and how you do them can influence the results of your training.

Long head bicep exercises must be high on your list of exercises if you want eye-catching biceps. And you can increase your chances of success by following a few principles.

Incorporate these long head bicep exercises into your training for the best results.

Combine them with others and don’t do the same movements over and over or over a long period. You could hit a plateau and achieve little gains if you do that.

And do not forget that pre-workout meals and post-workout meals are as important as the iron you pump.

We hope the top long head bicep exercises discussed here can put you on the road to achieving your arm-building goals.