Looking for a new and engaging way to blast your biceps and build them up? If so, why not consider bodyweight exercises? These are great because you can overload your biceps far better than you could with dumbbells or a cable machine and build more strength.
Read on because we’ve compiled a list of 7 bodyweight bicep exercises, most of which you can do at home.
#1 Chin-Ups
Arguably the most effective exercise, where your biceps and upper back do all the work in pulling your body up on a horizontal bar. So although your back muscles are the primary muscle group worked, your biceps are a very close second. Chin-ups are a great bodyweight bicep exercise.
- Grab a pull-up bar with an underhand grip (palms facing back / facing you).
- Inhale, squeeze your abs, and pull yourself up, bringing your chin over the bar.
- Lower yourself and exhale.
#2 Underhand Inverted Row
This is a bodyweight bicep exercise that’s easier than chin-ups. Using an underhand grip places more tension on the biceps, and trainees can adjust the difficulty with a more upright or horizontal body angle.
- Grab a horizontal bar (roughly hip height) with an underhand grip (palms facing up).
- Tuck your body under the bar, engage your abs, and repeatedly pull yourself to the bar, squeezing your biceps.
#3 Isometric Chin-Up Hold
The isometric chin-up hold is a more challenging variation, where the goal is to hold the top position for as long as possible, squeezing the biceps extra hard.
- Grab a pull-up bar with an underhand grip (palms facing back).
- Inhale, squeeze your abs and pull yourself up.
- Hold the top position for as long as possible, lower yourself, and relax.
#4 Bodyweight Towel Curl
The towel curl is a simple exercise that allows you to work out your biceps at home, leveraging your bodyweight
- Secure a towel on a sturdy object, such as a pull-up bar or the top of a door.
- Grab both ends of the towel, extend your body, and repeatedly bend your arms, squeezing your biceps at the top.
#5 TRX Bicep Curl
This is an exercise similar to the towel curl, with the primary difference being that you’re using a suspension kit instead of a towel.
- Secure a TRX kit in an overhead position and grab both handles.
- Extend your body and walk your feet forward a bit to lean back.
- Inhale and squeeze your biceps, bending your arms.
#6 Slow Negative Chin-Ups
A more beginner-friendly chin-up variation, perfect for building strength and training your biceps.
- Perform a chin-up repetition as you usually would. But, instead of moving down with the same speed, extend your arms as slowly as possible.
- Alternatively, step on a stool or jump to the top position and only focus on the descent.
#7 Towel Chin-Ups
A more advanced variation that allows you to use a neutral grip for chin-ups and work your forearms alongside your biceps.
- Wrap a towel on a pull-up bar and grab both ends.
- Suspend yourself in the air, engage your abs, and pull yourself up in one fluid motion.
- Squeeze your biceps at the top and lower yourself.
Final Words
There you have it.
The above are seven of the best bodyweight bicep exercises you can include in your training to grow your upper arms, build grip strength, and develop your upper back. (1)
Also consider including a few effective bicep stretches into your bicep workout rotation. This is very helpful to keep your biceps healthy and supple, and help avoid workout injuries.
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David Williams
A diet and fitness enthusiast, David is an ex-Army Airborne Ranger and Infantry soldier with decades of fitness and wellness experience. A West Point graduate with a degree in engineering, he focuses on technical research related to fitness, nutrition, and wellness. He loves the beach and working out, and spending time with his wife and daughters.
References
- Grip strength. Physiopedia. (n.d.-b). https://www.physio-pedia.com/Grip_Strength#:~:text=Grip%20strength%20is%20a%20measure,over%20time%20to%20track%20performance.
