The long head originates from the biceps tuberoses, the thick part of the upper arm bone (hummers) below the shoulder joint. The long head bicep tendon begins at the top of the shoulder blade and attaches to the inner part of your elbow. It helps to flex your arm as well as rotate your elbow outward.
Bicep branch in your upper arm. Two muscles make up the biceps; one of them has a long head and a short head. To target the long head, you need to know how to do long head bicep exercises.
If you’re looking for a complete long head bicep workout routine, then you’ve landed in the right place. This guide will cover everything from information on the long head, anatomy, and how to get the most out of your long head bicep exercises.
Many of the head bicep exercise routines that you find out there consist of exercises. Like skull crushers, incline hammer curls, dumbbell curls, barbell curls, and other exercises. These exercises can be a great way to work out your arms and get lean muscle but this article is about doing long head bicep exercises with these tools.
If you want you can read, how to do bicep machine exercises click here
This workout also improve your long head bicep exercises.
Alternating hammer curls are an excellent exercise for improving grip strength. Also, this workout is great for forearm endurance and building a bit of mass in the biceps. Because they will target areas that you might have focused on before.
Stand up straight and place two dumbbells next to you with the palms of your hands facing each other. The dumbbells should extend to your elbows and hang at arm’s length and hold them with an overhanded grip.
Brace your core, exhale and curl one dumbbell up before you until it reaches shoulder height.
Pause, then inhale and lower the dumbbell to starting position. Repeat with the opposite arm and then continue alternating arms until all reps are complete.
Standing Cable Curls.
Standing cable curls are a great workout for the bicep-long head muscle. Because these cable curl can do this work in two different ways. The first is like regular cable curls, while the second is better for targeting the muscles of the inner bicep area. Also, standing cable curls is a great bicep long head exercise for beginner exercise.
Stand to the left of a cable machine and grasp an EZ bar attachment in your right hand, with your palm facing up.
Lean forward, so you feel tension on the cable, and let your arm hang straight down in front of your body, without locking your elbow.
Curl your arm up toward your shoulder. As you curl up, turn your wrist so that by the time your arm is fully flexed, your palm is facing inward.
Zottman curls.
Zottman curls are one of the most effective long head bicep exercises for targeting the biceps head muscle. It works the biceps in three distinct ways, allowing you to isolate the muscle group. Also, it focuses on each point of flexion while eliminating momentum. Doing them will result in massive boosts in arm size and strength, and building a solid foundation of muscle that will last you for years to come.
Hold a pair of dumbbells and hold them facing your side with the palm of your hand. Now stand up straight, tightening your core and tensing your quads.
Slowly curl the weights over your shoulders, keeping your arms close to your body.
When the weights are at shoulder height, rotate your hands 180 degrees so that the palms now face away from you.
Don’t drop the dumbbells. Instead, control their descent all the way down.
The preacher curl with a dumbbell.
The preacher curl is a most attractive and great exercise for building up your bicep’s long head. It works best if you lower the weight and squeeze it at the top. Also, the preacher curl is a bicep workout that works the biceps individually. Which can make them appear bigger when training with this compound motion.
Grab a dumbbell and sit down on a preacher bench. Rest the back of your upper arm on the pad, with your elbow sticking straight out in front of you.
Keep your upper arm still as you exhale and curl the weight up toward your shoulder height.
Squeeze your biceps at the top, pause for a second, then breathe in as you lower the weight back to the starting position.
Then switch arms and repeat on the other side.
Seated Concentration Dumbbell Curl.
Seated Concentration Dumbbell Curl can be a beneficial exercise for working the different heads of the biceps muscle. In light of many other standing concentration curls, seated concentration curls can be a great replacement. Because they are more stable and work on building a stronger base to perform your concentric reps with.
To perform a seated concentration dumbbell curl, sit on an exercise bench.
Hold a dumbbell in one hand, holding it at arm’s length by your side with your palm facing inwards (towards you). Lean forward, placing the opposite elbow on the inside of the same leg, above the knee.
Now all your weight will rest on the elbow. Keep abs tight and your back straight, then raise the dumbbell until it reaches shoulder level.
At the top of this movement, flex your biceps should while breathing. Also, throughout the entire lift and lowering phase of this movement (while breathing out). Lower the dumbbell back to repeat as desired.
Hammer curl.
Hammer curls are the most effective and excellent exercise in your biceps workout routine. They work on targeting that specific area around the elbow and wrist, enhancing strength in this region. Also, the hammer curl is a great arm workout for targeting the brachialis, a muscle that is crucial in making your biceps look big.
Stand up straight with dumbbells next to you at arm’s length.
Curl the dumbbell while keeping your upper arms steady, compressing your biceps. Continue gaining weight until your biceps are fully compressed and the weight is not at shoulder level. Hold the contracted position for a short break while you hold your biceps. (Only arms should be moving).
Repeat for the suggested amount.
Alternating Incline Dumbbell Curls.
Alternating Incline Dumbbell Curls, as the name suggests involves doing dumbbell curls with an incline bench while alternating arms. This dumbbell biceps curls exercise is simple and all you need to do is lie on a flat bench with back support. The Incline Dumbbell Curl targets the biceps and is best done at a 30-degree incline on a bench.
Sit on an incline bench with dumbbells in each hand, your palms facing forward and your arms at your sides.
Keeping your elbows tucked in, slowly curl the dumbbell in one hand up toward your shoulder, then lower it slowly.
Keep your back pressed against the bench and keep your abs engaged as you curl the weight.
As you curl the weight up, rotate it slightly so that when it reaches your shoulder, your palm is facing straight forward. Repeat with the opposite arm to complete one rep.
Close grip underhand pull-up.
The close grip underhand pull-up is an incredibly beneficial exercise for those looking to work each arm individually. Performing such a pull-up will improve your overall upper body strength and power, especially in the back of the arm. It’s also much more difficult to complete than a standard pull-up, requiring more effort in terms of pulling up.
To perform the close grip underhand pull-up start by standing underneath a bar that is at waist height.
Grip the bar with your palms facing away from you, about shoulder-width apart.
Be sure to keep your elbows tucked to your sides throughout the movement to keep your lats engaged. Then lift yourself up until your head clears the bar, keeping your legs straight for the largest lat engagement at the top of the movement.
For added difficulty try doing these from a dead hang position and don’t let yourself rest between reps.
Crossbody hammer curl.
Crossbody hammer curls are a great way to train your grip if you’re wanna building strength, and muscle mass. You can perform them like you would any other hammer curl lift. But you hit both arms at the same time, allowing tension and discomfort to mount as you continue to squeeze out reps with heavy weights.
Stand with legs shoulder-width apart, feet pointing forward, and a slight bend in the knee. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, arms hanging at your sides.
Pull the dumbbell towards your hip as if you are hammering something to the ground by bending your elbow and keeping it close to your side. The weight should travel from your hips to the side of your face.
Slowly lower the dumbbell back to starting position, maintaining control throughout the movement. End each set with a quick stretch of each arm.
Seated incline curls (long head).
The seated incline curl is a real combination of three separate exercises. It’s a great way to work the outer head yet. Also, this is a great exercise for isolating the long head of the biceps.
Set an adjustable bench and this time your body will be at a 30-45 degree angle. Now sit down on this bench and grasp a dumbbell in each hand with an overhanded grip to palms facing forward. Keep your elbows as close as possible against your torso, and rest them on the top of your thighs.
While holding the upper arms steady, bend the weights forward while compressing the biceps. When you exhale and continue until your biceps are completely compressed and the dumbbells come to shoulder level.
The upper arm muscle should remain stationary during this movement and only the forearms should move. Focus on keeping the elbow tips still. Exhale as you contract; inhale as you lower the weight back down again to starting position.
The reverse bicep curl.
The reverse bicep curl is a variation of the standard bicep curl. This dumbbell curl is a very effective muscle group when engaged in regular exercise. Also, the reverse-grip bench is an incredibly effective tool for developing upper arms long head muscle, and biceps brachii muscle.
Grab a pair of dumbbells with a neutral grip and hold them at your side, palms facing behind you. Straighten your elbows and tighten your core.
Keeping your elbows close to your sides, lift the dumbbells up toward your shoulders as you exhale. Stop when your biceps reach shoulder height.
Hold this position for two seconds while flexing your biceps. Then slowly return the weights to their starting position as you inhale.
Bent-over concentrate curl (long head).
The bent-over concentration curl (long head) is a great exercise to increase the size and definition of the long head of your biceps. As a result, improved muscle definition and size of your biceps pack. Also, it is a great shoulder workout for bicep muscles and shoulder muscle strength building. This exercise combines a wide grip with an acute angle of progression targeting both bicep heads.
Stand with your upper body parallel to an adjustable bench and grep the barbell in one hand with a wider grip. Then keep your back straight, bend your knees slightly, and slowly lower the weight toward the floor until your arm is fully extended down.
Keep your elbow close to your trunk and the weight steady as you move upward to a seated position. Now lift the barbell up to shoulder level by curling your forearm until it touches the biceps muscle.
Continue to lift until you’ve touched both muscles and then lower the barbell slowly.
Underhand kickback.
The underhand kickback growth strengthens the long and short head biceps muscle and helps improve shoulder stability. It also serves as a useful alternative to the standard kickback, which recruits the lats too heavy. The underhand setup allows you to better isolate your abs. Also, it still provides the added benefit of increased shoulder stability.
Stand with your legs together and your arms down at your sides, palms facing forward.
Shift your weight onto your right foot as you bend your right knee and straighten your left leg behind you. Keep the left leg straight and aligned with the torso. Bend forward slightly from the hips to lock in this position
Hold a dumbbell in each hand up near the back of each shoulder, with your hands facing in toward each other.
Barbell drag curl.
The barbell drag curl is great for developing the biceps function coracoid process. As with any other barbell curl variation, an extremely strict form you can use to avoid injury. The greatest stretch at the bottom of the movement allows for greater range, and will also help with your pull-up progression as well.
Stand with full body straight apart and grab the barbell with an underhand grip.
Lift the dumbbell in such a way that it moves to a height equal to your chest. Then slowly lower the barbell back down in a smooth motion without letting it rest on your thighs at any point.
Keep your chest up during the exercise by using the muscles of your upper back to pull your shoulder blades together and keep your back straight.
Conclusion.
Long head bicep exercises are great if you’re looking to increase the thickness and size of your biceps. It’s part of the lateral family of muscles, split into two individual muscles; the long head and short head. Because they are a pair, it makes sense to work out both at once, or one in particular.
The long head bicep is the outermost part of the muscle, you must engage this part to flex the arm. This part of the muscle is the shoulder and helps to pull the arm down and towards the body.
Do you want get more information to build your bicep then read 30 minute bicep workout. click here
In this blog you will get a 30 minute workout routine.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Long Head Bicep Exercises
Q: What is the best exercise for long head biceps?
Ans: All the above long head bicep exercises are the best and if you practice them the proper way then you will have good muscle growth. This exercise allows you to contact your long head biceps and, use a wide grip to lengthen the muscle while raising weights (pounds or kilograms) to peak contraction.
Q: What are some ways to hit the long head?
Ans: There are several ways to target hit the long head. These muscles attach on both the side and front of the mandible’s body. One way is to grab your chin with your left hand and gently push it forward. If this is too difficult, you can use your thumb to push in a small circle around the jaw, starting from the chin and moving towards the beard area.
Q: Are there other exercises that help build long head biceps?
Ans; Naturally, you can always opt for exercises that naturally involve the long head but only target the short head. These include lateral raises, which are typically practiced with a supinated grip and involve elevation of the elbow side to side, as opposed to upward as in a front or behind. Likewise, compound variations like heavy rope rotations require this movement due to the nature of their design.
Q: What kind of workout routine do I need to follow?
Ans: The simplest way would be to search for “upper body workout routine”. Since different people do a different combination of upper and lower body exercises. You can also search for routines to gain weight or muscle more effectively. If you don’t feel like researching routines online, you could ask a personal trainer at the local gym.
Q: Why does it matter if I hit my long head?
Ans: If you are hitting into your long head of the bicep when performing curls, then it works for so much of the growth in your biceps. You can do this by grasping the bar with a wide grip further away from the center than usual and hitting your long head at both ends of the range of motion. This will help you build up that area faster than just doing regular curls.
Q: How do I stretch the long head of my bicep?
Ans: The long head of the bicep tendon stretches through both a concentric contraction and an eccentric contraction with an external rotation of the arm. But you should do these long head bicep exercises for stretch.
