Ahh, the biceps. Have there been a extra written, spoken, and skilled muscle group than the biceps? The biceps curl is a right-of-passage train for all health club rookies. You wander over to the dumbbell rack, seize a pair, and bust out rep after rep until your biceps bust aside you shirt sleeves.
There are numerous bicep curl variations on the market utilizing varied instruments, angles, and physique positions, however {dollars} to donuts, lots of you haven’t seen this one. Strength coach Lee Boyce, a 16-year licensed power and conditioning specialist and world-class writer, has one thing particular for you, the banded curls.
Boyce is a former university-level sprinter and lengthy jumper who has labored with varied purchasers, from actors to skilled athletes. But now he prefers to spend most of his time coaching common inhabitants purchasers.
With Boyce’s banded curls variation, you’ll add a mini-band to a dumbbell biceps curl to stretch your biceps to new lengths.
Lee Boyce’s Banded Curls
“Bicep curls are beneficial because they help increase the strength of the upper arm, lower arm, and grip. These will have a valuable translation to day-to-day tasks; not only are curls for more aesthetically pleasing arms,” explains Boyce.
Biceps curls are for way more than vainness. Because the biceps muscle has two heads, one originating on the shoulder blade and the opposite simply above the shoulder joint, they help the rotator cuff with shoulder stability. As they connect to the shoulder, the biceps assist with shoulder flexion to strengthen the anterior delts.
But wait, there’s extra. The scapula stabilizing muscle tissues (higher again and lats) are engaged isometrically to forestall the shoulders from rolling ahead when performing curls. The model right here will soup that up much more.
Lastly, having a stronger grip and biceps will help you with all of your chin.-ups, pull-ups, and row variations. Because you’re solely as sturdy as your weakest hyperlink, and also you don’t need that to be your biceps, right?
Banded Curl Benefits
“The banded curl forces the upper arm’s external rotators (Rotator Cuff & Teres Minor) to work simultaneously with the biceps due to the outward tension on the band around the wrists. The addition of the band will double down on posture and keep the lift more honest to a lifter’s ability when the strict form is put into practice. The rear and mid deltoids will get additionally taxed along with the biceps.” says Boyce.
You are working extra muscle than simply the biceps. Where do you signal?
Banded Curl Form Tips
Note: Although Lee is performing together with his again to the mirror, it’s best to face the mirror to admire your handiwork.
- Stand tall, place a light-weight mini-band round your wrists, and maintain a pair of lighter-than-normal dumbbells, 5 to 10 kilos lower than normal.
- Good upright posture (shoulders down, chest up) is significant to maintain the strain within the mini-band and carry out these curls whereas always stretching the band.
- A great landmark to maintain the fixed rigidity is to maintain the dumbbells wider than the hips and thighs throughout all components of the rep. That will point out that the band is being stretched and sustaining rigidity.
- Keep that rigidity by the underside or top-end ranges.
Programming Suggestion
Boyce suggests doing three to 4 units of 10-15 reps, ideally as a later motion in your exercise.