It’s true that when it comes to biceps the path of least resistance comes from using, well, more resistance. But for those times when you’re without weights, it’s still possible to blast your biceps. That can be as simple as a park bench and playground monkey bars.
Either way, your bodyweight offers sufficient resistance for building killer biceps.
Here are 10 exercises to help you build biceps without iron. You can use these as part of a regular workout or as a standalone circuit. If you do a circuit, do two sets of 10.
Pete Williams is a NASM-certified personal trainer and the author or co-author of a number of books on performance and training.
Why: Like the overhand pullup, the chinup is a terrific shoulders and back exercise to build that V-shaped torso. But by doing the underhand chinup, we place more emphasis on the biceps.
How: Grab the bar with an underhand grip. Hanging from the bar, pull your shoulder blades back and down to lift your body up and build momentum. Finish by pulling up with your arms.
Prescription: 2 sets of 10 reps (or as many as possible) with 30 seconds rest between sets.
How: Drape one or two gym towels over a pullup bar so both ends of both towels hang down. (If you’re using one towel, just grab one end in each hand.) Perform your chinups by gripping the towels rather than the bar.
Prescription: 2 sets of 10 reps (or as many as possible) with 30 seconds rest between sets.
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Pullups (overhand grip)
Why: Though best known as a back movement, you’re also hitting the biceps, along with the shoulders, chest, and grip-strength-intensive forearm muscles.
How: Grab the bar with an overhand grip. Hanging from the bar, pull your shoulder blades back and down to lift your body up and build momentum. Finish by pulling up with your arms. Don’t “cheat” each rep by kicking your feet—keep your legs pointed at the ground below you.
Prescription: 2 sets of 10 reps (or as many as possible) with 30 seconds rest between sets.
How: Start with your hips in the air and your feet shoulder-width apart. Lower your head and shoulders down as if going under a bar. As you push your head and shoulders into position, arch your back. Reverse process to return to starting position.
Prescription: 2 sets of 10 reps with 30 seconds rest between sets.
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Plank
Why:Planking promotes overall core stability, but your biceps in particular will be responsible for keeping you in proper position.
How: Lie in a prone pushup position with hands on the floor, elbows under shoulders and bent 90°. Push up off your elbows, tucking your chin so your head is inline with your body. Keep head inline with your spine, and your belly button drawn in. Hold for one minute.
Prescription: 2 sets of 60 seconds with 60 seconds rest between sets.
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James Michelfelder and Therese Sommerseth / M+F Magazine
Inverted Bar Rows
Why: This provides many of the benefits of a pullup while better isolating the biceps. Plus, you can position yourself at different angles to increase or decrease the difficulty of the lift.
How: Lie underneath a bar that’s several feet above you, such as in a squat rack. Hang underneath the bar with your heels on ground, arms fully extended, and hands in either an overhand or underhand grip. Pull your chest toward the bar. Pause at top and return to starting position.
Prescription: 2 sets of 10 reps with 30 seconds rest between sets.
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EDGAR ARTIGA / M+F Magazine
Suspension Trainer Curls
Why: With your bodyweight as resistance, this move hits the biceps hard. Like inverted bar rows, you can also angle yourself to increase or decrease the difficulty of the lift.
How: Grab the suspension trainer handles with both hands in an underhand grip. Lean back to fully extend your arms. With feet shoulder-width apart and back straight, use your arms to pull yourself up (toward the suspension trainer) by performing a curl. Bend your elbows and curl the handles as close to your shoulders as you can. Make sure you keep your wrists straight, so you focus the effort on your biceps instead of your upper arms.
Prescription: 2 sets of 10 reps (or as many as possible) with 30 seconds rest between sets.
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Chaturanga
Why: This signature yoga move challenges your biceps and overall core stability.
How: From a standard plank position, lower yourself so your elbows are even with your sides. Your chest, shoulders, upper arms, and elbows should be in alignment. Push back to plank.
Prescription: 2 sets of 10 reps with 30 seconds rest between sets.
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Per Bernal
Side-Plank
Why:Your shoulder is the underrated engine of this movement—and so many movements in life—but your biceps will play a significant role in preventing you from toppling over as you try to maintain your balance.
How: Start on the ground on your left side with your left hand on the ground. Push up off your hand, creating a straight line from ankle to shoulder. Your hips should be off the ground and only the side of your bottom foot and your hand should be on the ground. (If that’s too difficult, you can rest on your forearm instead of your hand, as shown here.) Hold for 30 seconds or do 10 reps of 3 seconds each.
Prescription: 2 sets of either of the above options.
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Monkey Bars
Why: You probably had no idea you were working your biceps as a kid gliding across the monkey bars. It’s still a great workout as an adult.
How: There are three methods. Avoid the one-arm, every-other bar swinging method. (That looks most monkey-like, but can tax the shoulders.) Instead, start with both hands on the bar, facing the bars. Move one forward and then the other. Or you can move laterally, starting by facing perpendicular to the bars, reaching from one side and then bringing your second hand over.
Prescription: 2 trips through the bars, usually six or eight rungs with 30 seconds rest between.
