One of the best ways to reach your goal of having more muscular and robust biceps is by adding cable exercises to your workout program and by harnessing the advantages of cable machines in your workout you can effectively train every aspect of your biceps and achieve tangible outcomes.
It’s time to focus on building those peaky biceps! Get bigger and stronger biceps by learning about diverse tactics such as cable machine routines and complementary muscle group exercises as well as lifestyle adjustments.
In this informative exercise guide, we’ll teach you everything you need to know when it comes to performing various types of biceps exercises with cable machines properly alongside their added benefits.
So, without further ado, let’s dive right in!
Understand The Bicep Anatomy
The Biceps brachii and Brachialis are the main parts that make up the Bicep Muscle.
The bigger and thicker upper arm muscle is the biceps or Biceps brachii muscle. This muscle is Attached to a bone named radius situated in the forearm, the muscle that originates from two heads located on the scapula.
The Bicep Muscle, also, has a long head and a short head. Located on the outer side of the arm,
The Brachialis (also known as the Teichmann muscle) muscle is connected to the bicep.
The brachioradialis muscle group has a connection to the bicep as well. In addition, its activation is more during exercises that enlist the help of bicep muscles such as pull-ups and bicep curls.
The Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biceps
Benefits of Bicep Cable Workouts
First but not least, we’ll talk about the benefits of integrating bicep cable exercises into your workout routine before we dive into the best ones.
Target multiple angles: Using cable machines presents several options to target your biceps from different angles. Besides, this promotes the improvement of muscle development overall.
Increased range of motion: Cable exercises enable you to fully move your arms, resulting in better stretching and contraction of your biceps. This increased range of motion can help improve overall fitness and develop muscles better.
Constant tension: Cables keep your biceps under constant tension during the entire exercise, which assists in optimizing muscle fiber recruitment, unlike free weights.
Developing a stronger mind-muscle connection and improving overall form is easy through the increased focus and concentration required by cable exercises.
Best Bicep Cable Exercises That You Can Do At The Gym
1. Standing Cable Curl
- Assume a position in front of the cable machine with both feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
- With your palms facing upward, grab hold of the cable handles with an underhand grip.
- Curl the handles up towards your shoulders while keeping your elbows close to your body.
- Contract your biceps at the end of each movement, and gradually lower the handles to their starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of reps
Exercise Tips:
- Maintain proper form throughout the entire exercise by using a moderate weight.
- Stabilize and keep your elbows near your sides throughout this movement, so you can fully target and work on your biceps.
- At the top of the movement, try squeezing your biceps for a complete contraction.
2. High Pulley Cable Curl
- Attach a straight bar to the high pulley of the cable machine.
- Grasp the bar with an underhand grip (with palms up) while facing the cable machine.
- Keep your arms in a horizontal position with your shoulders so as not to strain your trapezoids.
- The bar should be curled down towards your forehead with the elbows kept close to the body.
- Flex your biceps at the peak of the motion, then gradually return the bar to its starting position.
- Repeat.
Tips
- Ensure proper form and prevent injury by using slow and controlled movement.
- Do not be concerned with the weight, execute this isolation exercise with emphasis on muscle contraction, and stretch.
- For every repetition, use your bicep muscles exclusively, and don’t rely on momentum to pull the weight.
3. Cable Concentration Curl
- Face away from the cable machine, attach a single handle to the low pulley and sit on a bench.
- With an underhand grip grasp the handle and rest your elbow on the inside of your thigh.
- Maintain fixed upper arms as you curl the handle up towards your shoulder.
- Squeeze your biceps when you reach the top of the movement before slowly lowering the handle to its initial position.
- Repeat for the other arm.
Some Tips:
- For greater muscle activation, focus on the correct technique and form during the lowering phase.
- Isolate your bicep and prevent cheating by tucking your other arm behind your back.
4. Cable Machine Preacher Curl
- Connect the EZ curl bar or a straight to the cable machine’s high pulley.
- Grasp the bar with your palms facing upwards in an underhand grip while sitting on a preacher bench that faces towards the machine.
- Maintain contact between your upper arms, elbows, and the pad while bringing down the bar towards your forehead.
- When you reach maximum contraction in your biceps near the completion of each repetition, slowly lower the bar down to its initial position.
- Finally, repeat at least 8 times for each set
Exercise Tips:
- Align the cable pulley with your elbows for proper form and maximum tension.
- You can better target your biceps by keeping your upper arms and elbows stable while performing the movement.
5. Cable Hammer Curl
- Attach a rope to the cable machine’s bottom pulley.
- Take a position facing the cable machine and grab the rope with your palms facing one another using a neutral grip.
- keep your elbows tucked in while lifting the rope toward your shoulder level.
- Tense your biceps while reaching maximum height in this move and then return slowly to your starting position.
- Repeat.
- Your brachialis muscle can be targeted by using a neutral grip with your palms facing each other.
Tips:
- Avoid any wrist strain by maintaining a straight position with your wrists during the exercise.
- Pause for a while when you achieve maximum contraction then slowly release the weight to increase the tension.
- Keep your two elbows fixed throughout the movement to avoid intervening your shoulders.
6. Cable Reverse Curl
- Connect the straight bar to the low pulley.
- With your hands in an overhand position, face towards the machine and grab onto its bar keeping your palms face down.
- Curl the bar towards your shoulders while keeping your elbows close to your body.
- Squeeze your biceps at the peak of movement, afterward, bring down the bar slowly to its starting position.
- Repeat.
Exercise Tips:
- To engage your biceps more effectively, maintain proper form by avoiding any unnecessary movements like swinging or arching while keeping a good posture.
- Maintain a straight wrist position and do not bend them through the range of motion.
- Use only your bicep muscles for curling to avoid any momentum.
References/Sources:
- Coratella, Giuseppe, Gianpaolo Tornatore, Stefano Longo, Nicholas Toninelli, Riccardo Padovan, Fabio Esposito, and Emiliano Cè. 2023. “Biceps Brachii and Brachioradialis Excitation in Biceps Curl Exercise: Different Handgrips, Different Synergy” Sports 11, no. 3: 64. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports11030064
- Pinto, R. S., Gomes, N., Radaelli, R., Botton, C. E., Brown, L. E., & Bottaro, M. (2012). Effect of Range of Motion on Muscle Strength and Thickness. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 26(8), 2140–2145. https://doi.org/10.1519/jsc.0b013e31823a3b15
- Schoenfeld, Brad J The Mechanisms of Muscle Hypertrophy and Their Application to Resistance Training, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research: October 2010 – Volume 24 – Issue 10 – p 2857-2872 doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181e840f3
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