Barbell Curls
Biceps Workout: The History, Benefits & How To Of Barbell Curls.
The barbell curl is an important part of the upper body workout for building muscle and strength. It is easily adjustable yet challenging which makes it popular among fitness enthusiasts.
It majorly trains your biceps along with your forearms and shoulders. This works like magic to improve your arms size, endurance and strength.
Athletes lift barbells loaded with weights in Olympic weightlifting championships.
The history of barbells can be traced to the mid-nineteenth century according to physical culture historian Jan Todd. The research of David Webster and Randy Roach also echoes this point.
Let’s discuss why you should include barbell curls in your workout routine
Benefits of Barbell Curls
Improves Forearm grip and strength
The most amazing benefit of a bicep curl is that it increases arm strength and forearm grip. It makes your tasks like rock climbing and opening lids of jars easy. It also lets you lift more weights and do other exercises easily which contributes towards overall health.
A stronger grip allows avoiding accidents that can occur while doing daily tasks like hammering.
Barbell curls also improve pulling strength which is of supreme importance for physical fitness, especially for athletes.
Prevents injury to arms
Barbell curls strengthen not just the biceps but also the hands, wrists, fingers, and forearms. This prevents repetitive strain injury and serious conditions like Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. It also makes the biceps more resilient.
Increases Upper Body Mass
Barbell curls contribute effectively towards increasing the upper-body mass. It allows you to load more weight, so you can work towards building the muscles faster. The bonus part? It makes you look good and feel confident.
How to do Barbell Curls
Like every exercise, following the right technique is extremely important while doing barbell curls.
The first step is to decide whether you want to do it with an EZ- bar/zigzag bar ora straight bar. A straight bar is recommended for better results as it maximizes the supination of the forearm. However, if you experience pain due to low wrist mobility, an EZ- bar is a great choice.
The next important step is to choose a manageable barbell weight that is neither too light nor too heavy. Once this is decided, you are ready to begin the action.
Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and your palms facing forward outside hips.
Hold the barbell using an underhand grip. Make sure to keep your chest up and your elbows firm.
Slowly raise your hands and curl the bar towards the shoulder by bending elbows. To feel the impact on bicep muscles, it is important not to sway your body.
Squeeze your biceps for a second and then slowly bring the bar to the starting position. Keep the biceps engaged and tensed throughout the process for best results.
You can do the desired number of repetitions following the same process. If you feel pain in the wrists or elbow, consider taking a wider grip on the barbell.
If you are a beginner, it is advised to take assistance from a professional fitness expert about the weights.
