Cavaliere recommends performing bicep curls slowly for best results.
Biceps training improves control over movements and increases flexibility, Range of motionand stabilityDespite these benefits, the best methods for training these muscles often generate debate among bodybuilderstrainers and fitness enthusiasts, each championing their unique approach.
On June 12, 2024, Jeff Cavaliere took to his YouTube channel to talk about Athletes’ Common mistakes when training biceps and provided helpful advice for achieving bigger, stronger goals. defined biceps.
Jeff GentlemanCavaliere, a renowned fitness trainer and certified physical therapist, has carved out a distinctive niche for himself in the fitness industry. Through social media, he offers insightful bodybuilding tips and is the founder of Athlean-X, a company dedicated to helping people achieve optimal health and fitness. Let’s dive into Cavaliere’s expert tips and discover his strategies for improving your biceps.
Jeff Cavaliere on curls
Before you begin, Jeff Cavaliere discusses hand positions when performing a bicep curl. He says it’s important to squeeze your biceps so hard that you feel discomfort before you begin the curl.
“TO START OUT JUST BENDING YOUR ELBOW AND SQUEEZING YOUR BICEPS AS HARD AS YOU CAN. AND WHAT I’M LOOKING FOR HERE IS DISCOMFORT; THAT’S WHAT WE WANT. IF YOU DON’T GET THAT, ROTATE YOUR WRIST A LITTLE BIT MORE AND TURN IT OUTWARD, AND SEE IF THAT CAUSES THAT CRAMP. IF IT STILL DOESN’T, THEN LIFT YOUR ELBOW UP TO HERE, HOLDING ON TO THE BRAVEN WRIST, AND SEE IF THAT CAUSES DISCOMFORT. “RIGHT NOW, WHETHER YOU HAD DISCOMFORT DOWN HERE, HERE OR EVEN UP HERE OR NOT AT ALL, IT TELLS ME A LOT ABOUT HOW YOU SHOULD BE PERFORMING YOUR BICEP EXERCISES.” Jeff Cavaliere says.
6 Biceps Workout Mistakes
Listed below are six biceps training mistakes, according to Jeff Cavaliere:
1. Curling too fast
Jeff Cavaliere begins by describing how athletes lift weights when performing a biceps curl. They only worry about doing the curl, getting it from one point to another, and do not focus on the mechanics of the exercise.
“IT’S BECAUSE MOST OF US JUST FOCUS ON MOVING FROM POINT A TO POINT Z, NOT REALIZING THAT THE REAL BENEFIT OF THE EXERCISE IS LEARNING HOW TO FIND EACH AND EVERY LETTER IN BETWEEN.”
He says it is essential to slow down each rep, using the rule of four seconds up and four seconds down. When you slow down your reps, you recruit other biceps motor units. With this method, you learn to contract your biceps better, which improves your performance. Mind-muscle connectionmaking your reps more effective for greater muscle activity (1).
2. Wrist positioning
Jeff Cavaliere says that to achieve an effective contraction, it is essential to extend the wrists during the curl. Wrist extension requires some effort. forearm Throughout the exercise, he says most people focus a lot on keeping their wrist stable.
“I’M TELLING YOU RIGHT NOW, THERE’S NOTHING WRIST EXTENSION WRIST WHEN YOU’RE LIFTING THE BAR. IT’S ACTUALLY QUITE NATURAL. IF I WERE GOING TO PUSH AGAINST SOMETHING, I’D DO IT WITH A SLIGHTLY EXTENDED WRIST BECAUSE THAT’S THE STRONGEST WRIST POSITION. SO ALLOWING YOURSELF TO GET INTO A STRONGER WRIST POSITION IS NOT GOING TO SUDDENLY DISINTEGRATE THE BONES IN YOUR WRIST.”
Cavaliere also suggests placing the bar in the middle of your palm and not near your fingers when lifting. This position provides an effective and biomechanically correct curl.
3. There is no variety
Jeff Cavaliere says he is not the volume that drives biceps gains. It’s more about how you combine a variety of bicep curls. Some curls work the long head and the short head of the biceps, so it’s best to vary your bicep curls to see more muscle gains.
He further illustrates this using a marker, explaining that the shorter head of the biceps is responsible for the width of its armswhile the longer head is responsible for the height of the biceps, which is attached to the shoulder joint.
“EXERCISES WITH THE ARMS EXTENDED ONCE WITH THE ARMS IN FRONT OF YOU WILL GENERALLY BE MORE FOCUSED ON THE SHORT HEAD. WHY? BECAUSE WITH THE ARM EXTENDED IN FRONT, WITH THE SHOULDERS IN SOME FLEXION, YOU’RE TAKING AWAY SOME OF THAT STRETCHING AND PREACTIVATION BENEFIT THAT WOULD CONTRIBUTE MORE TO THE LONG HEAD BEING A LITTLE MORE ACTIVE PREFERENTIALLY… WHILE EXERCISES THAT HAVE THE ARMS BEHIND THE BODY LIKE AN INCLINE CURL, ARE GOING TO GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET A LITTLE MORE OF THAT STRETCH, TO FOCUS A LITTLE MORE ON THE LONG HEAD.”
4. Base exercises
Cavaliere says not to fall in love with the wrong “magic” exercise. He believes in varying the exercises by mixing them up to muscle hypertrophy and not feeling comfortable with a particular exercise. Studies support combining different training modalities for continued muscle growth. (2).
“GUYS, DON’T FALL IN LOVE WITH ANY MAGIC EXERCISE. JUST MAKE SURE YOU DO ENOUGH OF THEM TO COMPLEMENT YOUR BICEP WORKOUT.”
5. Do only bilateral push-ups
According to Jeff Cavaliere, doing push-ups with both arms simultaneously creates the overload problem and addresses the problem. muscle imbalances. He suggests alternating dumbbells Because they require less core strength While focusing on one side at a time.
6. Do not overload supination when doing curls
Cavaliere says that including and overloading supination improves biceps training results. Instead of grabbing the weight In the center, hold the dumbbell by its edge with your thumb and index finger. This will cause a natural tilt of the dumbbell, which increases supination and leads to more effective biceps growth.
“SUPINATION IS THE MAIN DIFFERENTIATOR BETWEEN THE BICEPS AND THOSE OTHER TWO ELBOW FLEXORS, THE BRACHIALIS AND THE BRACHIORADIALIS.”
Additional tips for training biceps
Jeff Cavaliere also includes some tips to make biceps training more effective. Here are some tips on how to perform biceps training.
Sliced reps
In split reps, the weight is not lowered, but lowered one-ninth of the way on the first rep. On the next rep, it is lowered two-ninths of the way. Continue this progression until you achieve a full curl on the ninth rep.
Slow repetitions
Cavaliere recommends always doing slow reps in every workout. This creates constant tension on the target muscles and can build muscle mass and strength.
Representatives of Purgatory
Here’s what Jeff Cavaliere had to say about this:
“WE BRING ONE ARM DOWN, CURL IT ALL THE WAY UP, AND THEN STOP AND STAY IN PURGATORY ON THAT DIFFICULT PART OF THE REP, WHILE THEN WE START THE MOVEMENT ON THE OTHER SIDE. SO WHILE ONE ARM IS TECHNICALLY PERFORMING THE MOVEMENT OF THE REP, BOTH ARMS ARE WORKING HERE, AND IT’S ANOTHER WAY TO PROVIDE MORE STIMULUS AND MORE OVERLOAD TO THE BICEPS.”
Mechanical drop sets
Mechanic descending series involves mixing a variety of bicep curl styles and techniques until you achieve failureThis study demonstrates that training to muscle failure activates target muscles and may benefit muscle growth. (3)Descending sets are also a time-effective strategy to induce muscle development.
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References
- Calatayud, J., Vinstrup, J., Jakobsen, MD, Sundstrup, E., Brandt, M., Jay, K., Colado, J.C., & Andersen, L.L. (2016). Importance of the mind-muscle connection during progressive resistance training. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 116(3), 527–533. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-015-3305-7
- Krzysztofik, M., Wilk, M., Wojdała, G., & Gołaś, A. (2019). Maximizing muscle hypertrophy: a systematic review of advanced resistance training techniques and methods. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(24), 4897. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16244897
- Nóbrega, SR, & Libardi, CA (2016). Is resistance training to muscle failure necessary? Frontiers in physiology, 7, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2016.00010
