The 5 best biceps exercises you may not even know!

Build big biceps without boredom!

Most people reach straight for single-arm or big axis lifts when training their biceps. How boring.

There's nothing wrong with the exercise, but if you've been doing the same thing for 10 years, it's time for a change.

It takes extraordinary means to get extraordinary results. Here's a list of five extraordinary exercises to spice up your biceps training.

1. Shrugs with a narrow underhand grip on a thick trapeze

How much do you load up on regular biceps lifts? Probably not much. Maybe half your bodyweight for 10 reps? Maybe 60 pounds if you're incredibly strong? What if you could put all your weight on the axle?

That's the reality of pushups. A narrow grip will completely destroy your biceps and a thick trapeze bar will provide more muscle development and nervous system stimulation.

Start with your hands a little closer than the width of your shoulders. As you get stronger, you can also get your hands closer together. If the trapeze will allow it, your hands can touch comfortably.

If you don't have access to a thick trapeze bar, get extensions or find a thick trapeze bar somewhere out in the playground.

2. Pulling the sled with changing hands

This is a great exercise for back and biceps strength. You'll need to engage every muscle fiber of the pulling muscles and the back will tire first, so the biceps will have to help out.

Load up with a good amount of weight. It's an effective and safe exercise because the whole body is involved.

Practice 3-5 sets depending on how long your rope is.

3. Biceps lifts with rope

Changing the attachment will spice up your biceps workout. A rope or towel will force your grip to work harder, which can bring new growth.

You can train this on a pulley, but threading a rope through a few kettlebells is easier. Make sure you get to full extension at the bottom. At the top, squeeze the rope as hard as you can and clench your biceps.

Practice 3-4 sets of 8-15 reps.

4. 90° bends with isometric posture

This exercise overloads the biceps in a specific joint position that you usually can't achieve with a single-arm or big axis lift.

The isometric hold is absolutely brutal. It will make your midsection, biceps and shoulders hate you, but it will make everything noticeably stronger.

Practice 2-3 sets and keep at 90° for as long as possible.

5. 1.5 one-arm deadlifts on a positively inclined bench

This is a great exercise to end your upper body workout with. The positive incline of the bench allows for maximum biceps stretch, and the extra half repetition will get you massively pumped. By the sixth rep, you'll have done enough because you'll technically have done 9 of them.

Practice this with a lighter weight and focus on the stretch at the bottom of the exercise. Try for 3-4 sets and 10-20 reps.

Bonus: add attachments to everything

Extensions for a thicker axle can be added to just about anything. Push-ups, pull-ups, extensions and everything in between.

They increase overall muscle engagement because you'll naturally clench the thicker axis more, creating more tension in your muscles. As a result, you'll be bigger and stronger.

Source: www.t-nation-com -5 Best Biceps Exercises You Don't Do
By Brandon Holder