6 Best Short Head Bicep Exercises in 2023

Best Short Head Bicep Exercises

Improving the overall strength in your arms is at the top of most people’s priority list. When it comes to building strength in your brachialis or biceps, long-head bicep workouts aren’t all you need. To give your muscle form and accentuate your arms with a more rounded appearance, you’ll need to do some short head bicep exercises as well.

As most fitness enthusiasts know, targeting individual muscle groups can bring effective results. Regardless of whether you want to build your triceps, hamstrings, or biceps, knowing which exercises are most effective can pay off significantly.

That said, you must ensure that you consume sufficient protein. You can do so with the help of a protein powder. You can also boost your overall workout with the right pre-workout. Building your ideal body takes time and is a continuous process. However, to help you get started here are the best short-head bicep exercises to help you out.

What are Short Head Bicep Exercises?

Short-head bicep exercises are exercises that target the short-head bicep that’s located below the long head more on the inner side of your arm. The benefit of short-head exercises is that targeting smaller muscle groups tends to lead to a speedier recovery. 

What does this mean? Well, depending on your workout split, targeting larger muscle groups like your back and legs requires a larger break or recovery time. 

With short-head and long-head bicep exercises, however, can be done a little more frequently.

That said, it’s important that you do not work out your back muscles and arm muscles on consecutive days. This won’t give them adequate time to recover and grow.

Short Head vs. Long Head

Simply put, your bicep has two major muscles that give it form the short head and the long head. While long head exercises add height to your arm, your short head bicep is what adds a more rounded or fuller shape to your bicep. 

While long-head exercises contribute more to your muscle’s peak, short-head exercises help add muscle to the inner or lower side of your arm. When it comes to exercising your arms, make sure that you target your long head, short head, and brachialis. You can do this with exercises that target the muscles individually.

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6 Best Short Head Bicep Exercises 

1. Chin Ups

Chin Ups
Chin Ups

Chin-ups are the best short-head exercises for anyone without dumbbells at home. This short head bicep exercise only requires you to have a sturdy bar or ledge within reach of the ground. 

There’s a common perception that chin-ups mainly target back muscles. However, wide-grip chin-ups target your short-head muscles as well. So if you’re looking to build your overall arm strength, chin-ups are an effective way to go.


How to do Chin Ups:

Step 1: Grip or grab onto a bar for a firm grip and bend or cross your legs so there is adequate distance between you and the floor.

Step 2: Pull yourself up by contracting your biceps and using your elbows. 

Step 3: Once your head rises over the bar or ledge hold for 1 to 2 seconds. When doing this, make sure that your torso is as upright as possible (to avoid engaging back muscles more).

Step 4: Slowly lower yourself extending your arms and repeat the process based on your set number of repetitions.

2. Hammer Curls

Hammer Curls
Hammer Curls

When it comes to building your short head bicep, hammer curls are another effective exercise. This exercise requires you to use dumbbells and helps in shortening the short head’s range of motion. The limited movement helps ensure that your short head bicep is focused more.

How to do Hammer Curls:

Step 1: Hold dumbbells in both hands, palms facing the side of your thighs.

Step 2: Raise both arms up to your shoulders and lower them only once angle slightly greater than 90 degrees.

Step 3: Repeat the process as desired making sure that each rep takes at least 4 – 5 seconds.

Reverse Curls

Reverse Curls
Reverse Curls

Quite similar to hammer curls, reverse curls require you to make use of dumbbells and the same motion. That said these curls are done with your palms against the front of your thighs. When it comes to exercising your short-head biceps, making use of curls is effective in building your muscle strength.

How to do Reverse Curls:

Step 1: Hold dumbbells in both hands, palms facing the front of your thighs.

Step 2: Raise both arms up to your shoulders and lower them only once at an angle slightly greater than 90 degrees.

Step 3: Repeat the process as desired making sure that each rep takes at least 4 – 5 seconds.

Wide Grip Barbell Curls

Wide Grip Barbell Curls
Wide Grip Barbell Curls

One of the most effective workouts when it comes to exercising your short head bicep is the wide grip barbell curl. These workouts can help improve your lifting strength in a day to day life and require multiple bicep muscles to accomplish. That said, for amateurs when working out with a barbell, it’s recommended to have a trainer or workout buddy nearby.

How to do Wide Grip Barbell Curls:

Step 1: Grip the barbell with both hands, palms facing away from you.

Step 2: Raise both arms up to your shoulders and lower them only once angle slightly greater than 90 degrees.

Step 3: Repeat the process as desired making sure that each rep takes at least 4 – 5 seconds.

Preacher Curls

Preacher curls make use of a barbell and require you to rest your elbows on a bench. This exercise helps stimulate your muscles a lot quicker into the set. Similar to barbell curls, this exercise for your short head bicep can add a little more variety to your workout routine. 

Preacher Curls
Preacher Curls

How to do Preacher Curls:

Step 1: Hold the dumbbell with both hands and your elbows resting on a bench. Make sure your palms are facing the ceiling

Step 2: Raise both arms and lower them only once angle slightly greater than 90 degrees.

Step 3: Repeat the process making sure that each rep takes 4 – 5 seconds.

6. Concentration Curls

Concentration Curls
Concentration Curls

Staring in a neutral position concentration curls requires you to stay seated on a bench. This work makes use of a barbell and activates short-head biceps effectively. With your muscle pressed against your thigh, it helps with limiting movement focusing on your short head bicep.

How to do Concentration Curls:

Step 1: While seated, hold the dumbbell in your arms leaning against your thigh.

Step 2: Raise both arms up to your shoulders and lower them only once angle slightly greater than 90 degrees.

Step 3: Repeat the process as desired making sure that each rep takes at least 4 – 5 seconds. Once done with an arm, make to alternate for a balanced workout. 

Working Out Your Biceps Better

Exercises for your biceps are some of the most fulfilling when working out frequently. While working out your arms may be relatively easier than your legs, it is important to ensure that you target all muscles equally. Whether it’s a group of muscles in your triceps or biceps, making sure your workouts have variety is crucial.

That said, it’s important that you give your body adequate rest to repair and build your muscles. In this article, we listed the most effective short-head bicep exercises. We hope that you found this helpful for your fitness journey. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an effective short-head bicep exercise that does not require a dumbbell?

One effective exercise for your short head bicep would be wide grip chin-ups. This exercise only requires you to have a sturdy bar or ledge and withstand your body weight.

What is the difference between a hammer curl and a reverse curl?

While both are similar a hammer curl requires your palms to rest against the side of your thighs. With reverse curls, your palms are required to rest on the front of your thighs. If it makes it easier to distinguish, the movement in hammer curls resembles how one would use a hammer.

Do wide-grip barbell curls target short-head biceps?

Yes. Wide grip barbell curls are one of the best short-head bicep exercises to include in your workout routine.

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