How To Perform The Barbell Curl

The barbell curl is one of the first bodybuilding exercises that a lot of people are introduced to when they first start working out. While I can think of probably at least 3 free weights exercises that will increase the overall size and musculature of your arms quicker than barbell curls alone, most people think that they need to be performing hard core arm workouts that include 10 - 20 sets of isolation style bicep curls in order to build bigger arms.

If you need a good solid bicep exercise that will literally force you to build muscle mass and improve the size and shape of your arms, I can't think of any better movement to stick into your arm workout than heavy barbell curls. While I usually like to promote compound exercises for building muscle mass, I don't really consider the straight bar curl to be a compound movement. It is however, as close as you're going to get to a compound exercise that targets your biceps.

Aside from targeting the muscles in your biceps, the straight bar curl also incorporates various muscles in your chest, shoulders and back, as well as a bunch of stabilizer muscles. While most of these additional muscle groups have limited involvement in making the weight move through the course of this exercise, simply getting a few of the bigger muscle groups in your upper body involved at the same time will produce a more anabolic environment in your biceps and will over time lead to bigger arms.

The biggest benefit to performing basic curls is that you can lift very heavy weight, which in turn stimulates new muscle growth with each and every. Even with good form, you'll be able to hammer your biceps with a much heavier weight than you would with any other isolation style bicep exercise. Just in case you haven't caught on yet, training with heavy weights through a complete range of motion is the best way to stimulate new muscle growth and increase your strength levels - so stick with what works here and focus on hitting your biceps hard!

I always make it a point to include heavy basic curls into each of my bicep workouts so that I can make sure and encourage new muscle growth each time I work my biceps. If you want to get the most out of this exercise, design your arm workout so that you're performing heavy basic curls before you jump into any isolation exercises. This will allow you to make sure that you're working your arms with heavy enough weight to make them grow before even think of incorporating any lighter weight isolation exercises. I will
typically perform anywhere from 2 - 4 sets of barbell curls followed by 1 - 2 sets of any other isolation style exercise in order to complete my bicep workouts.

How To Perform The Straight Bar Curl

If you really want to build bigger arms, you need to learn how to perform the straight bar curl with decent form. If you neglect your weight training form you will eventually wind up hurting yourself and you may not be able to lift at all. So make it a point to learn how to train with good muscle building form.

In order to perform the barbell curl:

1.) Spread your feet out shoulder width
2.) Bend at your knees and grasp the bar with an underhand grip
3.) Stand upright with the barbell hanging in front of you
4.) Hold your back straight with your shoulders back
5.) Curl the bar up to the top of your shoulders
6.) Pause for a second and then lower the weight (under control) back down to the starting position

If you're serious about building bigger biceps and you want to do it naturally, then the simple barbell curl should be a staple in your everyday bicep workouts. While there is certainly nothing glamorous about performing barbell curls, over time you will be able to pack on some serious muscle mass on your arms.

Hopefully this quick introduction into how to perform the barbell curl will help you achieve your muscle building goals. If you enjoyed these tips and you're serious about building muscle mass naturally, you'll love the practical advice found in the Muscle Mass Advantage, check it out today and learn how to gain muscle mass and strip off body fat naturally!