Get A Grip! Get More Out Of Your Biceps Curls
Would you like to know how to get more out of every single dumbell curl you do? Amazingly enough, you can do this simply by changing where you grip the dumbell.
First, I'm going to tell you what the trick is, then I'm going to tell you exactly how and why it works. Then I'm going to finish by telling you how to make the trick so powerful it'll blow your mind!
In a nutshell, instead of gripping the handle in the middle (as is normally taught), grip the handle with the thumb and forefinger side of your hand pressed up against the inside of the dumbell plates. There will be a space of several inches between your pinky and the other side plates.
To take full advantage of this change in your grip, start the curl with your palms facing in to your thighs, otherwise known as a neutral or hammer grip. As you curl up, rotate your forearm so that your palm is facing up at the top of the movement. You should feel a strong cramping in your biceps.
For pictures demonstrating exactly how to execute this technique go to: http://www.fitstep.com/Misc/Newsletter-archives/issue7-bicep-tip.htm
Here's how and why it works:
The biceps muscle has two main functions. The first is flexing the elbow (in essence, bringing the forearm closer to the upper arm like when you bend your arm to scratch your nose). The other function is called supination, which is a biomechanical term for forearm rotation. Supination occurs when you turn your hand from a palms-down position to a palms-up position.
The traditional dumbell curl without forearm rotation addresses the flexing function of the bicep. Rotating your forearm as you curl the dumbell up invokes the supination function of the bicep, working more of the muscle mass of the bicep and giving you a stronger contraction.
Holding the dumbell off-center essentially adds resistance to the supination function of the bicep muscle. If you think about it, when you hold your hand in the middle of the dumbell, the two ends are balanced like two identical-weight people on a see-saw. You get very little, if any, resistance on the supination.
By holding the dumbell off-center, you tip the balance of the dumbell towards the pinky side of your hand. Your bicep must then work against resistance to accomplish the supination, adding in more resistance to the curl movement.
This resistance translates into more efficient work for the bicep and, ultimately, more results for you!
---
Now I'm going to tell you how to adapt this trick into something that will make your jaw hit the floor on the first rep you do.
You've learned about supination and adding resistance to the supination movement by holding the dumbell off-center. You've felt the difference this makes in your biceps.
Now imagine how much more effective this trick will be if you add actual weight for resistance instead of just shifting your hand over!
In order to accomplish this, you're going to need one of two things: do-it-yourself dumbells with which you can add or remove weight or Plate Mates (TM), which are small magnetic weight plates that stick to the metal of the dumbell.
The execution is simple: make a dumbell with more weight on one end than the other. That's it. For example, place 20 pounds of weight on one end and 25 pounds of weight on the other.
Grip the dumbell in the middle when you use it, making sure that the heavier end is on the pinky side of your hand. If you are using Plate Mates (TM), stick a few of them onto only one side of the dumbell to accomplish the same imbalance.
Now when you curl up and supinate, your bicep is going to have that added resistance on the supination movement. The cramping sensation you get on the very first rep as you come to the top and squeeze the muscle hard will show you just how powerful this technique is. The pump you get in your biceps after your set will seal the deal!
You will also notice that your forearm and grip are getting a lot of work with this trick. This is just icing on the cake and will not decrease the tension on your bicep in any way.
Note: If you are using dumbells that weigh less than 30 pounds total, I would recommend you use a 2 1/2 pound plate on one side rather than a 5 pound plate. Any more than 30 and you should use a 5 pound plate.
Being a dedicated trainer myself, I love to hear how well my tips work for other people. It would be really gratifying to hear from you about how this technique worked for you or any suggestions you might have as to how to make it more effective.
You can send your comments to me at betteru@fitstep.com.
And, when your biceps are so pumped and sore that you can barely brush your teeth the next day, be sure to tell everyone who will listen to you who did this to you:
Nick Nilsson at Fitstep.com!
For more information about the anatomy of the biceps, go to http://www.fitstep.com/Advanced/Anatomy/Biceps.htm?news
About The Author
Nick Nilsson is Vice President of BetterU, Inc., an online exercise, fitness, and personal training company. Check out his latest eBook "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of" at http://www.thebestexercises.com or visit http://www.fitstep.com. You can contact him at betteru@fitstep.com or subscribe to BetterU News, his fitness newsletter at betterunews@fitstep.com.
 Google News Updated : Sat, 30 Aug 2008 12:25:52 GMT US Oil, Gas Producers, Pipelines Brace for Gustav (Update1) - Bloomberg
Bloomberg - By Margot Habiby Aug. 30 (Bloomberg) -- Royal Dutch Shell Plc and BP Plc plan to finish shutting oil and gas production platforms in the Gulf of Mexico and Enbridge Energy Partners LP will close pipelines as Hurricane Gustav gains strength and moves ... More volatility seen with hurricane, payrolls Airlines bounce as oil gives up early gains Publ.Date : Sat, 30 Aug 2008 11:21:02 GMT Experts: Silver lining for ‘viable’ Mitt Romney - Boston Herald Boston Herald - By Edward Mason Mitt Romney - once a top contender to be John McCain’s running mate - may have suffered a bruised ego when he was passed over for the little known Gov. It's not Pawlenty, it's Palin Pawlenty, after the pick, another day at fair Publ.Date : Sat, 30 Aug 2008 04:13:29 GMT Comcast to Place a Cap on Internet Downloads - New York Times
New York Times - By BRIAN STELTER Comcast, one of the country’s largest Internet providers, said this week that it would place limits on customers’ broadband usage. Comcast's Answer to ... Critics Question Comcast Broadband Caps Publ.Date : Sat, 30 Aug 2008 09:08:14 GMT Sign of the times - BBC News
BBC News - As Russia and the West warn of a new Cold War after the Georgian conflict, the BBC's Humphrey Hawksley in Moscow tries to imagine what it would look like. European Union to Hold Urgent Meeting on Russia last straw" for Russia Publ.Date : Sat, 30 Aug 2008 11:10:28 GMT S. Ossetia to be absorbed into Russia - United Press International
United Press International - TSKHINVALI, Georgia, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- South Ossetia says it will become part of Russia and host Russian military bases under a new agreement. Video: UN does have double standards Kremlin announces that South Ossetia will Publ.Date : Sat, 30 Aug 2008 11:01:52 GMT Hurricane Gustav Strengthens, Accelerates, Heads for Cuba, Gulf - Bloomberg
Bloomberg - By Patrick Donahue and Robin Stringer Aug. 30 (Bloomberg) -- Hurricane Gustav strengthened and picked up speed as it headed toward western Cuba and the US Gulf Coast cities ravaged by Katrina and Rita in 2005, after lashing the Cayman Islands with ... Video: Gustav Follows Katrina's Path Some leave Gulf Coast ahead of likely evacuations Publ.Date : Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:40:06 GMT Obama campaign buoyed by convention - Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times - He sees an unusually strong jump in support after the carefully choreographed event in Denver. By Peter Nicholas, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer DENVER -- Amy Pearl is the sort of Democrat who made the Barack Obama campaign nervous. Look out, Palin The Hillary factor . . . Hillary supporters aren't bitter; they're concerned Publ.Date : Sat, 30 Aug 2008 07:00:48 GMT Increase Online Traffic |
PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts,
Websites, and more... With the return of warm weather in the spring, thoughts... Read More In an earlier article we looked at how repetitions contribute... Read More Crazy, ripped, hard abs. That's the key to showing an... Read More Is it possible to gain 80 pounds of shredded muscle... Read More The vast majority of myths about weight gain are mostly... Read More L-glutamine remains the supplement of choice for many bodybuilders. It... Read More Another critical factor to be aware of, is the efficient... Read More Other articles in this series looked at a number of... Read More Many individuals judge the quality of their exercise session from... Read More Becoming familiar with the muscles that make up your body... Read More The outer triceps is an awesome muscle. It sticks out... Read More Steroid prohormones such as androstenedione and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) have become... Read More One of the most common fitness questions this time of... Read More Pipes. Guns. Bazookas.Take your pick. Grab your weapon of choice.This... Read More Push ups are the most convenient way to build up... Read More Other articles in this series looked at a number of... Read More Many people believe you need to train with a variety... Read More Before wasting your money on a pile of bodybuilding supplements... Read More Working as a fitness professional, there is one type of... Read More Traditional strength training consists of performing one to three (or... Read More Chaos is the scientific study of orderly disorder. It offers... Read More You can only build muscle if your body is in... Read More Other articles in this series looked at a number of... Read More By now you've made significant progress in your bodybuilding career.... Read More Do you want a flat stomach? I don't know a... Read More
Adsense
websites
Beach Body Abs
The Importance Of Sets In Your Muscle Building Program
Perfects Abs - Three Ab Routines To Show Your Six Pack
Build 80 Pounds Of Muscle?
Weight Gain Myths
The Role Of L-Glutamine In Building Muscle
The Secret Of The Perfect Program!
Exercise The Right Way - The Seated Calf Raise
Muscle Soreness After Exercise
Know Your Muscles - The Mid-Section
Outer Triceps Workout
Are Prohormones A Safe Alternative To Anabolic Steroids?
How To Get A Flat, Toned Stomach
Pipes, Guns, Bazookas - Killer Biceps
Know All about Power Push Ups
Exercise The Right Way - Seated Pulley Rows
Power Mass Training for Building Muscle Mass
Choosing The Right Bodybuilding Supplement
Body Part Isolation vs. Complex Movements in Strength Training - Build Real Muscle Instead of Fake!
What Is Strength Training?
Maximum Muscle Development with Chaos Training
Creating An Anabolic State That Supports Muscle Growth
Exercise The Right Way - Dumbbell Lunges
Moving From Beginner To Intermediate Level Bodybuilding
4 Secrets to A Flat Stomach
Affordable and Reliable Web Hosting Starting at $4.49/Month
Monster Triceps
They make up the biggest trio in bodybuilding.No, not Arnold,... Read More
Always Shock Your Muscles For Maximum Growth
Always try to "trick" your muscles into growth. You never... Read More
Bodybuilding Sins That Cause Back Pain and Missed Workouts: Part 3
Welcome to article number 2 in our series "Bodybuilding Sins... Read More
How To Gain Weight
Until I started following a routine to eat, my gains... Read More
Muscle Building Workout For This Week!
As experts says, "NO PAIN, NO GAIN." This specially applies... Read More
Exercise The Right Way - The Deadlift
Other articles in this series looked at a number of... Read More
Exercise The Right Way - The Crunch
Other articles in this series looked at a number of... Read More
Exercise The Right Way - The Leg Press
Other articles in this series looked at a number of... Read More
Muscle Building Training Tips For Beginners
(*) Proper bodybuilding exercises technique.First steps in muscle building training... Read More
The Amazing Benefits of Resistance Training
When it comes to exercise, resistance training is often overlooked.... Read More
Lift More Now - Weight Less Forever!
It's week three, and you've already learned the importance of... Read More
Bodybuilding Benefits - The Price for Confidence!
Success came to me at an early age. However, it... Read More
NO2 Muscle Enhancing Hemodialator
Whenever I go to the gym and tell a friend... Read More
Weight Training Terminology For Beginners
Weight training is one of the best ways to shape... Read More
Gain Weight Fast With These Ten Powerful Tips! Part -2
By the time you finish reading this you will have... Read More
Building Better Biceps
Two of the nine pivot points - those stunning body... Read More
Re-ignite Your Chest Training Progress
Effective Chest Training, Like Everything Else, Begins With The Proper... Read More
The Role Of Repetitions In Your Muscle Building Program
Repetitions are the basic building blocks of any strength or... Read More
Preliminary Isometric Tension Improves the Effectiveness of Dynamic Work by up to 20%
Are you looking for a simple and effective way to... Read More
4 Secrets to A Flat Stomach
Do you want a flat stomach? I don't know a... Read More
The Baby Boomer Athlete
Are you a Baby Boomer? If you were born between... Read More
Personal Training: 3 Powerful Ways to Position Yourself as an Expert
Regardless of what profession you are in, it is critical... Read More
Exercise The Right Way - The Leg Extension
Other articles in this series looked at a number of... Read More
Complete Pec Training Tips
Put these pec techniques to use and develop that full,... Read More
Chest Exercises For Beginning Bodybuilders
The chest area is one of the easist muscle groups... Read More
Muscle Building & Bodybuilding |