Arm curls on the lower block- an exercise in which the load is approximately the same in all phases of the exercise.
Borrow starting position - standing facing lower block. Grab the handle or bar with an underhand grip.
- Take a breath. Bend your elbows.
- Exhale.
Important: in this exercise, the difficulty can be adjusted not only by the weight of the block, but also by the distance from the machine - the further you move, the harder it is to perform the exercise (within reasonable limits).
When performing arm curls in the lower block, you are tempted to help yourself with your back. You need to keep your back straight. If you feel that you cannot do this exercise more than 7 times, reduce the weight of the block.
This exercise is recommended to be performed after basic exercises on the biceps. It does an excellent job of isolated training of the biceps muscles of the arms. Suitable for both beginner athletes and experienced athletes. To build up your biceps, you usually do free weight exercises first, these are exercises with a barbell and dumbbells. In such exercises, the load vector always coincides with the force of gravity. And when this vector passes along the arms, the work of the biceps tends to zero. This can be noticed in two positions: when the arms are lowered and when the arms are bent at the elbows. Cable exercises differ from free weight exercises mainly in the load vector. When bending the arms on the lower block, the load vector is directed along the cable and does not coincide with the force of gravity. At the bottom point, when the arms are straightened, the load vector coincides with the axis of the arms and the biceps is relaxed, but at the top point, when the arms are bent, the load vector does not coincide with the axis of the arms and the biceps continues to be under load. If you haven't already done so, you should definitely include biceps curls in your workout, regardless of your fitness level. Unusual load contributes to better development of biceps and their growth. In addition, the variety of exercises helps prevent addiction to exercises and the associated stagnation in progress.
For convenience, you can do arm curls on the lower block not only with a straight handle, but also with a curved one. This will be especially true for those who complain of pain in their hands when working with a conventional handle. You need to understand that the grip in this exercise matters, and the more the palms are turned upward, the better the biceps can contract. There is also an option to perform this exercise with ropes. In this case, the load moves towards the brachialis.
Your back should be kept straight throughout the entire exercise, your shoulder blades should be together, your chest should be forward. Sometimes you can find gym goers who perform lat pulldowns while leaning backwards. This is wrong, because you are not pulling with your biceps, but with your body weight. Just as with other biceps exercises, you need to carefully monitor your elbows, they should remain static and pressed to the body. The grip should be slightly wider than shoulder width or shoulder width apart. A grip that is too narrow or wide can lead to pain in the wrists.
The exercise is an isolating exercise that perfectly increases the volume and definition of the biceps. There are block exercise machines in almost every gym, so there should be no problems with performing this exercise.
Technique for performing standing arm curls from the lower block to the biceps:
- Stand facing the machine, a little more than an arm's length away.
- Shoulders straightened, back straight, feet shoulder-width apart.
- Grasp the bar with an underhand grip (palms facing up). The elbows are pressed to the body or slightly pushed forward.
- Inhale, and as you exhale, lift the bar up.
- When the bar reaches the top point, hold it for a moment and slowly lower it while inhaling.
- Repeat the bicep curl for the given number of reps.
Muscles involved in the exercise
Features of standing arm curls from the lower block to the biceps:
- Stand as close to the machine as possible. Thus, the load on the muscles will be maximum.
- Don't lean your body back and forth (cheat) to help you pull the weight.
- Do not bring your elbows too far forward while lifting the bar.
- Do not jerk, especially at the bottom. This can injure the ligaments and elbow joint. You need to perform the exercise slowly, controlling the weight at each point.
Bending the arms while standing from the lower block to the biceps perfectly increases strength and volume indicators. You can also perform it as a finishing exercise, without rest, lowering the number of repetitions and weight. At the end, to finish off your hands as much as possible, you can do
Greetings, dear comrades! And today we’ll talk about overhead biceps curls on the upper block.
Wednesday on the calendar 18 October, which means it's time for a technical note on . After reading, you will learn everything about the muscle atlas, the advantages and technique of performing the exercise, we will also find out the degree of its effectiveness and the advisability of including it in the training program.
So, take your seats in the auditorium, we are starting.
Overhead biceps curl on a pulley. What, why and why?
As you know (you know, right? :)) the AB project already has a fairly extensive technical base - the most significant exercises used in training have been considered. Most of them are familiar to you firsthand, and some of them you have to deal with for the first time. Most likely, our current object of study - the exercise of curling the biceps over the head on the upper block, belongs to the category of “what the...?”, i.e. rarely used, and that's good. For the more valuable our material will be.
Note:
For better assimilation of the material, all further narration will be divided into subchapters.
Muscle atlas
The exercise belongs to the isolated class and is aimed at working the biceps brachii muscle.
The muscle ensemble includes the following units:
- targeted – biceps;
- synergists/auxiliary – brachialis, brachioradialis.
A complete muscle atlas looks like this.
Advantages
By performing the overhead biceps curl exercise on an overhead pulley, you can expect to receive the following benefits:
- isolated biceps workout;
- formation of the peak of the biceps;
- formation of hand relief;
- constant presence of the target muscle in work (without turning off at the extreme points of the trajectory);
- good stretching of the muscle in the negative/eccentric phase;
- exclusion of the anterior delta from work (removing the load from the frontal beam).
Execution technique
Overhead biceps curls on an overhead pulley are classified as exercises entry level complexity. The step-by-step execution technique is as follows:
Step #0.
Go to the crossover machine and set the desired weight on each side of the blocks. Adjust (if the machine allows it) the height of the pulleys and make sure that they are located slightly above shoulder level. Taking the handles of each block in your hands, take the middle position in the simulator. The position of the arms and legs is as follows: the arms are slightly bent and parallel to the floor, and the legs are shoulder-width apart. This is your starting position.
Step #1.
Inhale and as you exhale, slowly and under control, by contracting the biceps brachii muscle, bring your arms towards your head (until your forearms touch your biceps). As you inhale, return your forearms to the IP position. Repeat the specified number of times.
In picture form, all this disgrace looks like this:
In motion like this:
Variations
In addition to the standard version of bending your arms overhead on the upper block, there are several variations of the exercise:
- bending while sitting on a bench;
- alternating bends with one hand.
Secrets and subtleties
To get the most out of the exercise, follow these guidelines:
- When performing the exercise, do not move your elbows, only your forearms move;
- in a stretched position, do not straighten your arms completely;
- bring the contraction until your forearms touch the biceps;
- perform the extension phase slowly and under control, and the flexion phase quickly and explosively;
- during execution, do not tilt your body forward/backward, but keep it straight;
- breathing technique: exhale - when bending/contracting, inhale - when extending/returning to the IP;
- numerical training parameters: number of approaches 3 , number of repetitions – 12-15 .
We're done with the theoretical side, now let's look at some practical points.
Overhead biceps curl on the overhead pulley - effective exercise for the biceps brachii?
Research data (American Council on Exercise, University of Wisconsin, USA, 2016 ) according to electrical activity among the eight most popular biceps exercises showed the following results:
- Concentrated dumbbell curl for biceps – 96 ;
- pull-ups reverse grip – 81 ;
- bending the arms on the upper block - 81 ;
- lifting the barbell (EZ-bar) wide grip – 75 ;
- curling arms on a Scott bench - 68 .
Conclusion: curling the arms on the upper block is one of best exercises for working out the heads of the biceps. In addition, unlike its “brothers”, it has an important unique property - the creation of constant tension in the target region, which allows the muscle to work without turning off at the extreme points, thereby creating best effect pumping.
How can a girl avoid pumping up her arms?
I don’t want hands like a man’s, how can I avoid pumping them up? - this question very often comes to the mail of the AB project. I must say that this is a very correct question, and here’s why. For the most part, the trainers in the gyms are men, and when forming an exercise regimen for girls, they “stick in” the exercises that are closest to them. Often this is curling the arms with a barbell on a Scott bench.
This approach - selecting male exercises for female purposes - is not entirely correct, so young ladies should ask/demand their mentors to include more isolated, block-lever exercises in PT on their hands.
Actually, we’re done with the content, let’s summarize.
Afterword
Biceps curls overhead on the upper block are a rare, but very effective (especially for girls) exercise for working the biceps brachii muscle. If you have never used it in your PT until now, then be sure to try it, otherwise why did we write this article :).
That's all, thank you for the pleasant company. See you soon!
PS: Do you have blocks in your hall? Do you use it?
PPS: did the project help? Then leave a link to it as your status social network- plus 100 points towards karma guaranteed :)
With respect and gratitude, Dmitry Protasov.
The biceps or biceps brachii muscle is a fairly large muscle group. It is located in the area of the front surface of the shoulder and plays vital role while bending the arm at the elbow joint. Exists large number exercises that will help develop this muscle group. By doing biceps curls on the upper block, you can develop the muscle in isolation, this will increase its volume, create relief, and also increase strength.
The biceps brachii muscle can be effectively developed not only with dumbbells and barbells. Many athletes very often exercise on a block simulator, the so-called crossover. Thanks to it, you can pump up the target muscle group in isolation, as well as work on the relief. Crossover biceps curls are done by both experienced bodybuilders and beginners because it is quite simple and safe. It is very important to work technically correctly, and also to practice without cheating. All necessary movements perform only thanks to the efforts of the target muscle group. There are several variations of pumping biceps in the simulator.
To perform this sports element you will need a regular horizontal bench:
- Place a bench near the exercise machine.
- Lie down on a bench with your head facing the top block.
- Grasp the special handle with both hands. The grip is reverse and wide enough.
- Starting position – arms straightened up, gaze directed forward.
- Exhale – pull the handle to your forehead. Keep your biceps under constant tension. Inhale - return to the starting position.
- Do a couple of reps.
Watch your elbows, they should not move to the sides. Set a comfortable weight on the upper block, work in comfortable conditions. The shoulders should remain static. About 8-12 repetitions of this sports element are enough. The number of sets depends on the main goal training process.
- Set the required weight on the blocks on the right and left sides.
- Stand firmly in the middle of the machine. Take the special handles in your straightened hands. Keep your back straight.
- As you exhale, contract your biceps and then pull the weight toward your head.
- Return to the starting position.
- Perform the required number of repetitions of the exercise.
You can work with your right and left hands alternately. Thus, the athlete will be able to effectively pump not only his biceps, but also brachioradialis muscle. This exercise is best suited for fairly experienced athletes.
This movement is perfect for both professionals and beginners. It is very similar to the classic dumbbell exercise.
- Sit on a bench facing the machine and grab the handle;
- Rest your elbow on your knee;
- Inhale and as you exhale, pull the handle so that it almost touches the front deltoid;
- Return to the starting position.
Do not fully extend your elbow, otherwise this may lead to injury. Concentrated biceps curls are a fairly challenging exercise. It is very important to perform all movements technically correctly. You must work only with the help of the biceps muscle, do not make sudden jerks. The torso should be in static position. Concentrated bicep curls help build the peak of the biceps. You can also exercise while standing.
How to supplement the training?
If you only work in a crossover, you will not fully work the biceps muscle, so be sure to include the following exercises in your program.
Works well not only target muscle, but also brachialis muscle, as well as all the muscles of the forearm.
Take sports equipment in your hands, grab the opposite one. Keep your back straight. The torso should be in a static position at all times.
- Using the biceps brachii muscle, begin to bend your elbows.
- Fix the position of your elbows.
- Pause briefly at the top of the movement.
- Return to the starting position.
Barbell curls require special technical skills. Very often in gyms you can see a picture of an inexperienced athlete trying to lift Weight Limit, while the technique when bending the arms with a barbell suffers greatly. There is no need to hang a huge number of weights on the sports equipment while doing biceps curls. Beginners can practice even with an empty bar for the first time. Or, if you're doing dumbbell curls, use the lightest weight possible for you to practice the technique first.
- Sit on the bench, you should be comfortable and comfortable.
- Take not very heavy dumbbells in your hands; you need to determine the working weight yourself.
- Simultaneously raise your right and left hand upward, turning the brushes towards you.
- Slowly lower the dumbbells down, keeping your elbow fully extended.
You need to do dumbbell bicep curls at a slow pace. Some often work with their right and left hands alternately. Use dumbbells of different weights if you have a large imbalance in the development of arm muscles. One of the most popular biceps curls with dumbbells is considered.
How to create a training plan?
To achieve a certain result, it is necessary to create a high-quality training program. In one lesson you can work not only the biceps brachii muscle, but also others muscle groups. When drawing up a training plan, you need to take into account your individual characteristics. Effective program may consist of the following exercises.
| Exercise name | Number of approaches | Number of repetitions | Notes |
| Reverse grip pull-ups | 2 | Maximum number of times | Perform at the end of the warm-up |
| Barbell curls | 4 | 8-12 | You can also use dumbbells |
| Concentrated curls | 4 | 10 per hand | A technically difficult exercise that can be replaced |
| Bend your arms overhead on a pulley. | 3-4 | 12 | Performed using a block simulator |
Do these exercises once a week. During this time your muscle fibers will have time to recover well. A qualified specialist will help you create a better training program. It is also important to adhere to a proper diet and consume plenty of proteins and complex carbohydrates. Before each workout, the athlete should warm up well.
Please take into account the fact that ideal program for pumping the biceps brachii muscle does not exist. Each person is an individual. You must find a suitable lesson plan through trial and error. Monitor how your body reacts to a specific exercise. Within a few weeks after the start of the training, you will notice the first changes. The muscles will become much larger and more voluminous, and your strength indicators will increase several times.
Just from the name of this movement it becomes clear that the target muscle is the biceps. Also, in addition to it, the brachial muscle (brachialis), pronator teres and brachioradialis muscle take part in the work. With strict adherence to the technique of performing the movement, the main load will fall on the biceps. The movement should not be performed if there is damage to the elbow joint or wrist.
How to properly perform biceps curls on a block?
The exercise can be performed in a crossover in a standing or sitting position, as well as on a horizontal bench while lying down.
How to perform crossover curls?
First, you should attach the semicircular handles to the machine. Take them with a reverse grip and position yourself strictly in the center of the machine. It is advisable that the blocks are located approximately 30 or 40 centimeters above your shoulder joints. Bend slightly elbow joints, and the hands should be located in the same plane with the racks of the simulator.
Turn your hands slightly towards you and try to maintain tension in the muscles throughout the movement. shoulder girdle and wrists. Ignoring this advice will significantly increase the risk of joint dislocation. Tightening your biceps, begin to pull the handles towards you until your hands are in the temple area. In this position, you should pause for one or two seconds.
Make sure that during movement your arms from the shoulder to the elbow joints are in the same position, namely, parallel to the ground. This will eliminate other muscles from working and improve the quality of working out the target muscle.
How to perform arm curls on a horizontal bench?
Place a bench near the support of the machine and attach a straight handle. Lie on your back and take the handle of the exercise machine with a reverse grip. It is necessary to position your head towards the counter. Place your feet on the ground and let your head hang slightly off the bench.
Secure your wrist and shoulders, making sure that shoulder joints were located perpendicular to the ground. Tightening your biceps, begin to pull the handle towards your forehead, bending only your elbow joint. In the extreme position it is necessary to pause.
This option for performing an exercise for training biceps on a block is very convenient, since the body is located in a horizontal plane and is fixed. Instead of a straight one, you can use an EZ-handle.
We have already said that this movement must be performed in the final phase of your lesson. You should not use it as a main one, as it will be more effective after basic movements. You should also use a small or average weight, since the muscles were already very tired during the previous movements. Perform 3 to 4 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions each.
The most common mistakes when training biceps
Some athletes find it quite difficult to perform this movement with full amplitude. As a result, they do not fully extend their arms in the lower position of the trajectory; this is a rather serious mistake, since it does not allow maximum load on the target muscle.
If used heavy weight, then the athlete’s body can begin to sway, which as a result significantly reduces the load on the biceps. Try to keep your body level or perform the movement on a bench. Only a slight tilt of the body back is allowed, but not to the sides or forward.
If, when performing other movements on the biceps, when performing curls on the block, the elbow joints remain mobile. At the same time, they should not swing, and only a slight extension forward in the upper extreme position is allowed. It is also necessary to ensure that the exercise is performed with muscle strength, and not due to the movement of the hands.
As with any movement, you need to be careful with your technique. Of course, this primarily concerns beginners, who often rush to progress the load without fully mastering the movement. You must understand that only a technically correctly performed movement can benefit you. Moreover, if you violate the technique and at the same time use heavy weights, then the likelihood of damage will increase sharply. Only by performing the biceps movement on the block technically competently can you get the desired result.
Check out the technique of training biceps on a block machine in this video:
