When most lifters train biceps, their go-to movements typically include barbell curls, dumbbell curls, and cable variations. While these staples are effective, they are far from comprehensive. Many lesser-known bicep exercises have fallen by the wayside over the decades, yet they can significantly enhance hypertrophy and strength when integrated properly.
This article uncovers three forgotten bicep exercises that have roots in classic bodybuilding lore and are now supported by modern science.
Each is selected for its unique ability to stimulate the biceps brachii and supporting musculature in ways that standard curls do not. Whether you’re seeking fresh stimulus, overcoming a plateau, or aiming for maximal bicep development, these movements offer serious results.
Why the Biceps Need Variety
The biceps brachii consists of two heads — the long head and the short head. Alongside the brachialis and brachioradialis, these muscles work together during elbow flexion, forearm supination, and shoulder flexion. To maximize hypertrophy, it’s essential to vary the angle of resistance, range of motion, and type of contraction used in training.
Studies have demonstrated that both muscle activation and fiber recruitment are dependent on joint angles and the specific phase of muscle contraction used (Schoenfeld, 2010). Without variation, adaptations stagnate and plateaus ensue.
[wpcode id=”229888″]Neglecting different planes of motion or alternative contraction styles leaves significant gains on the table. This is particularly true for advanced lifters who have already adapted to conventional movements. Incorporating forgotten or less-utilized exercises reintroduces novel mechanical stress, promoting new muscle growth via muscle damage, metabolic stress, and progressive overload (Schoenfeld, 2010; Wakahara et al., 2013).
Exercise 1: Zottman Curl
Overview
The Zottman curl is a unique hybrid movement combining the supinated (palms-up) curl and the pronated (palms-down) eccentric. First popularized by 19th-century strongman George Zottman, this exercise is remarkably efficient for targeting both the biceps brachii and the forearms — specifically the brachioradialis.
How It Works
The Zottman curl begins like a traditional dumbbell curl with a supinated grip. At the top of the curl, the wrists rotate into a pronated position before slowly lowering the weights. This eccentric portion places a heavy load on the forearms and brachialis, which are often undertrained in typical bicep workouts.
Scientific Rationale
The eccentric phase of muscle contraction has been shown to induce greater muscle hypertrophy compared to concentric loading due to increased mechanical tension and muscle damage (Roig et al., 2009). Because the Zottman curl emphasizes the eccentric portion of the lift in a pronated grip, it enhances both time under tension and joint stability — while recruiting more Type II fibers in the brachialis and brachioradialis (Hortobagyi et al., 1996).
Moreover, alternating between supination and pronation within one movement increases overall muscle recruitment, activating secondary muscles often overlooked in strict biceps curls. This helps improve arm symmetry and reduces muscular imbalances.
Programming Tip
Use moderate weight for 3–4 sets of 10–12 reps. Focus on controlling the eccentric phase for 3–4 seconds per rep. Because of the forearm involvement, this exercise also indirectly benefits grip strength — a key predictor of upper-body functional capacity (Bohannon, 2001).
Exercise 2: Bayesian Cable Curl
Overview
The Bayesian cable curl is performed with the cable machine set behind the body, with the lifter stepping forward to create a stretch in the long head of the biceps. The body leans slightly forward while the arm is extended behind the torso — a position that places a unique stretch on the biceps, especially the long head.
How It Works
The exercise starts with the arm fully extended and slightly behind the torso, emphasizing shoulder extension. From this stretched position, the lifter curls the handle toward the shoulder, maintaining elbow position and constant cable tension throughout the movement.
Scientific Rationale
The long head of the biceps crosses both the elbow and the shoulder joint. Training the muscle in a stretched position while it is actively lengthened increases mechanical loading and muscle hypertrophy potential — especially at longer muscle lengths. Studies confirm that training at longer muscle lengths induces greater hypertrophy due to increased passive tension and sarcomere remodeling (Maeo et al., 2021; Noorkõiv et al., 2014).
The Bayesian curl effectively targets the long head by maximizing tension when the muscle is elongated. Standard curls performed in front of the body — such as barbell or preacher curls — do not stretch the long head significantly due to minimal shoulder extension. By keeping the arm behind the body, the Bayesian curl offers a powerful hypertrophic stimulus that is biomechanically sound and difficult to replicate with other movements.
Programming Tip
Perform 3–5 sets of 8–12 reps using a cable machine with low-to-moderate weight. Keep constant tension throughout the movement and avoid using body momentum. Prioritize mind-muscle connection by controlling both the concentric and eccentric phases.
Exercise 3: Drag Curl
Overview
Drag curls were famously used by bodybuilders like Vince Gironda and offer a distinctive take on elbow flexion. Instead of curling the bar upward in an arc, the barbell or EZ-curl bar is dragged vertically along the torso as the elbows move backward. This minimizes anterior deltoid activation and places the load directly on the biceps.
How It Works
In a standard curl, elbow flexion is accompanied by shoulder flexion, which means the front deltoid assists the lift. In the drag curl, by keeping the bar close to the body and moving the elbows backward, the deltoids are minimized. This increases isolation on the biceps, particularly the short head.
Scientific Rationale
EMG studies have shown that when shoulder involvement is minimized during curling motions, biceps activation increases due to reduced contribution from synergistic muscles like the deltoid (Oliveira et al., 2009). This makes drag curls ideal for isolating the biceps brachii, especially when lifters compensate too heavily with shoulders during conventional curls.
Furthermore, the unique elbow path in drag curls emphasizes peak contraction and enhances internal loading of the biceps during the shortened phase — a crucial but often underloaded position in hypertrophy training (Wakahara et al., 2012).
Drag curls also prevent “cheating” via momentum, since the movement restricts swinging and forces strict form. This added stability reduces injury risk while enhancing muscular fatigue and recruitment.
Programming Tip
Use a barbell or EZ-curl bar and perform 3–4 sets of 10–15 reps. Focus on squeezing the biceps hard at the top and use slow, controlled movement. Avoid allowing the elbows to drift forward or the torso to lean back. Because the movement is limited in range, time under tension should be maximized through tempo control.
Integration Into Your Routine
These three forgotten exercises can be implemented as either primary or accessory movements, depending on the structure of your training program. For balanced development, it is recommended to vary grip position, elbow alignment, and shoulder involvement across your biceps training week. For example:
- Monday (Heavy Day): Barbell curl, drag curl
- Thursday (Volume Day): Bayesian curl, Zottman curl
Alternatively, these exercises can be used in supersets or tri-sets to maximize metabolic stress. Research supports combining multiple hypertrophy mechanisms — mechanical tension, muscle damage, and metabolic stress — to optimize muscle growth (Schoenfeld, 2010).
Including movements like the Zottman curl also improves forearm development and grip endurance, benefiting compound lifts such as deadlifts, rows, and pull-ups. Similarly, long-head-focused training such as Bayesian curls contributes to a fuller bicep peak by elongating the muscle bellies — a visual benefit highly sought in physique training.
Bibliography
Bohannon, R.W. (2001). ‘Hand-grip dynamometry predicts future outcomes in aging adults’, Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy, 24(3), pp. 3–10.
Hortobagyi, T., Hill, J.P., Houmard, J.A., Fraser, D.D., Lambert, N.J. and Israel, R.G. (1996). ‘Adaptive responses to muscle lengthening and shortening in humans’, Journal of Applied Physiology, 80(3), pp. 765–772.
Maeo, S., Yamamoto, M., Kanehisa, H. and Kawakami, Y. (2021). ‘Muscle hypertrophy induced by low-load resistance training with a slow lifting velocity depends on time under tension’, European Journal of Applied Physiology, 121(3), pp. 749–760.
Noorkõiv, M., Nosaka, K. and Blazevich, A.J. (2014). ‘Neuromuscular adaptations associated with knee joint angle-specific force changes after isometric training’, European Journal of Applied Physiology, 114(4), pp. 707–716.
Oliveira, L.F., Matta, T.T., Alves, D.S., Garcia, M.A. and Vieira, T.M. (2009). ‘Effect of the shoulder position on the biceps brachii EMG in different curl exercises’, Journal of Sports Science & Medicine, 8(4), pp. 520–525.
Roig, M., O’Brien, K., Kirk, G., Murray, R., McKinnon, P., Shadgan, B. and Reid, W.D. (2009). ‘The effects of eccentric versus concentric resistance training on muscle strength and mass in healthy adults: a systematic review with meta-analysis’, British Journal of Sports Medicine, 43(8), pp. 556–568.
Schoenfeld, B.J. (2010). ‘The mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy and their application to resistance training’, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24(10), pp. 2857–2872.
Wakahara, T., Fukutani, A., Kawakami, Y. and Yanai, T. (2013). ‘Nonuniform muscle hypertrophy: its relation to muscle activation in training session’, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 45(11), pp. 2158–2165.
Wakahara, T., Miyamoto, N., Sugisaki, N., Murata, K., Kanehisa, H. and Kawakami, Y. (2012). ‘Association between regional differences in muscle activation in one session of resistance exercise and in muscle hypertrophy after resistance training’, European Journal of Applied Physiology, 112(4), pp. 1569–1576.
