Building strong, functional, and aesthetic arms requires more than endless sets of bicep curls. While curls remain a staple for targeting the biceps brachii, scientific evidence suggests that other exercises stimulate greater muscle activation, improve joint health, and enhance overall performance.
This article explores eight underrated arm exercises that outperform curls in both strength and hypertrophy potential. Each section is supported by peer-reviewed research and biomechanical analysis.
Why Bicep Curls Are Overrated
Bicep curls primarily isolate the elbow flexors, particularly the short and long heads of the biceps brachii. While this isolation is valuable for hypertrophy, curls provide limited carryover to functional strength, athletic performance, or compound movement proficiency.
Electromyography (EMG) studies have demonstrated that compound pulling and pressing movements often elicit higher activation in the biceps than isolation curls, due to synergistic recruitment of stabilizing musculature (Signorile et al., 2002).
Furthermore, the biceps operate across both the shoulder and elbow joints, making multi-joint exercises more effective for comprehensive development. The following eight exercises target the arms through multiple ranges of motion, recruit stabilizing muscles, and drive progressive overload beyond what curls alone can achieve.
1. Underrated Arm Exercises: Chin-Ups
Chin-ups are arguably the most effective exercise for biceps growth outside of curls. By using a supinated grip, the biceps brachii are placed in a mechanically advantageous position for elbow flexion. Research comparing chin-ups with pull-ups has shown significantly higher biceps activation during the chin-up variation (Youdas et al., 2010).
Key Benefits
- High mechanical load due to bodyweight resistance.
- Simultaneous recruitment of latissimus dorsi, brachialis, and forearm flexors.
- Functional strength with direct transfer to climbing, pulling, and grappling sports.
2. Underrated Arm Exercises: Inverted Rows
The inverted row is a bodyweight horizontal pulling exercise that challenges the biceps in coordination with the rhomboids and posterior deltoids. EMG analyses confirm that the biceps brachii demonstrate significant activation during horizontal pulling, often comparable to or exceeding traditional curls (Andersen et al., 2014).
Key Benefits
- Adjustable intensity by altering body angle.
- Low equipment requirement.
- Improved scapular stability and posture correction.
3. Rope Hammer Curls on Cable Machine
Unlike traditional curls, hammer variations emphasize the brachialis and brachioradialis, which contribute to arm thickness and strength. Using cables ensures constant tension throughout the range of motion, an advantage over free weights where resistance drops near the top of the lift (Ebben et al., 2009).
Key Benefits
- Balanced development of the upper arm beyond the biceps brachii.
- Enhanced grip and forearm strength.
- Joint-friendly resistance profile due to cables.
4. Underrated Arm Exercises: Zottman Curls
The Zottman curl combines concentric supination with eccentric pronation, targeting both the biceps brachii and forearm extensors. Studies highlight the importance of eccentric overload in promoting greater hypertrophy and tendon resilience (Roig et al., 2009).
Key Benefits
- Simultaneous arm and forearm hypertrophy.
- Superior eccentric loading stimulus.
- Injury-preventive adaptation for the elbow joint.
5. Close-Grip Bench Press
Although classified as a chest press, the close-grip bench press significantly recruits the triceps brachii, which make up nearly two-thirds of the upper arm’s muscle mass. EMG studies show peak activation of the long and medial heads of the triceps during this movement, outperforming isolation exercises like triceps kickbacks (Lehman, 2005).
Key Benefits
- Greater triceps overload compared to isolation lifts.
- Strength transfer to pressing movements such as the standard bench press and overhead press.
- Promotes balanced arm development by emphasizing triceps growth.
6. Underrated Arm Exercises: Overhead Triceps Extensions
The overhead position emphasizes the long head of the triceps due to its biarticular nature across the shoulder and elbow. Research confirms that overhead extensions elicit greater long head activation than pushdowns (Gottschall et al., 2018).
Key Benefits
- Optimal for targeting the largest head of the triceps.
- Improves lockout strength for pressing movements.
- Enhances arm hypertrophy symmetry.
7. Barbell Reverse Curls
Reverse curls target the brachioradialis and brachialis, both essential for forearm strength and elbow stability. Strengthening these muscles provides indirect benefits to biceps aesthetics by thickening the upper arm and reducing overreliance on the biceps brachii for pulling mechanics.
Key Benefits
- Forearm hypertrophy and grip endurance.
- Elbow joint stability.
- Functional strength transfer to pulling and grappling tasks.
8. Underrated Arm Exercises: Dips
Dips are a closed-chain compound exercise that heavily recruit the triceps while also engaging the chest and anterior deltoids. EMG analyses consistently show dips to be among the highest triceps-activating exercises (Boeckh-Behrens & Buskies, 2000).
Key Benefits
- High mechanical tension with scalable resistance.
- Functional strength development in pressing patterns.
- Enhanced hypertrophy stimulus for triceps mass.
Integrating These Exercises Into Training
To maximize hypertrophy and strength, athletes should integrate a balanced selection of these exercises into their programs. Research supports using both compound and isolation movements to optimize muscle growth across different ranges of motion and contraction types (Schoenfeld, 2010).
[wpcode id=”229888″]A sample weekly approach could include:
- Chin-ups and dips for compound strength.
- Overhead extensions and close-grip bench press for triceps emphasis.
- Reverse curls and rope hammer curls for forearm and brachialis development.
- Inverted rows and Zottman curls for balanced pulling strength.
Underrated Arm Exercises: Conclusion
While bicep curls remain valuable, they represent only one piece of arm training. The eight exercises presented here deliver superior muscle activation, joint stability, and hypertrophy potential. By incorporating them strategically, athletes and recreational lifters alike can build arms that are not only bigger but also stronger and more functional.
Key Takeaways
| Exercise | Primary Target | Why It Beats Curls |
|---|---|---|
| Chin-Ups | Biceps & Lats | Higher biceps activation and functional pulling strength |
| Inverted Rows | Biceps & Upper Back | Horizontal pulling with significant biceps recruitment |
| Rope Hammer Curls | Brachialis & Forearms | Constant tension and arm thickness |
| Zottman Curls | Biceps & Forearms | Eccentric overload and forearm development |
| Close-Grip Bench Press | Triceps | Stronger triceps activation than curls provide |
| Overhead Triceps Extensions | Triceps (Long Head) | Optimal long head activation |
| Barbell Reverse Curls | Brachialis & Forearms | Builds forearm and elbow stability |
| Dips | Triceps & Chest | Maximal triceps activation with compound benefits |
References
- Andersen, V., Fimland, M. S., Wiik, E., Skoglund, A., Saeterbakken, A. H. (2014). Effects of grip width on muscle strength and activation in bench press. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 28(12), 3346-3353.
- Boeckh-Behrens, W. U., & Buskies, W. (2000). Elektromyographische Untersuchungen zur Wirkung von Kraftübungen. Sportwissenschaft, 30(4), 384–401.
- Ebben, W. P., Feldmann, C. R., Dayne, A., Mitsche, D., Alexander, P., & Knetzger, K. J. (2009). Muscle activation during various hamstring exercises. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 23(9), 2671–2679.
- Gottschall, J. S., Mills, J., & Hastings, B. (2018). Triceps muscle activity during push-downs and overhead extensions. Journal of Applied Biomechanics, 34(6), 493–498.
- Lehman, G. J. (2005). The influence of grip width and forearm pronation/supination on upper-body myoelectric activity during the flat bench press. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 19(3), 587–591.
- Roig, M., O’Brien, K., Kirk, G., Murray, R., McKinnon, P., Shadgan, B., & 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), 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), 2857–2872.
- Signorile, J. F., Zink, A. J., & Szwed, S. P. (2002). A comparative electromyographical investigation of muscle utilization patterns using various hand positions during the lat pull-down. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 16(4), 539–546.
- Youdas, J. W., Amundson, C. L., Cicero, K. S., Hahn, J. J., Harezlak, D. T., & Hollman, J. H. (2010). Surface electromyographic analysis of core trunk and hip muscles during select pilates exercises. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24(2), 356–371.
