10 Best Bicep Exercises At Home To Build Bigger Arm

Want bigger, stronger biceps without an expensive gym membership? It is possible to train your arms at home easily and effectively if you know the best bicep exercises to do.

You will be surprised at how quickly you can transform your bicep without using machines.

Furthermore, you can save money and avoid the commute by training your biceps at home.

Our guide has easy-to-follow instructions for anyone who wants to build bicep size and strength.

The only equipment you may need is:

• Dumbbells
• Resistance bands
• A sturdy chair

This article discusses the top 10 bicep exercises you can do at home without any extra equipment.

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Get Stronger Biceps with These 10 Home Workouts

We’ve assembled 10 bicep exercises you can do in your space. These moves, like bicep curls, chin-ups, and more, will help you see results while you save time and money.

1. Standing Dumbbell Curl

The dumbbell bicep curl is one of the most common and effective exercises for building bigger, stronger bicep muscles.

This exercise is a staple in arm-strengthening routines and is renowned for its simplicity and effectiveness.

How To Do It

1. Stand straight with knees bent and feet hip-width apart.
2. Keep your core tight and your shoulders back, arms extended by your sides.
3. Hold weights or household objects for resistance, palms facing forward
4. Bend elbows and curl forearms up towards shoulders, and hold squeeze at the top.
5. Slowly lower back to the starting position with control.
6. Repeat for 10–12 repetitions.

Tips

• Don’t swing weights up; keep your upper arm steady.
• A full range of motion targets the biceps through complete contraction.
• You can do a seat or one arm at a time.

2. Hammer Curl

The hammer curl is a variation on the bicep curl, in which you hold dumbbells with a neutral grip and push it towards your shoulders. 

When it comes to building massive biceps and forearms at home, the hammer curl is an effective isolation workout that targets the bicep, brachialis and brachioradialis.

The hammer curl is one of the most popular exercises among bodybuilders and regular weightlifters.

How To Do It

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other.
3. Keep your elbows close to your sides and curl the dumbbells up towards your shoulders.
4. Lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
5. Repeat for 8-10 repetitions.

Tips

• Focus on contracting the brachioradialis muscle as you curl the dumbbells up.
• Breathe out as you curl the dumbbells up, and breathe in as you lower them down.
• Avoid swinging the dumbbells. The movement should be slow and controlled.

3. Dumbbell Reverse Curl

Unlike the traditional bicep curl, which involves palms facing upwards, the reverse curl involves palms facing downwards. This shift in grip places more emphasis on the brachialis.

It is great for building both your bicep and brachialis (upper arms), and also stimulates your brachioradialis (lower arm) muscle.

The reverse grip can be challenging, so start with a lighter weight to master the form before progressing.

How To Do It

1. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart, standing straight.
2. Grab a dumbbell with an overhand grip in each hand, and ensure your arms are fully extended.
3. Keep your upper arms still and your back straight, and curl the weights up towards your shoulders.
4. Continue to curl the dumbbells until they reach shoulder level, and your biceps are fully contracted.
5. Return to the starting position in a smooth arc.

Tips

• Maintain a straight back and avoid leaning forward or backward.
• Keep your elbows tucked in.
• Avoid bending your wrists during the lift.

Know More: Best Biceps Dumbbell Exercises That You Can Do At Home

4. Zottman Curl

The Zottman Curl is a unique variation of the traditional dumbbell curl that combines a regular bicep curl with a reverse curl.

This exercise targets not only the biceps but also the brachialis and brachioradialis muscles in the forearms.

Due to the rotation involved, this exercise also helps improve grip strength.

How To Do It

1. Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with an underhand grip (palms facing upward).
3. Lift the weights up towards your shoulders while keeping your upper arms still.
4. When the weights are close to your shoulders, turn your wrists so that your palms face down.
5. Slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
6. At the bottom of the movement, rotate your wrists again to return to the starting position with palms facing upward (supination movement).

Tips

• For the best results, perform this exercise in a slow, controlled manner.
• Don’t go heavy; pick a lighter weight and work on perfecting your form.

5. Resistance Band Curl

Resistance bands bicep curls keep the muscles in tension throughout the entire movement, which leads to more bicep muscle activation. This means that you will get more out of each time you do the arm exercise.

It’s a versatile exercise that can be done anywhere, so it’s a good choice for working out at home or on the go.

How To Do It

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart in the middle of the resistance band.
2. Hold the handles of the resistance band with your palms facing up.
3. Slowly curl your hands up towards your shoulders.
4. Squeeze your biceps at the top of the curl.
5. Slowly lower your hands back down to the starting position.

Tips

• Try to keep tension on your biceps throughout the exercise.
• Avoid using momentum to swing the resistance band up.
• Perform 3-4 sets of 10-15 reps for best results.

Know More: 7 Best Resistance Band Bicep Exercises For Bigger Arm

6. Chin Up

One of the best bodyweight exercises for your biceps is the chin-up. This bodyweight exercise can induce serious muscle growth in the back and biceps.

In this exercise, the palms are faced towards the body. Since the lifter is pulling its body weight, the biceps are usually exposed to loads heavier than one can lift with a barbell.

How To Do It

1. Grasp a pull-up bar with an underhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart or slightly narrower.
2. Straighten your arms, keep your knees bent, and cross your lower legs.
3. Retract your shoulder blades and pull your body until your chin aligns with the bar.
4. Pause at the top for one to two seconds, with the biceps under maximum tension.
5. Slowly lower to the start position.

Tips

• Don’t usually do half reps and chase numbers.
• Lower to almost full extension of the elbow, but avoid locking out completely.

7. Inverted Row

The inverted row (bodyweight rows) creates a horizontal body position, making it easier to perform. It works the back and shoulder muscles from a different angle and improves upper body strength.

In the gym, most people utilize the Smith machine for this exercise. You can also do the inverted row at home by lying under a chair and pulling yourself up.

How To Do It

1. Adjust the height of the chair and bar so that it’s a little higher than arm’s length from the floor.
2. Lie under the bar with your legs and body straight.
3. Grasp the bar with an overhand grip that’s a little wider than shoulder width.
4. Keeping your legs and body straight, exhale as you pull your chest up to the bar.
5. Hold for a count of two and squeeze your back muscles.
6. Breathe in as you lower your body until your arms and shoulders are fully extended. Repeat.

Tips

• Do not allow your butt to sag.
• Keep your elbows tucked in.
• Lower your body until the arms are fully extended, and then raise your body until the chest touches the bar.

Know More: Bodyweight Biceps Exercises At Home To Bigger Arm

8. Concentration Curl

The concentration curl is a highly effective isolation exercise that targets the biceps, offering unique benefits for arm strength and definition.

According to ACE study, the concentration curl resulted in a higher activation of the biceps than standard curls. It maximizes biceps tension through a full range of motion by bracing the arm and reducing body movement.

This isolation makes it uniquely effective for building biceps peak contraction and muscle growth.

How To Do It

1. Sit on the bench with feet firmly on the floor about shoulder-width apart.
2. Rest the working arm against the inside of the leg above the knee to stabilize.
3. Keep back straight, and engage the core.
4. Curl the dumbbell towards the shoulder, rotating the palm upward.
5. Squeeze biceps hard and pause at peak contraction
6. Slowly lower the weight back to the start position.

Tips

• Use lighter weight and higher reps – 2–3 sets to failure.
• Count 2 sec up, 2 sec squeezes, 4 sec eccentric.

9. Renegade Row

The renegade row is a challenging compound exercise that combines elements of a plank and a dumbbell row.

It makes your core, back, shoulders, and biceps stronger.

It is a compound movement involving multiple muscle groups, so it can burn many calories and help lose weight.

How To Do It

1. Start in a plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart and dumbbells directly under your shoulders.
2. Maintain a straight line from head to heels, engaging your core.
3. Keep your body in a straight plank, row one dumbbell towards your chest, and squeeze your back muscles.
4. Slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position.
5. Repeat the movement with the other arm.

Tips

• Keep your elbow close to your body.
• Work up to 3 sets of 10-12 reps per side.
• Exhale as you lift the dumbbell and inhale as you lower it.

10. Reverse Grip Push-Ups

The reverse grip push-up is a fun and great variation of the standard push-up. The exercise is done with your fingers facing your feet (your palms outward).

Many consider it the “bicep push-up” because of the hand position; it emphasizes your biceps a little more than the standard push-up.

For easier variation, you can do the Reverse Grip Push-Ups on the knee or the inclined surface.

How To Do It

1. Start in a standard push-up position and position your hands slightly wider than your shoulders, with your palms flat on the floor and your fingers pointing towards your feet.
2. Inhale and slowly start to bend your elbows.
3. Do not let your elbows move outwards (away from your body).
4. Lower yourself until you are about an inch from the floor.
5. Pause the movement when you are at the bottom for a second. 
6. Exhale and start pushing your body back up. Push through your palms like you would try to push the floor away from yourself.
7. Finish the exercise by extending your arms completely out.

Tips

• You should always do a proper warm-up, especially focusing on warming up and stretching your wrists. 
• Start on your knees if needed until you build strength.

At-Home Bicep Workout Plans

The bicep exercises listed will be performed with moderate loads and repetitions to emphasize muscular hypertrophy (muscle growth) and endurance.

Load and volume (sets, reps) can be increased as your fitness and strength improve.

• For muscle hypertrophy (muscle growth): Aim for a rep range of 8–12 reps per set
• For strength and power: Lower the rep range to around 4–6 reps per set.
• For Endurance: Do 15–20 reps per set.

However, here are some general guidelines to help you get started:

Beginner Workout Plan

Intermediate Workout Routine:

Conclusion

There you have it – 10 of the best biceps exercises that can be done conveniently in your home. From isolation moves like concentration curls to compound lifts like chin-ups, use various exercises to work all areas of your biceps.

Whether you have a set of dumbbells or leverage your body weight, you can sculpt toned, defined arms without an expensive gym membership.

Try to add these bicep exercises to your regular workout routine at least 2–3 times per week. Over time, you will build muscle, definition, and power in your arms.

With focus, consistency, and effort, a stronger set of arms is within your reach inside your home.

Manish Kumar

Manish is a NASM-certified fitness and nutrition coach with over 10 years of experience in weight lifting and fat loss fitness coaching. He specializes in gym-based training and has a lot of knowledge about exercise, lifting technique, biomechanics, and more.

Through “Fit Life Regime,” he generously shares the insights he’s gained over a decade in the field. His goal is to equip others with the knowledge to start their own fitness journey.