10 Best Bicep Exercises You Can Do at Home

Building impressive biceps doesn’t require a fancy gym membership or expensive equipment.

You know what? Some of the best bicep exercises are easy to do in your living room, and you don’t need much equipment—maybe even none.

After testing many arm exercises over the past decade, I’ve found that these 10 home bicep exercises consistently deliver the best results.

The only equipment you may need is:

• Dumbbells
• Resistance bands
• A sturdy chair

10 Exercises to Build Bigger Biceps at Home

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

If there is one exercise that screams biceps, then it’s the Standing Dumbbell Curl. This is a foundational movement for building mass and strength in those guns.

The primary movers here are the biceps brachii (both heads) with the brachialis and brachioradialis acting synergistically.

How To Do It

1. Stand tall with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, arms straight down by your sides. Your palms should face forward (a supinated grip).
2. Keep a soft bend in your knees—don’t lock them out. Your shoulders are back and down, and your chest is lifted.
3. Keep your elbows close to your sides, inhale and slowly curl the dumbbells towards your shoulders.
4. Focus on squeezing your biceps at the top of the movement. To maintain tension, stop just before the dumbbells touch your shoulders.
5. Inhale and slowly, under control, lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
6. Don’t just go through the motions. Feel your biceps contracting. Visualise the muscle shortening and lengthening.
7. Go smoothly into the next repetition.

2. Hammer Curl

The hammer curl is a variation on the bicep curl and is essential for balanced arm development. It targets muscle fibres that contribute to overall thickness and work your forearms.

This exercise uses a neutral grip (palms facing each other), which significantly changes the leverage and muscle recruitment compared to a supinated grip.

It emphasises the Brachialis (a muscle underneath the bicep that pushes it up when developed) and the Brachioradialis (a major forearm muscle on the thumb side) more and builds a fuller, stronger-looking arm

You can do both dumbbells at the same time, or alternate arms. Alternating can help maintain control and focus on one arm at a time. Try both and see what feels best for your connection.

How To Do It

1. Stand tall, feet hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, with your arms straight down by your sides.
2. Your palms should face in towards your body, and your thumbs should point forward (like you’re holding a hammer).
3. Keep your elbows close to your sides and slowly lift the dumbbells up towards your shoulders. Curl until your forearms are close to your biceps.
4. Inhale slowly and slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position. Do not rotate your wrist.
5. Smoothly transition into the next rep. Repeat for 8-10 repetitions.

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 excellent for building the bicep and brachialis muscles (upper arms) and stimulating the brachioradialis muscle (lower arm). Over the past decade, I have been adding reverse curls to my clients’ workout plans.

Don’t ego lift here. Because the primary power muscle (Biceps Brachii) is less engaged, you will lift less weight than standard curls.

You can do the same with household items like water bottles and backpacks.

How To Do It

1. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart, standing straight.
2. Hold 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 upward 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.
6. If 12 reps are challenging, drop to 8-10 reps or use lighter items like soup cans.

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). Don’t go heavy; pick a lighter weight and work on perfecting your form.
3. Keep your upper arms still as you lift the weights up towards your shoulders.
4. When the weights are close to your shoulders, turn your wrists so 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 to return to the starting position with palms facing upward (supination movement).

5. Resistance Band Curl

Resistance band bicep curls are a versatile exercise that can be done anywhere, so they’re a good choice for working out at home or on the go.

Resistance bands provide what’s called accommodating resistance, which means that the tension increases as you stretch them. This means you get maximum resistance at the top of the movement, precisely where your bicep is at its point of peak contraction.

This can be very effective for stimulating muscle fibres. Plus, they’re joint-friendly and super portable.

How To Do It

1. Stand in the middle of the resistance band with your feet about shoulder-width apart (or closer/wider to adjust tension – more on that in tips).
2. Hold the ends of the band with your palms facing forward (supinated grip) and let your arms hang straight down by your sides.
3. Ensure the band has some tension even in the starting position. Keep a soft bend in your knees, your core engaged, and your shoulders back and down.
4. Keep your elbows glued to your sides (don’t let them drift forward).
5. Exhale and slowly curl your hands upwards towards your shoulders. Feel that tension increase as you curl higher.
6.  Inhale slowly and slowly lower your hands back to the starting position. Do not let the band pull your arms down quickly—resist the tension.
7. Go smoothly into the next rep, controlled both up and down.
8. Do 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.

In this exercise, the palms are faced towards the body, which shifts a significant amount of the load directly onto the biceps due to the grip and hand position.

 You are lifting the entire bodyweight, forcing the biceps to work synergistically with large back muscles for a powerful contraction.

How To Do It

1. Grab the pull-up bar with an underhand grip (palms facing you), hands about shoulder-width apart.
2. Hang freely with your arms fully extended, shoulders relaxed but not caved in.
3. Your body should be straight or with a slight arch in the lower back, and your core engaged.
4. Retract your shoulder blades and pull your body until your chin clears the bar or your chest touches it.
5. Pause at the top for one to two seconds, with the biceps under maximum tension.
6. Slowly lower to the start position. 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.

Most people use the Smith machine in the gym 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. Do not allow your butt to sag.
3. Grasp the bar with an overhand grip 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.

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 the ACE study, the concentration curl activated the biceps more 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 stabilise.
3. Keep your back straight, and engage your 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.
7. Use lighter weight and higher reps – 2–3 sets to failure.

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-Up

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

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

For a simpler way to do Reverse Grip Push-Ups, try doing them on your knees or on an inclined surface. It’s a great way to make the exercise more manageable and still get a good workout.

How To Do It

1. Start in a standard push-up position, with your hands slightly wider than your shoulders, 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.

At-Home Bicep Workout Plans

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

• 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

Here are 10 fantastic bicep exercises you can easily do right at home. From focused moves like concentration curls to those awesome compound lifts like chin-ups, you’ll find various exercises to work all aspects of your biceps.

Add them to your regular workout routine at least 2–3 times per week.

Over time, you will build muscle, definition, and power in your arms.

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.