Effective Exercises for Building Dumbbells

Bodybuilding exercises for the biceps with dumbbells involve specific joint movements that produce the most activity in the biceps brachii muscle group. Bodybuilders incorporate different joint movements for targeting particular segments of the biceps. Maximize muscle growth with dumbbells that are heavy enough to exhaust your biceps within four to six repetitions per set. Alternatively, performing 12 to 15 repetitions can help improve muscle definition and burn fat while producing some muscle growth.
Angle of Resistance
Bodybuilding exercises for the biceps with dumbbells maximize biceps activation by moving the primary joint from the greatest angle of resistance. Your elbows are the primary joint for biceps exercises, because your biceps are primarily responsible for flexing and rotating your elbows. Gravity determines the greatest angle of resistance for all dumbbell and free weight exercises. Bodybuilding exercises for your biceps, such as arm curls, weighted pullups and prone incline curls, lift the weights directly against gravity by moving your elbows from a completely extended position that is parallel with the floor.
Elbow Flexion
Elbow flexion occurs when you bend your elbows, and bring your forearm toward your shoulder. Bodybuilding exercises for the biceps with dumbbells include flexing your elbows while holding the weights. Your biceps are most active during elbow flexion when your forearms are facing up, or supinated. Dumbbell bodybuilding exercises, such as preacher curls, involve flexing your elbows while keeping your forearms in a supinated position. Bodybuilders use elbow flexion dumbbell exercises for targeting the long head of the biceps, which runs along the outside portion of the muscle.
Forearm Supination
Forearm spination occurs when you rotate your lower arms and turn your wrists up. Bodybuilding exercises for the biceps with dumbbells include rotating your forearms against resistance. Your biceps are most active during forearm supination movements when your elbows are bent. Dumbbell bodybuilding exercises, such as arm curls, involve a forearm rotation movement with flexed elbows. Bodybuilders use forearm supination dumbbell exercises for targeting the short head of the biceps, which runs along the inner portion of the muscle.
Shoulder Flexion
Elbow flexion occurs when you raise your upper arm in front of your body, such as lifting your arm to point straight ahead. Bodybuilding dumbbell exercises that combine shoulder flexion with elbow flexion shorten the biceps as much as possible with each contraction. Dumbbell exercises, such as preacher curls, prone incline curls and weighted pullups, flex your elbows while keeping your shoulders in an elevated flexed position. Weighted pullups are a top exercise for your biceps, which involve performing chinups while holding a dumbbell between your legs.