Building impressive bicep muscles isn’t just about size; it’s also about achieving a well-rounded look. That nice-looking peak is made possible in large part by the short head of the biceps. 

The biceps muscle has two separate heads. One of them stands out: the short head of the biceps. It’s what makes elbow flexion and wrist supination (turning your palm upward) possible. It’s also a key part of shoulder adduction, which means moving your arm closer to your body’s center.

In this guide, we’ll dive into the best exercises to target the short head of your biceps. These exercises, when performed correctly, can help you develop that sought-after bicep definition.

Best Short Head Bicep Exercises

Barbell Curls

How To Do Barbell Curls:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Hold a barbell with an underhand grip, allowing your arms to extend downward fully.
3. Start the movement by flexing your elbow joint while keeping your upper arms still. The barbell should travel in an arc towards your chest.
4. Continue to curl the barbell until it is close to your chest, contracting your biceps at the top.
5. Slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position, ensuring controlled movement.

Barbell Curls Benefits:

• Barbell curls emphasize the short biceps head, contributing to a pronounced peak.
• This exercise also engages the long head and brachialis, promoting balanced bicep growth.

Dumbbell Hammer Curls

How To Do Dumbbell Hammer Curls:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing inward (neutral grip).
2. Keep your arms fully extended.
3. Begin by flexing your elbow joint to lift the dumbbells, maintaining the neutral grip.
4. Continue the curling motion until the dumbbells are close to your chest.
5. Lower the dumbbells back down under control.

Dumbbell Hammer Curls Benefits:

• Hammer curls work both the short and long heads of the biceps, providing overall bicep development.
• Additionally, this exercise engages the brachialis muscle, contributing to bicep peak development.

Preacher Curls

How To Do Preacher Curls:

1. Sit at a preacher bench, positioning your upper arms on the padded surface.
2. Hold an EZ bar or dumbbell with an underhand grip, arms fully extended, and your chest against the preacher bench.
3. Initiate the movement by flexing your elbow and curling the barbell or dumbbell toward your chest.
4. Keep your upper arms stationary throughout the exercise.
5. Lower the weight back to the starting position slowly and with control.

Preacher Curls Benefits:

• Preacher curls effectively isolate the short head of the biceps, enhancing peak development.
• The preacher bench helps maintain proper form and prevents swinging, ensuring targeted muscle engagement.

Concentration Curls

How To Do Concentration Curls:

1. Sit on a bench with your legs apart, creating space for your arm.
2. Hold a dumbbell in one hand, allowing it to hang between your legs, with your palm facing up.
3. Keep your back straight and your upper arm pressed against your inner thigh.
4. Initiate the curl by flexing your elbow joint, bringing the dumbbell toward your chest.
5. Focus on isolating the short head of the biceps throughout the movement.
6. Lower the dumbbell back to the starting position under control.

Concentration Curls Benefits:

• Concentration curls are excellent for isolating and developing the short head of the biceps, emphasizing the peak.
• The seated position enhances focus on the bicep, minimizing the use of other muscles.

EZ Bar Curls

How To Do EZ Bar Curls:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Hold an EZ bar with an underhand grip, arms fully extended, and your elbows close to your torso.
3. Initiate the curl by flexing your elbow joint, raising the EZ bar toward your chest.
4. Maintain stability in your upper arms throughout the exercise.
5. As you lift, focus on contracting the short head of the biceps.
6. Lower the EZ bar back to the starting position with controlled movement.

EZ Bar Curls Benefits:

• This exercise effectively targets the short head of the biceps, contributing to a defined peak.
• The unique design of the EZ bar eases wrist strain compared to a straight barbell.

Spider Curls

How To Do Spider Curls:

1. Set up a preacher bench at a slight incline.
2. Position yourself with your chest against the preacher bench, allowing your upper arms to rest on the pad.
3. Hold an EZ bar with an underhand grip, arms fully extended, and your elbows close to your torso.
4. Initiate the curl by flexing your elbow joint, lifting the EZ bar toward your chest.
5. Keep your upper arms stationary throughout the exercise.
6. Lower the EZ bar back to the starting position in a controlled manner.

Spider Curls Benefits:

• Spider curls specifically isolate the short head of the biceps, promoting peak development.
• This exercise contributes to bicep thickness and overall definition.

Full Short Head Bicep Workout

You might get the most out of these workouts if you combine them with a full short head and bicep workout. Here’s a sample routine:

1. Barbell Curls: 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions.
2. Dumbbell Hammer Curls: 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions.
3. Preacher Curls: 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions.
4. Concentration Curls: 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions.
5. EZ Bar Curls: 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions.
6. Spider Curls: 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions.

Remember to maintain proper form and gradually increase the weight as you progress.

Biceps Anatomy

To get the most out of your biceps workouts, you need to know how they work. The big muscle in your upper arm is called the biceps brachii. It has two main parts: the long head and the short head. Understanding these parts is essential for effective training.

Long Head: Biceps’ outermost part. It runs along the upper arm and greatly enhances the biceps. When developed, the lengthy head gives your upper arm a full, rounded aspect.

Short Head: The inner biceps are closer to the midline. This head is essential to producing “peak biceps.” A well-developed short head gives the bicep a mountain-like look when flexed.

How To Train Your Biceps Short Head

To really work out the short head of your biceps, you need to do a mix of workouts that focus on curling. The workouts above are great options for working out the short head. These include barbell curls, hammer curls, preacher curls, concentration curls, EZ bar curls, and spider curls. Here’s a more thorough way to do it:

1. Exercise Selection: To work on the short head, choose routines that have you bending your elbows most of the time. As was already said, curling routines are great for this.

2. Form and Range of Motion: Pay close attention to how you stand and move. When you curl, make sure you go through each action. For example, to work the short head properly when doing barbell curls, fully extend your arms at the bottom of the move and curl the weight all the way up.

3. Mind-Muscle Connection: Work on making a strong link between your mind and muscles with your small head. Pay attention to how the short head of your biceps feels as you do each rep.

4. Control the Weight: Don’t use too much force or swing the weights around. The key is control. To get the most out of your muscles, lift the weight with your arms and slowly lower it.

5. Progressive Overload: As your endurance and strength improve, slowly add more resistance or weight to these workouts. Gradual pressure helps muscles grow and get stronger.

6. Variation: Different types of curling exercises should be part of your program to keep the short head challenged and stimulated from different angles.

Final Thoughts

Building a well-defined and impressive set of biceps requires a holistic approach. To get that desired bicep peak, you need to work on the small head of the biceps. If you do these best short head bicep workouts as part of your routine and follow the right form and progression, your biceps will get stronger and look better.

FAQs

References

1. Tiwana MS, Charlick M, Varacallo M. Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Biceps Muscle. [Updated 2022 Aug 30]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519538/

Michael K.

Daniel Mesa, CPT, is a trusted fitness expert and founder of  FitDominium. With his extensive experience and commitment to helping others, Daniel is the go-to source for reliable fitness advice and recommendations.