Try the close grip barbell curl for a workout if you're tired of the same old bicep curls.

Simple yet effective exercise that targets your biceps, resulting in bigger, stronger arms.

Using a narrow grip on the barbell will make your biceps burn like never before.

In this exercise, you are targeting a specific muscle, giving you bigger and more stable biceps.

Close Grip Barbell Curl: What Is It?

Exercises that work the biceps include the close grip barbell curl.

Unlike regular barbell curls, narrow grip curls target the biceps more directly, resulting in greater bicep activation and growth.

As you curl the weight towards your chest, keep your elbows close to your body while holding a barbell with a close grip.

Various weights and rep ranges can be used.

Close Grip Barbell Curls For Bigger Biceps

You should perform close grip barbell curls with proper form and gradually increase the weight and intensity over time to build bigger biceps.

Vary your sets, reps, and weight to challenge your muscles and avoid plateauing.

The following points should be kept in mind before starting the workout.

There are two heads on your biceps brachii: the short (inner) and the long (outer).

With a regular shoulder-width grip, you will place approximately equal emphasis on both bicep heads.

You can build the peak of your biceps by using a narrow grip.

The wide grip will emphasize your short head and widen your biceps.

Close Grip Barbell Curl Muscles Worked

Besides targeting the biceps, the close grip barbell curl primarily works the biceps brachii muscles.

There are several synergist muscles involved in the narrow grip barbell curl, including:

• Brachialis,
• Brachioradialis

There are also a few other muscles that work as stabilizers, such as your

• Wrist flexors,
• Obliques, and Rectus abdominis.

Narrow Grip Bicep Curl Benefits

Besides enhancing peaked biceps, narrow grip barbell curls are a great way to boost upper-body strength.

It is therefore a great exercise to train for other weightlifting exercises.

The narrow grip bicep barbell curl has some benefits.

• Biceps peak is built.
• Close grip bicep curls are also useful for daily activities, such as picking up heavy objects.
• This exercise emphasizes the long (outer) head of the biceps.
• Strengthens grip
• Exercises that provide a variation to traditional bicep exercises
• A study found that the long head of the bicep stabilizes the shoulder.

Barbell Curl with Close Grip

With a wide grip, barbell curls target the inner biceps (short head), while a narrow grip focuses on the outer biceps (long head).

Among the most recognizable biceps exercises, the close grip barbell curl builds biceps peak.

In terms of strength and definition, it's a great exercise.

Narrow Grip Barbell Curls

• You should hold the barbell with a tight grip (hip width or closer). Your palms should be facing up and a few inches apart.
• Keep your torso straight, your head up, and your elbows close to your torso while standing. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart.
• By bending your elbows, curl the bar up to shoulder level. Hold the contraction for a few seconds.
• Return the barbell to the arms extended position slowly.
• You can repeat this exercise as many times as you like.

Tips for Close Grip Barbell Curls

• Engage your biceps by keeping your elbows close to your body
• Start with a lighter weight and gradually increase the weight as you progress.
• To move the weight, only your biceps should be used.
• To isolate the biceps, the motion should be performed at the elbow.
• As you progress, begin with fewer reps and increase them.
• Don't go too fast. This is a common mistake that could lead to muscle strain.
• At the top of the movement, squeeze your biceps.
• Get your muscles ready for exercise by doing bicep exercises during warm-ups.
• You should keep your elbows locked to your sides and your body still. Only your forearms should move.
• To prevent overuse injuries, rest and recover properly between sets and workouts.

Best variation of the close grip bicep barbell curl

You may enjoy several variations of the close grip barbell curl if you are an adventurous lifter.

Close grip EZ bar curls are one of the most common variations.

As the EZ bar's ergonomic design helps to challenge and activate the biceps and triceps, it is an excellent trade for the barbell, although it is very different from the straight bar.

They are easier to raise, put muscles through a similar range of motion, but don't engage the forearms as much as others.

Ez Bar with Close Grip

As your hands are close to each other during the movement, this is a great exercise for targeting your outer biceps.

Using a fully supinated grip on a straight bar version of this exercise can cause wrist and forearm discomfort for many lifters.

Close Grip Ez Bar: How To Do It

• Using a close supinated grip (hands closer than shoulder width apart and palms facing upward), hold an EZ-curl bar on your thighs.
• Exhale as you curl the EZ-curl bar up toward your shoulders, keeping your elbows fixed at your sides.
• Squeeze your biceps for two counts.
• Lower the EZ-curl bar to the starting position while inhaling.
• Count the repetitions until you reach the desired number.

Tips

• You should keep your elbows locked to your sides and your body still. Only your forearms should move.
• Squeeze your biceps at the top of the movement.
• To isolate the biceps, the motion should occur at the elbow.

Preacher Curl with Ez Barbell Close Grip

You can also workout your barbell biceps with close grip preacher curls.

A long head of biceps can be built with this exercise.

Preacher Curl With Narrow Grip

• Adjust the seat height of the preacher curl bench so that your arms are comfortably positioned.
• With your hands about shoulder-width apart, grasp the EZ bar underhand.
• Allow your elbows to fully extend while resting your upper arms on the preacher pad.
• Keep your upper arms stationary and your elbows close to your body as you curl the bar towards your shoulders.
• At the top of the movement, squeeze your biceps.
• Keep control of the weight and don't let your elbows fully extend as you lower the bar back down to the starting position.
• Perform the desired number of reps and sets.

Tips

• To fully engage your biceps muscles, keep the movement slow and controlled.
• When curling the weight, exhale, and when lowering it, inhale.
• In order to ensure proper form and technique, start with a lighter weight.

Concentration Curl with Barbell Close Grip

Beginners may not benefit from close grip barbell concentration curls because they are harder than dumbbell concentration curls.

This arm movement stimulates the biceps and brachialis muscles.

Narrow Grip Concentration Curl

• Put your feet flat on the floor and bend your knees while sitting on a bench.
• Hands shoulder-width apart, palms up, grip the barbell with a close grip.
• You should rest your elbows on the inside of your thighs, close to your knees.
• Ensure that your back is straight and your chest is up.
• Keep your elbows stationary as you curl the barbell towards your chest.
• At the top of the movement, squeeze your biceps and hold for a second.
• Using a controlled movement, lower the barbell back to the starting position.

Tips

• It is better to use light weights over heavy weights.
• Throughout the exercise, keep your elbows stationary and close to your body.
• Lifting weights should be done without swinging.

Best alternative to close grip bicep curls

The following exercises can be used as an alternative to close grip bicep curls to target the same muscles:

Dumbbell curls on an incline

With incline bench curls, your long head bicep will be targeted very well.

In addition to building massive peaked biceps, it adds variety to your arm workout.

Curls with hammers

As with the close grip bicep curl, this exercise targets the biceps brachii, brachialis, and brachioradialis muscles.

Pull-ups with a close grip

With a narrow grip barbell curl, you can target your long head biceps even more with the Close grip pull up.

Compound movements like this are some of the best exercises for your biceps, even though they aren't bicep-specific.

Takeaways

Strengthen your biceps by performing close grip barbell curls.