While getting a chiseled six-pack can be challenging, building up your arms is an easily achievable way to look great.
Of all the mirror muscles, biceps are the ones most often targeted.
Whether you’re undressed, in a T-shirt or even wearing a suit, your arms are on display so make the most of them.
Since these exercises are not really for beginners, we’re not going to give you a lesson on the muscles of the arm.
If you’re looking to pack on more size to your arms using only your bodyweight, we have to assume a certain standard of fitness, strength and overall ability.
Many of these exercises demand a pull-up bar.
Aside from a resistance band, no other equipment is required.
If you’re ready to ratchet their workouts up to the next level, we’ll dive straight into 10 of the best bodyweight biceps exercises…
10 of The Best Bodyweight Biceps Exercises
1) Chin-Ups
A real test of your upper body strength and endurance, a chin-up can also help give your biceps a workout. The key is to keep your back straight so you maximize the stimulation of your biceps while lessening the work your back needs to do. Proper form is everything here.
- Grip the pull-up bar with palms facing you, hands closer than shoulder-widt
- With both arms extended, keep your body straight while thrusting out your chest. This will be your starting position
- Exhale pulling your torso up so your head comes level with the bar. Keep your elbows tucked into your body and focus on your arms doing the work
- Squeeze your biceps for 1 second then slowly go back to the starting point. Breathe in during this phase of movement
See the guide on this Video:
2) Pull-Ups
Pull-ups have a well-deserved reputation as one of the toughest bodyweight exercises. You’ll be able to target your back and abs as well as the biceps with this powerhouse move. Knowing you can jump up and bash out a few pull-ups is a nice confidence booster.
- Grab the bar and grip it roughly shoulder-width. Use a full grip with palms facing down
- Bend your knees so you are hanging with feet up. Keep your arms straight
- Pull yourself up. Move your elbows toward the floor. Keep them tucked close
- Pull upwards. Let your chin come over the bar. Don’t shortchange yourself by going half-measures here. Concentrate on form over reps
- Lower yourself back to the starting position
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3) Isometric Chin-Ups
Isometrics are exercises where there’s no motion involved. An isometric chin-up is when you hold your chin-up at a particular point. This way, you can train your back muscles along with your biceps without even needing to move.
- Grip the pull-up bar with palms facing you, hands closer than shoulder-width
- Bend your elbows 90 degrees
- Do not hollow your back
- Keep your abs tight and legs extended
- Hold feet slightly in front of your hips
- Stay in position for 15-30 seconds, rest 2 minutes, repeat according to your needs
Learn more on this guide:
4) Towel Chin-Ups
Towel chin-ups are a fantastic way to build grip strength while also fully engaging your biceps. This way, you can benefit in the short and long term. Great grip is essential for building up your arms. Hit your forearms and biceps hard with some towel chin-ups…
- Wrap 2 towels over your pull-up bar. Place them roughly shoulder-width apart
- Using 1 hand, grab both ends of both towels
- Lift your feet up off the floor crossing your ankles
- Breathe out and pull yourself toward the bar
- Repeat with as many reps as you can handle
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5) Dips
Dips are a classic compound bodyweight exercise with multiple benefits. You’ll work your chest, shoulders and back at the same time as punishing your arms. If you don’t have dip bars to hand, you can improvise with chairs, beds or anything else you can grab.
- Grab the dip bars and jump up
- Balance and steady yourself with your elbows locked
- To dip, bend your arms and lower your body. Make sure you lean your torso slightly forward
- Go down so your shoulders come below your elbows
- Straighten your arms and lift back up to the starting position
- Balance with shoulders over hands and elbows locked
Check out the Video:
6) Incline Push-Ups
With an incline push-up, making use of a bench or any elevated platform activates a number of muscles. For powerful arms, you need to work on your triceps. The incline push-up does just that and also trains the shoulders, back and chest.
- Stand facing a bench or any elevated platform
- Place your hands on the edge slightly wider than shoulder-width apart
- Keep your feet back, your arms and body straight. Arms should be flush to the body
- With arms straight, lower your chest toward the edge of the platform by bending your arms
- Push your body back up until arms are extended
Check out this Guide:
7) Archer Pull-Ups
The Archer pull-up is an outstanding way to significantly increase the resistance of a traditional pull-up using nothing but your bodyweight. Give your arms a shock with something a little different…
- Start out like you’re performing a standard, wide-grip pull-up
- Bend only 1 arm as you pull your chin up and over the bar
- This movement means your torso will move toward that side but your opposite arm stays straight
- If you need to counterbalance at all, try reaching your legs slightly to the side
Check out this Guide:
8) Negative Chin-Ups
With negative chin-ups, the focus is placed on coming down not up. You use a bench to give you a boost. Give your back and forearms a blast along with your biceps.
- Place a bench under your chin-up bar
- Grab the bar with an overhand grip. Keep hands shoulder-width apart
- Hold yourself so your arms are bent and the bar is at your chest
- Slowly straighten your arms and lower yourself down. Try to make this movement last for 5 seconds for best results
- Release your grip and step back up…
Check out this Guide:
9) Resistance Band Biceps Curls
If you want to stretch your biceps workout without reaching for the weights, think about using a resistance band. This will help your biceps to contract and engage and gives you a welcome change in pace when you’re working out.
- Stand with both of your feet on the resistance band
- Hold handles by your sides with palms forward
- Curl your hands to your shoulder very slowly. Squeeze your biceps while making sure your elbows are by your side
- Release arms slowly to starting position
Learn More on this Video
10) Diamond Push-Ups
Standard push-ups don’t really work the biceps. Make things harder by using a diamond technique. You’ll target your triceps which are essential for arm strength
- Get into a push-up position
- Put your hands under your chest and make a diamond. Keep forefingers and thumbs together
- Lower yourself slowly to the ground then push up
- Keep fingers in diamond shape throughout
Learn more on this Video:
Wrap-Up
We hope you’ve found some ideas you can put into practice and beef up your biceps without hitting the weights.
Contact us if you’ve got any questions or feedback at all. We’re here to give you what you want so if there’s something you are interested in us looking into, just let us know.
Now see if you can get an extra inch on those arms!