Skip the dumbbells and strengthen your arms with this Resistance Band Bicep Workout! This at-home arm workout uses the best bicep exercises to help you strengthen, tone, and set your biceps on fire.
"I've been doing this workout for a few weeks now and I can see a noticeable difference in my arms. I loved how they look more toned and defined! This is an awesome workout!" - Carla
A Quick Look At The Workout
- 💭Equipment: Strength band
- ⏲️Duration: 15-20 minutes
- 📖 Warm up: You can grab an upper body warm up or use one of your own
- 📋Intensity: Beginner-friendly and low-impact
- 📖 Frequency: If you want to increase strength, do this workout 2 times per week
- ⭐ Muscles used: You'll be primarily focusing on the biceps, but the shoulders and pectorals will come into play too.
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Are you sick and tired of lackluster arms? If you want your arms to get STRONGER you need to train them both in isolation (just one muscle at a time) as well as in a compound setting (think rows).
This resistance band bicep workout focuses mostly on the biceps muscles themselves to help you target them directly (though here are some great arm exercises for batwings in general).
Done in just 15 minutes like this 15 minute resistance band workout pdf), you can do this bicep workout anywhere.
And of course, fuel up post-workout with these wicked, high-protein snack ideas.
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What Are The Biceps?
The biceps muscle is the front part of your upper arm. Its technical name is the biceps brachii and has two heads (short head and long head).
This muscle helps you:
- Flex your forearm
- Rotate the forearm
- Pull your arm away from your body
- Turn your am inward
Because the bicep muscles hits two joints (the elbow and the shoulder joint) it needs to be trained in multiple ways.
What Equipment Do You Need For The Workout
These resistance band bicep exercises use just a red strength band to get the job done.
Strength-based resistance bands are one of my favorite pieces of at-home gym equipment. They’re small, cost-effective, and provide an added bit of resistance to your exercises.
In fact, in my 6 weeks to STRONG workouts, I only require my clients to have a mini loop band and a set of dumbbells! So yes, resistance bands are effective. In fact, check out the best mini band exercises to see what i mean.
Make sure to grab looped resistance bands though (full circle) and not pilates resistance bands. You’ll get better bang for your buck this way. And then make sure to check out this free printable resistance band exercise chart for beginner ideas!
The Resistance Band Bicep Workout
Below is the biceps workout. Remember that with any home workout, form is crucial. Move slowly and with purpose through each and every repetition. Grab more strength training tips so that you're set up to succeed.
Use the workout twice per week for stronger arms.
Hack: your setup matters. You want the bicep curls to be challenging at the transition point of the exercise. If it’s not, make sure to choke up on the band until it is.
| Wide Grip Bicep Curl | 10 repetitions |
| Rest | 30 seconds x 3 sets |
| Cross Body Curl | 12 repetitions |
| Drag Curl | 10 repetitions |
| Rest | 30 seconds x 3 sets |
| Concentration Curl Cluster Set | As many reps as possible x 1 set |
To perform the workout:
Perform the wide grip bicep curls for 10 repetitions. Rest for 30 seconds and repeat for a total of three hours.
Then, move on to the cross body bicep curls and the drag curl. Perform each bicep exercise for the repetitions listed back to back. Rest after the drag curls for 30 seconds and repeat that for three rounds.
Finally, finish with one strong set of concentration curls. Perform as many concentration curls as you can on one arm. When your bicep fatigues, stop and rest for a count of 5 seconds. Then do it again. Repeat this sequence as many times as you need to until you hit 40 repetitions. Then, perform it on the other side.
Workout PDF Printable
Below is a PDF of the workout (click the image). Use it to track how the workout feels and any areas you can improve on the following time you do it.
Expert Tips On Form
Below is a breakdown of all the bicep exercises and how to perform them. Focus on muscle engagement and activation as that's what gives you the biggest bang for your buck when it comes to home workouts.
And of course, feul up with something like gingerbread protein bars after!
1. Wide Grip Band Curls
- Place your feet on the resistance band and hold the other end of the loop in one arm. Stand up tall.
- Keep your elbow at your hip but turn the forearm out so it’s a 45 degree angle from your body.
- Curl against the band bringing your hand toward your shoulder.
- Pause for a squeeze and slowly lower.
2. Cross Body Biceps Curls
- Stand tall and wrap the resistance band under your feet holding some of the other end in each hand.
- Alternating arms, curl the hand of the working arm up from your hips, across the chest, to the opposite shoulder.
- Pause and slowly release.
3. Drag Bicep Curls
- Stand tall and wrap the resistance band under your feet holding some of the other end in each hand.
- Drive your elbows back behind your body as you curl both hands up toward your chest.
- Pause with the elbows back and slowly release.
4. Concentration Bicep Curls
- Come into a half kneeling position with the resistance band under the front knee and around the foot.
- Place the same side elbow onto the front knee holding the resistance band.
- Keep a heavy tension on the band as you curl up to your shoulder.
- Pause for a bicep squeeze and slowly lower.
How To Make It Harder
Part of getting stronger means slowing down your reps and always progressing your workouts. To make this banded bicep workout harder, try the following:
- Invest in a heavier band
- Make use of pause reps
- Control the tempo (slowly release)
The biggest mistake people make is rushing through reps and not FEELING muscles work. Learn how to make workouts more intense at home.
If you're sick of piecing together workout plans, check out my 6 weeks to STRONG program that walks you through the exact process you need to start getting stronger at home.
Bicep Workout With Resistance Bands FAQs
Resistance bands are a great way to build strength and increase muscle growth in your arms. Because resistance bands produce more tension the more they’re stretched, the sticking point of an exercise is targeted the most, often a struggle with dumbbells. So, resistance bands can be extremely effective for biceps exercises.
Resistance bands help keep tension on the muscle group and produce the greatest amount of tension at the top of a curl. This tension is what gives the best results. So yes, resistance band bicep exercises are extremely effective for muscle growth in the biceps brachii.
A resistance band bicep workout can be done 1-2 times per week depending on your current goals. You’ll want to balance it out with some tricep exercises for a well-rounded arm approach. Make sure to have some rest days between training sessions so that the biceps brachii has time to develop.
Carla says
I've been doing this workout for a few weeks now and I can see a noticeable difference in my arms. I loved how they look more toned and defined! This is an awesome workout!
fitasamamabear says
This makes my heart happy, keep crushing it!
Renee says
I just got some resistance bands for my birthday and I was really excited to try them out ! They feel a little awkward at first, but this article really helped me try out different exercises. I definitely felt the burn-hahah! Hopefully my biceps will pop out any day now. Thanks for the help.
fitasamamabear says
Whoever gave you bands is awesome! it's never "comfy" to start lol but it gets better! Glad I could help.