Best No Equipment Exercises for Biceps — Top 5

No Equipment training is hotel rooms, parks, or home training with zero gear. Here are the best no equipment exercises for targeting your biceps, ranked by effectiveness. No equipment needed — just your body and some floor space.

Ranked by biceps muscle activation percentage, range of motion quality with no equipment, and progressive overload potential.

1
Bodyweight Chin-Up Curl
BicepsBodyweightadvanced

The bodyweight chin-up curl modifies the chin-up to emphasize the biceps by keeping the body very close to the bar and focusing on elbow flexion over shoulder extension. It builds serious biceps strength with bodyweight alone.

Biceps75%
Back50%
Forearms35%

Key Form Cue

Grab a pull-up bar with a narrow supinated (chin-up) grip, hands six inches apart.

2
Bodyweight Bicep Curl Towel
BicepsNo Equipmentbeginner

The bodyweight towel bicep curl uses self-resistance to train the biceps anywhere. Loop a towel under one foot, grab both ends, and curl against the resistance of your own leg pressing down.

Biceps70%
Forearms25%

Key Form Cue

Place a towel under one foot and grab both ends with one hand.

3
Chin-Up
BackBodyweightintermediate

The chin-up uses a supinated (underhand) grip that increases bicep involvement while still hammering the lats. Many lifters find chin-ups easier than pull-ups, making them a great stepping stone.

Back80%
Biceps55%
Forearms25%

Key Form Cue

Grip the bar at shoulder-width with palms facing you.

4
Pull-Up
BackBodyweightintermediate

The pull-up is the king of upper-back exercises. Hang from a bar with an overhand grip and pull your chin above the bar using your lats and biceps. Mastering pull-ups is a milestone in any training journey.

Back85%
Biceps50%
Forearms30%

Key Form Cue

Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width with palms facing away.

5
Inverted Row
BackBodyweightbeginner

The inverted row is a bodyweight horizontal pull that builds back and grip strength using just a bar at waist height. It scales easily from beginner to advanced by adjusting your foot position.

Back75%
Biceps50%
Abs30%

Key Form Cue

Set a bar at waist height, hang underneath it with arms extended and body straight.

Put these exercises into a real program

Revy's AI combines the best exercises for your goals into a personalized training program with progressive overload built in.